mylifefloatingaway

[mylifefloatingaway]

Goodbye Home (pt 1)

I don’t know what time it is, but I know one thing. Today is the day.

I look to the left and my Casio F-91W sits gently around my wrist. *4:23AM*. I get up. I do some stretches. It’s normal to feel this nervous right? It’s just like any other day of training, except today, this time it’s for real. I open the door and walked down the hallway. I glimpse into my wife’s room and then into my daughter’s. They’re both still asleep. I naturally fall into the same old routine that I’ve been doing for the past 3 months. I take an ice cold shower, shave my stubble, and proceed to make breakfast. I look at my watch again. *4:51AM*. It’s almost time. I finish up and walk back into the rooms. I tell my wife and daughter I love them both very much. It’s just like any other work day, except this time I’ll be gone for the next 3 weeks. I kiss them both on the foreheads and give them warm, welcoming hugs.

*ding dong* It’s time. I open the door.

“Hello, Mr. Williams. It’s time for you to go. Have you had time to say goodbye?”

“Yes. I’ve already finished everything. Let’s go”.

I look back one last time at my family, my house, my neighbourhood. During the drive, I know I’m looking at my last sunrise and baby blue sky for a while.

Finally, we pull up to the Space Station. In the distance, I can see the launchpad and the rocket in all its glory. My heartbeat begins to pound harder.

“It’s just like any other day in training. No need to worry. No need to do anything else”

“I know. It’s ju-”

“Don’t worry about it. Many have been through it”.

As we begin to enter into the hall, I’m greeted by a long line of engineers, scientists, and directors on either side. Everyone is clapping and congratulating me. I haven’t even proven myself successful. I’ve only done the training. It’s not the same thing. I don’t want to jinx myself but I just don’t feel prepared.

“Into here.”

I walk into a boring looking white room. There’s a ping pong table to the side, a TV in front, and a couch for me it sit on. It almost feels surreal. I sit in silence. I look at my watch again. It’s almost 5:10AM. Suddenly, the door opens.

“It’s time for the press conference”

I get up and walk back outside where I’m directed to another room with I’m sitting alone on the table in front of a microphone. My ears are ringing and I’m blinded by all the flashes and lights from the photographers and press. Reporters are shouting my name and asking me questions. I can’t hear a single thing.

All of a sudden my hearing comes back and there’s silence in the room.

“Mr. Williams… Mr. Williams… Can you hear me?”

“Yes. I’m sorry. I’m just nervous. What was the question again?”

“Will this mission be successful?”

I can feel my arms tingling. I feel like I’m floating away. I don’t know what to say.

“Uh- yes. Of course. Of course. I- uh- everything will go to plan”

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Mission Phoenix. (pt 2)

I get up and walk offstage. I’ve made my promise. Everything must go to plan. I’m brought into the space suit donning room. I see crew members that help me put on my equipment. They’re the ones I’ve seen for months. They’re like family to me. I’m going to miss them. Soon enough, I’m brought outside to the transportation vehicle. I can see the rocket getting bigger, as we drive closer. I close my eyes and pray.

“We’ve been preparing the rocket all long this morning. It’s the most advanced and technologically developed rocket we’ve ever produced. Nothing will go wrong, I promise. Nothing.”

I get off the car and together with the crew, we board the elevator that takes us up over 80 meters in the air. I’m walking across the red coloured arch that connects the elevator to the rocket itself. I can see the ground below. I take a last final breath and look around.

“This is it right? There’s no turning back now”

There was no response.

Getting into the chamber was difficult and cramped. The seats were vertically positioned so I was looking directly up. Everything looked familiar, just like the simulations. I looked to my left and before I even realised it, they were already closing the hatch. From this point on, I knew that I was going to be stuck in this capsule for the next 3 weeks. I began flipping on the switches for communications, engines, and getting ready.

“This is ground control sending a message to Phoenix. Do you copy? Over.”

“Hi uh- yes. Message confirmed from Phoenix to ground control. Over”.

“Approximately T-5 to liftoff. Good luck. Over.”

The world felt like it stopped for a moment. I could feel the vibrations gently across my back. The sunlight created a flare across my glass helmet and I was temporarily blinded. The world looked so plain and simple to me. I was finally at peace with everything.

“10… 9… 8… 7… 6…”

I immediately got into position and prepared myself.

“3… 2… 1…”

All of a sudden, I could feel the immense g-forces pushing me into my seat. I began sweating everywhere. I was holding onto my controller as hard as I could. I wanted this feeling to end. It felt like it lasted forever. But yet, all of a sudden, the main engines turned off. I looked outside. I was already past the stratosphere. I was in space. I did it.

“Phoenix to ground control. We are currently in orbit. Do you copy? Over.”

I waited for a response.

“Uh- Phoenix to ground control. We are currently in orbit. Do you copy? Over.”

There was no reply again. I began to panic. I began switching on all the switches and getting into the emergency routine. I knew exactly what to do. What went wrong? I asked myself this over and over again.

None of the switches did anything. I was floating in space, with no sense of control, and no ability to do anything about it. I began contacting ground control again. I was having a panic attack.

“Phoenix to ground control, do you copy? Do you copy? Do you copy? Do you copy?”

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The End (pt 3)

I’ve been floating in my capsule for I don’t know how long. None of my controls are working and I haven’t received any communication from ground control. Yet, my oxygen supply is still continuing to work. I wonder what’s going on. Something isn’t right.

*white noise beings to play from the communication radio*

“Dear Phoenix, we are glad to inform you that you have been selected as the primary candidate for our space travel testing. Your only purpose is to sit in this capsule, whilst all actions are to be controlled by our ground control. Your death will be honoured and we are happy to announce that you are doing a great contribution to our development of technology for the human race.”

“Ground Control… Please tell me this is a mistake! This must be an accident. This isn’t what I trained for. Please. I’m begging you. At least tell my family I love them. Please send thi-”

All of a sudden, the rocket ship began accelerating again. I could see the ship heading towards the dark abyss of stars, only moving further and further away from Earth.

I knew there was no hope left. But suddenly, an idea came to my mind. If there’s no going back, what if I do exactly what they don’t want me to do. What if I make my own destiny and create my own fate. What if I destroy this ship?

I begin looking around the capsule and finding anything that looks like an exploit for disaster. I use all my force to rip out the front panel which displays the circuit board inside with all the intricate wiring and details. Suddenly, the communication panel begun speaking.

“What are you doing? There’s no point.”

“I’m trying to create a problem you tried to contain, and there’s no stopping me now.”

“What?! Plea- Stop. Stop, please. We can find a solution to this and come to a dea-”

“No. This is my fate now. Those are lies. There’s no stopping me now. Everyone will know what this really was.”

“Please sto-”

A little fire begins to spark across the circuit board. Quickly, a fire begins to spread and the capsule starts to melt. As painful as it is suffering through the fire, I know that this is what I want, and within a matter of seconds my life will come to an end. I close my eyes and meditate. I think of all my best memories, my family, everyone I lo-

.

.

.

I wake up on a metal bed, shivering from the cold in the air. I’m surrounded by rows and rows of others just like me lying in their beds. The only difference is that they’re all asleep with tubes attached to their heads and I’m the only one with people to my side. They’re all wearing the same white uniform. I don’t know what’s going on. In panic, I quickly throw myself over the bed and grab one of them.

“What is all this? Where am I? What’s going on?!”

They say nothing, but only gently smile back at me.

“Congratulations, you’ve escaped the simulation.”

[mylifefloatingaway]