Shields at 96 %. “Vaikuntha is known as the point of preservation.  This is where the preservation of the universe occurs. It is like a fine thread connecting it all together. A tiny thread balancing all causality, space, time, thermodynamic miracles, miracles, quarks atoms, all come together here. One rip or tear and the universal fabric would tear. Kind of like a tattered canvas without which the ship would drift without a heading. All cosmic causality, big, small and those that are yet to manifest come to a halt. Universal time would cease to exist. A universal pause. A universal downtime. A universal me time.

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 How beautiful would it be, the universe framed in an instant, like a painting that makes one feel positive. Preserved at the happiest moment in a persons memory. Just reliving that one moment of immense happiness over and over again. A complete sense of bliss. No worry of the past, present or the now. Just happiness at its relative individual respective peak.  Oh goodie.  Vaikunth. Ahhh…the vibes…umhmmm. Perhaps the universe is a painting in some art gallery hanging and there is the curator and a connoisseur talking about it as if they know what they are talking about, but they really do not, yet it some how makes sense for they feel. A visceral dialogue.

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He would look at me with widened eyes understanding what I am saying, because I know he is wise with that beard of his but would still jump to “But when will you be back? You won’t be extending your stay, right? Like the last time?” How many months, weeks years? show me the coordinates. I will fly over if its over two years. I couldn’t bear it the last time”.

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“Light Years and a wormhole”, I would say.

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97%. The heat is on. Temperature of the ship climbing. It was one of the first snowfalls of the season and he had come to pick me up after my extended stay on the moon. It would take some time before I could walk again considering I was floating in zero gravity for years. Pulling out of the lot he turns on the radio which plays “for the first time in forever” from that ice queen movie. He hands me some hot chocolate (hahahhaah, I still remember that) and popcorn, because popcorn is a rare delicacy in space. “Glad you brought these. I remember thinking about them at the point of re-entry; as to what would happen if there was a way to release a bag of kernels at the point of re-entry and if the heat would cause the kernels to pop. It would be snowing popcorn.” He starts laughing as if he were a hyena. “Now that is an event only I can think up and laugh all to myself. It’s okay you’ve been floating in space for too long”.

98% Almost there ship gaining speed. Everyone buckle up. 99%, 100% beep…beep…beep…beep…beep……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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“There! Over there! What is that? Is that an ocean? We are here! At last… who wants to take a deep dive? But, let us wait here for a little bit, for I must paint this ocean.

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Too bad, comms are down otherwise we would have video called earth and shared this beauty…turn up the lo-fi…we’re painting and chilling people.  She pulls out her canvas and begins painting. It takes her some days but she completes it. Ayeee…!

 

Also, any damage to the hull?”

 

“No ma’am”.  

 

4%. I remember that one lo-fi chill track during the holiday. Some holiday play list. I know I will literally chill once the gas is gone. A cold bottle of cola. Sweet.

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The tune continues to play in my head and we spontaneously begin dancing, then talking, then laughing, then crying, then laughing again. Then running.

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3%. “Almost ready” she says, from the inside as I sit down to indulge some falafel sandwich. It tasted really good. Then the tastes of my favourite foods come flooding to my taste buds. Palak Paneer, Paneer Butter Masala, Chili Paneer, Daal Makhani with cream cheese…tea (not food, but whatever, I am dying)…sushi…khichdee

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Almost ready I am. I chuckle thinking I sound like Yoda. Can’t believe I am laughing. Its just so darn funny. Death. Its like that milestone life event, you have been preparing for all your life and when that event comes face-to-face and then you sort of get the feeling that you are the host and you know how it will happen.  Poof and I will be a coca cola bottle. I guess I can live with that. Okay I am really starting to laugh at this, maybe is my coping mechanism. If aliens exist I hope my smiling bright teeth serve as distress beacons. Ahahahahah. Or they might just get blinded by the pure light that they are. These pearly whites.

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2% It will just be like sleep.  Then I will wake up and brush my teeth.

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1%. Good night. Sweet dreams. I think of my parents tucking me in. Its warm here. That’s because I am drifting near the sun. My suit slowly begins to feel like clothing freshly extracted from the dryer. So comforting. I laugh the last laugh, thinking I will turn into a coke bottle. Grateful.

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The lo-fi music stops…

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To Be Continued…