Learning to Dance

of sunlight making the blood shine red on her cheek. He
was at her side in moments, feeling for a pulse, checking
her injuries. She was alive, and breathing, the blood
stemming mainly from a shallow gash at her temple. Up
stood and released the panel with the emergency supplies,
thankfully intact. Dehydrated food, water, blankets. A first
aid kit.
She stirred as he knelt over her, removing her headband
and gently cleaning the wound. “Up...” she said, weakly.
“Shh,” he said. “We made it to the moon, but the
Arrow’s in pieces. How do you feel?”
“Like mierda,” she said, licking her dry lips. “You?”
“I’m fine,” he said, handing her a water bottle. “Drink
some, then sit up when you’re ready. I’m going to check out
the landscape.”
They’d landed in a desert, or at least that was the closest
thing Up could compare it to. He could already feel the heat
of it seeping through his heavy grey uniform. The view was
desolate, and fiercely orange. He took a tentative step.
The ground sprang back with surprising buoyancy and
Up gave a yelp as he was thrown off-balance.
“¿Qué pasa?” called Taz urgently.
“I think this whole planet’s just one big goddamn
trampoline,” Up said, testing his weight a little more
cautiously. The ground had just enough give so that when
he applied pressure, it pushed back an equal amount.
“We’re going to be walking with a literal bounce in our
steps, Taz.”
“Gran,” she said, coming up behind him, one hand on
her head. He reached over and adjusted the bandage beside
her eye. “I’ve always wanted my own backyard
trampoline.” They stood quietly, taking in their
surroundings, their situation. “I guess we should try the
radio?”