Is this really the end? This was all Iris could think of. The earth was about to be destroyed and nobody knew where to go to. She heard about a spaceship to save people from the radiation, but of course this wasn't for a Canadian farmer girl like her. No, to get on one of those ships you needed money! This was the one thing she didn't have. It was hard for her not to go mad, but she needed to stay strong for her only love, her daughter Clara! She was only 10 years old and she didn't know what was about to happen! The father of Clara left them years ago without a note or anything. The only thing Iris could try was to get her daughter on one of the ships. She had to spend her last days in trying... This gave her hope and made her strong. Clara had to survive no matter what...
After she made this decission she almost immediately left. It was a long trip to the ship! She had to go all the way to Ottawa! It was almost 300 km and the ships left already in 4 days... The only thing she packed was some food and Clara brought her backpack. She couldn't bring anything else, because it would definitely slow them down. She told Clara they were going on a holiday! She loved this idea. So they left.
After almost 50 km the sun started to go down. Iris was already tired, but she couldn't stop. Not until Clara was safe. She drove the whole night. When it was finamly dawn she drove already 200 km. This could work! There were still 3 days! After a while she had to stop... The only thing they could see were cars! Everywhere around them were just cars! This could take ages! She wouldn't make it! They had to abandon their car! The only thing she could do was walk. It wasn't impossible but they couldn't stop. She took as much food with her as she could carry and gave some to Clara too! Clara had her backpack with her for some toys and her bear! She couldn't leave without it. They had to leave the toys behind so they could bring more food but she kept the bear with her!
During the walk they were singing and playing. They looked like a normal family. They looked happy and not as if they were about to face death in a few days. For a few minutes Iris was able to forget everything. She was enjoying her daughters hapiness for a while. They were walking trough a forest! This was the shortest route according to the map. They weren't the only ones who had this idea... There were a lot of people in the forest and all they could think of was the ship! They had to get on board as fast as possible! At night when almost everybody was asleep they kept walking! Iris was already awake for 3 whole days, but she couldn't rest! The fear kept her wide awake. She needed to be there before the others! Only when Clara was too tired they stopped to rest. When Iris saw the sun coming up she woke up Clara! Did she really sleep an hour or 3 this night? Now they needed to continue because there were only 2 days left... When they crossed the whole forest, they saw a new route. There was a sign that sais Ottawa was only 60 km away. There was still some hope! When it was almost noon they passed a sign that said 45 km. This was time to rest a while. They were exhausted and really needed to eat. The hadn't eaten a proper meal in almost 2 days. They had survived of cereal bars and that was it. If they wanted wanted to made it they really had to eat. She searched the bad but there was almost nothing left... She gave Clara the 2 sandwiches that she took out of her kitchen. She didn't care that she was hungry so she ate another cereal bar. After this nice meal they continued the journey. Their path was a loth easier now they just had to follow the road. It was still full with abandoned cars, but it was easy to walk next them. It was a long time since they saw other people... Where they going the right direction? Was the ship somewhere else that she didn't know of? All these questions came into her head when she finally saw another family... When she looked closer she saw it was a colleague from work... He wanted to get his kids on the ship as well! Maybe if they worked together both of their kids could make it. She jelled his name but he didn't look so she jelled again. After 4 times he finally turned! He was angry! 'Leave us alone Iris' was all he said! She didn't expected this... 'Why? If we work together both of our kids could make it'. 'Probably you're right, but I'm planning to leave my kid! Me and my wife will join them'! This was all he said before he turned and left! Maybe he was right... There weren't enough places and they had to fight for it! This encouraged her to go faster! It was hard with Clara but when she turnedit into a little game Clara seemed to like it! Every 5 km they stopped to drink, but the still needed it later! She saw the signs passing 40 km, 35 km,... When the night started to fall there were only 10 more km left! They could make this! Of they kept walking they were stille there that night and they could rest. This all sounded nice to her, but there were suddenly so many people. She didn't know where they all came from. She tried to walk past them, but this wasn't easy. She took Clara and the walked east. There needed to be a way to cross all this people. When the almost walked 1 km there were almost no people left. This was her chance! They were going in the right direction now and she was sure Clara wluld get on board. Because they did lose a lot of time going east the wouldn't make it that night... To get one spot they had to be rested so they stopped for a while! Iris didn't really like this, but she had to it for Clara. This was probably her last night with her daughter alone and it was already a long journey. They deserved it! 'Sleep tight honney! Tomorrow our journey will be over! We will reach our destination! I'm so proud of you already!'. This was what Iris said to Clara before falling a sleep. She slept this good that she only woke up the next morning when the sun stood high in the sky already. She panniced! Would they make it? 'Come on dear, we need to leave now! We're almost there.' And so they left. After 30 minutes she saw the imense spaceship! This is when the real chaos started...
It was huge, but it was so crowded there! She took Clara's hand and she pushed herself as far as she could! The chaos was so big that nobody knew what else to do! The guards couldn't keep the people away from the ships! Now it wasn't only for the rich but everybody needed to get on board! She was almost there... Only a few meters... 'Mom, I'm scared... Can we go now?' 'No honey! Don't be afraid! This is our destination. We're going to the future'. This is when they made it to the gate! She took her daughter hand. 'I love you honey! But you need to go now... you need to climb on this ship! This is our ticket to the future! I will be right behind you! As a promise I will give you my watch. You will be sure this way that I will be right behind you!' 'I love you too! I'm scared, but I will see you there!' Clara wanted to be brave for her mother and tried not to cry! There was no reason to cry she tought... Her mom would follow her right behind! She had to be brave for a few minutes and then they would leave to the future and get oit of this crazy place. Iris huged her one more time and Clara left. Wjen she tried to get on board to she felt the ship started to close. 1 day sooner then they told! She was almost on the inside but then someone pulled her back... He wanted her spot... She tried to hold, but she fel... The only thing she could do was cry... Her daughter would leave without her and it wasn't even her fault! She was almost there! She heard cries everywhere. 'I have a little kid! Let it pass'. 'Move I have a ticket'... Then she heard a gun shot. A man did shoot the man next to her and threatened to shoot her too when she didn't move. She was paralyzed. The man still made his way next to her and tried to climb, but it was too late. The ship started to take of when the door was almost closed. Nobody could get on the ship anymore... They were all lost... Iris left and all she could think of was her daughter! Would she really have made it on the ship? The only thing she could do was leave before the ship really left! She tried to find shelter somewhere near where she stood. The ship wasn't her only problem... Suddenly she realized the radiation was coming... It was almost there when she saw her colleague with his family. They didn't make it and now they had to die too just like her! All those people are doomed. Running made no sense. She couldn't survive this. So she stayed where she was and looked at the ship while it left! Looking at Clara comforted her in a way. Clara still had a future and she wouldn't forget her. She had her watch with her. Finally the ship was gone. After 5 minutes when the ship left the radiation hit them...