what?
The distant rumble was now a growing roar.
‘Head back.’ E.D. grimaced, letting go of the walls and hoping he’d return to where he’d started and the safety of the room. But to his amazement, he found himself stationary, suspended in the tunnel. He should have been moving backwards!
The noise increased, and E.D. realised why he was stuck. A cool breeze was quickly turning intoa blast of air. Suddenly he was pushing at the walls, trying to force himself backwards, but the wind roaring through the tube from behind was pushing him the other way.
Bracing himself against the blast of air, E.D. hunched his body, pressing his feet and hands against the sides of the tube. A deafening roar of wind rushed past him. E.D.’s hair and clothes flapped wildly as he clung desperately, forcing as much of his body as he could against the sides of the tube.
Suddenly a foot slipped free and his body jerked forward. The noise from the tube snatched the scream from his mouth. Then his hands gave way. The howling blast of air had won. E.D. was being driven forward, gaining speed every second, plunging deeper into the black tube.
The darkness was terrifying. The tunnel curved to the left then suddenly dropped. E.D. was diving in a vertical descent, plunging into the depths of Explore! Putting his arms up to protect his face, he plummeted downwards, faster and faster. Just when he thought he couldn’t endure another moment of the terrifying dive into blackness, the tunnel evened out, and sparkles of light started to appear. Were they stars? E.D. looked again. He was slowingdown, somewhere way beneath Explore! He wondered how he was going to get out. There was no way he’d be able to climb back the way he’d come.
Finally E.D. came to a stop. He reached out a hand towards the glittering lights surrounding him but felt nothing. Tentatively he raised an arm, stretching it directly above him. Nothing. Then he looked down. There were twinkling lights beneath him too. Slowly E.D. stood up. The tube had flattened out and widened. He could stand up without hitting his head.
Again he raised an arm. This time he could just touch the roof of the tube. E.D. almost jumped out of his skin when a voice suddenly echoed down the tube.
‘Welcome to space,’ a low, resonating male voice said. ‘The final frontier. You are going where no man or woman has gone before. It will get hot, it will get cold, it will get light and it will get dark. Very dark. Please adjust your helmet and crash equipment and attach your goggles. Your journey recommences in fifteen seconds.’
E.D. turned right, then left, trying to make out where he was. Crash equipment? Goggles? The sound of air rushing through the tunnelstarted up again. ‘Take up your position and prepare for flight,’ the voice said.
‘Position? What position?’ muttered E.D., lying down again, this time feet first. I’m in the black tube, he reasoned. Nothing can happen to me. It’s just another ride. Okay, a bit darker and faster than the green tube, and one hell of a lot scarier than any ride he’d taken before, but still a ride.
Slowly E.D. began to move. This time he didn’t resist the force. The tube was getting lighter as it gently turned upwards.
‘This is your last warning about goggles. You are approaching the sun,’ the voice called. The tube made a bend to the left. It was quickly getting hotter. A moment later E.D. was thrust into the brightest light he’d ever experienced. It wasn’t yellow, but white. He shut his eyes, covering them with his hands as the air forced him along the tube. Ignoring the voice that was now reeling off a whole bunch of facts about the sun, E.D. cradled his head in his arms, desperately trying to shield himself from the blinding light. He had hardly noticed the temperature rising, but suddenly drops of perspiration were falling from his brow. The heat was intense.
‘The surface temperature of the sun is a staggering 6000°C,’ said the
The distant rumble was now a growing roar.
‘Head back.’ E.D. grimaced, letting go of the walls and hoping he’d return to where he’d started and the safety of the room. But to his amazement, he found himself stationary, suspended in the tunnel. He should have been moving backwards!
The noise increased, and E.D. realised why he was stuck. A cool breeze was quickly turning intoa blast of air. Suddenly he was pushing at the walls, trying to force himself backwards, but the wind roaring through the tube from behind was pushing him the other way.
Bracing himself against the blast of air, E.D. hunched his body, pressing his feet and hands against the sides of the tube. A deafening roar of wind rushed past him. E.D.’s hair and clothes flapped wildly as he clung desperately, forcing as much of his body as he could against the sides of the tube.
Suddenly a foot slipped free and his body jerked forward. The noise from the tube snatched the scream from his mouth. Then his hands gave way. The howling blast of air had won. E.D. was being driven forward, gaining speed every second, plunging deeper into the black tube.
The darkness was terrifying. The tunnel curved to the left then suddenly dropped. E.D. was diving in a vertical descent, plunging into the depths of Explore! Putting his arms up to protect his face, he plummeted downwards, faster and faster. Just when he thought he couldn’t endure another moment of the terrifying dive into blackness, the tunnel evened out, and sparkles of light started to appear. Were they stars? E.D. looked again. He was slowingdown, somewhere way beneath Explore! He wondered how he was going to get out. There was no way he’d be able to climb back the way he’d come.
Finally E.D. came to a stop. He reached out a hand towards the glittering lights surrounding him but felt nothing. Tentatively he raised an arm, stretching it directly above him. Nothing. Then he looked down. There were twinkling lights beneath him too. Slowly E.D. stood up. The tube had flattened out and widened. He could stand up without hitting his head.
Again he raised an arm. This time he could just touch the roof of the tube. E.D. almost jumped out of his skin when a voice suddenly echoed down the tube.
‘Welcome to space,’ a low, resonating male voice said. ‘The final frontier. You are going where no man or woman has gone before. It will get hot, it will get cold, it will get light and it will get dark. Very dark. Please adjust your helmet and crash equipment and attach your goggles. Your journey recommences in fifteen seconds.’
E.D. turned right, then left, trying to make out where he was. Crash equipment? Goggles? The sound of air rushing through the tunnelstarted up again. ‘Take up your position and prepare for flight,’ the voice said.
‘Position? What position?’ muttered E.D., lying down again, this time feet first. I’m in the black tube, he reasoned. Nothing can happen to me. It’s just another ride. Okay, a bit darker and faster than the green tube, and one hell of a lot scarier than any ride he’d taken before, but still a ride.
Slowly E.D. began to move. This time he didn’t resist the force. The tube was getting lighter as it gently turned upwards.
‘This is your last warning about goggles. You are approaching the sun,’ the voice called. The tube made a bend to the left. It was quickly getting hotter. A moment later E.D. was thrust into the brightest light he’d ever experienced. It wasn’t yellow, but white. He shut his eyes, covering them with his hands as the air forced him along the tube. Ignoring the voice that was now reeling off a whole bunch of facts about the sun, E.D. cradled his head in his arms, desperately trying to shield himself from the blinding light. He had hardly noticed the temperature rising, but suddenly drops of perspiration were falling from his brow. The heat was intense.
‘The surface temperature of the sun is a staggering 6000°C,’ said the
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