Wish
upon a Fallen Star
Text ?003 Roger E. Moore
(roger70129@aol.com)
Daria and associated
characters are ?003 MTV Networks
Feedback (good, bad, indifferent,
just want to bother me, whatever) is appreciated. Please write to:
roger70129@aol.com
Synopsis: Stacy Rowe goes out on a
weird date with Ted DeWitt-Clinton梐nd they discover the future.
Author抯 Notes: It is assumed that readers are familiar with the characters of the 揇aria?show, so detailed explanations of who is who are not needed. The Mall of the Millennium is diagramed in The Daria Diaries, and the magic show with Upchuck was shown on the 揇aria?fifth-season TV episode, 揕ife in the Past Lane.?o:p>
Acknowledgements: My thanks go out to MMan
for suggesting a necessary, in-character change. You were absolutely right.
Thank you to all the readers for your support.
牋牋牋牋牋?The daylong trip to the Mall of the
Millennium and back took its toll, though the Saturday shopping experience was,
in Stacy Rowe抯 mind, perfect for a first 搈ajor?date. True, she抎 gotten
other boys to take her places, but something was clicking on this date, which
had 搈ajor?written all over it.
牋牋牋牋牋?Her dating partner had everything to
do with it. Ted DeWitt-Clinton was not your typical male high-school senior. He
was tall and popular and fairly good looking and worked on the yearbook, but he
was also unfazed by clothes shopping, he always had something interesting or
funny to say, and he was always cheerful, even when he was clearly running on
empty by the time they finished their journey through the W. H. Trogg
department store on the mall抯 fifth floor. Stacy called it quits at that
point, as she doubted Ted could carry another shopping bag now that he was up
to seven, plus a shoebox under either arm. They went up to the sixth floor
under the giant skylights and had fat-free vanilla ice cream at Big Cone,
capping off the day before making their way down the escalators to the parking
lot and homeward.
牋牋牋牋牋?The Interstate traffic was light that warm May evening. Thirty-odd miles from Lawndale, as twilight settled and Stacy yawned and began flipping her right pigtail against her face because she couldn抰 think of anything new to say, Ted said, 揑抎 like to show you something, if that抯 okay.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揜eally? What??Stacy asked. The two
Ultra-Colas she抎 consumed earlier had not yet worn off, so she wasn抰 sleepy.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑t抯 off the road up here, at the next exit.?Ted adjusted his glasses and ran a hand through his backward-combed blond hair. 揟here抯 a place there I heard about, and I wanted to show it to you.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揥hat is it??Was he going to drive
her to a make-out place? Until today, she and Ted had kissed only four and
one-half times, but the mall was big, and they got bold, and now she had no
idea how many times she抎 kissed and been kissed. Stacy felt slightly dirty梩he
good kind of dirty. It shocked her that she liked it.
牋牋牋牋牋?And桾ed was a very
good kisser. Even with the glasses, he left everyone else in the dirt.
牋牋牋牋牋?Ted gave a little smile. 揑t抯 kind of special. I抣l tell you about it when we get there.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?A make-out place sounded pretty
good. Making out on a major date would be a first for Stacy, who did not count
the time Skylar put his hand on her breast when he was trying to kiss her and
groped her like he was testing vegetable produce at Food Lord. Plus, he said,
揌ey, titlets!?which upset her and made her hyperventilate, and that was the
end of the date right there. Toad.
牋牋牋牋牋?Stacy had the feeling, however, that
Ted would not comment on size. If he wanted produce, she抎 unpack the
groceries.
牋牋牋牋牋?揝ure, whatever you want,?she said.
