GIRL, UNPLUGGED

YA Novel Chapter 19 | 23 Minute Read

This is Chapter 19 of a YA novel. To see where the story began, check out the GIRL, UNPLUGGED table of contents post, or head to the GIRL, UNPLUGGED section of the Story Hoarder Substack page to see all the chapters.

This chapter is an 23 minute read.

image created by Nicole Rivera using CanvaPro

CHAPTER 19: Ribbons of Light

Written in Natalie’s Notebook 

The sun’s behind the trees 10/6

Am I afraid of the dark? As the sun is ducking out for the day and I realize there are not going to be any amber street lights to come on to fill the void, I have to ask myself: have I ever even experienced the real dark? The nights following Hurricane Imelda are probably the closest I ever got, but — even then — I had the safety harness of working flashlights. Does that still apply here? 

I wait for the stars. I wonder if they’ll be bright enough to melt my fears. 

As uncomfortable as I was on my cot, feet away from the dinosaur, I couldn’t be more grateful for the decision to stay. I wanted to get home — that wasn’t even a question — but I was emotionally and psychologically drained. I needed to replenish before facing a world where I had no choice but to interact, face to face, with people in order to function. I wanted to rest before having to face that reality, but I was restless. It couldn't have been later than nine o'clock, but my restless body and legs made it feel like it was three in the morning. It had been a long day. 

I couldn’t take it anymore, so I got up to go to the bathroom. I announced it to the group, like we agreed we would do, "Turner, going to the bathroom.” I focused on the dim light coming out of a doorway on the far end of the room. We had set up candles Russ found in Dr. Davies’ office in each of the bathrooms by the mirrors so they would stay lit in the night. My mom always did that at home when there was a blackout, so I suggested it. It helped on many levels — we didn't have to activate a glow stick for the walk there and we didn't have to worry about putting our hands in gross places in the bathroom in an attempt to feel our way around.

"I'm coming with you," Rainbow whispered right before grabbing my hand. Thank goodness she said something, because I think I would have screamed loud enough to wake the Shadow-saurus if she hadn't.

"I don't think I’m going to be able to sleep here," Rainbow said once we were in the bathroom.

"I know," I said, "it's really weird."

"Yeah, plus I can't remember the last time I went to bed without any music playing."

I laughed, "I know, right? It's like it's too quiet to sleep."

"Exactly!" she said, turning away from her dim reflection. "I bet you everyone else is going crazy out there, too."

"Let's go find out," I suggested, partially because I didn't want people thinking I was in the bathroom so long.

As we shuffled back to our spots, Rainbow started talking first, "Hey — is anyone else wide awake?" her normally volumed voice sounded like it was amplified by the silent darkness.

The monotone, almost universal, response would be comedic if it wasn't so pathetic. 

"I don't even think my mom's done cooking dinner at this time normally," Russ said. "What is it? Seven o'clock?"

"Gotta be almost nine,” Brenda said.

Princess added, "Should be watching Barista Boys reruns right now on TNT, right Turner?"

I was gingerly trying to make my way to the spot where I had my sweatshirt wrapped around my backpack without stepping on anyone when I heard my name, "What? Oh yeah! I think they were going to show ‘Columbian Roast’ tonight!"

"Is that the one with Diego Franco in it?" Rainbow said.

I nodded, then realized no one could see me and said, "Uh-huh!"

Colin, from across the room, let out a mocking squee, "Oh—Em—Gee! Russ! It's Diego's episode! Isn't he so dreamy?"

Russ laughed and added, "It's his eyes — meaning his guy-liner and mascara. I swear the girls like him for all of the makeup advice he can give."

I knew exactly where he was laying, so I took a chance, I took my sock off and threw it at him. It’s a classic move between me, Rog, and Amy from sleepovers at my house.

"What the --?" I hit him.

"What's the matter?" I asked playfully.

"Is this yours, Natalie?” he called in the darkness, but from the echo of his voice I could tell he was talking in the wrong direction.

"What was it?" Rainbow whispered to me.

