Life in the Stars: Chapter 2

Chapter 2: What We Wonder

I tossed and turned in the hotel’s king-sized bed that night. Sleeping in this magnificent, strong mattress was far above amazing compared to the saggy cotton cots at the foster home. I could hear Warwick’s snoring in the second bedroom. The thin walls were by far the worst feature of the building. I also knew that the guard was strictly stationed on the couch with a bowl of ice cream in his lap and the television on.

I could tell he was watching a cartoon of some kind due to the continuous bonks and bloops that kept popping out of the speaker.

But all of this wasn’t what kept me up. I had to get used to it, but I could sleep just fine with all the kids snoring and older ones staying up until dawn making a tremendous ruckus.

No. It was the fact that I was . . . let’s say curious. Or . . . suspicious . . . or . . . you get the idea. I had done some research on NASA earlier in my life when I had to write a report on the organization in 3rd grade. And yet ‘Warwick Barnett’ didn’t appear on any page I looked at. And after doing even more recent research on the one who would give me the ITAA, I found up to point-blank info. Nothing. Nada.

The true leader, and owner of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, was Bill Nelson.

According to the Barnettians, Warwick has been feasting off of NASA’s riches for many years now. But how? And in what department?

That was the curious part. Now I began to dig deeper into my memory on everything I knew about NASA and my various range of suspicions on the mysterious corporation, which ranged from my low belief of the false landing on the moon to my high and unpopular suspicion of astronauts traveling much farther into space than NASA let out.

With my eyes closed, I could see but a sheet of black. But my brain wouldn’t stop raving. I thought multiple times that I heard it whir like a loading computer.

I  couldn’t find the right position to lay in. I curled into a ball on my right side. Then I straightened out and stretched as far as I could sideways.

My eyes began to tear. My jaw became weak and I felt water escape my face.

This was the only time I ever cried since my parents passed.

Nothing was worse, so I just held it in. But when I couldn’t fall asleep. I became stressed and became a living waterfall. It’s how it always is. Only a few years ago, my environment was changed from a beautiful house to a depressing orphanage. And now the pressure was on. The world knew my name and I was now going to who knows where especially since Barnett doesn’t officially run NASA. It could be a total pitfall for heaven’s sake.

But, finally, coping with all the liquid that weighed down my head, I slowly fell out of bed.

I stood up, mustering all the strength I had for the rest of the day. I bent down and touched my toes.

Well.

Not really. More like just below my knees. But it worked. I loosened up just enough where my legs could make up somewhat of a believable lie for my brain to blip right over it.

Crawling up back into my luxurious bed, I mulled over my thought of Warwick for a few meer seconds, before falling asleep, and into the next day.

The day where I would discover the truth about my suspicions.