John Adams High School - Clipper Yearbook (Ozone Park, NY)

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DAVID BELLAN CHUCK BENT down to check the laces of his ski-boots. As he was straighten- ing up, he became aware of the pres- ence of another person in the room. It was Hank Bender. Well, sneered Hank, I never would have believed it. Did you finally get your nerve back? Or did you come up to watch? With- out another word, Hank disappeared down the hall. It was early March, unusually late for Chuck to be up for just his first day of skiing. He used to start with the first decent snow and continue every chance he had. But the accident he'd had last season had changed that. It hadn't been an unusually bad one but it had put him in a cast for six weeks. Since then he hadn't been able to bring himself to do any skiing at all. Chuck took his skis from against the wall and clomped out through the hall to the door near the slopes and runs. There he met Ben Thompson. You're just getting back into circulation too? smiled Ben. Trying to, Chuck grinned back. He wished that he could be like Ben, who had just gotten out of a cast for a broken leg, yet was able to start skiing immediately. He didn't sit around stewing like I did. he thought. I guess we might as well start on the beginner's slope, Ben said. lt's too early for many begin- ners to be out. Besides, there's no use killing ourselves just because we're too proud to admit that we're rusty and stiff. When they reached the top of the slope, they stopped and dropped their skis. As Chuck used his poles to knock the caked snow from his boots, he looked around. It was just as it had always been. The sun's rays reflecting on the snow caused the whole scene to glitter. The slope before him still 14 rolled down like a white blanket. He realized that there was a cold sweat on his brow. I'm turning chicken, he thought. He glanced at Ben. He was all ready and was waiting for Chuck. What were you staring at, Chuck? he said. Chuck tried to grin but failed. There was no use trying to fool himself, he was scared. Savagely he kicked his foot under the toe strap and flipped the clamp at his heel. What are you afraid of? he jeered to himself. Look at Ben. He had an accident that was worse than yours and he's back, back the same season too! Chuck stood up. Ben was looking at him with a confused expression on his face. Are you all right Chuck? You look awfully pale. I'm all right, he replied, just a little nervous. O.K., shrugged Ben as he did a kick tum and shoved off. As Ben swooped down the slope, Chuck's thoughts raced back to the day he had taken the bone-breaking fall. He had looked just like that, speeding gracefully in smooth wide arches. Then disaster had struck. His ski tip had slipped into an unfilled sitz-mark and he had been thrown. It could happen again. Chuck's stomach was tied into a cold knot, and he was perspiring freely in the cold wind. He wiped his clammy palms on his windbreaker and pre- pared to shove off. He tried to move, but his feet seemed rooted to the ground. His whole body had become immobile. Chuck, are you coming? yelled Ben from the foot of the slope. Chuck managed to shake his head, No, I lost something, he shouted back. As Chuck walked back to the lodge, he knew that he wouldn't find it there. He knew that once you have lost your nerve, it is difficult to regain.

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gfglf 0 Wa., ROBERT FIURENZA FIVE MINUTES. boomed the voice over the ship's intercom, five min- utes. That's it, fellow travelers, said General Mondon. In five minutes we shall be the first human beings to com- plete a space voyage. Four minutes, four minutes, the voice of the pilot echoed. Everyone in his place. This expedition with four men and two women was going to succeed where others had failed. Three minutes. Fasten your safety belts please, echoed through the ship. We all had strapped ourselves down and were braced for the contact. Breathlessly we waited. It was almost beyond comprehension. I was to be one of the first humans to land on Mars. Suddenly the roar of the motors died away and we sped down faster and faster. The ground rushed toward us. The ship jerked sideways and I could feel a tremendous pressure prac- tically crushing me. A sharp pain shot through my head and chest as if I had been slugged. and then, darkness. Come on lack, let's go. The tug- ging of my arm stopped and I tried to get up. My head was splitting and it hurt just to open my eyes. Frank Parris, our technician. was standing next to me. I.et's go lack, he re- 16 peated. I unstrapped myself and got up. Oh brother, I wasn't used to car- rying two heads. Frank, I inquired, did the landing go well? His hesita- tion caused me to fear the worst. The tail fixture is busted but Mondon thinks it can be repaired. Come on, Iackie. Mondon's signalling for us. Mondon was already up front. Linda lordan and Mona Phillips w-ere sitting across from him. and Tex, our pilot. was standing nearby. How're you feeling. kid? You were really knocked around when your strap cracked. Slowly I replied, I'm okay, Sir, just shaken up. Good, the General stated. Now we can get down to business. The vegetation outside indi- cates the presence of oxygen, so we don't need this equipment. We all know our jobs. Stick together, and we'll be all right. Tex. you stay aboard and check the condition of the tail and fuel pumps. We started out into the decompres- sion chamber. Mondon was first out- side. Linda and Frank followed. Mona and I were last. It was true. there was oxygen on Mars. We started into the vegetation with its amazing assort- ment of colors. There were wild flowers galore and the trees rose to majestic heights. It was breath-taking and Linda wasn't missing anything with her camera. The unique jungle was now thinning out and we could see ahead of us a range of mountains. It was unbeliev- able. We might as well have been on earth. Everything was the same. or so it seemed. We wandered into a clearing and we took a break. Mona remarked, General, have you noticed there hasn't been any sign of animal life? Everything else seems normal but still no life.