The shuttle started to move slowly. A sound emerged from underneath as if it was getting detached from a large mechanism. Sarah grabbed Chloe’s hand next to her. Chloe looked at it as if someone just sneezed at her hand. Sarah squeezed it as the shuttle slowly moved backwards. Chloe sighed but didn’t pull away her hand. Sarah closed her eyes as the shuttle moved further backwards and shifted. It then stopped moving. She opened her eyes and looked out of the window, which she was right next to. It was bright outside still. Outside it looked like a normal airport. Sarah had just released her grip a little bit, but then the shuttle started moving forward. She squeezed again and sat back in her chair. The shuttle drove faster and faster and then took off in the sky. Higher and Higher. Sarah relaxed slowly as she was astonished by the look outside. The large giant city began as large as it was for the small shuttle, but it grew smaller and smaller so fast, it was fascinating. Sarah bent over to look better, she let go of Chloe’s hand, who stroked it a couple of times to get the blood flowing again. Chloe also bent over a little bit so she could look at the view. Dylan was glued to the window, hanging over Thomas his lap, who felt rather uncomfortable about that however, he also was preoccupied by the view of the giant’s city getting smaller and smaller rapidly. They saw the horizon of the giant planet. It rounded up slowly but surely after they passed several layers of clouds. All of them held their breath, almost expecting to see their homes in the clouds. They were even higher, so high up in the sky they could see the suns orbiting above the planet. They each let out their breaths, all feeling a little silly for thinking they might see their homes. Humans would be able to see it too if it were that simple. Then the dark sky emerged around the shuttle. Stars were clear to see as if it was a clear midnight sky. The stewards and stewardesses started to check on all the passengers.

“Please sit back in your seat and put your belts back on sir.” said a young man to Dylan, who was still leaning over Thomas to look outside. He turned red and moved back to his seat. He buckled himself back in and looked outside again. Once the attendants had checked each passenger they returned to their own seats and put their belts on. A voice came from the intercom.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we will go into hyperdrive within a few seconds, please remain seated and if you feel sick, there are bags in the pockets of the seats in front of you, or underneath your seats, if you are in the very front, thank you.”

Sarah’s eyes grew big and she searched for Chloe’s hand again. She couldn’t find it and looked at her companion desperately. Chloe sighed and rolled her eyes, then held out her hand. Sarah grabbed it in panic. They were pulled back into their chairs by pure force. It felt as if the air was a string that pulled them backwards. The pressure was surreal and nobody could move for at least a minute. The force stopped as suddenly as it had started. Everyone’s heads fell out of the chairs and you could hear a sound of relief going through the whole cabin. Chloe looked at Sarah’s terribly pale face and instantly searched for the bag. She found it quickly, unfolded it even quicker and held it out under Sarah’s face, just in time. Chloe shuddered but held back the large blonde curls of the small girl, who looked even more fragile than ever before.