Once the
winnings had cleared by direct bank transfer, she immediately booked
two weeks abroad for a soon as she could which was April. The family
hadn't had a decent holiday for years, and this one was going to be
the holiday of a lifetime.
He had finally set up his home
office. The new contract allowed him to pack in the day job and go
full time from home with his true passion. No more being stuck in
rush hour traffic or having to be in the office by a certain time and
be told when and for how long he could have his lunch, or when he
could go home. One thing he was looking forward to enjoying most of
all was watching the traffic out of his window - everyone else
rushing around in the rat race. But not him.
The first thing she was going to do
when she got released that morning was to sit in the park with an ice
cream, do some people watching and enjoy the freedom to move about
without restriction. The main thing she looked forward to was no
longer being limited to outdoor exercise just once a day.
The module had been locked into
earth orbit. With communications having been knocked out for weeks,
Captain John Cortney had been given up for dead. The isolation of
space had nearly driven him insane, but after 72 hours of repairs he
was ready to make a final attempt to get home. There was only enough
oxygen left for a few more hours. He flipped some switches and the
thrusters fired up successfully. The module lurched downwards and
began its re-entry into earth's atmosphere.
Looking up from the back garden into
the sky she imagined a plane crossing overhead - the one she and
her family would have been on. The winnings sat in the bank, but they
didn't mean much right now. Her attention was caught by a speck in
the sky, and a sound like a distant lawn mower. She squinted at the
object as it moved slowly in circles against the blue.
Looking out at the empty quiet
street below on this Monday morning had burst his bubble. A woman in
a nurse's uniform got in her car and drove off without so much as
having to use her indicators. Next door he could hear his neighbour
through the thin wall chatting business to someone on skype. He
opened the window for some fresh air and heard a buzzing noise high
above in the air. Looking out and upwards he saw a tiny winged
silhouette moving slowly through the clear sky.
When they let her out through the
main gate a car was waiting. The probation officer greeted her and
briefed her on the situation. She would be driven to her nominated
address where she had to remain indoors with the exception of
exercise once a day and shopping for essentials. They both looked
skyward as a distant high-pitched engine noise emanated from a gently
swirling object a long way above them in the air.
After having crashed landed into the
sea not far from the shore, Captain John Cortney floated in on an
emergency self-inflating raft. He was going to hug the first person
he saw. But the beach was deserted. He saw a lone figure walking
along the promenade and ran towards the stranger who noticed him
approaching. The stranger ran off it in the opposite direction,
holding a hand over his mouth. Bemused, the captain stopped and
looked around. Everything was still apart from what appeared to be a
tiny light aircraft circling in the air further inland.
The world was always peaceful from
this high in the air. The only sound was that of the microlite's
engine. Banking round and taking in new panoramas the pilot sucked
freedom into his lungs. This was the kind of distance from everyone
he enjoyed. The world below was as still as it looked - the roads
empty and the parks clear of speckles of people and picnic blankets.
As he approached the open field where he took off, he noticed two
police cars had parked up, and a couple of officers stood apart
watching him descend.
|