At the Bottom of the Stairs by Chloe Banks

Author:Chloe Banks
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Reflex Press
Published: 2022-04-25T00:00:00+00:00

Christa, 1986

Here it is again. For maybe the tenth time, the TV screen fills with the same footage. Rachel watches as the shuttle launches, arching its way towards space. She listens to the familiar cheers. She waits without breathing for the terrible flash. And there it is: the flash, the manic contrails parachuting across the clear blue sky. She doesn’t realise she’s crying until Francis encloses one of her hands in both of his, shuffles an inch closer on the sofa.

In the coming weeks, people will start talking about O-rings and lower than average temperatures at the launch site. News reporters will speculate about all the delays and how many warnings might have gone unheeded. Seven asteroids will be given new names. Today though, people are only talking about her – Christa McAuliffe, the Teacher in Space.

Rachel has read everything about Christa – about this history teacher who was given a seat aboard a rocket. Newspapers and TV chat shows have been full of her. Christa was only one year younger than Rachel. Christa was a wife. Christa had children. Dear God, she had children. Were they there at the launch? Did they see it all happen? Rachel slides her free hand into the hand of her teenage son, and, for once, he doesn’t pull away.

They are showing the footage of them walking out to the bus again now. Seven astronauts, smiling in their blue jumpsuits: Dick, Judy, Ron, Mike; Christa is fifth in line; behind her, Ellison and Greg wave to the crowd. They are buoyant, excited. They are going to space. Rachel closes her eyes.

Later tonight, President Reagan will tell his grieving nation about the pain of expanding man’s horizons. Sombre-faced and black-tied, he will declare that the future is not for the faint-hearted. Rachel, hearing the speech on the radio over breakfast, will cry into her cornflakes because two children had a mum who dared to go to space, and who so very nearly made it, and who won’t ever make it back. Christa’s President will tell the whole world how daring and brave she was, how she had a hunger to explore the universe and find out its truths. And Rachel will cry for Christa because at least Christa tried.

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