Ian looked out the window and could see the swirling clouds hovering above his former home planet. As his ship left the last layers of Earth’s atmosphere and began drifting into space, he began to think if there was anything of value left behind on the ground far below.
Let’s see, I’ve been disavowed by my family, dumped by my friends and disregarded by everyone else. There really is nothing left for me. Time to move on.
Ian glanced at the flashing red button on the dashboard in front of him.
My ticket out of this sorry galaxy.
Bracing himself, he pressed the button and immediately the engines roared to life and began to propel his ship faster and faster. Soon Ian was flying so fast that the stars around him turned into long lines of light.
I’m flying at the speed of light.
The planets literally zipped by, starting with the Moon, then Mars and Jupiter. As the ship passed the remaining planets in the solar system, Ian finally began to feel he was no longer within sight of the Earth, the home of his troubles he had managed to escape.
Then he switched on the camera mounted on the stern of his ship to catch one last glimpse of Earth before it disappeared from view behind him.
What’s this?
He could see Earth, up close as if he had just left it just moments ago.
But I just passed Jupiter. Something’s not right here.
He switched off the camera and instructed the onboard computer to increase his speed to double the speed of light. The computer complied and seconds later stars turned into a single tunnel of light as his ship left the solar system behind. Nervously, Ian switched the rear view camera back on and gasped.
Earth is still behind me.
What’s more, it’s closing in on me.
Confused and frightened, Ian was set to accelerate his ship even further when he suddenly felt a jolt. Switching on the rear view camera one more time, Ian could not believe what he saw.
It’s drawing me in.
Earth was now so close to Ian’s ship that the ship fell victim to the gravity’s grasp and began drifting backwards towards the atmosphere. Ian worked himself into a frenzy trying to escape but it was no use. His ship had re-entered Earth and was now in a free fall back towards the ground far below. Suddenly Ian lost consciousness and passed out before he could see what happened next.
One instant later, in the delivery room of a hospital, the doctor carefully wrapped the newborn baby in blankets and gently placed it in the mother’s arms.
“Congratulations,” the doctor said, “it’s a boy.”
MJBDiver.com 