Return to the Moon: Mission 12B

"This is getting old really fast," Mark said as he floated in the water.

Mark had been through this course over twenty times already. He had memorized every step to beginning and ending the training course. They almost felt like a haunting to him. First, put the suit on. Make sure the oxygen levels are at least eight point five out of ten. Blah blah blah, submerge into the water feet first. All Mark literally had to do was put on some suit, check its oxygen levels, go underwater, and try to walk and stay balanced at the same time. This test was supposed to simulate walking on the moon's surface, as gravity is very low on the moon. But, of course, Mark had to go through it in order to keep his job and go on the mission.

"Beginning launch simulation in three...two...one," said a voice on speaker as the floor began to shake violently beneath Mark's feet.

He tightened his hands around the seat's arm rests as the vibrations became stronger by the second. Mark absolutely HATED this training course. He would rather jump in a pool full of piranhas than going through this course! This was, once again, a simulation of the mission. This time, it gave astronauts a feeling of what it is going to be like when they're in the process of launching. A couple more seconds passed until finally, the shaking stopped.

"Thank goodness this thing is over!" Mark sighed out.

He unstrapped his seat belt and immediately got up, wanting to leave the horrid training room.

Mark began to sweat as his frustration built up. Mark just couldn't tell which was the answer to the question he was on. He had been sitting at his desk for nearly half an hour taking that stupid test because he couldn't find the answer to the last question. What is the minimum amount of air that is needed within moon base DLS-16 in order to maintain at least three people? Of course, anyone would think Oh, why don't I just ask the science team? But in this case, Mark wasn't allowed to do that. He had look in his manuals, books, and documents to find the answer or else he would automatically fail the test. Why is this? Mark didn't know. All he knew is that he wouldn't risk failing this test.

Three more months, Mark thought. Three more months and I'm off to the moon. Mark didn't exactly feel anxious. In fact, he slightly regretted ever taking the mission in the first place. But there were two main reasons Mark didn't call the mission off. The first reason was, Mark was trying his absolute best at his job. The second reason was, Mark felt he needed a little more excitement in his life. Though those two reasons held their place in Mark's mind, he thought of the worst that could happen during the mission.