Chapter 13 #2
Right when I think it can’t get any more petrifying, I see that the end of the track is fast approaching, and we aren’t slowing down one iota. Alarm bells go off in my mind as my primal instincts for self-preservation kick in.
“Isn’t this awesome?!” Luna shouts at me, sounding like she’s having the time of her life.
“Aahhhhh!” I scream, and my heart drops into my stomach when the coaster reaches the end of the horizontal track and does a full motherfucking ninety-degree vertical drop.
This experience will probably give me nightmares for years, but a small part of me can’t help but admit it’s also super fucking cool. Good god, am I already old before my time? Have I lost my youthful, adventurous spirit?
While I enjoy fun escapades, I’ve never considered myself a hard-core adrenaline junkie per se. However, when I manage to dart a glance at Luna, whose expression is downright beatific, I can see that she clearly is.
Yeah, okay, that tracks.
The freefall sensation finally ends when we turn onto another horizontal track, which takes us back to where we started. When we come to a complete stop, I’m dazed, frozen in place and feeling like I’m coming down from way too many gummies.
Fuck what I wouldn’t give for a gummy right now. Maybe three.
Luna leans over and practically shoves her face into mine. “You okay, babe?”
“If I was a cat, I would have seen all nine of my lives flash by and then met the goddess you told me about.”
Luna cocks her head. “Thekmis.”
“Yep.”
She considers me for a moment. “Do you want to get out of your seat?”
“That would be great. Not sure I can actually move yet. My neurons aren’t firing directions to my limbs at the moment.”
Luna chuckles and unbuckles me. Then she hops up onto the platform and reaches down with her powerful tentacles to gently lift me onto solid ground. Her tentacles prop me up, which is good because I’m not sure I could stand on my own quite yet.
My girlfriend—fuck, that’s such a trip too—pulls me into her arms and rubs my back, helping ease some of the tension out of my muscles. Once again, she’s earning brownie points without even trying. I love that about her.
“Better?” she asks after a few long moments.
“Well, I’ve gone from frozen in terror to mild trembling, so I suppose that’s a sign of improvement, right?”
Luna slowly moves in and lays a legendary lip-lock on me that erases every damn thought in my mind. When she eventually pulls back, I grin like a fool, feeling delightfully warm and tingly all over.
“That helped a lot,” I say. “You should do it again.”
Luna chuckles. “I’d love to, but we’re kind of blocking the next round of riders.”
I look around and begrudgingly admit she’s right. Dammit.
Luna links arms with me and keeps a tentacle around my waist as we navigate our way through the crowd of folks waiting for their turn on what I shall forever call the Coma-Inducing Coaster of Chaos.
Don’t get me wrong. I’ll never forget the ride, but once was definitely enough for me, that’s for sure. Or at least until my poor human brain can more fully adjust to life among the stars and the technological advancements of extraterrestrial species that far surpass anything on Earth.
Luna points a tentacle off to the right. “After that wild ride, I think we should chill for a bit and get some food. Let’s check out the Galactic Grub Hub.”
As she leads me in that direction, I gaze up in wonder at the massive neon archway sign that welcomes us to the Galactic Grub Hub. As we pass under it, I quickly realize it’s the extraterrestrial equivalent of a food court.
Okay, that’s something I can handle, no problem.
The place is busy and there are a stunning variety of vendors to choose from—a popcorn stand called Comet & Kernel, the Nebu-latte Café, Dwarf Star Donuts, Steamy Solar Spuds, Plasma Pizza Pies, Celestial Creamery, Cosmic Candy Emporium, and so on.
Luna, decisive as always, makes an almost immediate beeline for the AstroBurger Shack.
I study the menu only to quickly discover that I’m way out of my depth.
There are a lot of meat options you don’t see on Earth.
While I suppose that makes total sense—duh, outer space—it’s also incredibly alienating, pun intended.
I take a moment to thank my lucky stars I became a vegetarian as a teenager, much to Nana’s consternation.
“I’ll take the WarpDrive Whoppernova with extra cheese and spicy peppers, please,” Luna declares, rubbing her stomach in anticipation.
She turns to me with a smile that makes my heart flutter—and is already growing familiar.
I step closer to the counter, relieved to finally see they have something I can eat. “I’ll try the Rainbow Nebula Garden Burger with cheese and extra pickles.”
The robot cashier processes our orders, which Luna pays for. I have plenty of currency from Earth, but I’m pretty sure that has zero value beyond my home planet.
