We were assured it was safe even though it looked a little rickety. The brochure said it was the pathway to a new life. No more war, poverty, dodgy politics or disappointment.
The crack in the side was nothing more than a design fault, ‘nothing to worry about’.
We took off on our journey to Utopia, the ship creaked and groaned, shuddered and shook but rose into the air and moved in a reasonably straight line for a ship of its size.
We picnicked under the trees on the bow end, it afforded us time to cement our relationship. We were told the journey would take some time and there was nothing to see other than the landscape immediately surrounding us.
The first thing we noticed was there was no night. It was always day. We didn’t seem to get tired. Everyone we met was like us looking forward to a life where happiness and contentment was a way of life.
The air of conviviality permeated everything we did.
Time we came to understand had no meaning. No one asked us for anything. There was plenty to eat, drink and our accommodation was at best adequate.
We walked the circumference, we walked the diameter, we walked every which way and never tired of the fact that we didn’t have a care in the world.
Then there was an announcement and we all stood looking forward as the ship slowed. Ahead was a sign “Welcome to Eternity where everything lasts a long time.”.
Written for: https://janedougherty.wordpress.com/2016/11/12/microfiction-challenge-22-utopia-ark/
A lovely Eternity it sounds like as those experiencing it are content with the limitations and its permeations. I hope Eternity is larger than the Ark.
Wonderful take on the prompt which was, as you said, a challenging one.
Well I suspect the beauty of eternity is you have plenty of time to explore and adapt and of course enjoy the ham sandwiches…
I forgot those ham sandwiches, especially as I don’t like sushi!
I was tempted to mention them but thought not this time..
Like it Michael. 🙂
Thank you Di…enjoy your weekend..
You too Michael.
I can see they are going to get very familiar with that landscape. Nice touch pointing out that they are content with that, which is what makes it a utopia, I suppose 🙂
Yes I think that is the idea since eternity is for a ‘heck of a long time’…
This is very interesting Michael. On that journey to Eutopia or eternity — not having a care in the world. I guess that’s a problem as you write because worrying or working through problems in life gives us something to strive for, a goal to work for. In capitalism Adam smith calls this ‘the invisible hand’ people need incentive. And how terrible to live eternity like this — bored. Is this heaven or hell? It’s an interesting concept you explore.
That’s a really good point Mandi..the concept of a heaven is a place where you would want for nothing isn’t it….but what does that mean is the real question isn’t it….
It’s all in the eye of the beholder 🙂
Yes so true..
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Interesting idea. I like that you added that they don’t get bored or tired with their surroundings or each other.
Thank you Merril it would be a disappointment don’t you think if eternity was more challenging than life?
Yes, indeed.
I’m glad they got the Eternity that lasts a long time. I’d hate for them to be ripped off by some temporary bargain Eternity after going to all that trouble. But what’s this you say about ham sandwiches? I want to make sure I stipulate those in my own Eternity Ark Travel Arrangements.
Thanks Joy the reference to ham sandwiches comes from a series of stories I’ve written about two angels, Greg and Wayne, representatives of heaven and hell and heaven is where you can get the best ham sandwiches, hell the best sushi…
Ah, that makes sense! I’m not sure I’d trust sushi from Hell, though. Wouldn’t it go bad awfully quickly under those hot conditions? 😉
Well maybe you’d have to go there and find out….I wrote a story about Hell’s Kitchen and apparently the sushi was to die for….(sorry I know that’s a terrible pun)…
The problem is that I’m too lazy to go to Hell’s Kitchen, much less all the way to Hell. I’m too lazy to even think up a good pun to.. oh, wait, PUNish you with. Close enough? Meh.
LOL….the trouble with going to Hell or Heaven for that matter is the road only goes one way….so you need to make the right choice, the beauty of Hell’s kitchen was it sat on the edge so you could sort of try it out from above as well as below…