Gertie lay in her bed propped up on double pillows and covered up to her chin in blankets. She had just recently caught the flu as it was the season for it. She was too sick to go to school for a while, which she usually wouldn't have minded except that today her class would be going on a field trip to the Planetarium and she had really anticipated the trip as she had a great interest in the Solar System and she had also heard there were glow in the dark star stickers there.
It's not fair! She complained inwardly. Of all the times to get the flu!
She was interested in learning about space stuff because only a year ago she and her siblings Michael and Elliot had met with a gentle extra-terrestrial being whom they called E.T. and in the process of helping him to get back to his home planet they had all grown closer together as though a missing gap had been filled by him.
She thought about how E.T. must have seen every corner of not just their solar system but every one there was in the whole universe as he had the means to travel to them in his spaceship and he was a botanist who studied all forms of plant life. She remembered E.T.'s last visit last Christmas and wished she had been able to take a ride in his spaceship with him then and see the sights of the Universe. Come to think of it, she wished she could see E.T. again right now so she could do so.
Knowing wishing wouldn't make anything happen she closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep. Then, almost as soon as she did so, she was abruptly wide awake when she heard strange music filling her room, and then she began to see shapes of light dancing across the walls. They were so brightly dizzying she turned away from them, and then she heard an odd kind of gasp like air breathing through a hole that had just been ripped out.
She looked back again, and there was E.T. himself sitting on the foot of her bed. His face wore an expression that was both very wise and very sweet.
"Hello, Gertie," he said in an equally wise and sweet voice."
"Hello, E.T.," said Gertie, smiling in spite of her fever. "How did you get here like that?"
"Through a wormhole," E.T. replied simply.
"What's a wormhole?" asked Gertie with confusion.
"You will know soon enough," replied E.T.. "I have come to you like this as I heard your wish in the stars and I have come to make it come true."
"But how?" asked Gertie. "I can't get out of bed because I'm sick."
"I know," said E.T.. "But you won't be really leaving your bed as we will travel through astral projection."
"What is that?" asked Gertie confused again.
"It is when your mind travels beyond your body's capacity through space and time while you remain physically in the same place all the while," E.T. explained as simply as he could.
Gertie still didn't understand what he meant. "But how is that possible?" she asked.
E.T. smiled. "Just take my hand and you will see."
He held out his hand which had the glowing forefinger and Gertie took hold of it. Then all at once she felt as if her sickness were leaving her body and then she could feel herself rising from under the bed covers. Still clutching onto E.T.'s hand she floated up in the air with him and together they soared up to the ceiling and went through the roof.
They ventured up into the blue sky and went above the atmosphere, higher and higher, until they could see they were leaving the Earth very far behind them. When the Earth looked like nothing more than a tiny blueberry floating in space Gertie looked away from it and looking straight ahead she gasped at the unbelievable sight before her.
She saw endless space stretched out before her with seemingly billions of stars sewn into it in great clusters of bright pinpoints of light ranging in many sizes and shapes.
"E.T., it's so beautiful up here!" she exclaimed breathlessly.
"This is just the beginning," E.T. said with a smile. "Just look below you and you will see the star that is closest to your home.
Gertie felt a bit confused and then she looked below her and saw a gigantic bright yellow ball that was giving off beams of light so brilliant she knew she would have been blinded by them if she weren't outside of her body right now. It also had many black spots covering many places of it in all sizes and shapes. Then suddenly what seemed to be an explosion of fire radiated off of it. Looking down from it she saw three tiny round balls rotating slowly around it. Then the realization of what it was suddenly came to her.
"It's the sun!" she exclaimed in awe. "You mean the sun is a star?"
"Yes, indeed," said E.T. "It just looks so much bigger than the other stars because it is the closest one to you. Now why don't we go down for a closer look at the inner planets."
Then they whooshed down in front of the first planet from the sun which was called Mercury. It was a small planet though of course it looked enormous to their eyes up close. It was a huge ball of a light golden color having been baked in the sun's fierce radiation and was covered with cracks and craters.
They flew further down the circle around the sun and saw the second planet called Venus. It was a huge ball covered with thick swirling white and brown clouds that moved with what appeared to be the force of a hurricane so that the planet's appearance was always changing.
"It looks less beautiful underneath the clouds," said E.T.. "It is burning and boiling because of it's greenhouse atmosphere. Yours and my race are working to make sure your home doesn't end up like it. Here is your home coming up now. It is one of the most beautiful planets I have ever seen, I must admit, and I have seen billions."
Gertie could really see what he meant as they flew past the Earth in all of its beauty and splendor with its pure blue oceans with light brown chunks of land in-between them with whirling and swirling milky white clouds strewn all over it.