"And if it was?" I asked aloud to Russ, not wanting to end our conversation.

"My sock," I whispered to Rainbow. She laughed and then I heard her shuffling around.

"What--?" Colin called, "Is this... a... sock?"

Rainbow and I started laughing hysterically. We almost couldn't hear Russ’s, "Oh now this is WAR!" retort before I got hit in the head with something soft, warm and not the most pleasant smelling.

"Ew! Gross!" I said.

"Oh yeah, like your sock is all sunshine and roses over here!” I could hear his amusement in his voice.

"This is insane," I heard Colin say to Russ, "whose sock is this?!"

"You don't recognize my distinct aroma?" Rainbow said playfully.

"Rain?" Colin's surprise was tinted with pleasure. "Really?" He laughed. "Okay, here you go!"

"Bwleck!" Rainbow said, "Right in my mouth, you maniac!"

"I'm the maniac?" he said through his laughter. "Who started this?"

"Would you rather I throw my shoe?" Rainbow said.

From out of the ether came Rose’s groggy voice, “My God! No shoes!”

Daria chimed in, "Looks like someone's feeling better."

“Not exactly. Still have major brain pain and I don't want to get hit with any random footwear while I'm imploding,” she said with an edge of discontent.

“Okay. New plan,” Russ announced. “You guys really think it’s past nine?” Russ asked.

“It has to be,” Terrell said. “It hasn’t been getting this dark until about eight the last couple of weeks.”

“Who else is as bored out of their minds as the sock posse?” Russ asked. 

Shuffles were heard throughout the group as we all forgot about the darkness.

“Are you guys raising your hands right now?” 

"Bored," Princess said.

"Double bored," Dustin said.

"Here here," Terrell said.

And slowly, each and every one of us, agreed — we were wide awake and bored out of our minds.

"Well then," Russ said, and it sounded like he was standing, "if I understood Dr. Davies’s notes this afternoon, I think I can show you something kind of cool."

Then Russ and Colin crawled over to Rainbow and I for the sock exchange. Russ sat up against me as we put our socks and shoes back on. I felt his warmth all the way up my back and was happy to have an excuse to be next to him again.

Russ used one glow stick to lead the group through the museum. We held hands so we could stick together without using extra lights. He didn't tell us where we were going, except to say it was "cool." Daria stayed behind with Rose, but everyone else went along. After almost ten minutes of careful, slow walking Russ opened a door revealing the outside world. 

I caught my breath and involuntarily squeezed both Russ and Rainbow's hands. I hadn't been outside since all of the horrors — multiple people getting injured, losing people, and being struck dumb by fear. Add to that, my last report on the outside world was a shootout and I wasn’t sure I was ready to breathe this fresh air. Our line staggered to a stop. Dustin called out, “Russ, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“We’re not going far, and we don’t have to stay long,” he said as he stepped out the door and became illuminated by the starlight.

Stella tried to whisper so only Dustin could hear, but in this night's silence, there were no secrets, "He's right, Dustin. Come on." It was enough to move our line forward again.

 Though the smell of the grass and the sounds of the swirling fallen leaves were all invigorating, we knew exactly where to look when we got outside based upon the reactions in front of us. The view was up. While the museum was a dark, lightless tomb, right outside the door was a light show the likes of which I had never seen — not even during Hurricane Imelda or by Amy's new house where there were no streetlights. There was no moon, just a web of light flecks that I never knew existed. The stars above varied in size, brightness, color and twinkle. I didn't know where to look first, I didn't know how to focus, and yet I couldn't look away. I had seen stars described as "brilliant" before and while I always thought the word had something to do with intelligence, the scene before me described its meaning at once. That sky was brilliant. Each individual star reached across the universe and expressed itself in light across time for my eyes to capture. I couldn't stop the tears in my eyes as it occurred to me that I was standing in the middle of the brightest city on the east coast, and I had finally met its match. 

