The Space Mission Adventure by Sharon M. Draper Read Free Book Online Page B

I’ll stick around and watch. You’re the best team at Space Camp!”
    â€œYou got that right, ma’am!” Rico said proudly.
    â€œOur first simulation is the Space Shot,” Samantha said. “Since we’ve been talking with Astronaut Washington about really going into space, this is the perfect time to experience it.”
    â€œWhy don’t you ride with us?” Jerome suggested to Ms. Washington. “Since you haven’t really been in space, maybe you can use this for practice.”
    â€œOh, I’ve had plenty of practice—in simulators that make this one look like a Pogo Stick, but sure, I’ll experience it with you.”
    They walked over to the Space Shot, which had padded seats surrounding a very tall pole. Each team member, and Ms. Washington as well, climbed into a seat, got strapped in, and prepared to be shot 140 feet straight up into the air in an instant.
    â€œYou’ll feel four g’s of force as you go up, you’ll be weightless for about two seconds, and then you’ll rush back to the ground in what feels like a free fall,” she explained to Ziggy, who was strapped to the seat next to her. “Are you ready?”
    Ziggy nodded, but he looked worried. Suddenly, WHOOSH! The seats were launched into the air, and Ziggy didn’t even have time to scream. His hair went straight up as his body rushed straight down. By the time they landed, he had found his voice. “Zowie! I have found my destiny! Let’s do it again!”
    Samantha, watching from the ground and holding everyone’s glasses and flip-flops, let them ride a second time. This time, Ziggy managed to scream before the air was forced from his lungs.
    â€œWhee! You are really lucky, Ms. Washington,” hesaid to her as they were being unstrapped, “to get to do cool stuff like this every day.”
    â€œNot all of it is rides in simulators like this. We have to do math and science calculations and lots of reading as well,” she explained as they were unlatched from the seat and headed back to the cafeteria.
    â€œDid they teach you about the monkeynauts in space school?” Neil asked. His red spiked hair seemed to stand up even higher after the Space Shot simulator ride.
    Alan, whose hair matched his brother’s wind-tossed spikes, added, “Ziggy thinks the monkeys were really space creatures in disguise.” He laughed a little and tried to make his voice sound like he doubted Ziggy, but he looked directly at the astronaut as he spoke.
    â€œI don’t think Abel and Baker were Martians, if that’s what you’re asking,” she replied with sincerity. “They were just little monkeys who helped us figure out how to live outside the boundaries of this earth.”
    â€œSo who takes the bananas?” Rico asked. “Ziggy thinks that aliens are to blame.”
    â€œHey, mon! Everybody keeps saying what Ziggy thinks, mon, and making me sound like I’m wacked!” He looked around and grinned. “Well, maybe I am, but suppose I’m right? Suppose the bananas really are being eaten by the space creatures that live in the giant shuttle in Rocket Park. What if what we think are just skinny brown squirrels are really spacemen checking us out? Suppose nothing is as it seems and I’m right?”
    No one answered for a moment.
    Finally Ms. Washington took a deep breath and spoke. “Let’s all sit down for a moment—right here on the grass. Is that okay, Samantha?”
    Samantha nodded, looking as interested as the kids.
    Ms. Washington began, “You are a dreamer, Ziggy, and that’s probably the best thing in the world you can be. All young people should have imaginations like yours. It’s always been dreamers who change the world by making new and wonderful discoveries.”
    Cubby raised his hand, as if he were in school. “Youmean like Christopher Columbus and Galileo?”
    â€œYes.