Alan was strapped in and ready to go. The black road sizzled under the burning sun, yearning for him to speed over it.
And he did. Shifting the racecar into full gear, Alan speed down the track. Vroom went the engine as Alan laughed gleefully. It was just like the Saturday morning cartoons. All that was missing was his Chim-Chim.
He passed a green car, then a red one as he climbed the leader board with every completion of a lap. Alan was good, real good. And he knew it. He could already see the black and white flag waving overhead as he past the finish line, and holding the gold cup over his head in victory.
It was the turn that got him. Alan, gripping onto the steering wheel, turned to the left so hard his wheels made a screeching noise. His body was thrown against the side of the car and he could feel it start to tip.
"Ahhh!" Little Alan Tracy yelled as he tumbled out of the box he had been playing in.
"Alan, what's wrong?" A concerned Lucy Tracy stood at the entrance of the play room, wiping her hands on the apron she wore. There was flour in her blond hair from pulling it away from her face as she baked apple pie.
"I quash" Alan laughed, still splayed on the floor. His fair blond hair was as messy as could be and his shirt was smudged with the jelly from today's lunch.
"Crashed," Lucy corrected her three year old, holding out a hand for him. "Come on my little racer, help me finish this pie. Then we can get you changed up before Grandma comes over."
"Gwanma comin! Gwanma comin!" Alan yelled happily as he rolled to his stomach and got up from there. Still a little chubby legged, he waddled-ran to his mom, taking her hand and forgetting all about his car race.
He never saw the inquisitive pair of blue eyes watching from the stairs closest to the room.
"All systems are go. Permission to take off," John said over the intercom as he flipped the final switch into place.
"Permission granted. You are free to go Explorer." The returning response was slightly staticky, but John didn't mind. He was too busy trying to keep his nerves down. It wasn't everyday NASA asked you to do a solo mission to the moon after all.
"Huston, preparing for takeoff." John responded in what he hoped to be a calm and controlled voice.
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Blast off! The Explorer's engines were loud and thunderous as the ship took off into outer space. John was forced back into his seat and he could see the trees grow smaller and smaller until they disappeared and the sky turned dark even though it was noon.
"Explorer come in. Come in Explorer."
"Huston this is Explorer. All is clear," John said again as he heard the explosion of applause in the background. Grinning triumphantly John checked his readings and set the space ship in the right direction.
His seatbelt unclicked loudly as John hurried to the closest window where he pressed his face against the glass. His eyes grew as wide as the saucers he'd been sent to find on the moon.
The sky was dark as night, yet illuminated by millions and billions of tiny little specks of light. Space was huge! John had never imagined it looking like that. And he looking at the Earth, he couldn't believe how blue and green it was. Just like his old space book. His eyes were glued on the planet that got smaller and smaller as he reached the moon.
Landing the space ship was an easy enough task. The hard part would be getting out and not floating away. Gathering all his courage, because he had to be brave like Scott and his dad, John Tracy prepared himself for his first steps into space.
The smell of apple pie drew his attention and he stood up quickly from the box he'd been sitting in. John had wanted to see why Alan had been so excited about it and had figured it was a baby thing until he got inside. It was like magic. But no magic was strong enough to keep him from his mama's delicious apple pie.
His seven year old will power was not that strong.
"Sorry Virgie," he apologized as almost ran into his younger brother on the way out from the play room.
The brush glided across the canvas. The red blended with the orange and purple in a way that it simulated a Kansas sunset.
Virgil stepped back and admired his artwork. Not to toot his horn, but this one was prize worthy.
Virgil had been having a bad day. He'd woken up to Alan's screaming after finding out his oldest brother had gotten to go to work with their dad.
Then, at breakfast, John had taken the last of his favorite cereal and Virgil had to resort to eating those marshmallows squares that Gordon loved but stuck to his teeth.
After lunch hadn't been much better. Alan's jelly sticky hands had gotten all over his piano keys and now he couldn't play until his mom helped him clean it. But she was making apple pie because Grandma was coming over.
Essentially, Virgil was feeling like a tortured artist. And then he'd stepped into the play room.