I could now understand how the few stars above that I saw all year round were able to fight the good fight to be seen. They needed us to know that they were up there. They needed to tell the tale of the others they lived with. They constantly begged for us to see all of the brilliance they bore. I felt Russ’s hand close tight around mine as I heard him whisper, "Amazing..." He was staring up, smiling, when he said, “Dr. Davies was trying to describe this to me. I had interrupted a conversation between him and Mrs. K. I could tell he loved this stuff, and you know her. But now I can see it!” Russ was so right. In this moment it was easy to see how this could turn into someone’s life passion. How many questions arise in this moment — how can we be alone when there is so much up there? How many of those stars are still shining and how many are just a memory? We all stood silently for what felt like a long while. 

When Russ continued speaking, he did so softly, as if we were in a library, “If Dr. Davies was right, this is just the beginning. This isn’t even what I was planning to show you,“ he said, not looking away from the sky, "soon, I think, we are going to see something extremely badass.”

No one said anything, as if what he just said was enough in and of itself. I didn't want to sound like a dumbass, but I also wanted to know what he was talking about. So, after checking the entire group to see if anyone else was going to ask a question I went for it, "Um... Russ? What are we going to see?"

“Dr. Davies was thinking that since the effects of the solar storm hit so early, the aurorae may arrive early, too. He was looking forward to it. He said he was wishing someone would convince the mayor to declare a “lights out hour” for the city so everyone could appreciate it!” Russ laughed. “Honestly, I think he was trying to impress Mrs. K with all this stuff. She gobbled it all up. They were cute. They were talking about it before we lost the power. It was just because of that news she was obsessing over all morning. He knew, of course, what she was talking about. They said this'll be the first time in a little over two centuries that the aurorae will be as clear as they will tonight here in New York.”

“Wait. Are you talking about the aurora boreanz you can only see at the north pole, or something?" Colin asked.

Russ shook his head and laughed. “Dude. It’s aurora borealis, not boreanz,” he said. “But yes. Exactly like that. Dr. Davies said that when the solar flares are strong enough they can be seen here, but it's always too bright. Tonight’s the perfect mixture: strongest solar flares he’s ever seen, and now — his wish was granted — no light anywhere to stand in their way!”

“Wait a second!” Stella waved to Russ. “The sun has done this before?"

"Oh yeah! He was telling me this kind of stuff happens on the sun all the time. It’s usually much smaller, but he said we’re in some sort of — crap, what the hell was it? I think he said a ’solar maximum' or something. Whatever it was called it’s basically when the solar storms become stronger.” Russ looked down, and then back at Stella. “I can’t believe how much of this stuff I actually remembered from that talk we had!” He shook his head.  He looked back up at the sky and smiled. He said, “Guys, I know it’s been a shitty day, but this," he extended his two arms above his head, "almost makes it all worth it, doesn't it?"

I remembered thinking exactly the same thing sitting in my backyard with Amy and Rog during our Imelda blackout. I had no idea what would come next, that Amy would have to leave, I just knew that moment was awesome. Amy had agreed, too. We sat outside for hours, even as it got cold, and looked up. We joked around about how much Mrs. Krimble would gush over it, and we were right, when we finally got back to school, it was one of the first things she talked about. She started naming the stars we normally never get to see and danced around her pull down nighttime sky map as she pointed them out. She was so confused by our lackluster response to the lesson, but — inside — I knew what she was feeling. I could see it on Russ’ face now. Then it occurred to me. “I hope Mrs. Krimble is seeing this,” I said.

"I was thinking the same thing," Rainbow said. "She loves this stuff. Daria interviewed her after the Hurricane for her vlog — did you guys see that one? It was supposed to be an episode about the storm and Mrs. Krimble couldn't stop talking about the stars."

"Oh god!" Russ said, "Remember when we came back — she was out of her mind!"

Dustin said, "She's always out of her mind!" Resulting in Stella elbowing him in the gut. 

"Come on, Stell, you know what I mean. She's crazy in a good way."

"Who's crazy in a good way?" It was Daria, pushing Rose in her wheelchair through the door.

I jumped, I don't know about anyone else. 