She didn抰 have to be home until 11:30 p.m., and if she was late, there was
always the flat tire excuse.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑t抯 pretty cool. Weird, but really cool.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Stacy began to prepare herself. She
checked her breath, looked in her makeup mirror to make sure she had nothing
stuck in her teeth, and reviewed the Six Things You Could Let a Really Nice Guy
Do, as told to her by Quinn and Sandi just last month when they discovered that
Stacy and Ted were seeing each other seriously. Quinn and Sandi sort of overdid
it with the illustrated books and the Barbie and Ken dolls, but it had been
instructive as well as entertaining. It looked like fun, too. Tiffany had been
there as well, though no one was sure if Tiffany had gotten the information down
correctly. Stacy shrugged. You just couldn抰 worry about that all the time
where Tiffany was concerned.
牋牋牋牋牋?When the next exit appeared, Ted
turned off the Interstate and then went right, down a two-lane country road
past fields of corn and soybeans. The terrain around was lightly forested and
hilly, with one particularly broad and high hill in the near distance. Ted
appeared to be heading for that very hill.
牋牋牋牋牋?揅an you tell me about this place
before we get there??Stacy asked. This was mysterious, and she liked that, but
she had to ask.
牋牋牋牋牋?揥ell,?said Ted, looking for something on the left side of the road, 搃t抯 kinda weird. I hope you like it. I thought it was pretty weird, anyway, but really cool.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?This came from a home-schooled guy
who didn抰 know what chewing gum was until two years ago, when Quinn抯 older
sister had showed him. Ted was brilliant in a na飗e, geeky way, but in a fun
geeky way. He made geeky stuff exciting. She抎 have to wait and see what he had
in mind.
牋牋牋牋牋?The darkening sky above was clear.
Several stars could already be seen. Stacy recognized the Big Dipper, the only
constellation she knew. It was comforting to see it hovering above the world.
牋牋牋牋牋?Ted put on the turn signal, then
slowed and turned left onto a one-lane road leading toward the tall hill. A
sign appeared in the car抯 headlights: TRANSMISSION TOWERS ONE MILE. Stacy
glanced up and sure enough, she could see a collection of about four or five
tall radio or TV antennas on the great hill ahead. Their red aircraft-warning
lights winked slowly on and off against the night.
牋牋牋牋牋?This really is weird, she
thought. She vaguely considered the possibility that Ted was a wannabe axe
murderer taking her to her doom, but that did not seem likely. Ted was
authentic. He always held her jacket, always opened doors for her, and had
never once closed a car door on her leg, as Shawn had three months ago at Pizza
Forest. Ted also paid for her meals on their mall date and even gave her a
small necklace made from a gold chain and semiprecious stones. He抎 made it
himself. She liked the necklace. Her fingers touched it as they drove over the
narrow road.
牋牋牋牋牋?Best of all, Ted had never shown the
least interest in dating Quinn or Sandi. For that, and for being a good
shopping companion, Stacy decided he could have all the second-base produce he
wanted.
牋牋牋牋牋?There was no illumination inside the
car except from the dashboard lights. On impulse, Stacy thumbed the switch that
rolled her window down. The warm night air rushed in. She let it blow over her
face as she wondered what Ted had in mind. She thought about third base and
shivered. He was a nice enough guy for that, but she hoped his gentleman side
would hold out.
牋牋牋牋牋?And that she would hold out, too.
牋牋牋牋牋?The road angled upward and curved
around the hill in a counterclockwise manner. Trees rose thick around them.
Forest smells came in through the window.
牋牋牋牋牋?揘ice out, isn抰 it??Ted said,
slowing the car. They were near the top of the hill.
牋牋牋牋牋?Stacy抯 breathing picked up. No
hyperventilating tonight. She was ready for this.
牋牋牋牋牋?揌ere we are,?said Ted, and he
stopped the car on the very top of the hill in a small parking lot, then shut
off the lights. Gigantic transmissions towers, thin and infinitely high,
surrounded them, as did their endless support cables. Just enough twilight was
left to tell that no one else was around.
牋牋牋牋牋?Ted opened his door. 揑抣l get your
door,?he said, and he hurried around to her side of the car to do just that.
Stacy smiled in spite of herself as she got out. After he closed her door, he
went to the trunk, opened it, and pulled out a small blanket.
