A-man-with-no-plan t1_j9imlta wrote on February 22, 2023 at 6:01 AM

The grass lawn was well maintained. Birds chirped merrily on the trees. People were commuting in buses, cars, bikes & even bicycles. The sun shone in the sky, but the day was pleasant. I inhaled & exhaled to release my tension.        

Half an hour later, I was all geared up. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. After all, not everybody gets to travel in an FTL engine, much less through the black hole. And I'd be the first person to do both. Provided I survived this trip.        

Fifteen minutes later, we were given the go. My AI co-pilot, NOR-A checked the systems one last time. Satisfied, I started the countdown sequence. The engines roared into life.        

Ten seconds. In ten seconds, we were airborne. I gradually increased the speed from 10% to 90%. Soon, I was near the black hole. And then, it started. The electronics started malfunctioning. I tried to contact ground control. All I got was some words, a barely coherent message.        

And then, the world went black. (To be continued....)

A-man-with-no-plan t1_j9irwzl wrote on February 22, 2023 at 7:03 AM

What do you do when you can tell left from right? Or South from North? The inside of this black hole was exactly as I had feared. Nothingness.        

I was trying to contact NOR-A & ground control. Neither responded. I knew my craft was heading somewhere, though. 𝘏𝘰𝘸? I had no explanation, no idea. And the concept of time meant nothing.        

This was going to be my fate. Hung in an all-consuming void till I died. Suddenly, NOR-A came to life. 'Captain, captain!'.        

'NOR-A! Where are you?'

'No idea, Captain. But I am getting a signal. 1-2 light years from us.'        

Signal! It meant: Either I was heading back to my planet, or I had managed to secure a frequency from another planet. Hell, even another universe maybe. Anyway, there was only one way to find out.        

'NOR-A, try connecting to ground control. Also, direct the craft to the source of this signal.'

'Captain, we are on 37% fuel. We do not have enough fuel for a return trip. Are you sure?'

𝘞𝘢𝘴 I? 'Affirmative.'        

I couldn't see where we were heading. Well, I could see, sort of. As we approached our destination, the inky darkness gave way to a shade of grey. The grey became lighter & lighter. And then, I saw it. A grey planet came into my view.        

'25% fuel remaining.'

'20% fuel remaining.'        

By the time the landing sequence had completed, the engine was at 13%. Well, I had traversed a black hole. I had found a new planet. And I was stuck here for rest of my life.        

Sighing, I looked around. Imagine a black & white version of your planet, and you'll get the idea of what I was looking at. And it looked like I had landed in the countryside. I picked a direction and started walking.        

Around 10 minutes later, I met a little girl. Well, at least these people looked like us. Gazing at me in wonder, she asked, 'Who are you? And why are you looking black & white?'        

𝘐 looked black & white?! Huh, guess their world was coloured in these people's views. 'I am Tessa.' I said, extending my hand.        

'I am Tracy.'

'Nice to meet you, Tracy. Can I ask what planet I am on?'        

And that's how I found out that I had ended up on planet Earth.