Chapter 22: One Small Step
1969 Casper, Wyoming
The sun's golden rays bathed the small horse ranch, enveloping the landscape in a warm glow. The wind picked up, bringing in cool, fresh air from the west, rustling the leaves of the nearby trees and the tall grass in the pastures. A sparkling man worked outside the barn, getting the hay and feed ready for the horses and various other livestock. His movements were smooth and efficient, showing years of experience and comfort in his routine.
The farm, located far outside of Casper, Wyoming, provided a simple yet fulfilling life. The cozy farmhouse, with its whitewashed walls and wraparound porch, stood proudly against the vast landscape, exuding charm and warmth. The scent of fresh hay mingled with the earthy aroma of the barn, creating a comforting and familiar atmosphere that reminded the man of his human days, oh, so long ago.
Horses with sleek coats and gentle eyes nickered softly as he moved among them, their presence a constant reminder of the tranquility he had found here. The rolling hills in the distance, dotted with patches of wildflowers and groves of trees, added to the serene beauty of the landscape. The sky above was a brilliant blue, with only a few wispy clouds drifting lazily by. It was a perfect day, the kind that made him grateful for the life he had built.
As he worked, he thought about his wife, whose smile was as warm and bright as the sun that shone down on their farm. Their love had only grown stronger over the years, rooted in the shared experiences they had faced together. Here, in this idyllic corner of Wyoming, they had found a haven, a place where they could live out their immortal lives in peace and contentment.
The practical chores of the farm, the routine of feeding and caring for the animals, and the simple pleasure of watching the land change with the seasons brought him a deep sense of fulfillment. This life, far removed from the chaos of his past, allowed him to focus on what truly mattered.
The best day of Jasper's long life was the day he met Alice in that small Philadelphia diner. The constant killing had taken quite a toll on his psyche, but Alice, that tiny little firecracker, had brought him back to life. For the past two decades, they had been living happily in various areas of the western and central states. Sometimes they lived in areas more geared toward Alice's liking, mostly bigger cities, and sometimes they lived the peaceful country life as they were currently doing.
He could still vividly remember the first time he saw her, sitting alone in a booth, her short hair framing her pixie-like face, eyes twinkling with mischief and hope. From that moment, he knew his existence had changed irrevocably. Alice had a way of making everything seem lighter, her boundless energy and optimism contagious. She had pulled him from the depths of despair, showing him that life could be more than a never-ending cycle of blood and death.
Jasper heard the screen door squeak open on their house. He really needed to oil that thing, as it kept getting louder and louder. He looked up from his daily chores and saw Alice standing there, smiling at him. She was wearing a loud, brightly colored outfit that she tried to assure him was the height of fashion. Jasper thought she was always beautiful and would look amazing in anything she wore, even if privately he thought the styles she and the youth of today were currently wearing looked ridiculous.
"Come on, Jasper, take a break. You're going to miss it," Alice called out, her voice filled with excitement. She had been watching the news, and they said it would be happening any minute now. She didn't want to miss this, and she wanted to share the experience with her husband.
Jasper wiped his brow purely out of habit and threw his pitchfork into the ground, where it embedded firmly. He started walking toward Alice, taking in her outfit with a bemused smile. As she walked to meet him, the sun lit her up, making her look like a burst of sparkling color against the earthy backdrop of their farm. He chuckled to himself at the sight. Her blouse looked like a rainbow that had exploded and settled onto her, and her jeans had more patches than original fabric, each one a different color and pattern. As always these days, she kept a yellow daisy tucked behind her ear. He liked it, seeing as how it brought out the beauty of her ruby eyes.
As he got closer, he took in Alice's smile and couldn't help but appreciate how her spirit shone through in everything she did and wore, even if he didn't understand her clothes. "Alright, darlin'. Lead the way," he drawled in his Southern accent, reaching her side and taking her hand in his.
Alice's emotions were infectious, and Jasper found himself smiling wider as they walked toward the house. The screen door squeaked again as he held it open for her.
Jasper knew better than to upset Alice, nor would he ever want to. In any event, he wanted to see this too. It was hard for him to believe that such a thing was about to take place, but he guessed he would get his own confirmation with his own eyes in just a few minutes. As they entered the living room, several fans blew a refreshing breeze through the open windows. Alice liked to always have a cool breeze going, especially during the July heat. The gentle hum of the fans created a soothing backdrop to their combined anticipation.
