172 Hours on the Moon Read Online Free PDF Page A

toward them.
    “Quick, they’re going to play it again now!” Yoshimi squealed enthusiastically, already on her way down the stairs.
    “Play
what
?” Midori managed to ask before grabbing her cup and running after her friend.
    “The NASA ad!” Mizuho called over her shoulder, and disappeared out onto the street.
    The huge video screen located on the side of the building was playing a Hollywood-style ad.
    “It’s been nearly fifty years since the very first moon landing took place,” it began. With pictures of the historic 1969
     event as the backdrop, the voice-over explained that NASA was ready to send people back to the moon for a longer stay. Then
     the action sequence began. A rocket hurtled out into space with dizzying force.
    The voice-over paused for effect as the pictures showed a computer-generated image of a landing module quietly setting down
     on the moon. Small astronauts climbed out and went to work. In the background could be seen the contours of a large moon base.
    “For this exceptional expedition,” the overly dramatic voice continued, “NASA has decided to make an equally exceptional offer
     to the next generation. Three young people between fourteen and eighteen will have the opportunity …”
pause for dramatic effect
“… to be part …”
another pause for dramatic effect
“… of this return to the moon!”

    Midori couldn’t take her eyes off the screen.
    “
You
could be the first teenager in space,” the voice urged. “Sign up at www.nasamoonreturn.com and be part of the most important lottery in history.
You. Are. Invited
.”
    And with a vigorous fanfare, the NASA logo flashed onto the screen for a few seconds before it went black. And then a stupid
     car ad came on.
    “Had you really not seen that before?” Mizuho asked incredulously. “They’ve been playing it nonstop on TV. It’s everywhere.”
    “I signed up already,” Yoshimi said. “Are you guys going to?”
    “No way,” Mizuho said instantly. “What the heck would I do up there? There’s nothing to see, nothing to buy, nothing to do.
     Pretty much like Roppongi during the day.”
    “What about you, Midori?”
    But Midori was already too lost in her own thoughts to even hear them.
    This is my ticket
, she thought.
It’s three years earlier than my plan, and it takes me a little farther than I’d thought, but this is my way out. This is
     the way to New York
.
    Yoshimi tugged on her arm and said, “Isn’t it cool?”
    Midori snapped out of it. “Totally,” she replied. “Totally. We should definitely sign up. Definitely.”

DUPLEIX
    Sixteen-year-old Antoine Devereux found himself waiting alone on the Dupleix Métro platform. It had been a long day, one of
     the longest. The kind of day that just kept going and going no matter how much time you tried to kill. But the morning had
     been different. The morning had been just as beautiful as every single morning had been for the last five months after he
     had met Simone at that party at Laurent’s up on Montmartre. Ever since they hooked up the following week, he’d pretty much
     given up sleep altogether. He didn’t need it. Being with her was like being connected to an enormous battery. She was the
     kind of girl people could fight a world war over. And he almost wished he could move with her to a deserted island that no
     one ever visited, just so he could be sure no one else would discover how amazingly perfect she was.
    But now it was too late.
    Some idiot guy named Noël had shown up out of nowhere and put better ideas in her head. Well, different ideas anyway.
    And in April, damn it, of all months. In April, in Paris!
Could it be any more tragic? If someone decided to hand out a prize for being the biggest failure, he was guaranteed to win
     just by showing up.
    He looked at his watch. The train should have been here ages ago.
    Resigned, he left the station and decided to walk home. He headed toward the Eiffel Tower first. It was starting to get