Countdown Started

COUNTDOWN STARTED            

My garden bloomed with pretty colorful flowers on that day. I watched that from my balcony in that chill morning and wondered at the colorful site which attracted my eyes and my heart. I entered the garden soon to spend some time there. Because I was really frustrated with the situation I was facing at that time. The colorful site soothed my heart and my eyes for a while. But it lost for few minutes only. And I was back to my thoughts and fear.

           It was a rule in our place. Every year one person will be send to moon from each family. This irritated me a lot. Because I was living with this fear long back. At that time my turn was coming. That was a horrible part of my life. I was hiding myself from the people who were responsible for sending me. Each day fear became my food and drink.

“Anne, Anne, Where are you? Here is a call for the rocket station.” My sister called me.

My hands were shivering and the tea mug which I was holding fell down from my hands.

“Tell them that I am not here,” I cried out.

“Come, come fast. This is a great opportunity for our family. No one else is lucky to get this chance in our Livingston family” my mother called me with much happiness in her tone.

“Oh. My God, Won’t you save me from this? I don’t want to go anywhere. Won’t you destroy this moon or that rocket? My God, Please save me” I cried aloud.

“Ha ha, Are you praying? Come fast, they’re waiting” my father told.

I went to the living area and attended the call. “Hello” I said.

“Hello, how are you, madam? How is your health at present? You didn’t attend any of our training in entering inside the rocket. Didn’t you remember that this is your turn?” they asked me without halting anywhere. I strengthened my heart and mind for a while.

“Sorry madam. I’ll come today.” I replied.

“Get ready and come fast. We are waiting outside.” They told and cut the call.

Phone fell from my hands and I fell down fainted.

“It’s the time to move, Anne” my sister told sprinkling some water in my face.

“What? No, No, I won’t go anywhere. Please don’t send me like this.” No one was ready to hear my cry there. They pushed me into my room to get ready. After 45 min, they called me to open the door. When I opened the door, the rocket people were standing there and my sister was also standing with them with my bag.

“Are you ready madam? They asked.

“Yes, I am” I replied them and ran away from them by pushing them back.

I escaped from that place and from them. I was running and finally I entered into a big hole under the train station. I decided to hide there and stayed there. By running for a long way, I was much tired and slept there. I slept for a long time. When I wake up, I felt relaxed thinking that I got escaped from entering into the rocket. By thinking so, I came out of the hole slowly and found a group of people standing out there for me to take me to rocket station. By seeing them, I got sweated. I wiped my face and I didn’t know  what to do next and how to escape from their hands. Those people came and held my hands and took me to their vehicle. My heart started to beat bit fast. “Please leave me, I want to go home. I don’t want to go to moon” I cried to them. But nobody listened to my cry. They took me to the rocket office.

Finally we reached the station. I stepped down from the vehicle. A group of people were standing there to welcome me. That was as great surprise for me. I wondered at that and was little surprised. Slowly they guided me to move into the rocket station. Again the fear began.

The station covered up a vast area and in the entrance hall, I could see and read the images and stories of all who went to the moon. I saw the images and models of Saturn I, Saturn I B and so on. They welcomed me with a colorful bouquet and addressed me as ‘astronaut’. I enjoyed hearing that. They treated me like a ‘queen.’ That was an amazing experience. But I don’t want to go to moon.

The head scientists came to me and shake hands. All high authorities came and stood around me. My family too reached by time. My spirit in me told me, “Your life is going to end here. This is the last day in this earth for you.” I didn’t know what to do next. They thanked me for going to moon. Two women officials came to me and took me to the dressing room. In that dressing room, I saw many astronauts’ dress, oxygen cylinder, and all those things. By seeing that, I was almost fainted and was about to fall down. The officials held me.

Then they helped me to dress up like an astronaut. I saw myself in the mirror. My soul cried inside me. The time was nearing and the rocket was ready. I moved to the welcome hall again and all wished me “Good Luck.” But, for me, it was like going into the hell. My family came near to me and hugged me. But I could not feel the warm there. Those dress hid the warm hugs too. My eyes filled with tears. I bid them, “Good Bye.”

The higher officials guided me to the rocket. They opened the door for me and wished me. I felt like I was stepping into the coffin box. I went inside and looked around. My life took a reverse there. I understood that there was no more earth, no more family, no more love, everything over. Again I turned back once. Everyone clapped and bid farewell. I concentrated only to escape from going to moon. I jumped down suddenly and tried to run away. They caught me and threw me back into the rocket and closed the door.

My life turned there. I moved inside and my heart beat fast. I realized that everything was changed. Then I remembered my favorite dishes, favorite places and my dear ones, everything. I was alone inside the rocket. There was none to chat and talk. Loneliness killed me and my spirit. The countdown started and I heard it. I started sweating heavily. Finally I fainted there itself.