- Link for Chapter 1: Family’s happiness
It’s 2 o’clock in the morning, and Mia is preparing for the most important moment of her life—her journey to space. Today marks the end of her two-week break, which felt like it passed in the blink of an eye. The end of these two weeks also signals the day she departs for the International Space Station (ISS).
She is packing her suitcase with the help of Emily, Leo, and Daisy.
“It’s time, Mia!” Dad calls.
“I’m here!” Mia responds. She looks around her bedroom, trying to memorize every corner of the place she dearly loves. Emily tries to hold back her tears, Leo whistles to hide his sadness, and Daisy gently places a hand on Mia’s shoulder to encourage her. Mia locks the door to her room, hangs the key on the hook, and heads downstairs.
“We’ll drive you to NASA,” Mom says.
“Thanks, Mom!” Mia nods. The Browns—six people in total—squeeze into their small brown car, which now feels too tiny for them. Mia looks back at their quiet house.
“Traveling to space is a dangerous journey. I don’t know if I’ll ever return to this place,” Mia thinks as she shuts the car door. She watches the house until it disappears behind the trees.
When they arrive at NASA, the Browns say goodbye to Mia with waves and lingering looks. Then, they find a spot to stand, wanting to witness her launch. Mia searches for her astronaut friends, Ethan Watson and Emma Johnson. She notices them sitting quietly in the waiting room, approaches them with a weak smile, and silently sits beside them. Time seems to pass incredibly fast.
Mia is now inside the rocket—The Starblazer 1. She feels dizzy. To distract herself from her worries, she tries to recall everything that has happened leading up to this moment. She remembers someone calling for them to board, then walking past a sea of reporters, officials, and their teary-eyed families. The rocket itself is the most glorious, majestic, and enormous thing she has ever seen. It’s big, shiny, and modern, with LED lights running along its body, accentuating its curves and structure. Standing before it, Mia and her friends feel tiny. She was excited yet nervous as she put on her astronaut suit.
Now, here she is. She looks at Ethan with a nervous smile. The sunlight filtering through the window mixes with the shadow of the rising gas smoke, creating a hazy, surreal scene. Time rushes forward with surprising speed. Emma, Ethan, and Mia exchange glances.
“Starblazer 1 is launching in 60 seconds… 60… 59… 58…” a voice announces over the microphone.
“5… 4… 3… 2… 1… 0. Start the engine! Fire! Launch!”
A deafening explosion erupts as Starblazer 1 shoots into the sky, accelerating beyond the speed of sound and leaving behind a massive cloud of white nitrogen smoke. Mia tries to focus on the screen in front of her, ensuring that everything is functioning properly, but the world seems to spin around her. She feels dizzy and closes her eyes. She can hear voices from Earth and Lily’s responses, but she can’t process anything.
Suddenly, she feels weightless—she has escaped Earth’s atmosphere. A wave of relief washes over her. Finally, she can speak. She happily responds to the voices from Earth, her fear replaced with excitement.
A few minutes later, she sees the ISS, shining like a star against the darkness of space.
She has begun a brand-new life in the vast, silent expanse of the universe.
- Mia has started a new life on the ISS. She is going to work here. What will happen? Is there any danger? Will Mia get blown away from the ISS while fixing something outside? Will she meet aliens and write a book about it? Will she become famous?
- Let’s read Chapter 3 to find out!
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