It was so real! Just moments ago, I was there! I could see the control room! Hear the hissing! Feel the heavy glass door in front of me! The airlock! ...ust moments ago! Just moments ago?Perhaps gas injection of the drugs causes an immediate sleep cycle. Possible I guess. But that doesn't seem right. Could that have happened? I would still be midway in the purge cycle of my first forced sleep when the building exploded. But I'm alive! But... Oh, I don't know... Could I be lying in the open. Uh..." Her voice fell to a whisper. "I love you. You make me love you." I love you too, Nina..."She turned her head. The clock was clearly visible. And our evening was almost at its end."Dan," she said, preparatory to dropping a bomb, "I wish I didn't have to go home..."I took a deep breath, knowing that the response to this simple statement was of monumental importance to the future of Dan and Nina. "I think that would be wonderful. I love having you near me."Kiss. She said, "I mean, like. I had a great time.” I smirked. He chuckled, “Sure looks like you two had some kind of fun.”“Dad ... I was in heaven.”I opened my eyes. Getting up, I searched under my bed for a Converse shoe box. In it I kept the recorder and the tape, affectionately named “Penny.” I smiled.Good times.Cut forward. It’s now the beginning of summer. I’m 18 now. Doesn’t feel much different, although now I can legally smoke. Not like it stopped me before. I only smoke cigars though, I find cigarettes to be so .... “I’m sure I could chase up something.” She grinned. “After all Jeff was on the swim team, he’s got suits everywhere.” “Cool.” I beamed. “I’d love to.” She returned several minutes later with one of Jeff’s old suits. “Thanks Mrs.J.” I chirped, then ducked into the bathroom to change. It was all I could do to squeeze into the suit, it was a speedo type that didn’t cover much, and Jeff was probably 20 pounds lighter than me. I wrapped a towel around my waist and headed to the pool. Mrs. J. was.