laika

Sarah Hegg

It was a cool June morning in the little town of Greenwood, the burnt red bricks on the buildings seeming to come to life in the sun’s soft rays. Max was struck by a feeling of deja vu, as if he had seen this quiet little street with the yellow haze before. Of course, he had seen it, he had spent 18 years of his life here. But the buildings were different, taller, stronger, and newly painted. New restaurants painted the street, new graffiti lined the alleyways.

It made Max uncomfortable. Things changing without him had always been a problem of his. It wasn’t that the world necessarily revolved around him, it was more that he felt like he was a reader in others’ stories, so when he came back to a book he’d put down for some time and the plot completely changed, it irked him.

But Max wasn’t done with the change for the day. In fact, the biggest change was yet to come, eating breakfast with an old friend at Minnie’s Diner. The sight of the yellow door and overhang calmed Max a bit, familiarity within the new. He rooted himself with the building, taking a deep breath. He wasn’t anxious, more overwhelmed. But he knew this meeting wasn’t for him. It was for her.

He stepped into the diner, sneakers slightly squeaking on the tan linoleum floor. He was hit with the scent of maple syrup and the air conditioner’s cool air. Before he could collect his bearings, a sweet voice called out to him.

“Max!” A young woman in a booth seat squealed. She had shoulder length, curly brown hair and big circular glasses. She was wearing a bright pink pullover hoodie which Max immediately recognized. He looked back into her face, realizing who it was.

“Laika!” Max beamed, her presence putting him at ease. There were differences, sure, a lot of them. But she still had the same dimples and soft face. Max slid into the seat across from her.

“I was worried you wouldn’t recognize me.” Laika smirked, making Max’s ears twinge red.

“I’ve never seen you with long hair.” He responded sheepishly.

“Well, it’s not super long. But yes, I know what you mean. It’s okay, you don’t have to pretend it’s not surprising to see me post-transition. I was just giving you a hard time,” Laika smiled. Max felt the twist in his stomach relax.

“You look beautiful.” Max said earnestly, earning a soft blush from Laika.

“Of course I do love, picked everything out myself.” And they laughed, because even though Max could never understand what she went through, the humor was all the same. Whenever the words weren’t there, they could just laugh. They had always been like that.

“I wish I didn’t go to school so far away. I missed you.” Max muttered, locking his eyes on the menu to ease the embarrassment of the confession. But before Laika could respond, a waitress came over to take their order. Max got the french toast and Laika got the waffles. The same they always get. Got, that is.

Hegg

“Well, you’re here now. No point in missing me now.” She quipped, giggling a bit to lighten the tension. That noise was different to max. The inflections were the same, but the pitch was drastically different. It didn’t unsettle him, though. In a way it felt right.

“I don’t mean this in an offensive way–”

“Well, now it sounds like you’re going to say something offensive.”

“I’m not!”

“Then don’t start like that!”

“Fine!” Max feigned annoyance, but he had a bright smile on his face. Laika returned it letting out a small laugh.

“Why Laika?”

“Why what?”

“No–like why did you pick that name?”

“Oh.” She stopped and looked out the window for a moment, surprised. Max felt the anxiety return to his stomach, assuming the question was in fact offensive, and he had just ruined their friendship. Before he could apologize for his stupidity, though, Laika quickly said, “That’s not offensive at all, Max. It’s just…”

“Just?”

“It’s just no one’s ever asked me that before.”

“Oh.” Now Max’s anxiety was alleviated, but in its place was guilt. He knew Laika didn’t have many people to talk to about everything, and he hadn’t exactly been the best at keeping in touch.

“Well, you know Laika the space dog right?”

“The space dog?”

“Okay, you don’t then,” she laughed. “Laika was a stray from the streets of Moscow during the Cold War. The Soviet Union was trying to build a spacecraft that supported life, but obviously they didn’t want to test people first. So, instead, they found Laika, raised her, took care of her, then sent her into space.”

“That’s sweet.” Max smiled, before he was met with a sad expression.

“It would be, but it’s not. They only cared if the craft could support life, not if it could bring it back.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. The saddest part though is that she was supposed to live at least a few days floating there taking in her last moments until her oxygen ran out. But she died within hours of overheating.”

“Oh my god.”

“Yeah.” They sat in silence for a moment, Max digesting the story and Laika planning what to say next.

“So, what does that have to do with your name?” Max asked tentatively.

“Well, I don’t really know. I guess there’s something about that I relate to? Thinking you finally found a home before you discover the real world and realize, really, no one cares that much if you live or die.”

They looked deep into each other’s eyes for a moment before suddenly, the waitress was back with the food. They laughed again to ease the tension, which gave Max the courage to respond.