“Mrs. K,” Rainbow said. “Remember your Imelda recap video?” 

“Ha ha!” Daria said with a smile. “The stars!”

“Yeah well…” Rainbow pointed up.

Daria’s eyes were already on the sky. She was wide-eyed like a child on Christmas morning.  “This is cool, Russ,” she whispered.

"Well, this isn’t exactly what I had planned. More should be coming,” Russ said.

“Can you imagine being at the top of the Empire State Building right now?” Brenda said quietly, bringing back the hushed library speak to the scene.

“Nope. All I can think of is the stairs," said Rose.

"Ohmygod," Princess said, "I bet some people got stuck in those elevators!"

"Ugh,” said Terrell, "I got stuck in my building during Imelda. I swore — never again — I take the stairs every single day, no matter what!"

We all broke down into separate conversations about where we were during the Hurricane, what kind of atrocities we had to deal with due to a lack of power and other harrowing stories we had heard from friends and family. Of course, I shared Amy's tale, and while we had all been in school together for three years, I was surprised by how many people didn't know how bad it got for Amy. She wasn't alone, though, and neither was I. I found out Rose's cousin — who she deemed her best friend for life — also had to leave Staten Island when her house was trashed by the floods. "There was nothing we could do..." Rose trailed off, "she even lost Rocky," and we all stayed quiet even though I am sure I'm not the only one who didn't know who Rocky was. The silence was broken by Daria assuring Rose that her cousin was probably better off than we were at the moment. None of us could resist laughing at that. 

In the middle of the conversation I glanced over to Princess and Terell. The two of them looked so sweet. Terrell sat down on the grass next to Princess. He pointed to the sky, leaned his head in to say something, then she smiled and pointed up in another direction, leaned in and said something else, and back and forth, back and forth, they were in their own little world and it looked, well, romantic. 

My eyes are romance magnets. I guess that’s because my body isn’t. My life has been, so far, so romantically bereft. I wanted to believe that was coming to an end on this trip, but I didn't know what kind of twist the solar storm put on that. The guy I had dreamed of being with was gone, and the guy I was with was one I never dreamed of. I looked over at Princess and wondered how long she had known she liked Terrell. Then I wondered how much that mattered. 

We waited about an hour outside wrapped in conversation and awe of the sky above before the real show began. There was no real warning, but once it happened, there was no mistaking it. I think, even if we were still inside the museum we would have known that the aurorae had arrived. The sky glowed so bright it was as if the sun was rising — which, for a moment, was exactly what I thought was happening. I had only seen the sun rise two times in my life, but I remembered the painted sky from both of the events. The aurora gave the same type of glow to the sky, but once you looked up to see the source, it became clear that something entirely different was happening. 

The light danced in ribbons over our heads. There were green and blue, then they turned purple and orange. 

I couldn’t help but think of Murph. He would be mesmerized. I could imagine him measuring the color mixtures and blends in his mind. The sky was a thing of beauty for all of us, but to Murph it would have been a thing to be captured. None of us had cameras with us anymore, so there was no fiddling to get the best shot, it was simply time to stare and store in our mind's eye. To experience the color as it washed over us and pulled the New Yorkers from their apartments. I glanced over to Brenda, she hadn’t left Murph’s bag in the museum like the rest of us had. It was still strapped across her body and her hand sat on the flap of the satchel, as if she, too, was thinking about what Murph could do with what was within if he could just be reunited with it.

I took a deep breath and hoped Murph was safe and had a good view wherever he was. The city wasn't scary in those hours. I could believe that Murph was safe, that Mrs. Krimble was safe, that we were safe.  It was as bright as the morning sun. Behind the museum, we were in Central Park, which many people started to flock to in order to get a better view. While I'm sure it would be my instinct to do so as well, when I caught the glimpse of a tall building nearby (not necessarily a skyscraper, but taller than the trees) I was struck by another beauty. The meeting of nature and man-made reflections. The ribbons in the sky danced along the side of the building — on its windows — bringing the aurora out of the sky and down to where people could touch it. I pointed it out to Russ and he gasped.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the front of the group, “Guys! Guys,” the urgency in his voice was contagious. I reached out to grab Rainbow to pull along with us. Whatever Russ wanted, I wanted too... For all of us, we needed it. “We should go to the lake!”