They both sat down on the worn but comfortable couch, Alice snuggling against him. The familiar weight and warmth of her presence brought a sense of peace to Jasper. However, her excitement soon got the better of her, and she jumped up, darting to the TV to adjust the antennas. Jasper watched with a bemused smile as she twisted and turned them, her brow furrowed in concentration.
After a few moments, Alice stepped back, a smile lighting up her face. "Perfect," she declared. The black-and-white image on the screen became clearer, revealing Walter Cronkite, his voice filled with a mix of excitement and gravity, as he described the preparations for the monumental event about to unfold.
Soon, they were both watching in awed silence as the Apollo 11 shuttle landed on the moon's surface. The grainy black-and-white footage capturing the historic moment, and the crackling voice of the astronauts as they made their descent filled the room, creating an atmosphere charged with wonder and disbelief.
Jasper had never imagined he would witness such an event. The sight of the lunar module touching down on the desolate, alien landscape of the moon seemed like something out of a children's book. His eyes were glued to the screen, taking in every detail. The surrealness of the moment, contrasted with the stillness of the moon's surface, underscored how foreign all this space stuff was to Jasper's simple life.
Beside him, Alice's face was lit with an expression of pure joy and amazement. He guessed Alice must have already seen this happening in a vision, but she never liked to talk about what she saw unless it was of direct importance to them or their friends. He always respected that about her, appreciating how she let the future unfold naturally.
As they watched the astronauts begin to descend the ladder, the anticipation was palpable. The black-and-white images flickered on the screen, the lunar module standing stark against the desolate moon's surface. Jasper felt Alice's hand tighten around his as they witnessed history unfold.
When Neil Armstrong's foot finally touched the moon's surface, they heard his voice crackle through the speakers, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." The gravity of the moment hung in the air, but as those iconic words echoed across the planet, Alice's vision was already rapidly fading as her mind's eye pulled her from her body. The room, the television, and Jasper all dissolved around her.
She found herself being thrust through space and time, enveloped in a kaleidoscope of swirling colors. Flashes of places and events whizzed past her in rapid succession—brief glimpses of people, landscapes, and moments that were gone too quickly to comprehend. The sensation was overwhelming, a dizzying journey through the fabric of reality.
Finally, the flashes and colors began to slow until Alice's vision reformed, and she beheld something she never thought she'd see like this. It was the moon, but it wasn't the small, black-and-white grainy image from a moment ago. No, this moon was massive, taking up most of her field of vision, a colossal presence in the blackness of space. The lunar surface was detailed and awe-inspiring, sharply defined under the harsh glare of the sun. How was this possible?
Alice had never had a vision in outer space before. The moon was so intricate from this vantage point, each crater and ridge etched in stark detail against the endless black void. She could see the pockmarked surface, with the sharp contrasts of light and shadow highlighting its rugged terrain. The vastness of it all made her feel small yet profoundly connected to the universe in a way she had never experienced.
Something off to the western side of the moon caught her eye—bright reflections that stood out against the lunar landscape. As she focused on them, she saw row after row of large, flat surfaces glinting in the sunlight. They looked like enormous metallic plates, neatly arranged in a grid pattern. Alice had no idea what their purpose was, but their orderly arrangement suggested they were part of something significant.
Near those unusual reflective surfaces, Alice's eyes widened as she saw what could only be described as a small community on the moon's surface in one of the larger craters. It had many buildings, all sleek and futuristic-looking, with domed roofs and cylindrical structures gleaming under the sun's harsh light. Some had tall, slender spires pointing towards the sky, while others appeared more utilitarian with robust, solid designs. It was a strange and mesmerizing sight, realizing that humans would live on the moon someday. As she looked around, she saw similar sights in other craters; it wasn't just one city—humans had colonized the moon.
Though she appeared to be floating in space, Alice slowly turned around, and she gasped. Before her was the Earth, a magnificent blue and green marble suspended in the inky darkness. The vibrant blues of the oceans, the rich greens of the forests, and the swirling whites of the clouds were breathtaking. The images she had seen from man's earliest attempts at space flight paled in comparison to the awe-inspiring beauty before her. The curvature of the planet, the way the light from the sun cast a gentle glow over the atmosphere—it was mesmerizing.
As she studied the continents below, Alice noticed some sparkling reflections encircling the Earth. Her eyes narrowed as she focused on these anomalies, realizing they were objects—large objects. With growing astonishment, she discerned they were space stations. Many of them, all surrounding the Earth like silent sentinels. It was like something out of a science fiction movie, but it was real—or would be real one day.
