2013-01-04

Darrin breathed deeply, slowly. He could do this.

            He could do this, couldn’t he?

            For the umpteenth time, his mantra was broken.

            No matter how many times he had done it, it was always the same.

            His record was sterling. His achievements were historic. His accolades were innumerable.

            For him, personally, they were all meaningless.

            Despite Having been seemingly favored his whole life, Darrin, deep down, knew better.

            In first grade, he had won the spelling bee after threatening a few of the smartest kids in class—no one wanted to be known as a bed wetter.

            In middle school, he had stolen and hidden the bike of his baseball rival. When it was time for tryouts, the other kid never made it in time.

            In high school, before that crucial history final, had asked to go to the bathroom. While out, he pulled the alarm, ducked back in while everyone was outside, and then met up with his class after copying the answers.

            When trying out for the test pilot program, he had used so many dirty tricks, he couldn’t bare to think of them all.

            And now, here he was again, in a place he wasn’t sure he belonged.

            Darrin wasn’t sure when, but at some point, it occurred to him that most of his achievements had been obtained through deceit of some sort.

            Did that mean he wasn’t truly qualified? What if he screwed up? What if they found out? Would everything be over?

            His thoughts were cutoff as the timer he had set earlier went off.

            Darrin looked over at his co-pilot, who only nodded back in silence.

            The time for questions was over, for better or for worse, it was show time.

            “Good afternoon folks, this is your captain speaking,” he started. “On behalf of myself and the entire fight crew, I would like to welcome you on this inaugural sub-orbital flight . . .”