The Harvest Moon

I never knew how hard it was to take a deep breath. You take around twenty thousand breaths a day, did you know? Something we all take for granted. 

Breathing. 

You never really think about how smooth the air feels as it moves into your lungs. It’s so easy that we can still do it while our body is in distress. Things like anxiety attacks, surgery, going for a run… But as easy as it is, in this moment, I’ve forgotten how to take this deep breath. 

It was November 1st, Launch Day. “Shit,” no wonder why I couldn’t breathe. I looked at myself in the mirror. I really looked like I haven’t slept in weeks. To be honest, I haven’t. But could you blame me knowing Launch Day was creeping up on me? 

As I slowly started getting myself together, I heard a small knock on the door. “Emily?” My older sister Liz peered in. “Good, you’re up. Mom would have killed you if you slept in.”

“Would that really have been such a bad thing?” Maybe I should have. I could have missed the ceremony and launch altogether. They wouldn’t get me.

“Em, come on. You know today of all days we need to be together.” Liz sat on the foot of my bed. She looked pretty in her Launch dress. I always envied how she had the ability to make something so horrible look beautiful. When I wear the dress, I embody fear and depression. But as beautiful as she looked, she had a hard time hiding her fear. 

I will say she hides it better than I do. While I’m over here struggling to do the one thing every human knows how to do, she simply stared into space and was slowly picking the polish off her nails. 

I walked over to her and grabbed her hands. “I know,” and I squeezed tight. She squeezed back. “Now get out so I can get dressed.” 

Liz let out a soft laugh. “You always knew how to ruin the moment.” She got up and paused at the door. “Hurry, the ceremony is in fifteen minutes.” 

As she left I quickly put on my Launch dress and ran a brush through my hair. I didn’t feel the need to do anything else. I couldn’t bring myself to. What was the point? Why would I get ready if I might be chosen….

“Shit,” I started to panic. What if I was chosen? “Okay, Emily, relax.” I stared at myself once more. The girl in the mirror looked lost. I felt bad for her.. “There are at least three hundred people in this town. The odds are slim.” I closed my eyes and ran my fingers through my hair. “Relax, Emily…relax.” That’s when I had an idea.

I’ll hide. 

I know it won’t be likely to be called upon today, but maybe an escape bag wouldn’t hurt. “Better safe than sorry.” I pulled out a small knit pack from underneath the bed. It wasn’t much but could fit a change of clothes and the half eaten bag of chips from my bedside table. 

“Emily!” I could hear my mom calling for me. “Emily it’s starting!” 

I tossed my pack into the closet and headed downstairs. 

Everyone was gathered around the radio listening to the Guild members talk. It was the same speech they give every year. They try to make Launch day seem like it’s this huge honor to be chosen. And if you were chosen you should feel forever grateful to go on this journey. You were making history. You see every year they send one person to the moon. The moon is home to another society the Guild has put together, and only the strong are able to live in its conditions. 

I hated this part. Waiting for the Guild members to say the name of who is chosen to Launch. I glance around the living room and it’s nice to see that I’m not the only one having a hard time breathing. Liz ran out of polish to chip off so she’s moved to tapping her pointer finger lightly on the table.

Mom had her hands crossed in prayer while staring intently at the radio. She’s done this ever since dad was chosen seven years ago. Mom was never a religious person until that day. I think deep down she knows it won’t actually stop them from calling one of our names. But it gives her hope. 

“Well everyone, it is time to name our Traveller this year.” Guild member Lopez announced. She didn’t say much during the ceremonies. 

The room stilled as we listened to the Guild members make their announcement.

“We have watched our Traveller for a few years now. It never seemed like they were ready, but we have seen such growth and maturity it felt as if the moon itself knew who should embark on this journey.” That was Guild member Addie. Her voice always sounded like cotton candy to me. 

Mom's hands gripped harder in prayer. Maybe I should sit with her. Pray with her. Maybe it really works.

“We know our Traveller will make our town proud,” said Guild member Scotts. I always envisioned him with a toupee. No idea why. “She will make a strong asset on the moon for she is resilient, hard working, and shows great leadership. Everyone, please give it up for this year's Traveller: Emily Williamson.”

Remember when I said I couldn’t breath earlier? That was nothing compared to now. 

My mom was already sobbing into her palms. I wanted to reach out and comfort her but I couldn’t move. “Three hundred people in this town… and I was chosen.” My words barely made it above whisper. 

Liz put her arms around mom and looked my way. “Em, I-“

“Oh man,” tears welled out of my eyes. “Oh Liz. I’m fucked!” Laughter filled the room. Liz didn’t say anything. She just kept staring at disbelief that I have somehow turned this into a joke. But before she could try to calm me down, a loud knock came from the front door. 

What a buzz kill. 

“Emily, they’re here.” She took one look at mom and came to the realization that she was going to have to be the one to send me off. Mom still didn’t come up from air, still buried in her palms. 

“I need to grab something first. Let them in. I’ll be right down.” I didn’t want to look too suspicious. I had no plan to go with them. I don’t know what happens to those on Launch Day, but we never hear from them. You would think the Guild members would allow us to hear from our families and friends. Before I ran to my room, I gave Liz a hug. Short and sweet. Again, I didn’t want to let her think I was going to run. 

