"Life on-board the Envy is split into two categories: descent and ascent. The time when you spend at either ends of the ship is a world of difference. Although the two worlds are, essentially, the same during the day, at night life on either end of the ship is incredibly different."
Hanging upside down by my feet, in complete blackness, was not the way I envisioned my life to be like before I boarded the Envy at the age of two. Although I am a third generation Envy child, I had been awaiting this day since I could remember when I was still allowed to walk around freely like I use to.
On the way to the air exchange platform, the lift system shut itself down because of some heavy winds, which forced us to travel the rest of the way by gliding through the narrow shafts. That is when I finally felt the gravity from head down to toe on my shoulders. I was always told gravity was the culprit that kept me from walking regularly, along with the fact that every passenger had to be three feet tall or less. When my dad and I finally reached the descent point, he let me out of the doll carriage, which I had been travelling in for almost an hour, and we proceeded to glide to the platform.
There was darkness everywhere. A blackness so complete that, at first, I wasn't sure if I was looking up or down.
"I think I saw light," I said, voicing my confusion with a child's urgent nature.
"I was thinking the same thing," said my father. "You have had your eyes closed for the past hour. I'm sure that's why you thought you saw light."
I shook my head side to side, waiting for it to sink in. Dad said, "Why don't you look around the platform? See if you can find some flashlights."
"Okay," I said, as I stopped walking in darkness and made my way towards the light.
"Hey Peter, use your head!" shouted my dad from behind.
He was right. Although we, the passengers, chose to shut off all our electronic devices because of the forces of gravity were so high, all the lights were on the platform. I shined my flashlight around. As I continued to walk towards the flashlight, I noticed the platform moved. It was then I began to feel the pull of the Earth's gravity. Slowly I began to feel the air I was breathing, the atmosphere I fell into. It wasn't until after 20 minutes of walking in the predetermined air corridor, that I saw the basic doorway that exists in front of the box. There is a similar narrow shaft with the dumbbell shaped platform on each side of the doorway. That is where not only we, but the first two passengers to board the ship in 1625, had to prepare for their first days on the ship. There were an assortment of powders, crystals, pills, and a few injuries that took a few days to heal. As I made my way into the small space, I wasn't surprised to see the doorway was too narrow for another person to fit.
"Hey, there are tons of beds in here," I shouted.
"Good, you are going to sleep," said my dad as he entered the room.
"It's free fall," I said.
"Yes, it's a new change," said my dad.
"No, I mean we are free falling. We are falling from the sky," I said, feeling the pull of the earth.
"Son, that's normal. Don't let it bother you," said my dad.
"No, it isn't normal, it's different. Why is it different?" I asked.
"It's always been this way. You know what, we will discuss it later because you need to be in bed," said my dad.
"Okay," I said as he lifted me upside down towards the bed.
"If you really don't feel well, I will immediately wean you off the moon on this blue and pink day. I will then make sure the weightlessness is a few days in the future. Maybe a week," he said.
"Okay buddy," I said, trying to muster my energy.
"Your father is not a bad guy and I promise you, in your next life, you can be anywhere he wants you to be," said my dad.
"Okay, good night, dad," I said, as he gave me a kiss on the cheek and I forgot that I too was falling from the sky and he would be gone forever.