One Small Hop by Madelyn Rosenberg

Author:Madelyn Rosenberg [Rosenberg, Madelyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2021-02-26T00:00:00+00:00

Scientifically, the night sky in the middle of nowhere is pretty much the same as the night sky at home. What’s different is the way you see it. What’s different is how you feel.

Last fall, Davy and I went to the harbor with my telescope to look at the stars. There’d been no light pollution, and it had felt like we were in a different universe instead of three kilometers from home.

The universe above Heaven felt even more different than that one. The sky seemed clearer. The stars seemed sharper.

“There are so many,” Delphinium said. She sounded breathless, like each star had taken a bit of air from her throat and made it hard for her to breathe. Except in a good way.

Juliette stared at the fire instead of the stars. Leroy covered the hole in my satchel with a piece of gauze from the first aid kit Davy’s mom made us pack, and his famous tube of Bind-oh. Then he lay back on the bare ground, arms behind his head, looking up. “I’ll bet we’re setting the world’s record for length of time outside,” he said. “Hey. Shooting star! Did you see that?”

“You get a wish,” Delph said. “Close your eyes.”

I had about a thousand wishes I would have made. I hoped none of Leroy’s wishes had to do with Delphinium.

“I missed it,” said Davy.

“You’ll get the next one,” Delph said in that encouraging way she had. It was good to have her on your side because even if you weren’t winning, she had a way of making you feel like you might.

“A shooting star isn’t really a star, anyway,” Davy said. “Just dust and other particles. But that doesn’t sound as good. ‘Shooting particles.’ ”

“It sounds like a band name,” I said. They could play with Renegade Amoeba.

“I’ll stick with stars,” said Delph.

“Suit yourself,” said Davy. Then, more excitedly, “I can’t believe we’re here. Alone in the forest.” I guess some people would feel scared being alone in the woods at night. But to me, it felt safer. Especially with my friends.

“I’d better check in with my mom,” said Davy.

“Bro, can’t you hack her One or something?” asked Leroy. “Make her think she’s talking to you when she’s not? That’s what they do in movies.”

“Working on it,” Davy said. He took his One out of his pocket and walked away from us.

“My parents were glad to get me out of the house,” Leroy said.

“How come?” asked Delph. Of course.

“My brother’s hard to handle. Well, we both are. I think they liked the idea of having just one of us to deal with, after the whole lobster thing. They didn’t much like the EPF hanging out on their front porch. Also”—he added this last part like he thought twice about saying it—“my parents thought you might be a good influence.”

I remembered what Mrs. Varney had said about being glad Leroy was with nice kids. “Why would they think these guys would be a good influence?” Juliette asked.

She was teasing, but Leroy answered seriously.

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