Farrows Escape

• Jasper Weight, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2018

The engine roared as Farrow pushed the thrusters to the maximum. The ship’s dashboard lit up with red lights, and Farrow lurched forward as a second rocket hit his ship’s hull. There were still many fighters on his tail.
He steered right to avoid an oncoming rocket, moving in his chair as the ship jolted to the side. His mind raced, he looked back at the fighters, watching as they each sped up. He fired a rocket from his rear guns, hitting a ship behind him and tearing a small hole in its body.
Smoke rose from the back of the cockpit as his left thruster was torn from its hull. Farrow turned, zooming into a nearby asteroid field. He could hear small rocks hit his windshield as he sped through the rocky wasteland. He gripped the steering wheel, rapidly rotating it to avoid an incoming asteroid. He slammed down on a button to fold the wings as he moved through the rusted carcass of an old star destroyer, barely avoiding its jagged edges.
The large destroyer shook violently as a missile struck it, just as Farrow shot towards a small asteroid in hopes of hiding. Before he could reach his destination, he was surrounded by drones, a blur of black and red circling around him like an animal stalking its prey. The drones were each around half the size of his ship, with two identical guns on each side. Farrow gradually moved his hand on the wheel, acutely aware that his every move was being watched. Farrow slammed down on the gas, pushing hard on the steering wheel till his knuckles went white. Before the drones could react, Farrow was instantaneously rushing through space, barely dodging oncoming asteroids.
Farrow saw the drones moving faster, becoming more desperate in their pursuit as they chased Farrow and his stolen ship. He regretted stealing it and running from the law. Scarcely two days ago Farrow had been in his home in sector 7G, living his placid, mediocre life, and now he was on the run, fleeing from an armada of enemy drones after infiltrating their base and stealing a priceless spaceship.
Farrow was moving past a large asteroid when a map appeared on the main screen. It showed directions to a small outpost on the border of sector 3H, an unexplored territory. Farrow turned, following the directions on the mysterious map. He followed it till he saw a space station, in orbit around a nearby planet. With the drones still following, but losing speed behind him, he moved towards the unknown base, folding in the ship's guns so he showed he meant no harm. A hangar door opened for him, allowing his ship to dock safely. He took off his helmet, allowing himself to sigh in relief.
“Hands up!” a rough voice said from behind him. Turns out things aren’t so good after all, thought Farrow as he turned slowly to face his destiny.