The Portal Opens Wide

Bobby Mars stood at his bedroom window at six in the morning, already dressed, his father's Boonie hat settled on his head with the practiced ease of someone who had worn it every day for years. Below, Maple Street was completely still.

In one week, everything would change.

Colorado School of Mines. Engineering. Military science. ROTC. Real classrooms with real professors who had no idea that one of their incoming freshmen had already stood on the surface of a planet twenty-four million light-years from Earth.

Bobby touched the brim of his hat the way he always did when his thoughts grew too large for his chest to hold. Dad, he thought, not quite a prayer but not quite not one either. I really wish I could tell you where I'm going.

His communication device pulsed on the nightstand. A single, steady blue-white glow. Mark's mental voice entered his mind like a familiar hand on the shoulder.

Bobby. Today, please. Bring everyone. There is something I need to give you before your lives change.

Bobby turned from the window. All of us?

All of you. Tom and Mary as well. Fred and Mabel. John Morrison. Everyone who carries the mission.

There was something in Mark's mental voice that Bobby couldn't quite name. Not urgency. Something older than urgency. Something that felt like a man who has planned something for a very long time and has finally arrived at the moment to carry it out.

He picked up his phone and started texting.

Jeffery answered on the first buzz: Already up. Already ready. I'll bring Grandma's biscuits. Then, after a pause: Grandpa's up too. He says he had a feeling today would be important.