By: Jasmine Tang

Chapter One

I examine my packed luggage laying on my bedroom floor. It’s so weird to see my normally messy pink bedroom so nice and clean. The windows are shut, my bed is folded, and my desk is literally shining.

Except for an open box of candy. I snatch it and shove it into my backpack.

My mom and I are going halfway across the U.S to visit family in California. We are going to be gone for only three weeks, but I feel like we are going to be gone for months.

I flop on my bed, and pet my cat, Ellie. She purrs.

“I’ll be back before you know it,” I tell Ellie. “Don’t you worry.”

Ellie rubs her cheek on my face, and purrs some more.

“Sadie! Come on! Plane leaves in two hours!” Mom calls.

“Bye,” I softly whisper to Ellie. I plant a kiss on her fluffy head.

I drag my luggage down the stairs, and out the garage door. My mom is loading her stuff in the back.

“My clothes, my backpack, and my other clothes,” I say.

“I’ll put it all in. Go inside and fill a bag of snacks, ok?”

“Sure.”

I go inside, and shove whatever I can find in a plastic baggy from Walmart.

I hear the car engine go off, and I run outside.

My mom motions me from inside the car, and I hop in.

I clutch my backpack, as a watch the garage door closes.

“I hope Ellie will be safe,” I worry.

“She’s a very resourceful cat,” Mom says. “She’ll be fine.”

Mom drives 5 miles west, until we reach the airport. I drag my suitcase inside the airport and reach the front desk. My mom hands the flight attendant out tickets, as I check the weather on my phone.

“Mom…” I say. “It says that it will have strong storms, and heavy rain.”

“The aircrew will make sure none of the planes tonight will crash.” the flight attendant says. “Not a single hair on your head will get hurt on this flight.”

I pat my brown-haired mess on my head.

The flight attendant chuckles.

Mom then drags me to the waiting area before we board.

Someone comes over the speaker to tell us that our flight is ready to be boarded.

“Since this is a thirty-two hour flight I got us first class seats!”

I’ve never been in first class before. I touch the seats, pressing on it to feel the squishiness.

“Sit down!” Mom says, shoving our stuff in the suitcase holder thingy. “It’s a lot better than the economy section!”

I throw myself on the squishy seat, and soak in the comfort. “Maybe I can get used to this!” I bounce on the chair.

The plane instructions go off, and we depart. I sit there while mom reads a magazine. I try to watch a movie on the tiny screen but it’s a movie I’ve watched like 10 times. After a few hours I finally doze off.

I wake up, to find Mom sleeping and a dish of cookies in front of us. I look out the window and see the night sky. I quietly get out of my seat, and head to the bathroom. After doing my business, I sit back down and take out my backpack. I packed my sketchbook, a pencil, and colored pencils to draw. I sit in my seat drawing the night sky. It isn’t cloudy so I can see stars and constellations. I color them into my drawing, carefully tracing out each constellation I see. I’m sort of a science geek. Then the plane starts shaking.

I peek outside the window, and I see a black hole type of shape. People are screaming now. Somehow mom’s still asleep.

“Mom!” I yell, shaking her. “Wake up!”

Mom jolts up and asks, “Sadie, what happened?”

“The plane is gonna crash into a black hole thingy!” I yell.

“Abort! Abort!” a man in front of me shrieks, running his hand through his messy brown hair. “We’re gonna die!”

The window next to me flies off. We are now in the black hole.

The man in front of me pulls off his window and dives into the water, but his jacket got sucked into the portal. I get sucked out into the portal. Mom grabs my hand.

“Mom!” I scream. “Help!”

“I’m trying!” she yells. The pull gets stronger, and half of mom’s body is out the window.

“Mom, let go,” I say.

“What?!”

“Let go!” I scream.

“Are you crazy?” she screams back at me.

“Maybe! But if I’m right, this portal will lead into another dimension!” I scream. The winds are howling now. “I promise I’ll find my way back.”

With one concerned look, mom lets go of my hand.

Image Credit by Jens Johnsson