The stations varied in size and shape, some sleek and cylindrical, others more sprawling and complex. They glinted in the sunlight, their surfaces reflecting the rays like distant stars. To see them from this far away, they must be truly massive. The realization struck her with awe and curiosity.
Alice wondered how far in the future this was; for humans to live on the moon and build such massive space stations, it had to be centuries, if not millennia, from her time. The sheer scale of what she was seeing left her in awe. She watched the Earth and the space stations with rapt attention. As she focused in further, she could even see smaller spacecraft traveling between the stations, like busy bees flitting from flower to flower. The scene was mesmerizing, a testament to human ingenuity and perseverance.
What an amazing thing to behold. Her heart swelled with a mix of pride and wonder at the sight. She smiled, reveling in the extraordinary vision before her. Wanting to see more, she turned her head, her eyes drifting away from the Earth and its orbiting marvels to gaze into the vastness of space. Her smile vanished instantly.
She looked on in horror. No... God, no. It was so massive, hurtling straight towards the Earth, and there was nothing she could do. This was a vision, leaving her clueless about its actual arrival. As she watched the giant asteroid approaching, a flash streaked past her, racing towards the Earth's doom.
Jasper watched the astronauts take their first steps on the moon's surface, their movements clumsy and exaggerated in the low gravity. It was amazing to see them hopping around like that. He never thought such a day would come, but he knew humans would continue to advance. The thought and sight of the achievement filled him with a sense of awe and respect.
Who knows, he mused with a slight smile, maybe in a few hundred years, Alice might convince him to take a trip up into space. He imagined himself in one of those bulky suits, hopping around like a rabbit on the moon. The thought made him chuckle softly. Yeah, no way he was ever going up there. The idea of floating in the vast emptiness, far away from the comforting solidity of Earth, just didn't appeal to him.
Turning to share his amusement with Alice, he noticed her blank stare. She was in the middle of a vision, something he had grown all too accustomed to over the years, and he knew better than to disturb her.
After a few minutes, which was actually a pretty long time for her to be inside a vision, Alice gasped. Her eyes, which had looked dull before, were now blinking rapidly as she looked around wildly, her usual composed demeanor seemingly shattered. The vision must have been a real doozy.
"Are you okay, Alice?" Jasper asked, his voice laced with concern as he watched his wife. She was usually very collected after a vision, but this one seemed to have really rattled her.
Alice blinked rapidly, her eyes darting around as she tried to reconcile her present with what she had just seen. The room was stifling, the air thick with the lingering heat of the day. She closed her eyes, willing herself to calm down, breathing in the hot summer air deeply and exhaling slowly to center herself. The hum of the fans and the distant chirping of crickets outside finally started to soothe her racing mind.
Finally, she looked up at Jasper, her eyes still wide but starting to regain her bearings. Without a word, she launched herself forward, hugging him tightly, her small frame melting into his solid, comforting presence. Jasper wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, his worry now palpable.
While nestled in his embrace, Alice finally whispered, "I'm fine, Jasper. We're both fine... Everything is going to be okay."
Jasper knew better than to ask, but the way Alice sometimes acted, it was as if she knew some big secret. Whatever it was, he trusted her to know what was best. He rubbed Alice's back gently, letting her know he was always there for her.
"I'm glad to hear that," he murmured, his voice a steady anchor for Alice, still a little jarred from her surreal vision. She looked up into Jasper's ruby eyes and smiled, relaxing further. "Now, let's watch the rest of the moon landing," Jasper encouraged.
Alice nodded, her grip on him loosening, though she kept her body pressed against his side. She was grateful for the sense of calm and reassurance Jasper was sending her way. Together, they turned back to the TV, where grainy black-and-white images flickered on the screen. As the two vampires watched history unfold, the midday sun streamed through the open windows, casting a warm, golden glow over everything.
I hope you have enjoyed this glimpse into the lives of Jasper and Alice. In this reality, Alice never foresaw her and Jasper joining the Cullens. Don't worry, though—we'll be seeing more of them in the future.
In the next chapter, Edward receives a visit from a Twilight character we haven't seen in the story yet. Who could it be, and will the visit be a pleasant one?
I enjoy reading your comments, so please post a few words if you can. I'm also happy to answer any questions you may have regarding the story.