Solitary Senses

The stars twinkle, winking at me as our spaceship floats by. I gaze at the celestial creations surrounding us as they form constellations unseen. A trip to the moon on a Thursday... or is it Sunday? Who knows, time is different here. The soft echo of Jacob’s boots on the spaceship floor is calming, and I marvel at the concept of sound in space.

“Still glued to the window I see,” He smiles down at me, extending a hand to help me up. I gladly accept it.

“What else is there to do?” I joke with him. Seriously though, there is nothing to do. Mission to planet “Red” -aka Mars- the most boring mission in the history of NASA.

As Jacob explains the duties that accompany such a privileged mission, I notice that his echo is the same tone as his voice, but whenever I speak my echo sounds like it came from a completely different person.

“Maria…are you even listening?” He is standing in front of me with his arms crossed.

I utter the same response as I do every time I get this speech, “I promise I'll take this mission seriously. Thank you for guiding me in the right direction.”

Jacob uncrosses his arms and a pleasing smile replaces his fraternal frown. He walks off, but I resume stargazing.

Later that day- I think- I meet Jacob while he is getting the days rations out of the kitchen, and on the way to the astronaut living quarters I test my echo again. After a few words, and then a few phrases, I compare my speaking voice and my thinking voice; they're the same exact sound, but my echo is completely different. I hear Jacob singing while he opens the astronaut food. He misses a few notes, and his voice squeaks once or twice, but it doesn't sound bad. I laugh anyway.

"Ugh! Jacob, you're going to break the windows and kill us if you keep singing!" I laugh

as I enter the room. He flashes a genuine smile.

" Aw, c'mon!" He jokes, "I thought I sounded pretty good," he responds with a mock offense, pretending that my jest has cut him through the heart. Then it hits me. All of my ponderings, my wonderment with sound, every thought I have had since I noticed the echo, they all come together to form one conclusion; I am the only person alive that has heard my voice for how it truly sounds. No one will know my voice but for me.