Part 1
It was a cool, brisk kind of wind that blew through the dying trees, rattling them softly. It was mid-autumn, and Estreya rubbed her arms around her self, trying to ignore the stinging sensation on her bare arms. Her nose was numb and running slightly. I knew I should have brought a jacket, she thought lamely as she turned the last corner onto the street where her home was. Oh, well, she’d be home soon.
As Estreya entered the drive, she stopped by the mailbox to see if anything was inside. There was. There were a few bills for her mother, a magazine advertising fall clothes, and a letter from her father. She rushed up her drive that was scattered with red and brown leaves, up to the front door.
Once inside, Estreya felt a warming sensation as the goose bumps on her arms went away. Passing the table near the door, she flopped down the mail, but saved the letter. Not bothering to take off her shoulder bad full of text books, she headed into the kitchen. She pulled open a drawer next to the stove, pulled out a knife, and slid it through the top of the letter. It split open, and she gently placed the knife back into the drawer. Gingerly she pulled out the letter, addressed to her and her mother.
Dear Susan and my little Spark,
She couldn’t help but smile. My little Spark. Her name was Esteya Spark; daughter to Susan Spark, a Lawyer, and James Spark, a nuclear physicist working with CERN. Because her father worked with CERN, he had been living over in Geneva. He’d been over there for as long as Esteya could remember; he only came home for a few weeks in the summer, and a few other times in the year when he could manage free time. Letters were how he was able to keep communication up with his family.
How is everything at home? Well, I hope. Any wins in court?
Here he drew a winking face. Estreya’s mother hardly ever lost a case.
Anyway, work is as demanding as ever, but I’m loving it all the same. Guess what? Next Thursday our dreams might come true! As I’ve been telling you, our experiments with the LHC haven’t been giving us the results we’ve been wanting. But after a few weeks of tweaking this, adjusting that, I think we really have it down now! Mini-black holes, here we come! Lots of love, James Spark
Estreya’s smile faltered slightly. She knew her father to love his work, but sometimes she wondered if he liked it better then his own family. It was nice of him to write, but he hardly ever said anything specifically to Estreya, except “little Spark.” Really, Dad, I’m seventeen. My birthday was two weeks ago. Don’t you remember? There was no sign in his letter that he had.
Her smile was now completely gone. She laid the letter down on the kitchen counter, for her mother to see. In fact, where was her mother? She looked around and noticed a note on the fridge.
I’ll be at the office late – hard case here! When you get home from school, will you run a quick errand for me? Thanks!
Bellow was a list of food items needed to be bought at the store. There was no hint of affection in the note, as her notes rarely did, and no money to buy the things with.
Annoyed, Estreya crumbled the note in her hands and walked back out the front door into the cold. It was just like her mother to do that. How many times had Esteya come home to find a note on the fridge? Too many to count.
She forgot a jacket- again, and she still had her shoulder bag as well. Her wallet was in her bag, so she didn’t really care.
The Sparks’ house was within short walking distance from Esrteya’s school, but a longer walking distance to the supermarket. With no car, Estreya had no choice but the alternative.
The wind seemed to have picked up; it was more brisk. Estreya’s scarf shifted around her, like a poor attempt at a hug. She quickened her pace to as to get there as fast as possible. Half way down the block, she heard a honking noise behind her, and turned to see her friend, Natasha Uhura. Estreya’s smile returned.
“Hey girl! What on earth are you doing out in the cold? Get in!” Called out Uhura through her lowered window. Estreya quickly ran to the passenger side of the car, and climbed in.
“Hey, mind giving me a lift? To the supermarket?”
“Sure! You know I don’t mind being your chauffeur all the time,” said Uhura rolling her eyes. But she was smiling; Estreya knew she was joking anyway. She also knew that Uhura understood her position- she had her license, but had no car to drive.
“Thanks,” said Estreya.
There was a short moment of science as they drove off. Uhura clucked her tong.
“So Spark, did you hear about that doomsday project their working on in Geneva? They’re going to try a new method on the experiment…”
Spark was what Estreya went by by other people. Her nickname; even though It was her real name. Natasha did the same.
“You mean the LHC? Yes. I just got a letter from my Dad saying they were going to test it out next wee- This week.” Spark just realized that the letter had to have been sent the week prior in order for her to receive it today. How had she not have realized that sooner?
If only she did realize it sooner.
“What the-?!” Uhura hit the breaks. Hard. The airbags came out, but that would not help them with the crisis at hand…
