Stargazer (Write Awards 2013)

Chapter 6 (Write Awards 2013)

It was unknown how long I was traveling through space. I had completely lost track of time. My day would consist of looking out the porthole window and falling asleep. I did look at the panel behind me and found a pack of long silver filled syringes, a book on Earth, two packets of what looked like frozen stew and a small knife.  Really nothing that would help me. The book helped pass the time and I wasn’t too keen on eating the food, so instead I just stared outside.

The space between spaces was magnificent. Stars, white glowing balls, clustered by the trillions sparkled in different textures and colour’s of blue. Every time I woke up I had a different view. Stars were gathered in a long stream across the blue, twisting and winding as they did whatever they did. Another time I swear I passed we planet. Brown smooth surface with an almost green cloud hanging over the surface. In some way it was beautiful.

I traced abstract patterns on the window, where my breath has fogged up the glass. I had no idea where I would go once I got to Earth. The book said that there were so many places to go with over one-hundred different languages. Most of the writing was about the environment, politics, money, religion and other pointless information that made my head spin.

In my head I kept thinking about mother, Rune and Carmen. Will Carmen look after Rune now I’m gone? What would happen to mother? Why did that Guard stop? I groaned, banging my head against the window. That blasted Guard knew! He just somehow knew that I was in the rocket. But why didn’t he stop me?

I think I fell asleep shortly after that. I’m not too sure but the next thing I knew was a warning beep echoing in the small bubble. All the lights flashed, and the bubble started shaking. Suddenly, a man’s voice was heard over the intercom.

“Earth on your left. Will be landing in zero point five minutes. Make sure your blood levels are correct before landing. All equipment must be safely clipped to the belts.”

I looked out the port hole as the bubble shook and I had to grip the side of the window to hold myself steady.

Earth.

Well that was my guess based on the book cover which was sitting just out of my vision. A very, very large sphere, larger than our planet, was slowly turning. I could see white fluffy looking objects block my view but I could see wisps of the land. It was a mixture of green, brown and blue cut into assorted shapes but the blue was much, much bigger than the other colours which made me think that the other shapes were placed on top of the blue.

The warning alarm blared again, making me jump a little in fright. This time, I watched as my bubble slowly but surely fell towards the planet. Everything grew. The size of the planet, the noise which sounded like a thousand guns firing off and the jerking and groaning of the small bubble I was in.

Pressure in my throat made me believe I was screaming but I couldn’t hear it over the sound of the alarm and the constant gun noise. A thin film of blue light covered the window and I almost watched in fascination as it turned from blue to green then finally orange. Heat gradually boiled up until I was sweating, my breathing coming out in pants.

I closed my eyes, thinking that this would be it. Maybe this is really where the prisoners go. They send them of to burn alive but tell everyone back home that they killed them swiftly. My body bumped around, and I numbly remembered clinging onto something. It was hard and rectangular and it fitted perfectly over my chest with my arms wrapped around it.

Then my back exploded, pain seeping in at every direction. Sucked into my pores, wrapped in a deadly embrace over my skin and I had no fight left except to allow it to take over my body.

“Oh god!” That voice. The one I remembered from when I was younger. Who talked me to sleep after I’d have nightmares about the Inspection. The one who promised to protect me no matter what happened. My body felt sluggish and I could feel myself being moved. Someone talked but the sounds were jumbled up and blurred together to form just sounds.

“Miss? Can you hear me?” the voice asked again and I felt my body stir at the warm sound. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. Atleast he will be there, comforting me into the dark depths of the other side. The pain wasn’t so bad. Just a warm numbing sensation.

I opened my eyes; small slits of light blasted my eyeballs. A fuzzy shape came into view, leaning down over my face. Its breath was warm against my surprisingly cold face. My heart gave a jolt, as the person came into view. His eyes, his high cheekbones and the way his hair curled at the tips were just so familiar.

“Storm?” I whispered my voice cracking on his name. My brother, the one I watched die in my arms was leaning over me. Then I blacked out.

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Sorry that this is a short chapter. The next one will be longer I promise!