Far

I was asleep a minute ago, in my chamber, at the back of the vessel. Oh! Miraculous vessel, the vessel that took me far away, away from the land I so dearly long for. The vessel that took me so far away from home, with no promise to take me back. As I alight from my comfortable nest, I retreat to the only window in the room, so small yet with the biggest meaning; to look for my Earth - my material alpha, my organic omega. It seems strange, even momentarily funny, that I am in the very place I thought Heaven would be. Up. I stare out of the window. I see black. Black, empty nothingness. When I crane my neck, to look at the vessel on a parallel line, I can see the words COLUMBIA printed on it. How bright they shine, though there is no light. How bright they shine, though they are black. Instead of light, all around me, like a castaway at sea with no landscape but water, I look onward to a perpetual night. Oh! Where is my sun ?

----

It seems like yesterday. Just yesterday. It seems like yesterday that I said goodbye to my mother, and told her that I would be back safe. Where was I going ? Far away, in every sense of the phrase. To space, where there is black nothingness. To Mars, where there is blank, empty, cold, nothingness. Oh! How I wish I had never said bye, but stayed on Earth, where the comfort of my mother's embrace is ever near. I promised her I would be back before her Birthday. Oh! But it seems like yesterday, so near, but I can never go back.

----

Our mission to Mars had failed. I was to explore, explore Mars, along with a team. Oh! Wonderful team! Wouldn't it have been better if we had never been a team ? But we were one, and so we had to go to Mars, away from home, my brown, ruffled, doormat. I long for my doormat.

But how could it go wrong ? Everything was checked! The foam was not supposed to come loose, it was not supposed to damage the vessel! But it did. I wish I hadn't said bye, but had stayed on Earth, away from this tangled mess that I am in now. It is more unwanted than a fisherman's birdnest. Where do I go now ? Home. What do I do know ? Wait till I get home. But home is so far away!

----

I am like the weary voyager - the one trudging on. I brave circumstances to reach the place I saw would save me. The place that would make me. Only, I am fighting to go back home. Our technical experts, what experts, were doing everything possible to get back home. Home. Where I belong, and where I long to be. I am trudging on, braving circumstances, to ensure that I have somewhere to be. At least.

----

OH NO!
There is a rope. The rope tugs.
I wish to go back home.
The rope tugs. What is the rope ?
I need to go back home.
The rope is a bridge.
I want my home.
The rope is a bridge to doom.

----

Oh! Magnificent vessel! Must thou falter now ? Is thy purpose to solely transport, but not survive ? Oh! Magnificent vessel! Must thou falter now ?

----

"We are close!" cried one of the technical experts. His voice faltered. I so desperately wanted it to be promising, powerful, dominating, assuring, but it lacked conviction.

"FAITH!" I cried.

We were nearing. I could see the blue-green-white mass that lived. I could see life in this black nothingness. Somewhere, beneath those clouds was my home, was my mother. So close! Home!

"FAITH! FAITH! FAITH!" I cried. "HOME!"

But his voice faltered. As soon as he announced our arrival into the Earth's atmosphere.

"Oh no." It squeaked. His voice was reduced to a squeak. Mouse! A squeaking mouse. Before anything could be asked, there was an explosion. No, not a physical explosion, but one that can be felt. Faith was lost. Hope and trust were lost. And as soon as these were lost, we were encompassed.

----

I look right. Fire.
I look left. Red.
I look outside the window. Down. Fire.
I look up. Amber embers.

We are burning alive.

The rope tugs.

----

Home, oh Home, you have run away from me and I cannot keep up. Doormat, you too, have you also left me forlorn ? Oh, Mother! Hold me and tell me I'm dreaming. Oh Mother, wake me up, don't let me go the way we let Father go. Oh no. Mother, please. Don't let me break my promise.

----

The rope triumphed and it was over.

----

It was over. I returned to where I came from. But before that, I did many things, yes I did.

I breathed a final time.
I blinked a final time.
I looked down at my feet. I would miss my feet. They walked with me when I was alone, ran with me when I wanted to run away.
I let a tear down my cheek. Amongst the fire, there was water.
Candle. I lit it with the fire from my mind.
Imaginary candle.

I sang Happy Birthday to my Mother. I prayed. Prayed that it would reach her.

I prayed.

It was over.
Encompassed.
Black nothingness, now red hot fire.

Now black nothingness again.

----

Oh ! Miraculous vessel, Magnificent vessel, thou hath been devoured.

And from that moment on, for ever, through eternity, the sun stopped burning.
Frozen sun.

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*Excuse the random topic, it was meant to be a composition for English Language, but it was too long, so I put it up here. =)