I'm Going To Shoot For The Stars

-

joel didn’t hesitate to hold her hand lightly and bring it to his chest. his heart beating rapidly. “i am sad. i am confused. sad as in, unhappy or feeling like something is missing. confused, lost in a world with no answers. i want my family back. i want to go home with them and hopefully find the peace to settle. marry somebody.” his eyes closed and he let go. 

“i apologize if i express my emotions so strongly.” the boy backed away and hugged himself. “did your parents say anything before you left?" 

Ava didn’t think they understood exactly what she meant. She knew what the words for the emotions meant, but she had not experienced them first hand, and thus, had no true understanding of the sensation that was seemingly felt so strongly by Earthlings. 

She tilted her head ever so slightly as she stared at their hand holding hers to their chest. “It appears my touch sensors are not in working order.” She looked up at them, removing her hand and turning it over to perform a scan on it. 

-

joel stared back at her, not daring to cry in front of them. “my heart is breaking. i can feel it. i’ve already done damage to my… knuckles from trying to wake up. i want to at least be trained so i can fight with my family.” he lowered his head. “who knows what’s going to happen. there could be chaos or singing songs each day. life is about change. you are correct. but this land right where we are can either be free to roam or not. people may fear or cherish each moment that they see certain people coming back. can you answer me this, what was your life before you came here? did you enjoy it?" 

Ava took in everything that they said, soaking up their emotional reactions to the things she had said previously. “I apologize if I have upset you. I do not understand many of the emotions you appear to be displaying.” How could she understand? She was an android, built from machinery. Yes, she was trying to understand, but she had yet to meet someone who took the time to explain thoroughly to her. 

-

“then, honestly, tell me straight out. who has a better chance of winning the war? do you know if my family is hurt or suffering? what about yours?“ joel shook and lowered his head. ”i believe i will see them once more but this war shouldn’t have started in the first place! things are going to change from the way they are right now, and i am not sure if it’s going to be good or bad.“

-

joel held his hands and placed them close to his tummy. “the stars remind you of your parents. that’s exactly what’s happening with me. and missing someone is an emotional tug of the heart when someone close or home is not with you. i often feel upset that my whole family isn’t here. that is why i am here right now.” he smiled softly. “wishing away, hoping that they feel my love traveling across the islands and straight to them.”

“Aren’t they beautiful?”

“Can we go inside now?”

“It’s cold out here!”

“They’re just glowing balls of gas in the sky.”

“You can borrow my jacket.”

“Is this all you dragged me out here for?”

“I can’t believe I let you drag me out here for this.”

“Don’t fall asleep on me.”

“Look! A shooting star!”

“You will spend the rest of your life regretting you missed this.”

“Did you see that?”

“You aren’t even looking.”

“Just take a picture and I’ll look at it later.”

“Put the phone away and enjoy the night.”

“This is how alien movies start, you know.”

“I know you were looking forward to this, but it’s too cloudy tonight.”

“You have to see this!”

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and you’re missing it.”

“I can’t even tell which star you’re pointing at, just calm down.”

“Make a wish!”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it, they’re pretty.”

“There’s nothing to see.”

“Can’t we do this tomorrow? My show is coming on.”

“See any UFOs yet?”