Panic At The Planetarium

Mrs. Flibberty, why do we have to go to the planetarium, the VERY cold and grungy planetarium in the middle of this horrible winter night?” Anya Capella whined as we trudged through the hallways of the Adven Presidential Planetarium.

Mrs. Flibberty smiled at us from the front of the line, “oh Anya, there is so much we stand to learn from a planetarium, much less a presidential planetarium.” Then she winked knowingly at Anya “Besides, you especially need it for extra credits to boost that C into the B grade if you ARE interested in moving on to the 10^th grade.”

“Yes Mrs. Flibberty.” Anya replied grudgingly, before grumbling under her breath about how she was quitting astronomy first chance she got. Anya’s partner, Gabrielle Jonas, the smart alec/ know-it-all of our class, leaned in and whispered into Anya’s ear, yet in a manner so loud I’m sure Trevor Quincy all the way at the front heard her, “I could tutor you, you know? Seeing as you are not that, ah…... brain worthy. After all, I did get A’s in all my mid-terms.” She gloated.

Without looking back, I could imagine the tremendously fake smile plastered on Anya’s face as she repelled Gabrielle’s offer. “Oh! I really would love that…Gabby, but I unfortunately wouldn’t want you to waste your time on a not so brain worthy entity as I am.” Anya apologized sarcastically.

I think Gabby was about to answer when the line stopped and I realized we had entered what looked like a huge courtyard, yet indoors. There, in the middle, was a gigantic model of our solar system. “Now class, I would like for you all to look closely and admire why our planetarium, the Adven Presidential Planetarium is the best in the entire country.” Mrs. Flibberty trilled and flicked her fingers.

As she did that, the lights went off and the planets began to glow and rotate ever so slowly around the shimmering, golden sun. A chorus of ‘ooh’s’ and ‘aah’s’ filled the courtyard, camera’s flashing even though there was a “NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY” sign standing in nearly every corner.

Just as Mrs. Flibberty started talking about rotation of the Earth, all the lights came on and suddenly went off. In the pitch darkness, I heard scuffling and a scream, and then the lights came on.

Sitting on the planet Jupiter with her legs hanging over the sides was a sobbing Gabby Jonas, and standing behind her was Liam Yodei; the gun in his hand pressed against her head. He smiled lazily, “Every. Body. Freeze.”