I'm Gonna Build a Rocket
A/N: I love this movie! It's such an inspiring story! So, just like I did for the Lorax I'm doing a small series of one-shots. I do not own October Sky Universal Pictures and Homer Hickman Jr. does.
"I'm gonna a build," Homer Hickman announced excitedly.
His father, mother, and older brother immediately stopped talking about Jim's upcoming football game against Welch. Jim stared at him as if he was crazy. His father gave him the same look.
"Like Sputnik," Homer bravely continued.
Even his mother was caught off-guard.
"Well I'm not saying it's gonna go up in space or anything," he clarified, "But I'm going to do it."
His mind was set; he was bound to determine to build his rocket. He wanted to be like Wernher von Braun and some day join him on the Cape.
"I'm gonna a build a rocket," he happily repeated.
His father had returned to his meal. His mother was first to respond.
"Well just don't blow yourself up," Elsie Hickman said sipping her coffee.
Jim started to laugh at him, but Homer was too distracted. He just smiled at his breakfast thinking of the possibilities.
"Nice rocket Homer," Roy Lee teased.
A few days later Homer found himself in the front yard with Roy Lee and O'Dell testing his mini rocket. He did it! He built a rocket!
"How high do you think it will fly?' O'Dell asked him.
"Well I got it packed with the powder of 30 sky rockets," Homer answered him as he tinkered with the rocket.
This was going to be good.
"Three or four miles," he added confidently, "You ready?"
Roy Lee and O'Dell nodded. It was time.
"Yeah?" Homer asked striking the match.
"Yeah," the other boys agreed.
Smiling Homer lit the fuse. He hurried back to where his friends were standing.
"Ten. Nine. Eight," Homer and O'Dell counted.
"Should we get behind something?" Roy Lee asked, but was ignored as Homer and O'Dell continued to count down.
BOOM!
The rocket exploded throwing the three boys back. They groaned as they landed on their backs and pieces of the picket fence rained down upon them. Elsie Hickman came running out onto the front porch.
"What happened?' she asked her son.
"Oh my rocket blew up," Homer groaned as he sat up.
The Hickmans' neighbor came running out her house to investigate the explosion. The neighborhood dogs began to bark.
"Are you okay," Elsie asked her son and her friends.
"Yes," Homer groaned.
"My hearts pounding I thought the mine blew up," she sounded relieved.
She looked up past her son.
"Oh Homer," she groaned.
Standing up Homer turned to look behind him. Yep! He was in trouble. He braced himself for a scolding.
"I waited six months for the company carpenter to finally get around and put up that fence," she calmly scolded, "Didn't I tell you not to blow yourself up?"
Roy Lee and O'Dell finally got up off the ground.
"Yes ma'am," Homer sheepishly mumbled as he looked down.
"Then let's not," she said firmly as she sighed and turned to go inside.
"Elsie?" the neighbor asked.
"It's alright Mrs. Fields," she hollered, "It's alright."
Homer and the boys turned to fully face the fence. It was not good. The rocket had blown a small section of it to smithereens. Smoke billowed around it. So much for his first rocket.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed! See you next time