Lost in spaces...

There was no feeling like being out on the edge. That was point of doing it, at least for him it was. Being able to stand on the lip of the hangar, hold his breath, open his eyes suddenly and look in whichever direction he guessed was up. It was a sort of rush for him. It felt like the exact opposite of falling. Rather than that floaty, weightless feeling in his stomach, there was a heavy, violent spasm. Rather than moving closer to the surface, it felt like the surface was racing towards him. It felt like Chim was the exact central point of the galaxy.

And then he would step back from the edge and close his eyes again, let his leg muscles relax and drop to the floor. This feeling wouldn't last for very long and he liked to savour it, remember it. It made him feel fractionally more comfortable knowing that he might be able to catch a piece of that sensation this time. Inevitably, it ran through his fingers just like the first time. He had thrown up that first time and in a panic he had tried to hold it in and catch it before it hit the floor. Inevitably, it ran through his fingers.

As placements went, this wasn't the most terrible place he could be. It was secure, mostly warm, almost comfortable. But there was this itch in the back of his mind that he couldn't scratch. Mining was just so mind numbing. It was easy enough and he was making a fair amount to keep himself surviving out here. He just didn't feel like he was really doing anything. Like he was wasting this chance to make a difference in this ridiculous universe.

When he opened his eyes again he would always find that his body had re-taken control of his lungs and he was once more breathing normally. He would stand up, pull on his boots and go to work.

On his way to the mirror he switched the radio off and picked up the badge he kept next to the sink. It was something he had found a few years ago before he made the big move. It was faded and rusty and you could only just barely make out what it once had written upon it in bright red ink. Now the white background had become grey and the words had turned pink. But it still said those same four words. He read the badge again, and put it back next to sink, where he would find it tomorrow before he went out to work.

I love you dad.