A Love Greater Than Space

This is that latest story that has sidetracked me and is not part of the Journey Into the Mind series. However I felt like since I haven't updated this in awhile I would show why and share this story. Keep in mind I have not edited this yet for errors. I hope you enjoy

“Don’t forget to bring me back a moon flower.”

Lucas couldn’t get those words out of his head. The last words he heard her say before his departure. “For you, I’d bring back the moon itself,” he thought to himself. Nothing is certain here however, one mistake could change everything. The thought of her was the only thing that gave him hope. During takeoff he was more nervous than he had ever been before, but it made Lucas realize that he loved her more than anything else in the world. Earth was a beautiful sight from space and is the only thing that could compare to the beauty of her love in his mind. Being comparable however didn’t make it equal.

Lucas’s daydream was interrupted by Weston’s only words for in the past hour. “So what’s your girl like?” Lucas thought for a moment and gazed at the earth before answering. “Take a look at earth; it is an amazingly beautiful sight that few get to see from space. Few people can see earth in its entirety, but everyone can see the sun. Yet, no one understands the sun or gets as close as we do. Even fewer understand the true size of the sun. My girl is like comparing the beauty of earth to the awe of the sun. One is great, the other is something everyone sees but only one feels.”

Weston could see in Lucas’s eyes that this girl meant something more to him, something nothing could get in the way of. Weston was in love himself, but even he couldn’t match the feelings Lucas was expressing. The love Lucas had for Noreen was something few ever experience, a love that could fill up all of space and beyond. Weston thought back to before takeoff and pictured Lucas and Noreen in their embrace, their silence, with a single tear running down Noreen’s face. That kind of love is one that escapes words and Weston could only wish for.

“I envy you; you get to see things I can’t even imagine.” Lucas wished he could show her, wished he could do justice to the sights of space, the awe that encompasses his job. However he would give it all away, he would throw away all of the sights and forget the awe just to spend every moment with her. Lucas was not one to mope around wishing for things though and decided to get back to work. Day dreaming about Noreen was not going to bring him back to her any sooner. Their assignment on this trip was to gather some moon rock from a place yet to be explored. Each of the six moon landings before explored different parts of the moon and this trip was no different.

Lucas also wanted to bring what Noreen called the Moon Flower. Saying it was a flower is not the correct term but it retains the meaning. On the fifth moon landing an astronaut claimed to have found a few rocks that very similar to a sand dollar. The Moon Flower is oval rock with a flower-like pattern on one side and, much like a snowflake; no rock has quite the same pattern. Lucas was hoping he could find at least one of these rocks to bring back for Noreen. He knew it was the only gift he could give that was as special as their love.

Landing on the moon was much simpler than taking off of earth. Since the moon has no atmosphere the dangers of fire and air resistance do not exist. Once on the moon Lucas was eager to start his search and complete his task. Gathering the moon rocks and exploring the surrounding area of the moon was going to be easy, searching for a Moon Flower was not. Even still Lucas knew it was worth it. One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. Lucas was proud he was one of the few that got to take that step. His first step on the moon only made him long to be with her more, but her love kept him moving forward.

Earth from the window of a spaceship is a sight to behold, but earth from the surface of the moon was something much grander. Lucas’s sense of scale was going crazy. No atmosphere allows the expansiveness of space to really soak in. The only way Lucas could describe the feeling was to compare it to standing on a beach staring off over the ocean and seeing nothing but the seemingly endless water. Replace the colors of the horizon and ocean with endless darkness and emptiness is as close of a description as one can fathom. Even the endless emptiness of space could not make Lucas feel alone.

“As amazing as the sight may be, the sooner we get this done, the sooner will be headed home,” was the first words Lucas heard Weston say. Weston had said something before that but it didn’t matter what it was. The main thing was that Lucas was back to reality and focused. Lucas had only taken three steps away from the spacecraft when he miraculously noticed a Moon Flower. Making the Moon Flower even more special was that fact that instead of being one rock, it was as if two rocks had melted together and formed a pattern of two flowers blending together. Lucas could think of no better symbol for his love and quickly picked up the rock.

Lucas and Weston had to work quickly to gather the moon rocks they were sent after and explore the area. Their time on the moon was limited to how long the light would last where they were. If they were caught in the dark on the moon they would have no way to find their way back and their suits did not carry enough oxygen to last them through a night if they did get caught. Six hours had passed and before they knew it the darkness was creeping up on them. Off in the distance Lucas could actually see the line where the light met the dark and knew it was time to head back.

Their return walk to their spacecraft took them close to an hour but they made with just enough time left for both Lucas and Weston to stop and take one last look off into space before boarding. “If I could only do this justice,” Lucas thought aloud to himself. Weston responded, “You do, every time she looks deep into your eyes you are doing this justice for her.” Lucas gave Weston a thankful look and they both turned and boarded the spacecraft.

“Prepare for re-entry into the atmosphere. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, entry!” Weston recited as their spacecraft was jolted by the sudden air resistance. The entry was not as smooth as it could have been and many of the instruments were no going off inside the spacecraft. “We have multiple problems here, I don’t know if we will be able to make it!” Lucas was in a panic as the spacecraft shook and shifted. “Have faith! As soon as we are close enough we are ejecting!” Weston said just a scared as Lucas. The next few moments felt like lifetime and Lucas’s life flashed before his eyes. The central focus of the flashback was Noreen and ending with the vivid image of her face when he gave her the Moon Flower. “Now! Eject!” Lucas and Weston both ejected without a hesitation.

“They have ejected sir. We are tracking them as we speak. I can’t tell what their chances are right now, they ejected early sir.” Noreen listened intently to the conversation going on in the control room. “They had no choice but to eject early, a few more seconds and the ship would have fallen completely apart.” The words did not give Noreen the reassurance was wanted for Lucas’s safety so she closed her eyes and began to pray. “We have a team ready to retrieve them when they land sir, with any luck they will make it.” The seconds crept by and Noreen jumped and ran out the door as soon as she heard someone say, “They landed! Ground team is rushing them to the hospital.”

Noreen met them at the hospital just as they arrived and saw that both Lucas and Weston were walking under their own power. Nearly bursting into tears she quickly ran over to Lucas and hugged him. Lucas held her in his embrace like he never had before. “I have something for you,” Lucas said after a moment. Slowly Lucas raised his hand and held out the Moon Flower for Noreen. “I would have brought the moon itself but I decided it was best to give someone else the chance to find something there that is as special as what I found.”