Just then the ship bolts forward and Tabitha falls into my arms. Her long, braided hair covered my face.
“What happened?” she says in a concerned voice.
“The ship is being moved along the conveyor belt to a launch position. It won’t be long now.”
She smiles and says, “Guess I’ll go and get my own seat. For safety. Till later.”
Gingerly, she makes her way to a seat a few meters away in front of one of the dilapidated computer arrays. Parts of it start to light up in green, red and yellow.
The ship is being jerked left and right, up and down and we both quickly realize it prudent to put on the safety belts that fortunately still work. The ship is being moved much faster now and my stomach is feeling queasy.
Then the abrupt halt. The strain on my body is intense. If not for the belt, a serious injury would have been unavoidable. Then there is nothing but space outside the ship. I lean forward briefly before I’m pushed back as the ship launches.
Then for the first time in my life, I experienced weightlessness. I flap my hands up and down in wonderment.
Tabitha laughs and says, “You’re crazy.”
Mark's Writing Corner 