Next they flew further down the circle and came up to the fourth planet called Mars. It was a big reddish orange ball with great purplish spots on its polar ends.
"Your two neighboring planets used to be supportable for life way back in their beginning, but then they changed for the worst," E.T. said. "One got hotter and one got colder because of their sizes and the way in which their atmosphere was formed. This unfortunately happens to many other planets in the Universe."
"Then how did Earth end up being the only planet to support life in our solar system?" asked Gertie curiously.
"The best I can put it is because it was in the right place at the right time for a series of random events to occur to form it to the right approximations for yours and other species. Although I have seen many planets with life forms that live in all kinds of different atmospheres, though you must always know how lucky you are to be living on such a singled out world."
They were by now flying into the outer reaches of the solar system where the outer planets dwelt. Coming up in front of them they saw the fifth planet called Jupiter. It was the biggest planet in the solar system, a massive floating ball made of gas that was dark orange in color with white stripes strewn over it.
"Jupiter is called a brown dwarf because if a bit more mass was added to it would transform into a star and be a yellow dwarf," E.T. said.
Next they flew up to the sixth planet called Saturn. It was a somewhat smaller and slightly crooked yellow planet with hundreds of rings of solid ice and rock chunks floating around it which gave it a most majestic appearance.
They the flew up to the seventh planet called Uranus. It was also a crooked planet having been knocked on its side and also had a few less visible rings around it. It was a light bluing green in color.
Next the flew up to the eighth planet called Neptune. It was the of the deepest, darkest, most brilliant and vibrant blue color that could ever be imagined. Gertie was in awe of this giant blue beauty with what looked like a large and somewhat deeper blue eye shaped spot in the middle of it.
They flew onward farther and farther into the deeper reaches of space. After a little while they began to see a tiny round object shining far ahead in the distance. It was the ninth planet which was called Pluto. Flying up in front of it they saw it was very much like small dirty snowball floating in space with its single and even tinier moon called Charon right up in front of it almost touching it.
"That was an amazing voyage, E.T.," said Gertie. "I never would have imagined I could see the planets of our solar system up so close!"
"Our view of the solar system is not quite over yet," E.T. said with a sly smile. "Look out there up ahead!"
Gertie did so, confused at first, and then she saw something shining up ahead in the farthest distance. As they came closer to it she realized to her great shock and delight that it was a planet and none other than the tenth planet in the solar system.
"I thought there were only none planets in our solar system!" Gertie exclaimed in disbelief.
"That is only how many your teachers know of right now," E.T. explained. "But in an estimated twenty to thirty years your race should have the telescopic technology to see it and give it a name."
"And I got to see it before anyone else did!" Gertie exclaimed ecstatically.
"Now would you like me to show you more of what lies beyond your home?" asked E.T."
"Yes, please!" exclaimed Gertie very eagerly.
Then the next thing she knew they were flying towards a great spiraling circle of blue and white with a bright orange-yellow ball of light at the center of it.
"What is that up ahead?" asked Gertie.
"It is the Milky Way," E.T. explained. "It is made of many clusters of stars that lead to many other solar systems. Hold on tight to me now because we're in for quite a ride!"
No sooner had he spoken then they began whooshing and whirling amongst the stars in the Milky Way with the speed and force of a shooting star. Gertie clutched tightly to E.T.'s hand and screamed with ecstatic laughter as she felt herself being thrust forward at all of the most magnificent sights that spread out before them.
She saw thousands upon thousands of tiny stars that gave off blue, yellow, orange, and purple lights all swimming in an endless river of a thick white cloud-like substance which blended over to brownish orange at the edges. The further they went into it the more colorful and vibrant the river of stars became. It was now a swirling and twirling myriad of yellow, orange, white, blue, and purple clouds embedded with tiny flecks of rainbow colored specks of light.
As they zoomed out of it she saw the stars of blue, white, yellow, and orange being sheltered by a thin blue misty substance. Then they flew onward and she saw more misty clouds of pink, gold, yellow, white, and orange floating and swirling all around them.
They found themselves swimming aerially through a thick ocean of pale blue clouds sewn together with threads of gold and yellow and orange, always intertwining together in an endless chasm of spectacular lights and colors.
They flew out of it and entered into another myriad of wonders. There were smoky cloud swirls of green, red, pink, blue, and purple all over everything and shining through them were bright purple stars. They then flew through a thick ocean of green and white clouds and came out the other end and into a new view of dark fiery red and orange mist floating amongst trillions of tiny white glowing stars. They flew deeper and deeper into it and found themselves in a long cosmic rainbow of red, orange, blue, and purple with all the colors blending and swirling together endlessly. As they flew further up it they saw how it changed colors in a zigzag of yellows, greens, and violets.
