Mary Princess of Ayri

When she finally got to the top of the ladder she found her mother lying on her back in a chair facing a bewildering bank of lights, buttons and gauges.  Mary thought it looked just like a picture of a cockpit she had seen in a book about airplanes, except there was no window in front of her mother, just the biggest TV screen Mary had ever seen.  At the moment the screen was blank.

“Good, you are here”, Mary’s mother said as she got out of the chair.  “Please sit in this chair and I will strap you in.”

Mary climbed into the chair and her mother pulled straps tightly around her.  Soon she was strapped in the chair so tightly that she was unable to move at all.

“Why are you doing this and what is going on, Mother?” Mary asked.

“I don’t have time to explain now.  Remain quiet and I will tell you when you are safe.”

Mary’s mother climbed back into her chair just as the screen in front of her lit up and a series of characters scrolled down.  Mary thought they looked like a mixed up alphabet.  Then the vibration became stronger and a roar started at the bottom of the cylinder and Mary felt the room moving.  It started out feeling like an elevator that was moving up slowly but soon she felt a lot of pressure pushing her down into her seat as they moved faster and faster.  The pressure became so bad that Mary thought she would soon be unable to breathe.  Her arms felt like lead.  She was completely unable to move.

Just as she thought she couldn’t stand it anymore, the pressure began to lessen, and then was completely gone.  Mary breathed a sigh of relief.  She relaxed in the chair and appreciated the simple ability to breathe without a struggle.  She still could not move because she was strapped in so tightly.  She could turn her head and she looked at her mother who was busily pushing buttons and checking the screen.

“Mother, please tell me what is happening,” pleaded Mary.

“Not now, Mary, I will explain later.  You need to be quiet.  I know that takeoff was frightening, but this next step will be worse.  Do not be afraid.  You will feel very strange.  If you try to relax it will not be as bad.  Do not try to talk.  It will not last long.”

Mary opened her mouth to ask another question but she was unable to form the words.  Her entire body felt as if she was being stretched and melted.  The room around her seemed to twist and buckle.  Lights flickered and floated.  Someone was screaming.  The TV in front of her appeared to flow down the wall.  Visions of Mary’s classmates at school floated in the air in front of her screaming, “Red head, red head, dead red head!”

Am I dying? She wondered.  Then everything went black.

Slowly Mary began to awaken but she was afraid to open her eyes.

Oh, please let me be in my bed at home, she thought.

When she finally opened her eyes she was still in the strange room and she was still strapped in the chair.

At least my body isn’t melted and lying in a pool in the floor.

Mary strained against the straps.  They were becoming very uncomfortable.  She glanced over at her mother and finally got up the courage to say, “Please loosen the straps.  They are hurting me.”

Her mother looked over at her and said, “ I see you have regained consciousness.   I have to finish this sequence.  I will attend to you in a moment.”

Mary felt very dispirited.  She had just gone through the most frightening thing in her life and yet she received no comfort from her mother.  She sighed and tried to get comfortable until her mother could release her.  Then she noticed something very unusual.  A tear that had slipped from her eye was floating in front of her face.

“Mother, a tiny drop of water is floating in front of me!”