"I don't know about that," called Daria from behind. I turned to see her shaking her head and pursing her lips.

 Dustin and Stella decided to stay behind with Daria and Rose, but everyone else came along for the walk. There was no need for glow sticks, candles, or lights of any kind. It was so easy to forget that it was the middle of the night. In that moment the weight of the darkness, our loss, our fears had been lifted. Not only was the sky lit up, but the crowds in the park were equivalent to that of any normal spring afternoon. 

People, who had been stuck in darkness since sundown, had finally found their release. 

People, who didn't have a Russ Sanders, educated by Dr. Davies and his abandoned notebooks, with them to explain the events, walked in wonder.

People, terrorized by the absence of their tech-filled lives, or the fears it brought to life, were suddenly energized by an act of nature.

When we reached the lake's edge, it was easy to see why this was such a magnificent idea. The aurora above us now danced below. The duality of the scene was both breath-taking and invigorating. It was difficult to find a good place to view the scene because it was obvious we weren't the only ones with the idea. Russ grabbed my hand and pulled me toward a giant rock a few feet back from the edge of the water, and somewhere along the way I lost Rainbow. Russ climbed up, then turned around to help me climb. It was a huge boulder and the last step to get to his height was a little more than my legs could handle. Russ caught me as I wobbled and pulled me close to him. We both stopped for a moment, steadying ourselves in both physical balance as well as emotional. I was sure he could feel my heart beating out of my chest as it was pressed up against him, but all he asked was, "You okay?"

"Yeah," I said, "thanks." Breathe, Natalie, breathe, was all I could think.

He stepped back, grabbed my hand and said, "Good, come here," and took me to the center of the rock where the view of the sky above and water below was unobstructed by trees and, on the horizon, was another reflective building. It was brilliant. 

We sat down and watched. My hand in his and nothing more for a long while. The crickets gave up their song when the light came, but some confused bird had started to sing. Everything was a bit disjointed until  music started playing from the water's edge. I wasn't sure, at first, how that was possible, until Russ pointed out a couple of musicians with their instruments. We saw Rainbow walking up to them. She was talking to them and, before you knew it, they changed songs and Rainbow started singing along.

Her voice was beautiful. I never realized it. I'm not really one for the school plays and such, so there really wasn’t any way I could know, but wow. It transformed the moment. There was something both haunting and uplifting about Rainbow's song. She was singing about yesterday. I think it was a Rolling Stones or Beatles song — one of those groups from England that my dad loved. I had definitely heard the song before, but sung by Rainbow in this way, at this moment, brought a beauty to it that I had never noticed before. I wished it would never end. After a couple of verses, some people in the crowd started to sing along.  It was hard to believe that this was the same place that offered up such violence only hours before.

One of the things I loved about the city was the yin and the yang of it. How one scary corner could turn into an artist's greatest inspiration. How two buildings could come crashing down, changing the whole of our country, and in that same spot, millions could be inspired to help the helpless. You have to be ready to roll with it here; to be ready for the good and the bad and when the bad comes, know that only better is around the corner.

I hummed along to the melody and found myself rocking back and forth to the tune. Russ could have thought I was nuts, but I couldn't help myself. 

"Perfection," Russ said, looking up at the sky.

"What?" I said.

"This moment," he said, holding my hand up as if to make sure I understood that I was counted as a part of "this moment" as he continued on, "this moment is just perfect. Thank you."

"Me?" I said, wondering how on Earth he expected me to take credit for the sun's magical light show above and below us.

"Yep. You," he said with a crooked smile, "Thank you for being here. It makes it all just perfect."

"You're welcome," I said, not knowing how else to address this gratitude.

"You mean it?" he said quickly.

I stared blankly, not aware of what needed clarity.

