The Genetic Code

Chapter 1

Part II

Juliette

The sky was a blanket of indigo, dotted by glittering stars. The moon hung from the dark velvet, a sliver of silver gleaming intensely on that September evening, casting the ground in a warm glow.

I laid on the concrete, hands resting across my stomach, looking up silently at the sky. The night was so serene.

A voice broke through the silence, "I wanna swim in the Olympics."

I turned my head to look at the boy lying a few feet away from me on the basketball court. "Hmm?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

He kept his head facing upwards as he answered, "That's my dream. I'm casting my wish on a shooting star." I looked back up, scanning the span of indigo.

"But there aren't any."

"Well, not yet. I'll just put my wish out there first, so if one comes along, it can pick it up straight away and bring it to wish-land." Turning to face me, he gave one of his dimpled smiles. I responded with a pfft of dismissal at his nonsensical remark.

"What... I'm being serious! You looking down on me because I'm only twelve?" he mocked offense.

"No... We're the same age."

"Then are you trying to insult my swimming abilities? Just wait till I show you, I'm like a torpedo in the water."

"I said I'm not looking down on you," I replied defensively, playing along, "I think it's a nice dream."

He went silent for a minute, then spoke up again.

"What's yours?"

"My what?"

"Your zodiac sign."

"Huh? What does that have to—"

"That was sarcasm, dear Julie. How are you going to survive in the outside world when you're so easily tricked?" His blue eyes shone with mischief. I gave mine a roll, shifting my gaze away from his triumphant expression back to the stars above.

"So what is it? Your dream," he asked, serious this time.

"I don't really have a dream," I replied, just as serious.

"Don't have a dream? No vision? No goal? No aspiration?"

"Yes, Mr Thesaurus."

"Why not? You need something to strive towards, so you'll work hard."

"You know I don't like working hard," I sighed. "I don't want to set high expectations for myself and get disappointed later. I'd rather just go through life and see what happens."

"But you know that saying... 'Aim for the moon, you'll become a star'!"

I turned and gave him a quizzical look. He stared blankly into the sky, completely oblivious of his mistake. "That's not..." I stopped, deciding to let him remain floating in his bubble of ignorant bliss. Chucking to myself, I replied, "Of course, Alex."

"So set a dream now. Think one up — I'll give you two minutes." He brought his arm up and used his hand to prop up his head, turning to face me again.

I watched the twinkling stars for a while, thinking deeply about this. My dream... it wasn't something I'd really spared any thought on before. It's not like I had any spectacular talent like swimming was to Alex. I mean, I could draw, but I wasn't betting on becoming a starving artist when I grew up. So what was my dream?