Starry Lights

The Falling

System failure

People screaming everywhere. No one to hold on to and ask what's happening.

Prepare for impact

The sound of the pilots can't be really recognized through all this mess. Light strips guiding to the nearest escape pods are pulsing neon blue. I was lucky enough to grab a railing close to one of the windows and avoid being trampled. Many others weren't as lucky as I was, and I couldn't help them.

17,000 feet from surface

It's kind of funny isn't it? The circumstances at which I see them for the first time; Aurora Borealis, the northern lights. If just for a brief second, they make the chaos around me seem almost manageable...

"Aurora! What are you doing there!? Follow me! Now! "

It's him! Sol! He is pushing against the maddened crowd making his way towards me. He looks worried although, more composed than the people around us.

14,000 feet from surface

"Come with me now! Don't stare like that! We need to evacuate!"

I know it. I'm not dumb. But something is keeping me here. Like a force that's telling me I was waiting for this, for a really long time.

We are the last of the "voyagers." Almost every person with a sense of logic has left Earth with those rockets. My mother was showing me the star. She was calling it "New home".

"Why new home mom?"

"Because that's what it is, honey. You will escape this prison one day."

I knew this day was now. Everything with preparations went right. Or so I thought...

11,000 feet from surface

I am following him. He is holding my hand so tightly even if I wanted to go somewhere else I couldn't. Crew members and passengers are blocking our way on many hallway sides.

"I saved an evacuation capsule for us and Ina. She is waiting for us to get there." he says, while he's showing me the hatch.

The screen next to the escape pod door displayed a warning that read "Capsule Ejected". So that's how he was able to "save" one for us. Sol pressed some buttons on the monitor and the metal hatch opened.

I am not talking... My thoughts are filling my mind. Ina, my friend and my brother's girlfriend is sitting in the operator's position, with her hands ready to press the detaching button. We get inside as fast as we can and we fasten our security belts.

"Let's go! We are so close to the ground .It's going to be risky." She presses the button. And then. Silence.

We have left our rocket "SKY REBEL" above us.

"But the others?! Why are we leaving?! This thing can take more than three. I can't believe we left them to die..."

"It's too late now. We couldn't wait any longer. It would be impossible to land if we were any closer to the ground. Also, there are plenty of lifeboats to get into. If they make it in time. We have supplies only for us and they won't last for more than a week. Sorry sister, but we had to leave them."

My brother's always been like that, especially since mother's death. His selfishness is the thing that made him so despised, between the crew.

Through the small window on the capsule hatch, I could see the spaceship in the distance, getting picked apart by the atmosphere as it falls.

"There were 500 people inside there... and only twenty pods...We are monsters... "Ina is crying now. She knows what Sol decided to do was wrong.

They start fighting. In the past I found it cute. Now the whole situation makes it tragic...

8,000 feet remaining. Parachutes deployed

The ship was shaking before. Now, with parachutes it's like I am in heaven. I am watching through the window on my right next to my seat. The valley below is burning from the falling pieces of the ship.

"Listen girls. When our ship reaches the ground, don't get out. I'll check for survivors."

We can't disagree. The way he's saying that, and the whole situation are enough.

5,000 feet remaining. Brake systems deployed

The ship starts shaking again. It's unexpected as at this height there are no strong air currents.

"What is this! Something hit our parachutes! " Ina's voice cuts my breath.

We can't see anything. My heart starts beating faster than ever before.

"Aurora hold on to the railings on the ceiling!"

I look up and catch one with both of my hands, holding on to it as strong as I can.

"Sol! Are we gonna die? Brother, please say no!"

He opens his mouth to say something. Never achieves that though. Everything gets dark the next second...

Everything is coming and going around when I open my eyes. My head is going to explode from the pain. The ship is now a bunch of ruins. Anti-fire systems thankfully controlled the fire spread. The only thing I can see is the seat in front of me (which is now above me) and light from a hole above my head. Cold air is reaching my face from outside.

"Aurora! Aurora! Can you hear me?" My brother is shouting my name.

"I'm here! I need help!" I can't move my arms. I think I broke something!

My brother approaches me, moving the fallen debris from me, helping me get back on my feet. I realize his face is full of blood.

"Oh my... Where is the first aid kit!"

"It's nothing, I'm fine. Let me see if you are ok." He says while checking me. I can see the way he moves has changed.

"You seem to be able to walk. Come on! Let's get out of here. "

I follow him outside from an opening. Sunlight is hitting straight through my eyes. Water from the Anti-fire systems is enough to clean my wounds.

"Where is Ina!? Have you found her?" I ask him immediately.

"No. Not even.. Her body..." I can see his eyes start to form tears.

"Come on... We need to start moving. Take whatever you can find from the supplies. I'll search for her." I am trying to get his attention away from Ina.

"If you find something, call me right away." He says that and then hugs me. It is the first time since our mother's death 5 years ago...

I take a look around. There is a forest near our position. Burning of course from the falling pieces of "REBEL". The plain where we fell is still kind of clear from the flaming parts.

I'm searching for Ina. She is nowhere near our position.

"We need to get to the forest. We can find shelter there. Weather is clear but here in Norway you can never be sure." My suggestion to my brother comes after my logical thoughts... Hoping he will believe me.

"We haven't found her yet. We need to find her before nightfall."

"Look at the forest! It's only 300 feet away. She may have gone that way."

He has no choice. We go to the forest. I was right! We see blood on the ground and trees.

"Follow the signs! She is injured ! Come on, quickly!" He says and starts running through the woods.

We don't need to go much further. We find her body near some rocks. The body has heavy injuries from the crash... But also a hole from a bullet to the head. Someone killed Ina.