“Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Are you kidding?” I responded. “This is a chance of a lifetime. When else will I get to experience San Francisco, Philadelphia and Las Vegas in just five weeks?”
We were strolling along a path in my favorite area of the park, where the grass is always greenest and the sun never set. “Oh, but I will miss this place…”
“And don’t forget this isn’t vacation. You’ll be in training the whole time.”
“Please!” I protested. “When has learning ever been a problem for me?” Chuckling, we laid out our blanket in the middle. “Besides, I’m taking a great course, and there will be plenty of free time.”
We were snacking on some fresh fruit and drinking tea, watching some little ones in the distance. “It’s all for them really. So maybe they won’t have to…”
“But be careful. I hear the cities are rough. And don’t forget, once you go, you’re there for the duration. No way back, no matter what, until graduation.”
“I’ll probably be having so much fun I won’t have to worry about that! You know what ‘they’ say…”
“Time flies…”
“Doesn’t it?” We giggled again.
Suddenly, pain, I’d never known before, excruciating, gripped my whole being. From the top to the bottom, every part of me seized up, freezing me, stiff. I hit the ground, hard, with a THUD! Then, as suddenly as it came, it stopped.
“Is it time?”
“It is.” I responded and the pain hit again, stronger, especially around my head. “Until we meet again…” I called before falling for the last time.
At first it was DARK! Very dark, and frightening. I was sure I’d made a mistake. But now, what could I do? I saw a light up ahead, so I pushed toward it.
After hours of pushing I finally came into the light. I screamed at the horrors I saw. Monsters! And giants! What did I sign up for???
I heard one of them speak and say, “It’s a girl! Seven pounds, eight ounces, 22:00 hours…”
