The 3rd Experiment

Chapter 7

|New York, New York|
|Friday, September 01, 1939|

"Raya, you're gonna have to wake up and greet the guests you invited over." Dot says, shaking me awake.

"Oh shit, what time is it?"

"Almost eleven"

"Oh my god, we need to clean the room."

I throw the covers off and get up out of bed to start picking up my clothes off the floor. I didn't think about how messy a room this small would get.

I invited over a couple of the friends I made last semester to just hang out before our classes started this semester. But I didn't account for how messy my room gets in just two days.

As I'm cleaning, people start showing up. First, Arthur, then Thomas and Louisa.

I turn our radio on and play it quietly in the background.

We all move the furniture around and play card games on the desks. We sit around the room and drink the beer Thomas brought.

"I'm taking Advanced Mathematical Methods this semester." Arthur says, taking a swig of beer

"Why would you sign up for that?" I say through a fit of laughter.

We all laugh at him while he dreads the coming semester and we start to think about what classes we're gonna have to take.

"Oh my god, I'm in Biotechnology and Entrepreneurship." Dot mumbles

"I don't know why you guys picked such miserable courses. It took me almost two weeks to write an essay for english 1101." I say, still chuckling at the group.

They all weigh in on the classes they had last year. Louisa reminds us all of the essay she wrote in 20 minutes and got a 98 on. As they all talk and laugh, I zone out and listen to the radio.

"As dawn broke on September 1, 1939, German forces launched a surprise attack on Poland. Army Group North attacked from Pomerania and East Prussia, while Army Group South drove deep into southern Poland..."

"Wait guys, oh my god." I say, attempting to quiet the group down

"...Strategically outflanked and materially outnumbered, Polish forces..."

"Guys! Please be quiet!" I shout, turning up the radio.

"... because they were deployed too close to the German frontier, unintentionally facilitating Germany's strategy of envelopment."

"Oh my god."

We all lean back into our seats, listening to the American account of the Poland invasion. This is what dad was talking about all those years ago. I never thought it would turn into something this big.

"Maybe we should..."

"Um yeah, it's getting late anyway."

"I'll see you in History," Thomas says.

Everyone starts picking up their stuff and we move the furniture back. I walk them all to the hallway, the five or so steps it took, and we say goodbye there.

I close the door and look at Dot. Neither of us move, we have no idea what to say or do. If there's a war starting, that's going to effect so many aspects of our life. if just that.

|Sunday, December 7, 1941|

I start packing up to get on the train for my last winter break in college. I leave only the things I'll have room for in the spring. And as I'm waking through the door, I turn back to look at the room I've called home for the last four years.

The trip to the train station is long and boring as always. but seeing all of the unique buildings and people reminds me of how exciting my first year was. I miss being new to this city. Nothing will ever beat that feeling.

We pull into the station about 20 minutes later and I grab my bags and run onto the platform. There I see Bucky and Mom, keeping each other warm. Right in front of them are the kids, all bundled up in their winter coats. As I get closer I hear teeth chattering and watch as Lily's lips turn blue, practically in front of my eyes.

I give everyone a hug as quick as I can and we all rush home.

"Hey, where's Steve?" I ask Bucky, grouping off behind the others.

"He wasn't feeling well, I think he's got pneumonia again."

"We need to bring him something."

***

Walking into the house I see the large, evergreen, plastic Christmas tree.

"You guys already set up?" I ask, smiling at my siblings

"Yeah, we wanted to surprise you." Lily says

I set my bag down on the chair and unpack the gifts I got for everyone. I set each of them down on the ground, just under the tree before taking the rest of my stuff back to my room.

Mom pushes the door open slightly to find me unpacking my bag.

"Hey, do you want to help decorate the tree?"

"Of course I do. It wouldn't be a Barnes' Christmas without it."

She walks me out to where everyone has pulled out our boxes of ornaments and I pick out a few to start with.

Will sets up a small radio on the kitchen counter because he can't do anything without noise in the background.

The tree starts to look fuller and everyone fills me in on all of the drama at school. Will is about to graduate high school and Eve isn't far behind.

I can't believe how much has changed about them in the last four years.

As I'm putting a gnome ornament on the tree I zone out and listen to the radio, thinking about the beginning of sophomore year in college, when I heard about the invasion in Germany. That's when I hear it.

"...United States of America was suddenly attacked by..."

"Oh my God." I say, dropping the ornament and feeling the glass shatter by my foot.

"Raya?" Lily asks. Everyone goes quiet and we can all hear the radio broadcast.

"...A Japanese attack upon Pearl Harbor..."

"What does this mean?" Mom asks, watching us all turn our heads

"The U.S. just entered the war. It's another great war." I say, feeling as if my jaw is completely unhinged.

I look to Bucky and know that he's thinking about Steve. He must've heard the news, he must be enlisting as we speak.