DN-008-Astrids Memorial

After having a difficult time sleeping, I decided to get up early to watch the sunrise at Aurora Bay. It’s a great place to gather your thoughts. And it’s this little pocket where the ice doesn’t stay frozen because of its location, higher salt content and geothermal heating.

It’s a little secret that not too many know about but I love it here. It reminds me of the beaches on Earth.

And if you can catch the Auroras at night, it’s stunning.

I walked around and contemplated the memories I had with Astrid as I picked up certain rocks that I was drawn to for one reason or another. She was really like a big sister to me. Our population isn’t really that robust so there were only so many people to look up to, yet alone strong women who had a craving for life and adventure. That was Astrid. She saw something in me, although I was never quite sure why. When I was younger, when all the other kids were staying inside, she would bring me on adventures in the caves and she even gave me my first play pistol. She would tell me the stories of past missions from Earth to Mars and how our ancestors braved the odds and made the death defying journey to the stars. She had so many stories, some that I knew were true, some that you could hear had the embellishments of her imagination. She told each story in such glory that you wished, and when you closed your eyes you could see, yourself right there with them.

Everyone should have an Astrid. I was lucky to have known her when I did. It’s hard to think today we’ll be celebrating her ascension to the stars.

On Mars, when someone passes away, on mission, it’s really difficult for some to process. Especially since their worldly bodies stay on the planet that took them. So we take the time to celebrate it. Their life that is. Their soul. Their ascension into the stars and into the homes of our hearts.

Everyone has their beliefs of how the universe started, and how it exists to be the entity that it is, but no one really knows for sure. I like to believe we’re all just simply transferring energy in an unknown way. Some call it souls, some call it reincarnation, some see it in manifestations and some see it reflected back from God or Gods. But we don’t really know for sure and we acknowledge that. We respect each other’s right to believe what they want to believe. We honor their dignity in those beliefs because it defines how they see the world, the universe, and we try to understand their perspective from that viewpoint. That understanding helps us bridge acceptance.

I dug a heart in the ground and placed the rocks all around in geometric patterns in case she was looking down at me, for her to see. I looked up as if to check. Thinking maybe, just maybe.. Some magic of the cosmos might open up and appear, but was met merely with the silence of my contemplations. I then packed my stuff up and headed over to Red Haven where the festival was to begin in a couple hours.

When I got to Red Haven, I saw Alex and went over to her and we waited for the others to arrive. Soon Landon approached us with Zack and Chad. All there a little early, as we waited at the entrance and we watched them inflate the Montgolfiere balloons.

Montgolfier balloons are electric solar powered balloons that look just like the hot air balloons. I’ve seen from Earth in the libraries. We can’t have anything that needs a perpetual flame though. Our atmosphere isn’t thick enough to sustain the flame. But you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference with our solar powered balloons.

Although the reason for coming together is always a little painful, difficult, or hard, I do really appreciate these events. They are beautiful. The sky floods with colors of hundreds of these balloons and I do believe the sight in itself is what helps lift our own spirits. The beauty of our own raw emotions entangled with a visceral reaction from the sky, painted with indefinite colors, as they fly with us in memories, in thought, and find a home in our soul.

As we entered the open red field, we walked down an atrium of small colorful balloons that gave you the feeling that you were really walking from one world into another. The clear ice on the ground reflected the sky like a mirror repainting the colors below your feet, as if floating down and submersed within a surrealistic landscape, painted by the likes of Dali.

I walked up to the basket. We all got on one by one. The step was a little steep but I hoysted myself as I tripped upwards into the basket.

“Yah all right there?” Landon asked as he saw me almost launch myself into the basket. He put out his hand. “You gotta watch out, those steps can be tricky. Always, jumping out from under. I swear I think I saw some ice there too.” He said as he winked in my general direction for only me to see as he hoisted me back to my feet.

I pushed my disheveled hair out of my eyes as I looked up. Took his hand and tried to gather my bearings. “Oh yeah.. Great. Couldn’t be better.” I said with a smirk as I brushed the dust off my suit.

“Good take this and strap yourself in.” the man operating the hot air balloon said as threw the straps down to me and demonstrated us to bungee ourselves in as a safety precaution. With almost a sarcastic undertone in his gestures, if such a thing like that existed.

