“Keep moving, Jack!” his father barked over his shoulder, urgency straining his voice. Jack could see the taut lines in his father’s face, the way his usually calm demeanor had cracked under the pressure. Even at fifteen old, Jack understood that something terrible was happening. Something that no amount of training or preparation could stop.


Ahead of them, crowds of people surged toward the massive blast doors at the end of the hallway. Families, scientists, officials—all clinging to each other as they scrambled for a chance to board the last remaining shuttles. Jack’s heart pounded in his chest. He had always known his parents’ work on Skylab 1 was important, and that their research was vital for the future. But no one had told him the future would come crashing down like this.


His mother’s grip tightened around his hand as they neared the checkpoint, where armed guards in sleek uniforms were scanning identification badges and ushering people through in an orderly fashion. Jack’s eyes darted around the chaotic scene, his ears ringing from the overlapping voices and the ceaseless sirens.


“Dad, what’s going on?” Jack asked, his voice trembling despite his best efforts to stay calm. “Are we really leaving Earth?”


His father glanced back, his eyes softening for a brief moment. “We don’t have a choice, Jack. It’s not safe here anymore.”


Jack had heard the news reports, the whispers among the adults about escalating tensions between nations, about nuclear threats. But it had always felt distant, unreal. Now, standing in the middle of a bunker while bombs fell on the surface above, it felt all too real.


They reached the front of the line, and Jack’s mother fumbled for their identification badges, her hands shaking. The guard scanned them quickly, nodding for them to move forward. Jack saw the way his mother’s shoulders sagged with relief, but the knot in his stomach only grew tighter. They were getting on the shuttle, but what about the others? The people they were leaving behind?


“Come on,” his father urged, placing a hand on Jack’s back as they passed through the checkpoint and into the docking bay. The massive doors slid open with a hiss, revealing the sleek shuttle that would take them to Skylab 1. The shuttle gleamed under the harsh lights of the bay, its angular design a stark contrast to the destruction happening on the surface.


Jack had seen the shuttle before—his parents had shown him holograms and diagrams of it, explaining how it was the most advanced space vessel ever created. But seeing it in person, knowing it was their only escape, made it feel more like a lifeline than a technological marvel.


They hurried toward the shuttle, joining the small crowd of evacuees boarding in silence. Jack’s eyes swept over the faces of the other passengers—some were crying, others were too numb to react. His mother squeezed his hand again, pulling him up the ramp and into the shuttle’s narrow hallway. The air inside was crisp, and sterile, like the calm before a storm.


“Take your seats, please,” a robotic voice instructed over the intercom. “Launch sequence will commence in five minutes.”


Jack and his parents found their assigned seats near the middle of the shuttle, strapping themselves in. His father reached across the aisle, giving Jack a reassuring nod. “We’re going to be okay, son. This is what we’ve been preparing for.”


But Jack couldn’t shake the image of the world they were leaving behind. The world that was being torn apart as they sat here, waiting to escape. He swallowed hard, trying to push the fear down, to be strong like his father. But it was hard when every fiber of his being wanted to scream, to run, to do something.


The cabin lights dimmed, and a low rumble reverberated through the shuttle as the engines powered up. Jack gripped the armrests of his seat, his knuckles turning white. The robotic voice returned, counting down the seconds until liftoff.


“Ten… nine… eight…”


The vibrations beneath them grew stronger, the hum of the engines deepening into a roar.


“Seven… six… five…”


Jack’s heart raced, his chest tight with anticipation.


“Four… three… two…”


He glanced at his parents, his mother’s eyes wide with fear, his father’s jaw clenched in determination.


“One… ignition.”


The shuttle lurched forward, the force of the launch pressing Jack back into his seat. His breath caught in his throat as the world outside the shuttle fell away. For a moment, everything was a blur—the walls shook, the sound of the engines was deafening, and Jack’s vision tunneled as they broke free from Earth’s atmosphere. He tried to focus on the steady rhythm of his breathing, on the sound of his parents beside him, but all he could think about was the world they had just left behind.


Minutes passed, though it felt like hours, before the shuttle stabilized. The violent vibrations eased, replaced by the gentle hum of the spacecraft coasting through the vacuum of space. Jack slowly loosened his grip on the armrests, his muscles sore from the tension.


“We’re in orbit,” his father said, his voice rough but steady. He glanced out the small window beside him, his eyes flickering with a mix of relief and something else—something Jack couldn’t quite place.


“We made it.”


Jack unbuckled his harness, his legs shaking as he stood and peered out the window. His breath caught in his throat at the sight before him—space, endless and dark, stretched out in every direction. It was beautiful and terrifying all at once.

“We’re really here,” Jack whispered, his voice barely audible.


His mother came up behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “This is just the beginning, Jack. We’re safe now.”

But Jack couldn’t help but think of the people who weren’t. The ones still on Earth, facing the devastation of the bombs, the fallout, the end of everything they had ever known. He pressed his forehead against the cool glass of the window, the weight of it all crashing down on him.


“We had no choice,” his mother said softly, as if reading his thoughts. “There was nothing left for us down there.”

Jack nodded, but the guilt gnawed at him, a relentless ache that wouldn’t go away. He had always known his parents were important, that their work on Skylab 1 was crucial. But it wasn’t until now that he understood just how much had been sacrificed for the chance to survive.


“Skylab 1 isn’t just a space station,” his father said, stepping up beside them. “It’s our future. A sanctuary for what’s left of humanity. You’ll see when we get there, Jack. It’s everything we’ve worked for.”


Jack looked up at his father, the hope in his eyes clashing with the fear in his own heart. He wanted to believe him, to trust that Skylab 1 was the answer. But as he stared out into the vast emptiness of space, he couldn’t shake the feeling that they had left something important behind. Something they could never get back.


The shuttle coasted smoothly toward its destination, and after what felt like an eternity, Skylab 1 came into view. Jack’s breath hitched at the sight of it—massive, gleaming, and impossibly complex. It floated like a jewel against the backdrop of stars, its metallic surface reflecting the faint light of distant suns.


The luxury space station was a marvel of human engineering, with sprawling bio domes, laboratories, living quarters, and recreation centers. It was designed to sustain life for decades, perhaps even longer. But as they approached the docking bay, Jack couldn’t help but feel like a prisoner being brought to a gilded cage.

“We’re home,” his mother whispered, her voice thick with emotion.


Jack didn’t respond. He stared at the approaching station, his father’s words heavy on his shoulders.

This was their future now—Skylab 1, floating in the cold vacuum of space, far from the world they had left behind.

But was it really home?