FREEFALL
Chapter 1
in which Strange Things Happen
Before I tell you this story, I must make one point perfectly clear: It wasn't my fault. None of this would have happened if not for Elyssa's computer.
But then again, I suppose that doesn't make it Elyssa's fault. She hates that computer as much as I do. So what happened first was not either of our faults. What happened afterwards was mostly mine, but you will learn about that later. One thing at a time.
I was sleeping over at Elyssa's house Friday night. That is to say, I was over all night, but we certainly weren't sleeping; at least, not until about two in the morning. Teenage girls, sleeping at a sleepover, I don't think so. But of course I had to wake up bright and early, just as usual.
Tired but unable to fall back asleep, I scanned Elyssa's bookshelves for something interesting to read. Right next to each other were two dog-eared paperbacks that caught my eye: the first Jedi Apprentice book, and uShadows of the Empire.u I had always been a Star Wars fan and had read some of the books, but had never gotten around to reading these. I pulled them both off the shelf and opened uShadows of the Empireu to the first page.
It wasn't long before I had to stop. The story seemed interesting, but I was simply too tired to concentrate. Oh well, I thought, maybe later. "Elyssa?" I asked to see if she was at least half-awake.
"Mmm?"
"I'm going to get on your computer to check my e-mail."
"Mmm." She rolled over and went back to sleep.
Taking that groan as a "Sure, whatever, I'm not quite awake yet so do whatever you like," I got on the Internet and saw, with some disappointment, that I had no new e-mail. I sighed, then went to Yahoo to try and find a good Star Wars site.
The search results came up, and I scrolled about halfway down the page when something caught my eye: "See the Star Wars universe with your own eyes!"
Probably made by one of those crazy delusional people who actually thinks he's Luke Skywalker, I thought, but clicked on it anyway.
The page began to load. There was blackness, then the background filled with stars. And then the computer froze.
"Elyssa?"
"Mmm?"
"Your computer froze."
"Turn it off and then on again."
Wow, Elyssa was actually speaking in complete sentences. Not bad for this early in the morning.
I pressed the button to turn the computer off…except it didn't work. "Um…Elyssa? Little help here?"
She sighed and got up. "What's the matter now?"
"The computer isn't turning off."
Elyssa reached down and pressed the button; then, when nothing seemed to happen, she pressed it again. "This is really weird."
"I hope I didn't ruin your computer," I said, although there was nothing I could do about it even if I had. I picked up the books and put them in my bag while Elyssa fiddled with the computer. "You don't mind if I borrow these, do you?"
Elyssa didn't seem to hear me. "Sam, come look at this!"
Bag still in my hand, I went over to see what she was talking about…and saw her getting sucked into the computer screen. Without thinking, I grabbed her foot and was sucked in after her.
Chapter 1
in which Strange Things Happen
Before I tell you this story, I must make one point perfectly clear: It wasn't my fault. None of this would have happened if not for Elyssa's computer.
But then again, I suppose that doesn't make it Elyssa's fault. She hates that computer as much as I do. So what happened first was not either of our faults. What happened afterwards was mostly mine, but you will learn about that later. One thing at a time.
I was sleeping over at Elyssa's house Friday night. That is to say, I was over all night, but we certainly weren't sleeping; at least, not until about two in the morning. Teenage girls, sleeping at a sleepover, I don't think so. But of course I had to wake up bright and early, just as usual.
Tired but unable to fall back asleep, I scanned Elyssa's bookshelves for something interesting to read. Right next to each other were two dog-eared paperbacks that caught my eye: the first Jedi Apprentice book, and uShadows of the Empire.u I had always been a Star Wars fan and had read some of the books, but had never gotten around to reading these. I pulled them both off the shelf and opened uShadows of the Empireu to the first page.
It wasn't long before I had to stop. The story seemed interesting, but I was simply too tired to concentrate. Oh well, I thought, maybe later. "Elyssa?" I asked to see if she was at least half-awake.
"Mmm?"
"I'm going to get on your computer to check my e-mail."
"Mmm." She rolled over and went back to sleep.
Taking that groan as a "Sure, whatever, I'm not quite awake yet so do whatever you like," I got on the Internet and saw, with some disappointment, that I had no new e-mail. I sighed, then went to Yahoo to try and find a good Star Wars site.
The search results came up, and I scrolled about halfway down the page when something caught my eye: "See the Star Wars universe with your own eyes!"
Probably made by one of those crazy delusional people who actually thinks he's Luke Skywalker, I thought, but clicked on it anyway.
The page began to load. There was blackness, then the background filled with stars. And then the computer froze.
"Elyssa?"
"Mmm?"
"Your computer froze."
"Turn it off and then on again."
Wow, Elyssa was actually speaking in complete sentences. Not bad for this early in the morning.
I pressed the button to turn the computer off…except it didn't work. "Um…Elyssa? Little help here?"
She sighed and got up. "What's the matter now?"
"The computer isn't turning off."
Elyssa reached down and pressed the button; then, when nothing seemed to happen, she pressed it again. "This is really weird."
"I hope I didn't ruin your computer," I said, although there was nothing I could do about it even if I had. I picked up the books and put them in my bag while Elyssa fiddled with the computer. "You don't mind if I borrow these, do you?"
Elyssa didn't seem to hear me. "Sam, come look at this!"
Bag still in my hand, I went over to see what she was talking about…and saw her getting sucked into the computer screen. Without thinking, I grabbed her foot and was sucked in after her.