牋牋牋牋牋?Blanket. They were going to make
out. It would have been nice to have had a peppermint candy with her, but it
was too late for regrets. Maybe the Ultra-Cola had freshened her breath.
牋牋牋牋牋?揝o,?she said, 搇et抯 see your
surprise!?It was a risky statement, because any number of things he could have
done then would have disappointed her, like the time when Larry took her hand
and put it on his crotch (hyperventilation, end of date). Ted just took her
hand and said, 揟his way, come on,?and he led her toward a path passing
between two of the towers. Stacy looked up as they walked, and it seemed the
red lights of the towers were as high as the crescent moon and the stars.
牋牋牋牋牋?Their short walk ended when they
came to a large rock that projected out from the top of the hill. Ted led Stacy
carefully to a spot near the edge, where he spread the blanket.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 came up and swept this off yesterday,?he said, 搒o there aren抰 any pebbles or sticks or things to sit on.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou swept it off??said Stacy,
amazed. Was there anything he didn抰 think of?
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 still have the broom in the
trunk, in case we need it.?He sat down on the blanket, patted it, and held a
hand up for her.
牋牋牋牋牋?Moments later, they lay back and
cuddled together. Stacy found that Ted抯 right arm was quite comfortable as a
pillow, and she nestled in against him. Perfect fit. She looked up.
牋牋牋牋牋?Above them, against a black sky,
were a billion trillion stars. Stacy forgot to breathe for a moment.
牋牋牋牋牋?揇id you ever really wish for
something??Ted asked softly.
牋牋牋牋牋?All the time, she thought. 揢m, yeah, I guess.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou know how you抮e supposed to wish on a falling star, so your wish will come true??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揧eah.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揥ell, we抮e lying on one.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Pause. 揙ne what??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揊alling star. Fallen star, I mean. This hill.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Stacy turned her head. Ted stared straight up into space. 揥hat??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?He sighed. 揑t was really weird. I was doing this science report last month for Ms. Barch, about the geology of Carter County. My parents, when they were home-schooling me, said . . . well, they抮e into the literal interpretation of Genesis, six days and then God rested, that sort of thing. I always had some questions about that.?He turned his head to Stacy, frowning. 揇oes that bother you??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揢h梠h, no, not at all. I抦 not much
into science.?The words were no sooner out of her mouth than she knew she抎
said something wrong. She cringed, waiting for Ted to call her stupid.
牋牋牋牋牋?揂h,?he said, looking up again. 揘ot a lot of people are. Anyway, I started to get into the report, you know? And I looked up a bunch of stuff on the Internet at the library, about what the rock formations are like around here, what kind of fossils are here, and I found a really crazy thing.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?He didn抰 call me stupid,
Stacy thought in relief. He sounds like he still likes me.
牋牋牋牋牋?揟his hill used to be called Long View Peak, because it抯 the highest place in Carter County. The settlers who came here could climb up and look way out to the horizon, see the whole world here from the very spot where you and I are, right now. You can see the lights of Lawndale from here, against the sky, if you look for them.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揅an you see the buildings??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揘ah, the hills get in the way. Just the light from the streetlights. Because the hill抯 so high, they put all the radio and TV and microwave towers here, so their signals would go farther. Anyway, eventually some people began to wonder why this hill was here in the first place, because it抯 not like the other hills around it. It抯 a lot bigger, and the type of rocks here aren抰 like the rocks everywhere else. A few years ago, some people from Middleton College, from its geology department, came out here and checked out this hill, and they found out that it抯 not a natural hill.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Stacy, who had followed him to this point, turned to look at Ted抯 face. 揧ou mean it抯 manmade??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揙h, no, I didn抰 mean like that. It抯 not an Indian mound or anything. The rocks here are all broken up, like shattered, and the strata梩he rock layers are all knocked around. The geologists checked it out, and they found out that a long time ago, about four hundred million years ago, way before there were dinosaurs running around or anything, there was a big explosion here that created this hill.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Pause. 揂 big explosion??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揧eah, a棓
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou mean like a volcano??Suddenly,
lying down did not seem like such a good idea.
