Countdown To Countdown

***I wrote this story on 1/12/98. I was 13 at the time. I hope you enjoy.***


100,99,98,97,96,95...I can't believe I’m doing this! I can't believe I'm in a spacesuit waiting for blastoff in a 70 foot spacecraft heading for Jupiter!

85,84,83,82,81,80...Oh, my stomach is doing flip-flops! What if we crash? Am I prepared to meet God?!

75,74,73,72,71,70...What if something happens to the spaceship and we can't get back?

65,64,63,62,61,60...I don't think I can do this. What if my helmet cracks? I could die if that happens! What if we burn up in the atmosphere?

55,54,53,52,51,50...What if we run out of oxygen?

48,47,46,45,44,43...What if we run out of gas on our way back from Jupiter?

40,39,38,37,36,35...What if we crash into an asteroid?

32,31,30,29,28,27...What if the ship blows up and we all die?

24,23,22,21,20,19...God, please help me get through this!

10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1...

"Mission control to Jupiter 1...T minus 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1. Lift off, we have lift off!"