👨‍🚀A Mission to Mars - Chapter 1 👨‍🚀

 

Mission to Mars 
 Chapter 1

"Rockets have gone missing while going on a mission to Mars", read the news reporter. "Hpmh, sounds like the Bermuda Triangle story", said James a young trainer at NASA. James had always dreamt to be an astronaut and work at NASA. He had no experience of astronomy but was determined to go to space. He loved learning about the planets, the Milky Way galaxy, the moons, the sun and all that space stuff. But he never knew how difficult it was. On the first day as a trainer, he asked the boss in a show-off sort of manner, "So where am I going today?" The boss looked perplexed and said, " What do you mean 'going'? You are just a trainer! You’re not going anywhere unless you finish at least two years of training with our staff, understand?" James just starred and left the room. His training sounded stupid to him. He thought astronauts do not have to train. But as soon he left the room it looked like a whole new world or rather a whole new planet that stood ahead of him. The floors were covered with marble, the walls were well polished, and what was more shocking was the number of trainers there. Unlike him, everyone seemed to understand that they must work as a trainer to become an astronaut. As he strided across the floor he saw a model of a rocket hanging from the roof. But this was the first day story. Every single day had a different story. Some days he felt lazy, some days determined, some days were just normal. During these two years he learned the basics of a space-shuttle and the international space station. He also learnt how to be part of a team by flying the NASA T-38 training jets. It was on the 22^nd of December, the last of his training months when he started feeling strange. He did not know why. At night while sleeping he felt as though he was being pulled into the air. He tried sharing his feelings with Mark, a trainer of his age but all he got as reply was nice big slap on the cheek. James tried his best to ignore the feeling, but it was hard. The next night while sleeping, he felt it again.  He decided to just go to the bathroom and wash his face.  While washing his face, he noticed a stream of light entering his bathroom window. He could not see what exactly it was. He rubbed his face and looked again. He noticed a figure standing on the middle of the road that somewhat looked like a puppy with a triangular face. He went outside to get a closer look of it. But he suddenly lost all his courage. He ran to Mark’s house which was on the corner of the street. James called him outside to have a look. “What in the world is that?” said Mark. “I have no idea. Whatever that is we must get it out of the road,” James said, his voice fading into the dark. Mark agreed for he remembered what their boss said in one of his speeches to never ignore anything that is in danger.