nasaย employee: oh hey u guys are back earlyย
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.ย
nasa employee: what?ย
astronaut: *loading a pistol and getting back on the rocket-ship* moonโs stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back earlyย
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.ย
nasa employee: what?ย
astronaut: *loading a pistol* moonโs stuck in a time loop. do you have extra ammo? this wonโt be enough.
nasa employee: enough forโฆwhat?
astronaut: *finding extra clip of ammo, pocketing it, and getting back on the rocket-ship* donโt worry about it!
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back earlyย
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: what?ย
astronaut: *emerging from supply closet with a space harpoon, getting back on the rocket-ship* moonโs stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back earlyย astronaut: ย ย oh hey u guys are back early
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.ย
nasa employee: what?ย
astronaut: what?ย
nasa employee: how did you know what i was going to say?ย
astronaut: *punching in key pad code for base evacuation signal, getting back on the rocket-ship* i told youโฆmoonโs stuck in a time loop.
*red warning lights begin flashing*
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back earlyย
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.ย
nasa employee: what?ย
astronaut: *rifling thru bookshelf of operating instructions, selecting one that says โAIRLOCK MANUAL OVERRIDE INSTRUCTIONS,โ getting back on the rocket-ship* moonโs stuck in a time loop.
nasaย employee: oh hey u guys are back earlyย
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.ย
nasa employee: what?ย
astronaut: moonโs stuck in a time loop. hey, do you have anything to eat? iโm starving. *opens random drawer, finds nothing, closes it*
nasa employee: a time loo- uh, we donโt have food in hereโฆwe canโtโฆeat in the control room, only the break-room.
astronaut: *sighs*
nasa employee:โฆmy lunch is in like 10 minutes, though, and if my lunch is actually STILL THERE and not STOLEN, AGAIN, i can share it with yo-
astronaut: nah, thatโs okโฆno time. *loading a pistol and getting back on the rocket-ship* orโฆtoo much time. but thanks, anyway. OK, bye!
*alarm begins blaring*
nasa employee: youโreโฆwelcome? wait, a TIME LOOP?!
nasaย employee: oh hey u guys are back earlyย
astronaut: yup.
nasa employee: โฆ?ย
astronaut: *sitting down next to nasa employee* soโฆdo you ever likeโฆwonder what the meaning of life is? the secrets of the universe?
nasa employee: arenโt you supposed to be ON the MOON?!
*alarm begins blaring*
nasa employee: hey, what the hell is that?
astronaut: thatโs the code red override klaxon. moonโs stuck in a time loop. oh, and thereโs an explosion imminent. But donโt worry, we can deal with that tomorrow. So, you have any siblings? *pulls beer out of space suit, cracks tab* want a drink?
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back earlyย
astronaut: do you know frank in IT?
nasa employee: what?ย
astronaut: do you know frank, who works in IT?ย
nasa employee: yeah, but why are you guys back so early?ย
astronaut: moonโs stuck in a time loop. call frank, tell him thereโs a virus in the security patch and the systemโs compromised. then get the hell out of the base.ย
nasa employee: wait what? what? where are you guys going?ย
astronaut: *loading a pistol and getting back on the rocket-ship* back to the moon. itโs stuck in a time loop. call frank!ย
nasa employee: *picks up phone* ugh, straight to voicemail. i wonder wha-
*alarm begins blaring*
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back earlyย
astronaut: *grim silence*
nasa employee: i said, you guys are back earlyโฆhey, what are youโฆ?ย
astronaut: *randomly opening drawers until they find a pair of scissors and some duct tape, getting back on the rocket-ship* moonโs stuck in a time loop.
nasaย employee: oh hey u guys are back earlyย
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.ย
nasa employee: what?ย
astronaut: *loading a pistol and getting back on the rocket-ship* moonโs stuck in a time loop.
*sticks head back out the door of the rocket-ship* by the way, if you go to the break-room in exactly 2 minutes and 45 seconds, youโll catch the person whoโs been stealing your lunches for the past two weeks.
nasa employee: what?! WHO IS IT?!
*alarm begins blaring*
nasa employee: *running for the break-room* FUCK!!!!
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back earlyย
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.ย
nasa employee: what?ย
astronaut: *sits down, sighs, pulls a beer out from their spacesuit* moonโs stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: โฆok, and? hang on, how did you get a beer? you canโt have that in here.
astronaut: what do you know about project floyd?
nasa employee: I mean, the usual amount? iโm not really on the project anymore, why?ย
*alarm begins blaring*ย
astronaut: COME WITH ME TO THE ROCKET-SHIP, we donโt have ti-
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back earlyย
astronaut: yeah. moon's stuck in a time loop.ย
nasa employee: what?ย
astronaut: *loading a pistol and getting back on the rocket-ship* moonโs stuck in a time loop. see you tomorrow. maybe.
nasa employee: WHAT?!
