ADVENTURE ON THE SUN’S DOORSTEP
Sue and Steve Shannon watched the magic world of stardust through a port of the rocket freighter. The ship was moving under power of its atomic engines, headed toward the sun.
They had one more cargo stop to make before returning to their beloved soil on the Earth.
The twins heard the clack of magnetic soles behind them. Without such shoes holding them to the floor, space travelers would float about helplessly like wingless birds.
“Hi, kids,” greeted their father. “Growing tired of the view?”
“I guess I am, Dad,” Steve admitted. His blue eyes were tired.
“How far away is Apollo’s Chariot now?” Sue asked.
Mr. Shannon grinned. “That’s the umpteenth time you two have asked that. But I suppose I’m as restless as you are to get back to Mom in Arkansas.”
Hearing this made Steve suddenly homesick. There was really no place like home, just like the poet had said. Steve knew Sue felt the same way. He had seen a wistful look in her hazel eyes every time they had talked of Little Rock.
The seemingly endless days finally did end. The three Shannons went up into the lookout dome with the crewmen. The dome was covered by a darkened plastic screen to cut down the blinding glare of the sun, which was very close.