牋牋牋牋牋?揙h, no, not a volcano. It抯 not that.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揙h.?It was hard to get back into the mood now. Stacy suppressed an urge to jump up and run back down the hill. 揥hat happened??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揥ell, this hill梚t turns out that this is the central peak of an old astrobleme.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揂stro棓
牋牋牋牋牋?揂 meteor crater.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Stacy blinked. What Ted called weird
was far beyond the outer limits of what Stacy called weird. 揧ou抮e kidding!
Oh, I didn抰 mean that you were lying to me, I meant棓
牋牋牋牋牋?揑t抯 okay, don抰 worry. I didn抰 believe it either when I read it, but I checked into it, and I think it抯 true. This hill is all that抯 left of an ancient meteor crater. The rest of the crater, the big bowl shape, that抯 all gone now. The crater walls eroded away ages ago. This hill, though, this is where the meteor hit. Actually, it was bigger than a meteor. I think it was an asteroid, maybe a hundred meters across. It抯 crazy.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Stacy looked up at the billions of
stars above her. It was crazy, yes. If Ted said it was true, though, then it
had to be true. She tried to get her mind around the idea but couldn抰. If
anyone else had said this, she would have blown it off, but Ted said it, so she
had to know more about it.
牋牋牋牋牋?揟ed??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揧eah??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揈xplain this to me. Just a little, not a whole lot, but explain a little how . . . how what you said actually is, you know??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Ted sighed, thinking. 揂bout four hundred million years ago, this big rock came down from space. It was about as big as a football stadium. It smacked into the earth right here, and it hit so hard that it buried itself underground. When it hit, it broke up all the rock layers around here, and it formed a sort of mountain when the ground rebounded after the strike. This old hill, most of it is just jumbled up rocks from the impact, but part of it is that ancient asteroid that fell from the sky. It抯 what we抮e lying on. Part of the sky fell here, eons ago, and I wanted you to come up here and see it with me.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Stacy could not think of a thing to
say. It was crazier than that awful movie that Robert once took her to see
about cannibal alien cheerleaders, a gore-fest that Stacy could only watch ten
minutes of before she was hyperventilating to beat the band, and the date was
over.
牋牋牋牋牋?Stacy then realized she was not
hyperventilating. She believed what Ted was saying, but it didn抰 frighten her.
It was weird梑oy, was it weird梑ut it wasn抰 scary. It did strange things to
her mind, but she wasn抰 afraid. That was weird, too.
牋牋牋牋牋?揥hat do you want to do when you get
out of school??Ted asked.
牋牋牋牋牋?Stacy shifted mental gears. 揑 don抰 know,?she said. She hesitated, then added, 揘o one抯 ever asked me that before.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揥hat do you think you抣l do??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Stacy looked back up at the stars. 揑抳e thought a lot about teaching or something. I like helping people and doing things for people.?Something clicked in her head. 揑 worry too much about what people think of me, but I抦 getting over that. I want to do stuff. I抳e always followed people around, like Sandi or Quinn, and I抳e always wanted people to like me, but lately I want to do stuff that I want to do, even if it isn抰 what other people want me to do. You know what I mean??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Ted nodded slowly. 揧eah.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 mean, I抎 like to teach. I want to do something that抯 . . . something that challenges me, makes me try harder to do stuff. I want to reach out to people and do something good for them. I want to do something exciting, something cool, and teaching sort of grabs me. When Upchuck and I桟harles, you know梬hen we did that magic show, I found out that I liked being in front of people and doing stuff. It didn抰 scare me at all. He made me feel really comfortable, even if he抯 sort of gross at times, and I had a great time. I mean, it抯 not like I like him, like I like him like him, you know? But it was great.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揟hat was a wonderful show. You were awesome. I thought you were really scared at first.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揙h, that was part of the act. It fooled Sandi completely. That was great! Not that I wanted to fool her, but . . . well, it was great. I loved it.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揟eaching is cool.?Ted still looked
up at the stars.