They zoomed out of the rainbow and flew forward into a what seemed like a great spider web of cosmic proportions. It was streaked in many shades of light and lighter green and pale yellow and white with pink dots covering the middle and blue and red dots lining the outside of it. They flew in every direction all around the web of stars and cosmic clouds. First in swirling pink and yellow and then in swirling green and yellow.
They flew into and out of a thick ocean of pink and red and violet misty clouds. Then they were in clear space with what looked like another cosmic rainbow only it had somewhat the shape of a dragon head and tail in swirling lines of yellow, orange, red, green, violet, and blue. It didn't resemble any painting Gertie had ever seen and yet it was so much more beautiful than what any paintbrush could ever do.
They flew on and saw many shapeless cloud formations in mountains of pink, brown, yellow, white, and gold everywhere. To Gertie it looked like mountains of lopsided rainbow colored cotton candy and ice cream.
Then they flew onward again and came to another swirling spiral of star clusters, only this one was all pure white and had a pale yellow middle. They zoomed into it and saw it's stars and clouds close up in all their whitish purple, and gray green glory.
Then they zoomed outward again and came upon a most celestial sight of great dark gray and brown clouds against pure light blue ones with great pink stars bursting their light through them which turned them into shades of green and white and orange.
They flew outward and saw mountains upon mountains of cosmic clouds that were peaked by the stars above them. Then as they whooshed into one of them they saw a pure blue atmosphere emblazoned by swarms of tiny white and pink and yellow tipped baby clouds. They reminded Gertie of popcorn with different colored toppings on it.
They then flew out of the clouds and into a whole new view of swirling white light that blended into rays of pale pink, blue, yellow, and orange against empty space that was being lit up from black to blue as they watched. Clouds began rising up around them like great puffs of colored smoke of pink and violet. They flew into the river of lights and seemed to be washing away in a great waterfall of read, orange, and white clouds. They flew out of the clouds and zoomed up into a swirling blueish green mist that was surrounded by lighter and thicker yellow ones and embedded by gleaming stars of pink lights.
They then came upon more mountains made of colorful clouds, only these were higher than any mountain on Earth. E.T. held tightly to Gertie's hand as he flew with her up the highest mountain's slope. They swooshed and zigzagged along its many dips, dives, and points. Then when they reached the highest height of it they found the biggest and brightest white star which was surround in a blazing pink glow. Gertie felt she could almost reach out and touch it.
They whooshed off of the mountain's peak and off into space once again. They flew past many clouds of smoky mist of blues, grays, yellows, oranges, reds, blues, and violets. Then E.T. began suddenly speeding up and said,
"Now there is something extra special that I wish to show to you."
Then they zoomed past zillions of stars and clouds in a tremendous rushing of colors and fusions. Then when they at last came to a stop they were in the middle of a great black space shrouded in many golden stars. At the center they could see that one star was pulsating and glowing a vibrantly fierce reddish orange glow.
Then before they could blink it broke itself apart in all directions sending great flames of yellow, orange, and red everywhere. A huge ball of white was in its place and as they watched it grew larger and larger and then it began swirling and whirling in all directions as it turned colors of brown, blue, yellow, and purple. It then seemed to create a strong gale of wind that was drawing in many objects around it and sucking them into it.
Then all of the stuff that was filling it up seemed to be making heavier and bigger than ever. Then suddenly it began to stop drawing stuff in and began turning all different colors and began spreading outward and then the white light in the center of it was now very small though it was noticeably growing brighter and bigger every second. Then it seemed to explode in on itself.
When the explosion vanquished and all the dust and debris had cleared away, they saw before them a giant massive ball of the purest and lightest yellow light that could ever be seen.
"What you have just witnessed," E.T. explained to Gertie. "Is an event that is one of the greatest wonders and mysteries of the Universe. A star being born from another star's death. Though somehow I feel I can understand it better than many having experienced something similar to of my own." His heart light then began to glow a ruby glowing light.
"I will return you now to your home," he said.
Then they zoomed outward again and found what looked like a giant tunnel of electricity in the shape of an immense worm and flew straight into it. Then a few dizzying moments later Gertie found herself in her own solar system again and floating down to Earth again. They flew down into the atmosphere and went down through the roof of Gertie's bedroom and Gertie then found herself floating down onto her bed again.
She sat up and looked at E.T. "Thank you for giving me the ride of my life," she said. "The Planetarium sure would have been boring compared to all the things I just saw."
E.T. smiled and replied, "There is still so much more of the Universe to be seen, and even I have yet to see it all."