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back earlyย
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.ย
nasa employee: what?ย
astronaut: *sighs, rubs hands over face, and loads pistol, before getting back on the rocket-ship* moonโs stuck in a time loop. and, uhโฆyou should call your mother like youโve been meaning to. and tell her youโre not actually mad and that you will come to dinner tonight. youโre gonna be hungry.
nasa employee: wait, what? WHAT?? how do you know my mom?! why am i gonna be -
*alarm begins blaring*ย
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back earlyย
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.ย
nasa employee: what?
astronaut: *grabbing two pistols, an extra box of ammo, a pair of scissors, some duct tape, a space harpoon, and a booklet of operating instructions that says โAIRLOCK MANUAL OVERRIDE INSTRUCTIONS,โ starting to get back on the rocket-ship, but dropping everything with a horrendous clatter* FUCK! goddamn moonโs stuck in a time loop.
*alarm begins blaring*
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back earlyย
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.ย
nasa employee: what?ย also, hey, whereโd you get that duffel bag?
astronaut: *grabbing two pistols, an extra box of ammo, a pair of scissors, some duct tape, a space harpoon, and a booklet of operating instructions that says โAIRLOCK MANUAL OVERRIDE INSTRUCTIONS,โ shoving them into the bag, and getting back on the rocket-ship* moonโs stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back earl-ย
astronaut: *grabs nasa employee and kisses them passionately*ย
nasa employee: what? WHAT?!
astronaut: *loading a single pistol and getting back on the rocket-ship* moonโs stuck in a time loop, sweetheart.ย
nasa employee: what?!?
astronaut: a time loop!!! i love you!!! get out of the base!!! stay alive!!!
nasa employee: *presses fingers to lips, confused but intrigued, as alarm begins blaring*ย
nasa employee:โฆ.
nasa employee:โฆ
nasa employee: ho hum what a regular day at the office
*alarm begins blaring*
nasa employee: what the hell is that?!
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back earl-ย
astronaut: *grabs nasa employee and kisses them passionately*ย
nasa employee: what? what?! WHAT!?!?ย also, hey, whereโd you get that duffel bag?
astronaut: *grabbing two pistols, an extra box of ammo, a pair of scissors, some duct tape, a space harpoon, and a booklet of operating instructions that says โAIRLOCK MANUAL OVERRIDE INSTRUCTIONS,โ shoving them into the bag, then cupping nasa employeeโs cheek with free hand* moonโs stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: the moonโs stuck in a what?!
astronaut: a time loop, sweetheart, but we donโt have much time ourselves, so you have to listen to me RIGHT now
nasa employee: *faintly* โฆโsweetheartโ?!
astronaut: in 2 minutes and a few seconds, you need to go into the break-room and find frank.
nasa employee: wait, frank from IT?
astronaut: yes.
nasa employee: how do you know heโs gonna be in the break-room? i canโt just call him at his desk right now?
astronaut: how do i know this?! because, one, time loop, ok? andโฆalsoโฆbecauseโฆheismaybetheguywhohasbeenstealingyourlunchfortwoweeks
nasa employee: that BASTARD i KNEW it
astronaut: BUT THATโS NOT WHATโS IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW. hey! listen to me! go in there, catch him red-handed with your burrito, and tell him lunch is on you FOREVER if he goes RIGHT NOW and checks the last security patch - because thereโs a virus and the whole systemโs compromised. then you need to get the hell out of this base, ok?
nasa employee: โฆok. ok. andโฆand what about you?
astronaut: *cocking pistol and getting back into rocket-ship with duffel bag* me? iโm gonna shoot for the moon.
EPILOGUE:
nasa employee: so, how many loops in total?
astronaut: i mean, it was hard to keep track. somewhere around six months, if i had to guess.
nasa employee: damn.
astronaut: yeah.
nasa employee: and in those six MONTHS, the best zinger you came up with was โshoot for the moonโ?
astronaut: hey, you know what, i had some other stuff on my mind!
nasa employee: i mean, i guess. it sounded like you found time to flirt with me each time.
astronaut: yeah, like i said. other stuff on my mind.
*they look at each other, blush, and look away*
astronaut: sooooooo. youโre sure your mom is cool with me coming over for dinner?
nasa employee: canโt make the day any weirder. plus, i owe you for ratting out frank, right?
astronaut: he did help us save the world; we canโt be too mad at him.
nasa employee: youโve had a little while to get over it, i might need some more time. and it wasnโt even your food!
astronaut: ok, thatโs fair. what if i buy you lunch to make up for it?
nasa employee: hmm, when?
astronaut: tomorrow?
nasa employee: well, iโll have left overs from my mom, and you might too if you play your cards right. day after tomorrow?
astronaut: honestly, anytime is good for me.
I am a daughter of shame. I live in the shadows and I try not to bleed on my mothers carpet. My skin jagged and worn as if I have lived thousands of lives, in one body. I am flat. I am empty. This is all the world wanted for me. I pretend not to notice how quiet the sky is on a sunday morning, as if god has deserted me.
โ Hannah Green, from โSylvia Plath Taught Me How To Disappear.โ ยฉ