"Am I welcome?" he raised his eyebrows as I mulled over the true meaning of the phrase. 

I looked into his eyes, whose color was painted by the reflection of the aurorae, and thought, If anyone is welcome, it is you, Russ Sandberg, but all I said was, "Yeah, I mean it," and leaned my head on his shoulder as Rainbow began to sing another song. 

I'd say we sat on that rock about fifteen minutes before others came to join us. They didn't ruin it at all. While I enjoyed the time with Russ alone, the party atmosphere in the park was not something I wanted to miss out on either. Everyone was having a good time just talking and admiring. It didn't take long, however, for the smoke to start billowing. The smell of pot engulfed us and I knew, from personal experience with my cousin, that once you are in the smoke, you smell like it for the rest of the night.

It didn't surprise me that the sky opening up into nature's lava lamp would inspire the local potheads to gather, in fact, I was kind of surprised it took so long. They were generous enough to offer to share, but I declined. Russ said no, too, but I wasn't sure if that was because I said no first. If he had wanted to smoke I wouldn't have stopped him, but it wasn't something that I ever did. I just didn't get the whole "smoking" thing — not with cigarettes or weed— that was part of the reason I always kind of dismissed Russ. 

After a little while, Russ suggested that we go back down and find the group. When I stood up, I realized that I didn't actually have to take a puff of anything to get the effects. I was feeling all kinds of mellow as we made our way down the boulder. And, on the last step down, when Russ put his hands on my waist to lift me over the complicated steps and down to the ground, I wasn't sure where all the tingly feels were coming from. Was it his touch? Was it second hand smoke? Was it both? I wanted to kiss him. No, I wanted him to kiss me. I stared at him. He stared back. His eyes were as glassy as mine felt. I put my hands on his arms and said, "Thank you," never taking my eyes off of him. 

For a moment we both stood there. I'll never know how long that moment lasted, but I thought I could live in it an eternity. The feeling ethereal, even though nothing happened except for the dimming. The crowd started to murmur and when we looked up we could see why, the lights weren't as dense. We pulled ourselves out of our moment and got back to the museum.

    When we were all walking back into the museum, Daria took the lead, rolling Rose’s wheelchair ahead of the rest of the group. She started to yell out, "Dustin and Stella! We’re back! Get dressed!"

    With that I couldn't help but laugh. Stella? Dustin? There is no way I could imagine Stella going that far with anyone anywhere, but Dustin was especially curious. She was just too good. He was such a troublemaker. That's when I heard her squeal. She was caught and she knew it. I gasped at the sound. Everything I knew about Stella just unfurled in front of me. I thought of her goodie-goodie attitude in class, about her prim and proper outfits and her perfect attendance. I was already shocked to see her sidled up against Dustin on our way into the city this afternoon, but to be caught with her pants down — as they say — (maybe even literally) with him is something else entirely.

    By the time we all reached the cots, Stella was standing up as if she were a paid museum greeter, while Dustin laid in his squeaking cot somewhere off in the darkened distance.

    Whatever Stella and Dustin were up to, Stella believed it was no good. I'm normally not one for gossip, or any of the juicy details, but this was just too good to pass up.

    It was nice to find out that I was not alone in my curiosity. As soon everyone settled back into their cots in the darkness, we lunged on Stella. The sleeping arrangements had worked their way out in a middle school dance sort of way — the girl cots were all in one bundle, and the boys on the other side of the room. I don’t think anyone did this intentionally, but when it came time to find out what had just gone on with Stella, I was overjoyed we had a girl’s section to gossip away in. Of course, Stella tried to play coy and not say anything, but Princess was having none of it.

    "Gurrrl, you've got to be kiddin me right now," she stage whispered so our little group could all hear, "we all know something went down, all we want to know is what it was. Your secret is out."

    Part of me felt bad for Stella. I imagined her face going scarlet in this inquisition, but seriously, she had made enough of us look like dolts in class that she owed us something and, so far, this was the best we could ask for.

