Cutting It Close
After staring at the white speckle-plastered ceiling of her bedroom for what seemed like an eternity, Julia let out a sigh of frustration and glanced at the clock on her nightstand.
Two o'clock.
In the morning.
This is ridiculous! I can't fall asleep! she thought.
Tuning over in bed, Julia decided to stare at her wall for a while. The pale green walls were supposed to be calming and therefore allow her to sleep-like-never-before but instead they reminded her even more of the reason sleep had decided to play hide-and-seek. The Amazon rainforest. Julia still couldn't believe that her university had decided to sponsor her trip to an archaeological dig in the heart of South America. It had been her lifelong dream: to go to some exotic spot somewhere in the world and make an amazing discovery. Well, she still had to make the indisputable discovery, but at least half of her dream was about to become a reality. Once again sighing, Julia turned in bed and stared at the clock.
Like staring at the clock is going to make me fall asleep faster. Turning off the lamp may be a good idea. I might actually slumber off into lala-land if there's no light.
Suddenly, her charging cell phone began to vibrate, causing Julia to jump. If that were possible while lying down.
Who on Earth is texting me at this hour of the night...or rather morning?
Reaching over to the nightstand, Julia picked up her shiny black Dare and took a look at the sender.
"Verity. I should have known," she said with a smile and viewed the message.
* Hey Jules. Just seeing if you're suffering the same sudden onset of insomnia as I am. Call me if you are! -Ver *
Laughing, Julia went to her list of contacts, found Verity's name and hit the call button. Less than a ring later her best-friend-forever answered her cell.
"Well Jules. Guess we're both on sleep's Do Not Disturb list," said a friendly and playful voice.
"Yeah. Guess we are," Julia responded.
"You nervous about tomorrow?"
"Not really. More excited than anything. I mean, can you believe it! We're actually going to the Amazon! We're going to join one of the most prestigious archaeological teams in the world and be among the first to discover an ancient temple practically buried under thousands of years' worth of undergrowth!" Julia said, excitement more than evidently lacing her voice.
"Nah, actually I can't. I'm still thinking this is all one unbelievably long dream and I'm going to wake up any moment to find one of my biggest dreams vanishing like some ethereal ghost!" Verity exclaimed.
"Well then, don't wake up Ver. You keep dreaming while I'll make my way to Bolivia and make that dream reality, no matter how cliché that sounds," Julia said while giggling.
"Hey! Don't think I'm gonna let you steal all the glory of uncovering an artifact that will put you straight into the history books." Verity warned jokingly.
"Don't worry Ver. I wouldn't want my name in the history books without yours next to it."
"You're the greatest, you know."
"Yeah. I know." Julia responded smugly.
After spending about an hour chatting about how they would find someway to be famous with this opportunity, Julia and Verity decided to give sleep one last try. Sure enough their long conversation had left them sleepy and within half an hour, both of them dropped like rocks.
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...I am an arms dealer
fitting you with
weapons in the form of words....
Pulling her out of the dreamworld, Julia's alarm clock began to randomly play a song off of her iPod. Today's pick: "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race" by Fall Out Boy.
Groaning, Julia reached over to turn it off but thought better of it. If nothing more it would perk up her spirit and let her drag herself out of bed. Suddenly, the fact that it was morning caused her to literally jump out of bed.
"Yes! I actually got some sleep and the rest of the night went by in a flash!" Julia said to herself.
Glancing briefly at the clock, she saw that it was 8:37 am.
"8:37!!! Shit! I should have woken up at eight! God, I slept like a baby! I have to get to the airport by 9:30 or I'll miss my flight. Shit!" Julia cursed as she threw on t-shirt and some jeans, ran her brush through her waist length brown hair, then flew around her room gathering everything she needed. She grabbed her backpack and tossed in her iPod, her journal, her brush and then ran to the bathroom, grabbed her bag of toiletries, put it in and dashed out of the room.
"Perfect, just perfect! I have to make at least three trips down to the car then back to the apartment to get all of my bags in the trunk!" Julia muttered to herself.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"No! I don't have time for visitors right now! Dammit!" Julia moaned as she went to open the door. Standing in the doorway was Atticus, her neighbor from down the hall.
"Atticus! Sorry but I don't have a lot of time to talk, I have to get to the airport now," Julia hurriedly said.
"I saw that your Altima was still in the parking lot, and thought that you might be running late. Overslept didn't you?" Atticus responded with a smile and amused twinkle in his light blue eyes.
"Yeah, didn't fall asleep till three in the morning," Julia stated with a panicked expression.
"Need any help getting your stuff in your car?"
"Yes, please!"
"I'll take the two big ones," Atticus said with a laugh.
"You are my savior Atticus!"
With Atticus' help Julia was able to get her three bags into her sliver Nissan Altima in only one trip. Within minutes she had flown into the street and made her way to the freeway so that she could make it to Phoenix International Airport and catch her flight to La Paz, Bolivia. Atticus had also agreed to do Julia one more...or rather two more, huge favors and said he would lock up her apartment for her then go pick up her car from the airport. She had handed him the second set of car keys and said she would call and tell him where she'd parked.
Atticus, I will be forever indebted to you for this! She thought as she passed a shiny blue minivan and sped down the freeway. My God. I'm barely gonna make it!
Julia pulled into the closest parking space to the entrance she could find then sent Atticus a text so he would know where to find the Altima. With the help of a couple of good-samaritan strangers, she was able to lug her bags to the counter where baggage was being loaded, then quickly went through the inspection area and metal detectors. Running to the terminal, she quickly handed her ticket to one of the flight attendants who was checking people in.
"Cutting it a little close are we?" the flight attendant said with a smile.
"Yeah...I accidentally overslept," Julia admitted sheepishly.
"Well, you made it. So you can breathe easy now," the attendant said, "Go on ahead."
"Thanks," Julia said, ridiculously relieved.
Handing her ticket to another stewardess, Julia was directed to her seat. As she walked down the aisle she caught a few humorous smiles from the other passengers, since it was evident she'd just barely made it.
"Verity!" Julia exclaimed as she found her seat next to her best friend.
"Geez girl! Looks like I wasn't the one who decided to keep dreaming," Verity said with loud laughter. Her jet-black chin length hair bobbed around her face as her body shook with now-suppressed giggles. She looked up at Julia, her dark blue eyes shimmering.
"Yeah...well, I'm here now. You aren't getting my share of the glory too!" Julia lightheartedly threatened.
The pilot announced that they were about to take off, and everyone fastened their seatbelts. Julia proceeded to tell Verity about her eventful morning. As the plane rose to its travel height, Julia looked out the small window and saw the world shrink before her. She was leaving home behind, and only God knew what was in store for her now.
