Sci Fi Summer

Episode 1: The Arrival and The Plan

🚀 Transmission Received

🚨 Incoming cousin cluster confirmed. Energy levels rising. Trek talk initiated. Rain mist lifting. Operation: Family Fun officially launched. 🚀

📖 The Arrival

Javier gobbled his breakfast while chatting with Noah about the arrival of their cousins.

          “What time are they supposed to get here?” Noah asked.

          “Mom!” Javier called out. “What time do the cousins arrive?”

April sat on the back porch drinking lemonade with her brother. They watched the misty, warm rain while relaxing on the covered porch. To them, it seemed like a nice end to the summer season.

          “I don’t think she heard you. Anyway, we should play soccer when they come.” Noah rubbed his hands together.

          Javier grinned. “Yeah! Or we could teach them how to make my dad’s famous cookies.”

          “How can you be so skinny, when you’re always talking and thinking about food?”

          “Whaaaat?” Javier switched topics. “Ooooh, let’s take them on a trek.”

          “I wonder if they’ll be scared. I was…at first,” Noah admitted.

Noah took his first trek with Javier and his dad two years ago when the boys were both seven. As little kids, they were both excited and scared to hike in the woods. But, of course, that didn’t stop them. After two summers of hiking, the cousins felt like little professionals themselves. Javier and Noah learned all about hiking safety from Javier’s dad, a professional hiker who took groups of hikers up and down the mountainside. In fact, the family vacation cabin really belonged to Javier’s family, who bought it to be close to local mountain trails. The kids loved climbing so much that Javier’s dad built a special obstacle course out back for them to enjoy when they spent time there. Most of the cousins had conquered the obstacle course, except the baby cousins, of course!

          “We could do a hike or the obstacle course,” Javier thought aloud. “The babies need to start learning it.”

          “We have lots of options, and the rain seems to be letting up.”

          “Oh, I forgot about the rain. It’s only misty, but we can’t do the obstacle course because…”

          Noah ran to the window. “They’re here!”

Noah yelled loud enough for the adults on the back porch to hear.

The two boys looked through the front windows and began running to the door. Before they could run outside, their uncle Parker entered the front door, carrying travel bags on his shoulders. He gave both Javier and Noah firm handshakes and hugs and asked where his siblings were hiding. They both yelled, “On the back porch!” and ran outside.

Kaj and Rachel were already out the car and running toward the house. Their mom pulled their toddler cousin out of his car seat. The older cousins were excited and screaming and laughing. The kids were so loud that they woke Noah’s baby sister, who had been asleep upstairs with their grandma. Noah and Javier ran over to kiss their aunt. They all walked back into the cabin together. By now, everyone had gathered in the living area. There was hugging, laughter, and phrases like, “Wow, you’ve gotten so big” and “Come give me a hug.” But the only thing that mattered to the cousins was that they were together and about to have fun.

The Plan 

 🧠 Brainstorm sequence activated. Chores complete. Cookies proposed. Hike debated. Tension detected in new recruit (Rachel). Leadership protocols engaged. Mission approval granted — countdown to adventure begins. ⏳

The older cousins laughed and giggled for a few minutes with their aunts and uncles and grandma. The baby cousins played, ignoring all the commotion from the adults. Javier’s dad reminded the kids of the winter-preparation chores. Every year, at the end of the summer, the family cut wood, raked leaves, and prepared the cabin for winter. Each visit, the children have a great time gathering the leaves into huge piles perfect for jumping. Javier’s dad and brother chopped wood for the fireplace. This year, the aunts planned to paint the wooden deck with a special paint that would protect it from the harsh winter weather that was sure to come. Last year, they packed all the summer clothes away into storage bins. The weather wasn’t too hot or too cold. Everyone had company while doing their chores, so they were happy and chatty.

The cousins had been raking the huge piece of land for almost an hour when Javier decided to take a lemonade break. One by one, the kids followed him inside to get something to drink. After a few minutes, Javier, Rachel, and Noah ended up on the kitchen floor near the window, hatching a plan for the rest of the day. Kaj walked over to join the trio.

          “I still say we get all the ingredients for my dad’s famous cookies, and we bake up a batch to surprise the rest of the family,” Javier insisted.

          Noah jumped in. “Let’s do that after a hike on the path!”

          Rachel looked shocked. “What path?”

          “You kids have fun; I’ve got studying to do,” Kaj said as he stood over the cousins.

          “Whaaaat?” yelled Javier and Noah.

          “Listen, I’m thirteen. I’m testing to get into the high school of aerodynamics. I don’t have time to go ‘frolicking through the woods.’” Kaj crossed his arms.

          “We won’t be frolicking!” Noah said. “Hiking is beyond awesome!”

          “I get it,” Javier rolled his eyes. “School is important. At least that’s what my parents always say.”

Rachel wondered about the path in the woods. She’d never been in these woods with her cousins.

Noah noticed the concern on her face.

          “Well, I’ve gone with them twice on this path! It’s amazing.” Noah told Rachel.

          “Ledges.”

Ledges! Rachel worried in silence. No one noticed that she was becoming more nervous.

          “Huge fallen trees.”

Fallen trees! Rachel was still worried; for some reason, she thought this path may be a dangerous onr.

          Noah continued, “Boulders.”

Boulders! Now this is enough, Rachel thought to herself. Boulders are huge. Were the boulders loose? What kind of path is this anyway? Rachel’s mind raced wildly, but she remained silent.

          Javier interrupted the excitement. “We have to ask our parents first. And then hope they agree.”

Javier asked his dad and uncle if the kids could go on a hike. They made him promise to stay on the path and lead the group. Javier’s dad also made them promise to be home by sundown. Dinner would be ready, and Javier’s dad wanted the kids in bed early. Javier’s dad had a big day planned for the family.

🧠 Science Behind the Scenes

Why this book is an emotional adventure...

Scientists Discover How the Brain Remembers Emotional Moments

People tend to remember emotional events, like weddings, really well—but scientists weren’t sure why. A group of researchers at Columbia University studied how the brain works during emotional memories. They found that two parts of the brain—the amygdala (which handles emotions) and the hippocampus (which handles memory)—work together using fast brain waves to help us remember emotional things better. If this brain connection is disturbed, like from depression or brain stimulation, it becomes harder to remember emotional events.

Why Do We Remember Emotional Events Better? | Columbia Engineering

A Journey to the Light Within Book 1

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📓 Captain’s Journal -For the Young reader

Write hints about your special talents without telling the reader exactly what the talent is?

Write a paragraph that lets the reader know the season without naming the actual season?

💬 Quote Transmissions

The best science fiction can shape how humans see their own future. Rick Riordan

🧭 Mission Orders

• Share with a young person

• Find a sci-fi book and give it as summer reading gift

🌠 End Transmission 

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