There, alone close to his paint set, was his empty canvas. It had called to him, yearning for him to paint the walls of the box before him.
And so he set to work. Virgil had rolled up his sleeves and gotten to work with as much vigor as a five year old could muster.
And he was very proud of the masterpiece he'd created. And he couldn't wait to show Grandma.
"Virgil," Lucy Tracy called from the kitchen, her voice traveling with the sweet smell of apple pie. "Come to the kitchen and have some pie before your brothers eat it all."
There was the distinct sound of Alan's laughter, followed by John's. Virgil grinned and dropped his paints on the floor before running off to the kitchen.
He was so proud of his paintings on the box. Nothing could tear him down anymore.
Sadly, Virgil was going to find out that today was just not his day.
"Man the bridge!" Gordon shouted. "Quickly! To the poop deck!" And then he broke out laughing.
The sun was beaming down heavily, as it always did during the summer in Kansas.
"Land ahoy matey!" Gordon pointed with John's portable telescope. He felt just like the pirates in the movies he watched, and continued to recite phrases he'd heard. At four years old, he was living the dream. Gordon scooted forward a little before coming to a sickening realization. "We're taking on water!"
He tried to scoop the water out of his ship, but it was no use. The water kept seeping through, until he was sitting in a pool of water.
"Gordon!"
Scott had a great day with his dad. He'd gotten to sit in his office with him and eat desserts from the cafeteria before having lunch.
But mostly importantly, he'd gotten to spend the whole day with his dad. When you're the oldest of five, you don't get much time with dad.
At eight years old, Scott already needed the time to break away from his siblings constant fighting.
"Remember, don't tell your ma about the dessert before lunch," Jeff told his eldest as they walked through the front door.
"I won't," Scott promised grinning. His front tooth was missing, causing Jeff to grin and ruffle his oldest son's brown hair. It was good to spend some one on one time with him.
One thing he noticed was that the house was quiet, even with the distinct smell of his wife's famous apple pie. Something was amiss in his house.
Together, the two ventured towards the back, where the cries started to be heard and grow louder. Jeff and Scott stood at the backdoor and watched the latest mayhem unfold.
Virgil was crying and glaring at Gordon, his arms crossed. Alan was crying loudly, and kept pointing at the kiddy pool while Lucy tried to console him while lecturing Gordon about asking permission. John stood to the side, quiet as always, but with a longing glance at the pool.
And in the pool, was a soggy box. It was toppled to one side, and color seemed to be seeping out of it into the pool's water.
"What is happening here?" Jeff asked, his loud voice carrying over everyone, hushing them. The rest of the family turned, before it all broke apart again.
"Scotty!" Alan yelled and flung himself at his oldest brother. "Gowdon bwoke my caw!" He cried.
"He ruined my art project daddy. Punish him!" Virgil huffed.
"My pirate ship drowned," Gordon said, upset he was being scorned. "I sorry bout your art Virgie."
Jeff looked at his wife with a questioning look.
"Cardboard boxes make better toys than the toys in them," she explained, a small smile on her lips as she hugged John from behind.
Jeff could only imagine what the box had been for his blond stargazer, who resembled his mother just like Alan did. And looking at the tormented box closely, he noticed it was for that new basketball set the boys had been begging for. The one that stood alone and unused in the corner of the playroom. With a sigh, he looked at his sons who were all waiting for his verdict.
"Where is everyone?" A voice came in from the house, causing all the boys faces to light up.
"Grandma!" They said unanimously as they ran into the house leaving Jeff and Lucy together.
"Saved by my mother," Jeff grinned as he hugged his wife and gave her a kiss. "This means we can just give the boys boxes for Christmas, right?"
Lucy laughed, holding her husband's hand as they walked into the house. "You wish."
A/N: Yay! This is my first fanfiction, at least published and TB. It came to me while babysitting and I though it would be a cute wee Tracy story to write about and share.
I do have a biiig TB ff in the works, but it's one of those things where I have to write it out completely or else it would just never get done. And really it started out as my own little adventure. There's more info about it in my profile (or will be up soon).
So read and review :D It'd be really chill if you could let me know what you sincerely think.
Spasibo!