#take 153

the drop into earth's atmosphere was,   in her opinion,   the worst part. not the feeling of falling in itself,  but the constant pull against her body & the jolting of the ship as everyone screamed out in fear-- realization that her sister had finally won her as she clung to the straps across her chest,      the only thing between her & actually falling & dying like they all feared would happen.     she hadn't screamed, hadn't cried her eyes out like the girl beside her, who had trouble breathing with the heaving sobs that had only stopped after beatriz had told her to shut up,     that the section of the ship they were on would be one who’d to receive the least amount of damage----   a lie, but it had done the job. beatriz had simply taken it with all of her dignity intact until they'd stopped moving.

initial panic had only been subsided once everyone was sure they were alive,       only to be followed by a greater panic when they realized that if they were alive;    then they were alive & stranded on earth.    no idea what to do,          no idea if they would be able to survive on the outside.

nobody wanted to be the first to open the doors,         to answer the one question in everybody's minds;   could they survive out on the earth or were they all going to due upon stepping outside?     until finally, there was one who did exactly that,        their voice carrying over the crowd with reassurances that everything would be okay;  beatriz recognized him immediately.       tall, dark & absolutely no reason to be on board with the rest of them; the 'criminals' of the Ark.

there had been silence,    as the door dropped open & they all waited in anticipation.    as they all watched him & waited for him to do what they were all too scared to do.         then it was over, with a cry of joy as they all rushed out into the world rebuilt.