“Alright, hold on to your helmets. Here we go!” The man continued in a raspy voice as the balloon jolted into motion.

“Um, how old is this thing?” Alex asked as we could hear some of the gears squeaking. Probably a question we should have known before going in but I was thinking the same thing.

“Ah don’t worry. We have only lost maybe a handful of people before you guys.” The man said with a smile. As we felt another jerk in the motion of while we rose ”Oh well too late now. Haha. I’m Kurt by the way. Let’s all try to stay alive while we’re up here? Sound good? Cool cool cool. I think if we can accomplish that we’ll be golden. Looks good for when I get back too. You know the good old resume. “ He said as we picked up speed into the sky.

“Woooooohhhhh haaawww” Chad yelled from the other side of the basket. As he reached out both of his arms as if to almost try to fly causing the whole basket to begin swaying back and forth. “Above and beyond Mother Fuckers!”

“Sweet Jesus, Chad get back in the basket. This isn’t the freakin’ titanic and you are not Rose!” Alex said as she pulled him back.

“Haha. I take it he’s new to this.” Kurt said as he shifted the speed which knocked Chad back into the basket.

We all stood there. Gliding through the sky amongst a sea of colors. With each balloon rising up and down at a suspended speed almost barely noticeable but every time you looked around the view would be completely different.

We flew through the trail of canyons as if the trail had already been paved from giants like it was specifically made for this purpose. “Never gets old.” Kurt said as he gazed into the skyline. As if a fisherman looking into his sea. A craftsman looking at his craft.

Everything blew by us although it felt like we were standing still. And we watched the sun move from up above to slowly descend down to the ground.

“Oh I brought the petals. I almost forgot.” I said as I handed them out to everyone. “Does anyone want to say anything?”

“I can.” Landon said. He had been quiet since we started. He looked at the pouch of petals in one hand as he began “This is never easy. But it reminds us of the fragility of life. I think we all forget that sometimes here and there. Time after time. We all think we are invincible. That this will never happen. As if we were gods that have been built to last the eternities. But we are not. In a moment, anything can change. For good or for bad. Life is fleeting and may we remember to savor every bit of life that we are given. As we all know Astrid did. Zarzark Astrid. May your light always beam upwards.” He finished as you saw his knuckles on the bag get a little lighter in color and as he took a deep breath followed by a clenching of his jaw.

“That was beautiful Landon.” I said as I put my hand on his over the bag of petals. “Who wants to go next?” I asked as I gestured out more pouches of flower petals.

“I’ll go.” Alex said as she took another bag of the petals. “The universe is energy, and to energy we all return. Hold your light, give your light and receive light. Let us all hold the light of Astrid in our soul so she may live through us. In our actions, in our intent, and in our bravery. May her legacy live on long through us. Zarzark Astrid. ” She said as she put her head down.

Zack followed. “Zarzark Astrid. May your light always beam upwards.” He said as he took his fist to his chest.

“Respect is earned, never given without trial and tribulation. Every day we fight for the good fight. We can all hope to leave this world with the amount of respect Astrid earned. Zarzark Astrid. ” Chad said as he fumbled with the bag of flower petals.

“Thank you guys.” I said as I looked at everyone. “You all know she was like a big sister to me. I really appreciate your kind words. I know she would too.” I looked down and my bag of flower petals. Picked one out to study and used it as a place for my mind to rest as I gathered my thoughts.

“If I had the chance to say one last thing to you. It would be thank you, that you’re amazing and it wasn’t your fault. That I always looked up to you, even when I pretended I was fine and when you did too. When I pretended I was big. Even then, through all things, I looked up to you. We all did.

Never goodbyes. Only new adventures. Zarzark Astrid. May your light always beam upwards.”

I said as I wiped the tear that escaped from my eye.

“Ok, we’ll drop in 3. Are you guys ready?” I asked, as everyone returned the statement with a quiet nod. ”3…2…” and we all let our flower petals merge into the air at the edge of the basket.

A mosaic of colors in motion and overlaying the landscape. Light danced through and around each petal as the petals danced through the sky themselves. Looking down at the canyons and everything seemed so small and almost insignificant. It makes you think of your own problems and how miniscule they can be in the grand scheme of things. Everything down below looked like a miniature set of another world.

