Escape was very important to Bridget.

“First, we escape foster care,” she used to say. “Then, we escape New Hampshire. Next, we escape America, and finally, planet Earth. In outer space, surrounded by stars, there’s no social worker to separate us. In outer space, dodging asteroids, there’s no belly of the sheep. In outer space, approaching the moon, there’s no radio static! There’s no Vietnam War or kids starving in Ethiopia or mean teachers or foster families who pretend they want us but don’t keep us forever! When Challenger sends Christa McAuliffe into space, Super Nova, we’ll go too, but in our minds. It’ll be good practice for when we’re grown-ups, when we can get there for real. Just you and me and NASA Bear, our space shuttle, and the moon.”

There was one more thing, thought Nova. One more amazing thing Bridget hadn’t even considered.

Sound could not travel in space. In space, there wouldn’t be the constant scratching of sounds that invaded her brain, making her want to bounce or scream or cover her ears. The only sounds would be from Ground Control and Bridget, radioed straight into her helmet, and “Space Oddity” by David Bowie, playing inside her head.

No cat-scratch pencils. No heating vents. No chattering kids.

Just Bridget and Bowie and Ground Control.

Nova’s eyes filled with tears for the third time since the start of X-Block. She held her breath and hit herself in the temple one-two-three-four times but did not take her eyes off the twinkling flashes of falling meteors above and all around. Suddenly the stars stilled, and the moon was visible, closer than it could ever be seen from Earth, almost close enough to reach out and touch.

In six days, this would be the real-life view shared by the First Teacher in Space and the six other crew members of the space shuttle Challenger.

In six days, Bridget would be back.