postcards from an ill-timed supernova

June, July, August 2088.

#1: sunshine girls

Summer of 2088 in Copper Hill, Michigan. The sun is hot. The local swimming hole is murky and nobody knows what hides in its depths.

“Dead bodies,” Bianca teases.

“Nuh uh,” Julia cries. “Stop it, I’m telling Dad!”

“Leeches.” Lily giggles, her fingers tickling up Willow’s shoulder.

“Seaweed,” Willow shouts, grabbing a clump. Throw, splat. Squeals, splashing, laughter.



The days are long and sweaty and sweet. In twenty years, when four little girls have become women swamped with jobs and family and life, when they think back on their childhood, this will be what they remember.  

make a wish

June 2088. Lucy Deppiesse is 22, Cassie is 2, Eris is 6 months. Delphie and Dakota are 18. Shannon Brett is 17, Jacob Collins is 16.

Previously: Dallas is sent to Fort Hollow to build rockets // Shannon struggles to break up with Jake 

Lucy once said she wanted seven children, but the truth was, she could barely handle two. 

It rained far too much here in Washington. Cassie didn’t mind the rain. And maybe Lucy promised they would play outside one last time before bed. But then Eris needed to nurse, again. Growth spurt. She needed a bounce and a burp, and then she spit up. The little squirt aimed straight for Lucy’s cleavage and soaked her all the way down to the underboob. They both needed a change of clothes. Then the rain started. The downpour was too intense to bring the baby out. Too intense for a strong-willed, toddler, too, but try telling that to Cassie. “Why? Mama, you said. You said.” 

And Cassie wasn’t wrong. Lucy did say, didn’t she? 

There was no one to help. They worked Dallas to the bone here, twelve-hour shifts most days of the week. Her neighbor, Marlie, was eight months pregnant and ready to pop. It should have been so lucky to have a teenager next door, but Marlie’s moody teenage son scared Lucy and she would never ask for his help. Everyone else on base had somewhere to be and something to do.

So, sorry, teary little one, so it seems sometimes life doesn’t turn out the way you thought it would. So it seems, sometimes, you don’t get to play outside one more time before bed even though you were given a promise. 

But they were so blessed to be here, together, after everything they’d been through. So blessed. 

cherry blossom girl, part 2 (prom 2088)

May 2088. 

seniors: Delphie Deppiesse, Dakota Deppiesse, Austin Turner, Desmond Banks 

juniors: Ryanne Phoenix, Malia Kapule, Sam Harris, Shannon Brett

chaperones: Violet & Orion Deppiesse 

—

The next morning at breakfast, Shannon sat at Dakota’s table, which must have been the first time she even attempted to speak to Dakota since their big blowout back at home. 

“I didn’t see you at the lights festival last night,” Shannon said.  

“I went home, it was kind of boring.”

“It wasn’t boring, you were just in a mood. I had plenty of fun. Did you see my kimono?”

“Maybe for a minute.” 

“You went home with Austin?” 

“Maybe, why?”

“Did you guys do it?”

Dakota scoffed. “What’s it to you if we did? Are you jealous? You can’t be jealous. You have a boyfriend at home.” 

“But did you?”

Dakota refused to offer anything, not even a hint of expression on her face. “Maybe we did, maybe we didn’t.” 

Shannon rolled her eyes. “Ugh. Whatever.”

They didn’t, for the record. But Dakota didn’t mind letting Shannon sweat about it a little.

cherry blossom girl, part 1 (prom 2088)

May 2088. 

seniors: Delphie Deppiesse, Dakota Deppiesse, Austin Turner, Desmond Banks 

juniors: Ryanne Phoenix, Malia Kapule, Sam Harris, Shannon Brett

chaperones: Violet & Orion Deppiesse 

—

“Hey, check this out. Doesn’t it rock so hard?”

Dakota’s fingers fluttered across the fretboard in a movement so quick and delicate, it was astonishing how she made that instrument scream. The sound that came out was heavy and abrasive. To be honest, Shannon’s style was probably more Katy Perry than Metallica. But she did like Dakota.

the breath before

March 2088. Dakota and Delphie Deppiesse are 17, Shannon Brett is 16, Eric Powell is 16, Jacob Collins is 15.

soundtrack: “Closer” by Tegan and Sara

previously: Delphie and Dakota's last story on the LH blog // Shannon and Jake flirt in church

Shannon was bored of being Shannon. Good little southern belle, made of sweet tea and peaches, singing in the church choir, basically betrothed to the preacher’s grandson since she was two. Sometimes she wanted to strip off and step into an entirely different life.

For now, a little makeover would have to do.

hush

March 29, 2087. Easter Sunday. Jacob Collins is 14, Shannon Brett is 16.