I took as many pictures as I could of the flood of balloons in the sky. They were so beautiful in their numbers, as they fell back to the ground with the sun. The sun creating its own palette of colors against ours. An already beautiful sight, evolved to breathtaking. Instilling and solidifying the memories of that day and the days before, in our minds.

“Hey guys, If you want, I brought some dehydrated ice cream. It’s in my ship. I know I’m starving. Do you guys want some?” I asked as we were getting out of the basket and back on the ground.

“Um. Is that the stuff that tastes like chalk?” Chad responded barely even thinking as the words came out of his mouth. “Yeah, I don’t know about that. haha.”

“Well. I mean it might be more of an.. “acquired taste”.. But. um yeah. I could see where that reference comes from.” I said as I hid my own back in my pocket.

“Didn’t Celestial just open up? I’ve been dying to go. Can we go? Pleeeeaaasee please please. ” Alex asked the group.

“I mean, I’m fine with that. As long as everyone else is.” Landon said and everyone else essentially agreed.

“So who is driving?” Kurt said from the back. “A fancy dinner would be a wonderful thank you for your amazing tour today. I know. I know. You’re welcome and that’s so generous of you guys. Twist my arm. I guess I’ll join you guys.” Kurt said with a smirk.

“Better yet. I’ll drive.” He said as a massive ship approached us from behind a dune.

“Um.. It’s really not that far. Isn’t it only around the bend?” I mentioned.

“Oh, we’re going with him.” Chad said with one leg already up the lift to go up to the gate.

“Sure…” Landon said while Alex and I just looked at each other and smirked. We realized that this was about far more than just ships.

We all went over. I mean the ship was nice… and he took us

“You guys and your fancy Celestial.” Kurt said as he started the engine of the ship. “Don’t worry. Where we’re going you wont need to wear a bow like some kind of penguin out of the zoo.” He said as he took control of the spaceship, the day and now the night. As the ship accelerated forward and the stars turned in to mear lines of light that raced against the windows.

“Oh my god! What are you guys doing here?!” Alex screeched as we landed and she bolted out of the spaceship.

I still had no idea where we had landed. I’ve never been on this side of Mars. I watched her from the cabin run out to what it seemed to be family. As she ran up to them. Her mother and 3 little ones. They were so sweet. They seemed to have greeted her with mock aliens that they had made from their hands almost like little dinosaurs, I think earth called them brontosauruses and they held little stuffies next to them.

It was nice. It seemed like she hadn’t seen them for a while so we all just kind of sat back and acted as if we hadn’t realized we landed yet. All kinda watching from the corner of our eye.

“It is kinda sweet.” Kurt said. Apparently he had been the only one not pretending that we were not blatantly watching this little reunion. “Yeah you guys are going to like it here. When I’m right I’m right. I mean you can’t even blame me. It just happens.” he said as he finally pulled back the emergency brake.

I just stared back with a blank stare almost sarcastically. “yeah … but where are we?!” … “Where is this?”

“Where the frick is this?” I asked with a little concern for my life. But not a major concern. Just the amount that would be reasonable for taking a spaceship ride halfway around the planet led by almost a complete stranger. Fairly reasonable concern.

“Not celestial… That’s for sure.” Landon said with an air of aggravation as he got out and headed towards Alex. Walked up and greeted her mother.

The ship had automatically docked to a tunnel that connected to what seemed to be a hub of different places. This must have been one of the concept cities they had tired in the past.

“Best pizza on Mars.” Kurt said as he jumped out to help us out. “You’d never believe it if I told you so we’re here now. As the story goes, one of the families who originally colonized this concept was from Napoli, on Earth. He was so freaking sick of the food we had up here he made it his own personal mission to recreate his grandmothers recipe from what he could salvage here. Turns out you don’t need a lot to make great pizza. You just need to know what the fuck your doing. And he did. ”

“Awesome, man I’m starving.” Chad said as he jumped down. “You could have told me it was some of Skylars crappy ice cream and Id still be down at this point.”

“HEY! My ice cream is freaking awesome.” I said as Kurt helped me down and may have restrained me a little bit from smacking Chad on the side of the head…

“I’m sure it is” Kurt said to calm me down. “I think I’ve had that brand before. It’s not terrible. Definitely an acquired taste though. “ He said as he shot a wink directly at me.

I froze. Looked directly in front of myself and walked faster, awkwardly towards Alex and her family.