I slammed my bedroom door behind me and grabbed my pack. I could hear muffled voices below. None recognizable, so it must not have been the Guild members. They must have sent the guards to fetch me. Which makes sense. Nobody has ever seen what the Guild members look like. Our leaders never blessed us with their presence. 

As I heard Liz speak with the guards, I slipped out the window and landed in the bushes below. I peeked in one of the windows to be sure nobody heard me. Luckily they were still making polite conversation. Mom was still taking this hard. “Goodbye, mom.” I whispered. 

“Is that really how you want to say goodbye?” I jumped and turned around only to see another guard. He must have been patrolling the house. “Your family deserves better.” He grabbed me by the arm and pulled me alongside him. 

“Let me go!” I resisted as much as I could. I looked back at the house and could now see my mom watching. Her eyes sunken in and lifeless. “Mom, help me!” 

“Why would she help you? You are the chosen traveller! Look at her. She’s proud to watch you go.” He threw me into the back seat of his van. I’m not sure where he saw pride. All I saw was a mother watching her daughter being taken to her death. “Oh, and this will hurt.”

“Wha-?” But before I understood what he meant, it all went black. 

—-------

I don’t know how long I was out. Minutes? Hours? But what I do know is I was at the Launch center. I mean, where else would you find gear, rockets, and an operating table. Wait, operating table? Why the fuck was I strapped to an operating table. 

“He- hello?” Shit. It hurt to talk. 

“Shhh, Emily. It’s a big day. Save your strength.” That voice was familiar. “Emily please, stop struggling and be still. You’ll bruise.” It sounded like cotton candy. 

Guild member Addie. But something wasn’t right. I’ve never seen her before, yet there was something about her that I recognized. 

“Emily, stop moving. I really don’t need you bruising. How annoying would today be if you did.” Guild member Addie put something into a tube that I just now realized went straight to my bloodstream. “That’s better..hello, Emily. I’m so happy to see you.” She smiled down at me and I was once again familiar with her face. 

“What’s going on? Why am I strapped down like-“ And it hit me. This woman has been around for years. Yet, she was identical to last year's traveller, Jessica. I scanned the room again and saw another operating table. Someone was laying stripped down unmoving while under anesthesia.

“Oh, don’t worry." She nodded at the woman on the table. "Lopez was so sad she couldn’t get the chance to meet you today. But she needed to be ready for the surgery. Launch Day is a busy day, as we all know.” Addie grabbed the radio off of her hip. “Scotts, it’s time.”

Breathe, Emily. “Time? Time for what, the Launch?” 

“Oh no, silly. The launch is after the transplant.” Addie said nonchalantly. “You see, this is where we harvest your skin. Lopez always thought you were beautiful. Me? I would have chosen that sister of yours, Liz. But Lopez was dead set on you! Lucky girl!” She said it like I should have been thrilled. 

I went numb. Skin? I must have heard her wrong. “I, uh, I don’t understand.” Damn, whatever she gave me was good. It was hard to form sentences. 

“Jessica, now that girl was beautiful.” Addie looked at her reflection from the overhead mirror. “She had this natural glow about her.” She ran her fingers softly across her face. “After the bruising and inflammation, I was worried it wouldn’t glow the same way. Luckily, I was wrong.” She closed her eyes and whispered, “I’m glowing, can’t you see?” 

I wanted to scream. Run. Throw myself off this table and hide. Unfortunately all I could do was wiggle my fingers. Addie noticed and grabbed her radio once more. But as she brought it to her lips, the door flung open. Guild member Scotts, I could only assume, approached us. But as he came closer for me to get a good look at him, the world came crashing down on me. 

Guild member Scotts was wearing my dad's skin. 

“HOW COULD YOU,” I wailed. Tears ran down my face and I fought with all I had in me to try and get out. Scotts came next to me and put his hand on my shoulder. 

“Now now...would it help if I called you ‘daughter?’” He stifled a laugh. “Let’s begin.” 

Scotts grabbed the scalpel from Addie and began to slice down my arm. I was in too much shock that I couldn’t even scream. I just watched him cut and see my blood pour onto the table. 

This was it. I had zero fight in me as I watched my dad, er- Scotts cut more and more. The amount of blood I was losing made everything feel…foggy. Everything looked pink.. and the air tasted sweet. My head fell to the side, as it became too heavy to hold up anymore. 

“Scotts, do hurry. The rocket needs to launch in 20 minutes.” Addie grabbed a body bag and placed it on the empty bed next to me. “We need to be sure everyone sees her launch into space.” 

"We've been doing this for years. The rocket could be empty and nobody would think twice." He wiped his forehead leaving a trail of my blood across it. He looked down at me with a wink. "It's just easier to get rid of the bodies this way." Scotts continued to slice. He made his way down my legs. Or at least I think. I honestly couldn't feel a thing anymore.

With a laugh, Addie approached the table and put her face close to mine. “Happy Launch Day, Emily.” 

I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing. Suddenly it wasn’t so hard. That is, until I stopped. 

FIN