Page 2 of Larz

I pressed down firmly, my decision igniting like a star being born.

“I am.”

The hum of the ship’s engines played a steady backdrop to the murmur of voices and occasional laughter that floated through the passenger deck. I found myself drawn to a corner where a young woman with platinum blonde hair sat gazing out at the stars. She seemed lost in their dance, a solitary figure against the vastness of space.

“Mind if I join you?” I asked, nodding toward the empty seat beside her.

She glanced over as her smile warmed like a hearth in winter. “Please, be my guest.”

I settled into the seat, letting my gaze drift out to the cosmic ballet beyond the window. “I’m Hailee,” I offered after a moment.

“Adaline,” she replied. “What brings you to this leap into the unknown?”

A laugh escaped me as I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I guess I’m chasing new horizons.”

“Ah, an explorer at heart?”

“You could say that. I used to pore over maps as a kid, imagining all the places I’d go.” I turned toward her, my eyes alight with the memories. "After that, I studied environmental science and gained practical experience working with soil and planting seeds." But Earth... it felt too small, you know?”

Adaline nodded, her eyes reflecting understanding. “And now you’re planting your dreams in new worlds.”

“Yeah.” My fingers traced patterns on the armrest. “Dreams of growing life on barren planets, of being part of something bigger than myself.”

She leaned back, considering me with an expression that held both respect and a tinge of sadness. “Leaving behind everything familiar is brave.”

“It’s necessary.” My voice was firm, though a flicker of doubt shadowed my heart for an instant. “There’s so much out there waiting for us.”

Adaline’s hand reached out, touching my arm lightly. “And what about those you left behind? Do they share your excitement about this adventure?”

The image of my family flashed before me — smiles frozen in time within that picture frame. “They wanted me to find my path.” My throat tightened as I spoke their unspoken blessing. “Their support got me here.”

Her gaze softened even further as she withdrew her hand. “Then you carry them with you, not just in your heart but in every step you take on those new planets.”

I nodded, feeling the truth of her words settle within me like roots taking hold in fertile soil.

“And what about you?” I asked after a moment. “What’s your story?”

She chuckled softly. “Oh, my dear, it’s a long tale full of twists and turns.” Her eyes met mine again. “But let’s just say I’m looking for renewal — a second act in life where the script is blank.”

I smiled at that — kindred spirits charting courses on an unmarked map of stars.

“To new beginnings,” I said, raising an imaginary glass.

“To new beginnings,” she echoed with a smile that promised stories yet to unfold between us.

As we shared our dreams and hopes for the future, I felt an anchor tethering me to this ship full of strangers — soon-to-be pioneers on alien soil together.

The thrum of the spacecraft’s engines crescendoed into a roar that seemed to shake the very fabric of my being. I gripped the armrests, my knuckles betraying the calm I struggled to maintain. The shuttle vibrated, a living thing eager to break free from Earth’s embrace.

Beside me, Adaline’s hand found mine, her grip steady and reassuring. “Here we go,” she said, her voice a buoy in the tumult.

My breath caught as the shuttle lurched forward, the force pressing us back into our seats. I turned my head to look out the small porthole window, watching as the launchpad fell away and the blue sky darkened into an inky abyss speckled with distant stars.

The cabin was silent save for the muffled sounds of acceleration and the collective breaths of passengers bracing for the unknown. Earth, once so vast and all-encompassing, shrank rapidly, its blues and greens blurring into a watercolor memory.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Adaline whispered, her voice tinged with awe.

I nodded, unable to tear my gaze away from the receding planet. “It’s like letting go of the last thread of a balloon,” I murmured. “You know you can’t get it back, but you can’t help but watch it float away.”

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