As Told By Ginger copyright Viacom
Chapter 14: In Space
Ginger, looking out the window, watched the almost dot-like Earth slowly recede from sight. Tears began to stream away from her eyes. She might never see her home ever again. She knew she should be excited by the prospect of visiting space, but she still had doubts about ever seeing her home again. Would never hear Carl's weird gross outs. No more fresh aromas from her Mom's fresh-baked cookies. But what she was most afraid of never experiencing again was gravity as she was very ill from space sickness.
Her head felt puffy, she felt throwing up, and she had to go the bathroom far too often for her tastes. And those weren't the only effects that weightlessness had on the human body. Her hair had became quite unmanageable. At least she hadn't had to belch since they had left the Earth an hour ago.
"How long do you suppose we'll be out here?" she heard Dodie ask behind her.
Ginger shrugged.
"Perhaps we shouldn't have on this trip, Ginger."
Ginger stared out the window before responding. "Ask me later, would you, Dodie? This is all very new to me. I still haven't the slightest clue is happening."
"We're hurtling away from the Earth at speeds no man had gone before."
Ginger sighed slowly.
"Okay, I'll leave you alone then. See'ya."
Ginger heard her best friend push off the deck toward deeper into the spacecraft. And Ginger was alone to be with her thoughts again. But most of all, she decided to put her faith in God to see this through. What other choice did she have really?
A scent reached her nose. It brought back memories of home and family. No, it couldn't be. There were in a gravity-free zone. Conventional ovens couldn't possibly work up here. Or could they?
She decided to go investigate.
OOO-
Macie watched in abject fascination as Courtney floated through the corridors of the ship in her bare skin. She had never seen the likes before. Nothing at all was being weighed by gravity. And everything was perfectly in proportion. Her blonde hair a golden crown over her head.
Courtney's body was a work of art. An Angel.
"Courtney, do you mind putting on some clothes," Miranda said. "You look completely ridiculous trouncing around the place completely naked."
"We're all girls here, Miranda. It's not like I have anything you haven't seen before."
"Yes, but Miss Litefoot here is staring at you like you're Michealango's David for crying out loud."
"As she should, Miranda. God gave me this perfect body, and I, for one, don't intend to shove into some drawer."
"Yeah, right."
"What was that, Miranda?"
"Oh, nothing."
"It sounded to me like you said something, Miranda."
Now Macie was beginning to feel a little ashamed of her so-called social betters. They were on this fantastic journey and already they were fighting like walruses fighting over a mate. She would have left if she weren't so entranced by Courtney's body. She wished she had that body.
"Don't be such a prude," Courtney said. "As a matter of fact, I think we should get naked."
"Ain't going to happen." Miranda crossed her arms over her chest. "And I'm not a prude, Courtney. It's just we're not animals. We need a sense of dignity. We just can't go around naked."
"Sure we can." Courtney looked toward the hatch that led to the galley. "I think I'm a might bit puckish. You coming, Miranda?"
"I'm staying here. But you can take Little-Miss-Art-Lover here with you."
Suddenly Courtney started sniffing the air. "I wonder what that delicious smell could be." She floated toward the galley.
And Macie followed.
OOO-
Dodie was completely taken by surprise when she fell onto the deck. She had been in zero-gee for so long that she hadn't been expecting any gravity to be on the ship. Where on the world did that come from? The inappropriateness of that last expression wasn't entirely lost on her.
"Dodie, what brings you by?" She looked up. Mrs. Foutley was standing overhead stirring something in a bowl. Probably cookie dough.
Dodie started to get back up. "How come there's gravity in this section and not on the rest of the ship?"
"Well, I can't exactly make snacks for this trip without good ole gravity keeping everything in its place."
"But didn't we bring snacks for this trip, Mrs. Foutley?"
"They seemed to have disappeared, Dodie. I would suspect Carl and your brother, but they don't seem to be here at the moment."
Dodie nodded. "Which is just as well, since Courtney is floating around the Saucer buck naked."
"Is she now?" Mrs. Foutley continued to mix the dough.
"But what are you going to do about it, Mrs. Foutley?"
"Sorry, Dodie, but I don't think it's my place to say." She shrugged. "Besides we're girls here."
"Nomar isn't."
Mrs. Foutley paused. "Huh. Hadn't thought of that." Then she shrugged again. "But then again he isn't even human."
"But…"
"I don't think that human genitalia or breasts interest him that much."
"Mrs. Foutley!" Dodie gasped.
"Hey, I'm a nurse. I can use words like that once in awhile."
"I suppose." She turned to look out the door just in time to watch Courtney fall flat on her back, giving Dodie a view that she could have done without.
"Perhaps I should say something after all," Mrs. Foutley remarked.
"About what?" Courtney asked. She sat up but made no effort to cover herself up, even though her legs were spaced wide apart.
"Courtney, put some clothes on."
Courtney pouted. "But why? You're not my mother."
"Let's just see what she has to say about it when we her," Mrs. Foutley said. "Until then, put on your clothes."
She stood up. "Fine." She managed to make a dignified exit despite her nudity. Until she reached the zero gravity zone, where she lost her footing and started spinning heels over head.
Dodie looked away and shook her head sadly. To think, she had used to look up to Courtney, too.
OOO-
"So how does this spaceship work exactly," Mipsy asked with feigned innocence, as she floated by Nomar as he was piloting the ship.
He smiled. You ask a lot of questions, don't you?
"Actually," Mipsy blushed, "my mom says that I don't ask enough questions."
She is either a very wise woman, or a fool.
Mipsy shrugged. "Who can tell?"
A knock came from the hatchway, interrupting their conservation. Hello, Ginger, what brings you by?
Ginger looked puzzled. "There's artificial gravity onboard this ship."
"There is?" Mipsy blinked her eyes twice. She hadn't known about this gravity. "Where?"
"In the galley. I was following the scent of fresh-baked cookies when I discovered my friends and family actually standing up."
Yes, I know about the gravity.
"Why isn't on all over the ship?" Ginger said.
That would take far more power than this ship is capable of generating.
"Oh."
Mipsy pursed her lips. That was very interesting. "So how much power is this ship capable of generating?"
Nomar told them.
OOO-
"Courtney doesn't have to wear clothing if she doesn't want," Mrs. Gripling said. Dodie wasn't surprised. The rich socialite herself was completely nude. And floating by a porthole
"Why the sudden interest in nudity?" Mrs. Foutley asked.
"When will be the next time we'll get a chance to be naked in free-fall?"
"You know, Mrs. F, she had a point," Macie said. She also was now bare.
Mrs. Foutley sighed. "I think it's about time we discussed who's who in charge of the expedition."
"Oh, I heartily agree," Mrs. Gripling said.
OOO-
Joann dialed 911 into her phone. She hadn't been able to find her son or Darren or Noelle or that Carl boy. She got a response almost at once. "911. State your emergency."
"I'm Joann Bishop. And it looks I have to report some missing kids."