牋牋牋牋牋?揌ow about you? What do you want to do??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Ted didn抰 answer for a minute, then he glanced at Stacy shyly. 揑t抯 kind of silly.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揘o, come on. I told you. You tell me. What do you want to do??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Ted stared at the stars.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑 want to go up there,?he said.
牋牋牋牋牋?Stacy looked up, then looked back at
Ted.
牋牋牋牋牋?揢p there,?she said, then it hit her. 揧ou want to be an astronaut.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Ted was quiet for a few moments, and
Stacy suddenly knew he really was thinking about being an astronaut. In
fact梥he knew this in her bones, as surely as she knew she was lying on a
hilltop with him梥he knew that Ted would do it. He would be an astronaut one
day. He would make it happen. He was leaving Earth for sure.
牋牋牋牋牋?揙h,?she said.
牋牋牋牋牋?And she was afraid then.
牋牋牋牋牋?揟hat抯 . . .?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揟hat抯 a lot, isn抰 it??Ted chewed his lower lip. 揑 don抰 want to be a pilot, but I like studying things, you know? I like all sorts of science things, and photography, and I抎 like to be a mission specialist. Someone who runs the experiments, does research, figures things out. I抎 love to do that more than anything.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Stacy lay back. Her fear grew.
Suddenly she was a preschooler again, it was January 1986, and she was watching
her mother cry in front of the TV set, and on the TV was a blue sky and an ugly
white cloud with great claws coming out of it, a fireball and debris raining
down, and her mother would not stop crying, so Stacy had cried too, not knowing
what had happened or why it was so awful.
牋牋牋牋牋?Stacy remembered it perfectly. She
lay back and looked up into the depths of space, the cold points of light and
the pale crescent moon, the infinite place that did not forgive any mistake.
牋牋牋牋牋?She was suddenly aware that Ted was
still talking. He must have been talking for a while, she had no idea for how
long. He was talking about studying the earth from orbit, about photographing
land features, examining the sea, looking for resources and adding to
knowledge, going to other worlds, discovering the universe first-hand. He was
already up there. He was gone.
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou really want this,?she said
aloud, interrupting.
牋牋牋牋牋?Ted stopped talking. 揧eah,?he finally said. 揧eah, I do.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou brought me up here to tell me this??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Ted half rolled so he could look her in the face. 揘o. I really brought you up here so you could make a wish.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Her mouth was dry. 揝o I could make a wish??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揙n a falling star. The one we抮e lying on. I figured if you made a wish when you抮e right on top of one, it might come true.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揙h.?Stacy stared into Ted抯 face
as she thought about this, about everything they抎 talked about, then she
reached an arm around him and pulled his mouth to hers and kissed him with
everything she had.
牋牋牋牋牋?Eons later, when they broke apart for air, she said, 揧ou want to go into space??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揧eah,?he gasped.
牋牋牋牋牋?揙kay,?she said, and nothing else
was important then except that she would help him get there, whatever it took,
and she might even decide to go with him. It was as clear to her as the night
above.
牋牋牋牋牋?And then she knew that she would
go with him. She was leaving, too.
牋牋牋牋牋?She got up suddenly, threw a leg
over Ted, and straddled him as he lay on the ground. She bent her face down to
his and covered his mouth with her own.
牋牋牋牋牋?She made a wish.
牋牋牋牋牋?And it came true.
Original:
2/2/03
Shipper
(Stacy/Ted)
For
Columbia.
揟he true courage of space flight is not sitting aboard six million pounds of fire and thunder as one rockets away from this planet. True courage comes in enduring . . . persevering, the preparation and believing in oneself.?/p>
牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋?牋牋牋牋牋牋牋?牋牋牋牋牋牋牋?桼onald
McNair, Challenger 51L
FINIS?