    "Look, Stella," I said, "I don't want the nitty gritty details, but did you guys — uh, I don't know — 'go all the way'?" I didn't know how to ask this question without offending someone.

    "Oh my god NO!" Stella yelped, and then composed herself into a hush. "I'm not nuts, you know. We were just making out and stuff."

    "Stuff?" Daria pressed.

    “This is awe-some,” Rainbow whispered in my ear. I had to stifle my laugh.

    "Yeah..." Stella delayed, "stuff."

    "Mm-hmm," Princess said in that knowing way. Setting the group of us into giggle fits.

    I decided to let Stella off of the hook, in a manner of speaking and switch subjects for the moment. "How long have you guys been together, anyway? I had no idea until today."

    "Oh now I know you must be kidding me," Princess said to me, "Those two have been inseparable ever since Imelda.

    "What? The hurricane?" I said, wondering how the horror of my life could have set off a romantic tryst. 

    "You live in a bubble or something, Turner?" Rose said. “How do I know this before you?” The rest of the girls groaned. "Here we go again. Go ahead, Stella. Tell us the romantic tale… again.”

    I heard Stella take a deep breath and I imagined her adjusting her posture like she always does when she notices the attention has turned to her, "Okay, well, the hurricane was terrible, of course," I could almost hear Stella's smile trying to be suppressed by the magnitude of the horror of hurricane Imelda. She was obviously overjoyed by the outcome of the event, but she didn't want to offend everyone in the telling.

    "Oh gawd, Stella," Princess interrupted, "we all know that, no need to be Miss Perfect here, you can give that up forever after tonight. We know you're a bad girl." The other girls laughed.

    "Shut up, Princess," Stella said, although I thought I could hear a hint of pride in her voice. "Anyway, Natalie, before we were so rudely interrupted... I was saying how terrible the hurricane was. I'm sure I don't have to tell you, since Amy’s family lived on my block."

    I gasped, "I didn't know that!" I don't know why I never realized that Stella and Amy lived on the same block. Which begged the question, why was Stella still here and Amy gone? How did Stella's family make it through the storm and find life on the other side? 

    "Well, yeah, we did. So I know Amy spent time at your house — which was incredibly nice of your family, by the way," everyone murmured consent, "but not all of us were so lucky. My mom and I ended up living at SI Prep for two weeks."

    "Oh wow," I said, wishing I could go back somehow and help Stella too. Even though we weren't close I felt guilty thinking that she had to stay in a shelter while Amy got to come to my house. My house, which, to add insult to injury, had been barely affected by the entire storm, "I'm sorry..."

    "No no, don't be!" Stella's perky timbre was back. “If I wasn't there... well, then I don't know if Dusty and I would have ever gotten together! You see, after the second night of nearly losing my mind in the place, I asked my mother if I could go find Mr. Beans."

    "The British comedian?" I asked.

    “What?" Stella asked.

    “That’s Mr. Bean,” Rainbow said.

    "Not Mr. Bean. Mr. Beans — with an s — my cat."

    "Oh my god!" I said thinking this story was getting darker by the moment. 

    "Yeah, well, I was pretty freaked out. He was out doing his cat-thing when the storm hit. He wasn't in the house and never came back before we left. I had a feeling that he was okay, though. Somehow I knew it in my gut and I knew that no matter how messed up our house was, he would be coming back to us, you know?"

    "I guess..." I said. 

    I could tell Stella was not impressed with my response, "Anyway, I just needed to go back for him and my mother was all types of freaked out. She was not about to let me go. And since I had nothing else to do in the shelter, I just bugged her about it all the time. She eventually got frustrated with me and told me to — and I quote — 'Find something to do.' In case you don't know, that's my mom's ultimate brush off."

    "Sounds familiar," I said. My mom wasn't too different when she reached the end of her patience with me.

    "The joke was, there wasn't anything to do there. So I just walked away from her. I didn't know where I was going, but then he found me --"

    "Aaaaahhhh," breathed Daria in a mocking sigh. Some of the other girls cooed as well.

