The Kraken

I finally had the jetpack, the ultimate way to travel.  No more would I have to slog through traffic or climb any more stairs.  I could simply turn on my jetpack and fly away.  The straps were a bit tight on this particular flight due to the padding in the astronaut suit.  And turning my head in any direction was extremely limited.  But I was still having a blast as I rocketed upwards at top velocity.

Keplar's Ring had a barrier that protected people from space, but it was possible to pass if you were traveling fast enough.  So, it was important that I reach the correct acceleration.  If I didn't, then I would smash against an invisible barrier and be turned into a squished mosquito.

From my vantage point, I could see five long arms already making their way closer and closer to Keplar's Ring.  The doorway that was opening into this new dimension was getting wider by the second.  Each tentacle was as thick as ten tall buildings put side by side.  And I could tell that if they reached the Ring, they would be able to smash it to pieces.

"I'm going to have to fly around those tentacles real carefully in order to make it there."  If a tentacle hit me, I would probably be instantly killed.  Either that, or I would be flung into space so far that I wouldn't be able to return.  Not a good possibility in either scenario.

I felt a tug on the jetpack as I entered the barrier of the Ring.  I was finally about to enter space.  I increased the gas and finally broke through.  I could feel the temperature drop slightly around me.  Luckily, the thermal matting inside my suit was made for space exposure.  I could see steam from my mouth fill the inside of my glass as I got further into space.

I turned the gas on my ignition down to its lowest setting and let the emptiness of space propel me to my goal.  The kraken was further out than I had first perceived.  I could see two bloodshot, red eyes glaring out of the hole that was in space.  A gigantic mouth with razor-sharp teeth opened all across space.  Yes, the size of a beast large enough to swallow a planet would take up almost all of the stars.

And those eyes were darting around madly as they saw me approaching.  It knew that I was coming for it.  That's when one of the tentacles lashed out and tried to hit me.  I quickly turned on the small fuel gauge on my left side to steer out of the way.  My body flung out of the way before the tentacle could reach the target.  But I had used too much fuel and was heading a little off course now.  I turned of a tiny bit of fuel to correct my course.  It was harder than I thought to steer your momentum in space.  There was no force to push against you.  If I used too much gas, I could steer myself into oblivion for all I knew.

My troubles weren't over, though.  Two more tentacles lashed at me.  I had to push each gauge one after the other, to spiral in a circle around one tentacle and then the second tentacle.

The kraken's red eyes danced with anger.  Its mouth opened and closed, teeth gnashing in frustration.  And that's when its mouth started to make its way further out of the open doorway.  If its tentacles couldn't get me, it could swallow me whole.

It made a huge snap.  The force of the snap created a kinetic whirlwind in space that  pushed me further away.

"Well, that's not what I was expecting."  It wouldn't be long until the whole kraken broke loose of its prison.  And if that happened, I would be swallowed whole in a matter of seconds.

"I'm not going to die today. "  I looked back to the Ring as I gathered my last bit of energy to see this through.  "Send me your prayers, everyone.  With the power of friendship, I know I can do this."

I used more fuel than I should have, but it was the only way I could see forward.  I flew close and close to the monster's open mouth.  I was like a rabbit willingly feeding itself to a hungry bear.

The black box was attached to my suit.  How exactly would I get it into the monster's mouth?  I couldn't throw it.  This was space after all.  I unattached the black box and placed it near my foot.

"Newton's Third Law - For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."  I turned my fuel on in the opposite direction of the kraken and the box.  I tried to fly away as fast as I could.  And I could see that the box was flying at an equal speed towards the target.  I smiled a triumphant smile, but the kraken wasn't through with me.  One of its tentacles smacked me, and I flew like a rag doll out into the emptiness of space.

"I almost made it back..."  I looked as I spun in circles.  The kraken was completely out of the hole, but it had also swallowed the black box.

"An atomic explosion in space...  The force...  I will be sent into the next galaxy by the force of that blast..."

I smiled anyway.  I would be saving everyone.  Even that asshole doctor.  He would get to live today.  If anyone deserved to die, it was likely him.  But I knew what I must do.

"Looks like I'm going to die a virgin after all."  I put both of my hands in front of my visor and gave a little wave to the kraken.  Then I pushed the detonation button on my belt.

And then the most beautiful explosion happened.  If a man were to die happy, it would be me.  Einstein had really outdone himself with this weapon.  A giant cloud of red and white blew in every direction.  The kraken was blown to pieces.  The red door that was opening was completely gone.  I had won.  I had finally won.  And now it was the end for me.

Or so I thought.  Because at that very moment there was a space ship.  It was the very spaceship that I had used to get into Newton's sanctuary...  But what was it doing here?  And who was flying it?  I never did find out.  That's because I lost consciousness as the ship came to take me away.