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I pull up Google and type in:Visiting Chernobyl. A webpage pops up immediately and goes on to explain you can visit it.
There’s a headline that catches my attention.
Is visiting Chernobyl dangerous? “Yes, as much as visiting any other place in the world. The level of radiation is high only in some places.”
Radiation? Jesus.
It goes on to say,“Those places are avoided during the Chernobyl tour, or the group stays near these places only for a brief amount of time. During the two-day Chernobyl trip in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, the body receives a dose of radiation comparable to 0,001 dose by X-ray scan or to several hours spent in an airplane. In numbers, you will receive 5-7 microsieverts of gamma radiation – an absolutely non harmful dose of radiation. For comparison, most of the nuclear power plants around the world have a safety limit for their employees set at 50-100 microsieverts per day. During a one-day retro tour you will get even less: 2-3 microsieverts of gamma radiation. Most probably you will get more radiation during your flight to Kiev.”
What in the actual fuck? He wants to go here? What if we turn into the Hulk after going there?
You have to admit, that might be kinda cool.
When Madison returns to the room, I’m itching my junk. Don’t tell me you forgot about the waxing incident?
I didn’t. It’s like a good workout. You feel fine the next day; it’s the second day that’s hell and you can barely walk or lift your arms above your head. In the case of my balls, they itch to no end. I totally understand why dogs drag their asses on the ground sometimes. I know, gross but still, it itches.
“Can I just say, my balls are itching so bad? How long does this last?”
Madison rolls her eyes and gets into bed beside me. “Not long.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Have you ever waxed your balls?”
“I’ve waxed before.” She grabs the book she’s been reading from the nightstand. “Stop being such a baby.”
I stare at the book, and then her, my eyes moving over her features and the book. “Why did you tell Nathalie?”
“It just sorta of slipped out when she asked what you said about the divorce.”
My throat tightens with the word divorce. “And you told her about the divorce?”
She doesn’t say anything and stares at her book. “I told you, I don’t want to fight tonight.”
I can understand why. Today hasn’t been easy on her with Jenna showing up, so I let it go for now.
“Ridley, why are you looking up plane tickets to Kiev, Ukraine?” she asks, peeking at my computer.
I shrug. “Callan wants to go there.”
Her disapproving expression says it all. “I really don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Yeah, me either but I said I’d look into it.” I look at the price. My God, it’s $1300 to fly to Kiev.
“Is that country even safe?”
I laugh. “According to our seven-year-old, who I’m pretty sure is smarter than me, yes.”
And then a look of confusion mares her features. “What’s Chernobyl?
I raise an eyebrow thankful I’m not the only one. “You don’t know?”
“No….”
Now I don’t feel so bad. She didn’t know either. “It’s a nuclear power plant that blew up. Killed something like 200 people.”
She’s horrified, sitting up straighter in the bed, her book falling to her lap. “And he wants to visit this place?”
“Apparently they started doing tours a few years back.”