6 Jan 2013
The Astronaut

I’m sitting in the most comfortable chair of my life, reclined all the way back almost lying down. The soft arms of the chair squeeze me like a gentle hug. My eyes struggle to stay open as my eyelids get heavy and close. I succumb to the comfort of the chair and fall into a peaceful sleep. Time stands still. Later, my eyes slowly struggle to open with my eyelashes fluttering upward. As they final open and begin to focus I notice flashing lights, multicolored lights, blinking lights, buttons, switches and even a thumb print security apparatus. Without being able to stop myself I lean forward and gently place my thumb onto the security pad. My extended arm is covered in a tinfoil sleeve. I pat my arm and feel upward and across my belly. I look down and notice my legs are covered too. My mind is trying to understand what I’m wearing. Like a light bulb going off in a cartoon all at once I realize that I’m in a space suit in the space shuttle. I illogically try to figure out how my recliner turned into the 20 million dollar space shuttle built by the lowest bigger. My head slowly turns right at a muffled sound and I recognize my friend Miles sitting next to me. We’re so close that are legs are touching. I can’t believe that I didn’t notice him right away.

“Do you think this is a good idea? I mean you and me flying the space shuttle?” I say to my friend.

“Ofcourse this is the best idea we’ve ever had. This is the most exciting thing we’ll ever do in our whole lives.” Miles replies.
I immediate flash back to another time when Miles thought it was the most exciting thing we’ll ever do and I had the broken arm to prove it. Subconsciously, rub my arm remembering the pain.

I lean my head back and I hear the countdown begin 5…4…3…2…1…Blast off. The pressure of the G-forces shove my head back against the seat. My whole body becomes one with the space chair. I forced my eyes open under my helmet to see the sky change from blue to black as we leave the atmosphere. Boom, the space shuttle shakes. My body is in convulsions. I start to scream
“May day, may day may day” then silence. An orange ball of flame enters my peripheral view then my world went black.