Yep, gotta figure out intergalactic money and how to make my own.
When our order is ready, we find a cozy table with unusual hovering round seats that prove to be far sturdier and more comfortable than they look. Once we’ve sat down, Luna attacks her burger with gusto and immediately moans with pleasure.
“That good, huh?”
She swallows her mouthful of food and beams. “I give it eight tentacles up!”
I fight back a laugh and study my own burger.
It smells good so I take a cautious bite.
To my relief, it’s delicious. The patty seems to be a mixture of mushrooms or similar fungi, beans of some kind, a vegetable remarkably similar to a beet both in flavor and color, and a variety of savory spices.
It reminds me a bit of some veggie burgers I’ve had back home.
I’m not sure what the ingredients of the cheese-type product are, but it’s creamy and a little bit tangy, which goes very well with the flavors of the veggie patty.
Once we finish our burgers, I’ve gotten over my initial freak-out with the coaster and I’m a lot calmer and more even-keeled. As usual, Luna somehow intuited what I needed better than I even did. I’m starting to think it’s a kind of superpower she possesses.
“How about we find something to drink? I’m thirsty after my meal.”
“I was thinking the exact same thing. Wanna try that little juice stand?” Luna says, pointing to a cute little cart.
In agreement, we head over and order some extraterrestrial-style tropical fruit juices.
Again, the flavors are not completely alien—heh—in comparison to those from Earth, but also not exactly identifiable by me.
But I roll with it. I’m a lot more comfortable eating extraterrestrial fruits and vegetables.
Even if I wasn’t a vegetarian, I’d probably forego the mystery meats until I learned more about them.
I’m not the kind of vegetarian who can’t be around people eating meat.
That’s never bothered me, especially since I wasn’t always meat-free, so I have no issues with Luna eating meat.
I’ll have to get her to teach me about the dietary needs of her people so I can better care for her and the other Dravethians on our ship.
That’s one way I can at least pull my weight as the new medical officer.
Luna and I continue wandering together, holding hands and drinking our refreshing beverages.
I can’t help but marvel at how dream-like this date we’re having is.
Perhaps I’m wearing the proverbial rose-colored glasses, but I won’t deny that this time together is precious and oh so right.
Luna’s presence at my side grounds me. She makes me feel safe and cared for.
So far, she’s been checking in with me every step of the way, looking out for me to make sure I have a good time.
Her motives may not be wholly altruistic since she really wants me to adapt to my new life and fall in love with traveling the universe.
Nonetheless, I’m certain that her actions and sentiments are genuine.
It makes me cozy warm all over and has me daring to dream of a future with her.
I clear my throat. “Where should we go next?”
One of Luna’s tentacles taps her chin as she considers. “Hmm. Why don’t we check out the Spacewalk Skyway? It also has amazing views, minus the high-speed movement of the MegaCoaster.”
Now that sounds tempting. “Tell me more about how the skyway works.”
She lights up, tentacles flapping cutely.
“It’s the extraterrestrial equivalent of a glass walkway that extends out over part of the Rainbow Nebula.
It’s considered one of the park’s most romantic attractions and a total couples destination.
” She waggles her eyebrows at me. “At least, according to what I’ve read on the intergalactic web.
Walking along it is supposed to be like floating above the colorful gas emissions beneath our feet.
We’ll get up close and personal views of the nebula, aka total photo opportunity. ”
It does sound pretty romantic, I have to admit, but I swallow nervously. “You’re sure it’s safe, especially for someone like me?”
In one smooth move, a tentacle wraps around my waist like a lasso and pulls me in. Boom! Instant gay rodeo fantasies of Luna on a horse in cowgirl wear.
“I’d never take you anywhere dangerous to you, I swear,”
Total swoon-worthy moment, right here.
“I believe you. Let’s boldly go where no human’s ever gone!
” I link my arm with Luna’s and grin. “Fair warning, sweetheart, I’ll be keeping a firm hold on to you in case I get vertigo from looking down.
” I sniff haughtily. “And if I look ready to hurl, you must employ your muscular tentacles to come to my chivalrous rescue.”
Luna’s lips twitch with obvious amusement. “It’s a deal, gorgeous.” She leans closer and whispers in my ear, sweet and soft, “I’ve got you, I promise.”
My whole body is electrified from the faint sensation of her breath against my ear.
Fuck.
I don’t think she realizes how much she does have me already.
All I know is that she’s begun to capture my heart, and it’s more than happy to be held captive by her—quite possibly forever.