The Fleet

• Ibrahim Bhatti, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2021

I can feel the cold boot of the car, and the bumpy descending road. Issac, my little brother, is fast asleep after taking the medical sleep pills, given to him to as “lollies”. Suddenly the boot of the black car opens and two tall men dressed in black appear out of the dark. One of the men speaks to the other and points at me. After school I was picked up by the two, Isaac shortly after as well, then were put into the back of the black car and Isaac ate some lollies he shouldn’t have.
“Put them in the chamber they’ll be launched shortly after.” The men nodded. The noises were muffled by the running engine but it soon turned off. The man with black sunglasses pulled me out and asked me some questions, “Do you like space?” I stuttered back, “I…I.. like airplanes and…but.. n…not rockets.” I thought it was a good enough answer but he just stared at me. Isaac and I were taken to a room that looked like it was made of steel.
Isaac woke to the sound of levers being flicked. Some lights started flickering and I flinched to the noise of alarms. “Where are we, and what’s going on?” Demanded Isaac. I didn’t reply. I Just stood there shocked and put my finger up to his mouth to shush him. After a couple of minutes later, someone banged on the outside and a whooshing sound whirled around the room. It started getting cold and colder inside of the small dark space we sat in. Isaac hugged me how mum would if she was sad or worried, I spoke, “We have been kidnapped, Isaac”.
I was starting to worry about Mum and Dad. I wanted to go home! Then a big roar came from what sounded like a broken motor. Then I trembled to the side and the world became empty and silent. It wasn’t long until I woke up. Isaac was asleep as well. He must have gotten tired. There was a small window up the top of the room. I could just see through. Next the floor started getting weaker and gravity had dropped. My temperature had dropped as I felt my forehead and realised, “We’re in space, Isaac.” My tummy swirled with butterflies trying to jump out. It was also as if a war was going on in my body.
It felt like a long time in space when the container we were in bumped into something. Issac excitedly said, “Was that an asteroid!” The metal door clanged open and we were greeted with a nice lady holding a tablet. She said aloud to Isaac and myself, “Your parents have died, this is your home for now. You two have fleeted Earth, here to our space station that saves kids for future life on many planets. We shall grow an economy together.” I opened my mouth with surprise.