    "Yeah, yeah, yeah, well, as I am sure you can imagine, I looked like crap. I was living in a high school, sleeping on a cot and hadn't seen a shower in a couple of days, let alone a decent mirror. And then Dustin walks up to me and says, 'Hey, Stella, I'll go with you.’”

    I heard Stella shift in her cot, maybe she was leaning in, or maybe she was just getting comfortable. I couldn't tell you, with the aurorae gone, there wasn't much to see.

    “I’ve got to be honest with you, I didn't trust him too much. I mean, it's Dustin, you know? He's always such a knucklehead, but he was just so sweet. I think he was bored or something. So we snuck out of the shelter and took one of the shuttles back to my neighborhood. First of all, the sight of the devastation was terrifying. The last time I had seen it was at night, so I didn't really see it, you know? So, I couldn't help myself, I just started crying hysterically, and you know what he did?" She didn't wait for me to respond, “Natalie, he held me. Dustin just stayed quiet and held me until I stopped crying. We sat down on a curb and just sat quietly for a long time. Then Dustin saw him first — Mr. Beans, you know? He was across the street from us walking really slowly, confused. He asked me if that was him and I couldn't believe it. Dustin grabbed him for me and we brought him back to the shuttle.”

    "Wow," I said. I was really impressed. This was not, at all, the Dustin I knew. "That was really sweet of him, Stella."

    "Wait for it, Natalie,” Princess said.

    "There's more?" I asked.

    "The thing is, Nat — can I call you Nat?” I nodded. Stella continued, “Dustin is allergic to cats and Mr. Beans was a jerk. He kept squirming like crazy before we got to the shuttle and got a carrier.  By the time we did, Dustin’s eyes were a mess and he couldn't stop sneezing." 

    I wanted to laugh. It seemed ridiculous to me that Dustin put himself in that situation, but I suppose I could see how the act impressed Stella. 

    "Anyway, for the rest of the week we were stuck in the shelter I hung out with Dustin. We talked a lot, he went with me to check on Mr. Beans,  and we sort of became inseparable. It's not like he ever officially asked me out, except when we went to find Mr. Beans, I guess, but, ever since, we’ve been together."

    I heard Stella's entire story. I understood it was a story about her and Dustin and their blossoming love, but there was really only one thing I wanted to know when she finished, "So, are you back in your house now?" I asked.

    Stella's long pause was a clear enough sign to me that this wasn't the question she was expecting, but I didn't try to fill the silence.

    "My house?" she said, "Yeah... we moved back in by June. My dad is in construction, so he knows a lot of people that could help us out. Not for free, of course, but at least he had the connections."

    "That's great. Congratulations," I said, but I clung to the last word she said — connections. That was so much of everything in life. Amy had to leave Staten Island and go live in the country where I would never see her again because her dad didn't have the right connections. We were sitting here in the museum in the dark because the world had lost all its connections and all I wanted to do while I sat here was reestablish the connection I had with Russ in the park. 

    Stella and I weren't all that different. Our lives just took us down two different paths. What if it were my house that got destroyed and I ended up in the shelter with Russ there? Or Murph? Would I be sneaking away into a wide open private museum to go make out in? I thought Russ and I were merely breaths away from trying that in the park, weren’t we? 

Written in Natalie’s Notebook 

Dark Night, after the show 10/6

Ribbons of light danced over my head tonight. Colors danced in places I never knew they could live. I don’t know that I’ll ever find the right words to describe what I saw tonight and for that I am immensely jealous of Murph’s skill. He’ll take his pastels, his paints, and all of his skill and pour them out into his sketchbook pulling together a magnificent representation of the beauty that remains trapped in my memory. Maybe one day I’ll ask him to make one for me. Maybe one day soon, questions like that will be easy for me. 

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Thanks for continuing to read the GIRL, UNPLUGGED! This was a long chapter, but the images within are some of the first things that came to me when it came to telling this story. As a reader, do you prefer short chapters, longer chapters, or do you simply enjoy the ride without even noticing such things? Let us know in the comments. Also, have you ever seen the aurora borealis?

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