Page 6

Chapter 2 - Out of Control

   "Never would have what?" prompted Jasen.
    "My parents got divorced two years ago. My dad moved to Gamma Space Dock and Mom and I stayed on the Moon. She got married earlier this year and my step father doesn't like me and I don't like him. I don't like my dad either. He left my mom and me! Now I have to go and spend 3 months with him Earth space side. Mom said it would be good for me. They probably wanted me dead!"
    "You don't really think that do you?"
    Jennifer hung her head and looked a bit ashamed. "I don't know what to think," she muttered.
    As the ship tumbled through space, Jasen quietly thought about what he could say to help Jennifer. He thought about some of the Bible verses that he had been memorizing. "Cast all your cares on Jesus, because He cares for you," kind of spilled out of his lips.
    "What did you say?" Jennifer asked, sounding shocked.
    "Oh, that's something the Bible says."
    "Oh, asteroids! I suppose you're one of those "religious nuts." Alota' help you'll be. I suppose you think praying is all you can do for us."
    Jasen was a little shocked by Jennifer's harsh reaction. He breathed another silent prayer asking for wisdom and patience. What had he learned recently? Oh yeah. Patience is one of the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5. He took a deep breath and calmly said, "Look, God's Son, Jesus Christ is a real person in my life. He has helped me through tough spots before and He will help me through this one too. I am praying for help to know what to do, but I am also going to do what I can with the brain and talents God gave me." Jasen looked down and quietly prayed.
    Jennifer obviously hadn't ever met anyone before that had said anything like that when she had run down their faith. She acted as though she didn't know what else to say, and sat quietly.
   Jasen reached forward and clicked the com back on. Some of the voices sounded like they were a little calmer, others were starting to sound like the end was near. One person with some calm to his voice said, "We'd better quit predicting our future and try to DO something about it." "Yeah," said another, "we're not gettin' anywhere by discussing what they will name the new crater when we crash. Anybody got any ideas?"
    The man Jasen had first heard on the com when he turned it on spoke. "Let's take a poll and see who we have along and what they know." Each person who was still conscious spoke up to tell what he or she did or knew. Among them was a reading teacher, two biologists, a Lunar Rover mechanic (he was the one who had taken charge) and his wife and two children. Three other students about Jasen's age were making the trip back to earth to visit their grandparents for the "summer." All of them were general school students. One fellow was a cook. There were also two Lunar farm couples, each with one child. One woman was a computer programmer for Lunar agriculture. The rest had apparently slipped into disorientation.

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