The shuttle of everlasting youth

Author: Maria Daadosh Illustrator: Shimaa

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The original work of this book was made possible through the generous support of the All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development (ACR GCD) Partners (the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), World Vision, and the Australian Government). It was prepared by Asafeer Education Technologies FZ LLC and does not necessarily reflect the views of the ACR GCD Partners. Any adaptation or translation of this work should not be considered an official ACR GCD translation and ACR GCD shall not be liable for any content or error in this translation.

Ann was a beautiful young lady and she was totally aware of that. Every morning she would look in the mirror and ask:

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?”

Then she imagined her mirror replying:

“You are, my fair lady, the most beautiful of them all.”

One day Ann decided that she wanted a partner in life.

She hoped to get married.

Ann always kept a bar of chocolate in her pocket for him. Andy would eat only half of the bar and give Ann the other half , until one day, Ann looked at the mirror and had a terrible fright.

Ann met a young man named Andy. She loved him so much and he loved her back even more, so they decided to get married. When it rained heavily, they ran with glee to hide from the rain. Whenever he saw her carrying heavy bags, Andy would carry them for her.

She saw a thin wrinkle just below her eyes. She sighed, “Oh goodness, there is a wrinkle under my eyes. I’m growing old. I’ll have to find a way to stay young.”

Ann researched and researched until she found the solution to her problem in a magazine. There was an

advertisement saying, ‘Do you want to stop time from passing? Welcome aboard our shuttle of everlasting youth.’

Ann told Andy “I want to stop time from passing. If I go on the eternal youth space craft a few hours every day, I’ll never become old. Quickly tell me what you think?” Andy wanted Ann to always be happy, so he agreed. Ann packed up a few things in her back pack and was ready for the trip. Off she went with her husband to the space station. Could the shuttle of everlasting youth really keep her from ageing?

Ann got on the spacecraft and waved to her husband from the window. Soon, the shuttle took off towards outer space. The speed of the shuttle went faster and faster. Then the shuttle’s captain announced: “Welcome aboard dear passengers In case of an emergency, oxygen masks will drop down in front of you. A life jacket is in the pocket under your seat. The space craft is moving at the speed of light. When we move at the speed of light, time stops and we don’t grow old. I assure you all that while on this shuttle; your youth has become eternal.”

Ann was so happy to know time had stopped. She finally relaxed. Yet, the arms of her watch still moved around. Her watch didn’t realize that time stopped. Ann looked out of the spacecraft to see the mere darkness of space. Next to the window she saw the sun rays flowing next to the spacecraft. The shuttle didn’t precede the light and it didn’t lag behind. Of course, both the space craft and the sun ray will be parallel. Didn’t the captain say that the space craft was travelling in the speed of light?

Ann turned to the sun rays and told them, “We’re now friends. I’ll call you Andy.” Then she got some yarn balls out of her bag and started knitting her husband a pair of socks. She asked the sun rays, “Which patterns shall I knit on the socks? Stars, hearts or cars?” But the sun rays didn’t reply. So, she knitted some stars, some hearts and some cars. The trip was about to end soon and Ann started to pack. Her watch ticked for one whole day while she travelled at the speed of light. Could it be true that she did not grow older during that day?

The space craft landed and Ann got off.

She turned around looking for Andy, but he wasn’t there waiting for her!

Did he forget the time of her arrival?

Then she found and old man, so she asked him, “Have you seen my husband Andy?”

He smiled at her and said, “I’m Andy.”

To her surprise, Ann said “Andy!? Is that you? How did you become such an old man in only one day?” He replied, “It was one day for you because you were travelling in the speed of light, but on Earth, many years had passed.” It didn’t matter whether her husband was old or not. Ann missed her husband so much and now they’re finally together again. She leaped to hug him and said, “let’s go back home.”

Andy tried to carry her backpack, but it was too heavy for him, so she took it back. Then she gave him the chocolate bar she bought him from the shuttle, but he replied, “I’m sorry my dear but I’m diabetic, you can eat it all yourself.” After a while it rained, so she pulled him from the arm and said, “then let’s run under the rain.” Andy said, “I’m too old dear Ann. I can’t run.” It never occurred to Ann that if time stopped for her, it would still pass for her husband. She didn’t know what to do. She wants them to be of the same age, and enjoy the same things, just as they were before, but how?

She thought, and thought. Then she heard the whistle of the shuttle of the everlasting youth announcing a new trip. Ann got a great idea. She pulled her husband by the hand and moved towards the space craft gate. She gave him the socks she made for him and her backpack and said, “Get in the spacecraft and when you’re back you’ll find me waiting for you.” He smiled at her and said, “I’ll be back after one day.” Ann waved to her husband and the spacecraft took off towards outer space.

When Andy was back, Ann was waiting for him. A young porter carried their luggage for them in one hand and carried their umbrella with the other one. And both marched happily towards their home, where they shared a cup of warm milk instead of chocolate.

THE END