Chapter 3 in my novel

Here is chapter 3..

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Chapter 3
Lift Off

The entire group of people was now aboard the ship, each given their own personal quarters and left to do as they please on the ship. Two of the people on the journey were pilots, each were ex-marines. Dr. Jennings joined them in the cockpit for preparation before they took off. The other 17 passengers just stared at the inside of the ship in awe.

“It’s time to leave captain, prepare for lift off.” Dr. Jennings commanded.
The ships engines began to roar, the sound was deafening. The roof of the building began to open, and the blue sky could be seen above.
The ship then lifted off of the ground and began hovering in the air. It was unlike any space launch in the past, it was much more advanced than those of the early 21st century.
The ship was rising slowly, and it kept gaining speed until it began shaking as it exited Earth’s atmosphere.

Finally the entire ship was still, and slowly cruising through space, leaving the giant, blue ball we call earth behind for good. They were now on their journey, to do something never done by man… They were on their way to colonize another planet. Their course was set for the planet Mars.

The underground canals had been re-worked by NASA robots, to where it was an entirely brand new home on another planet. It would be self-sustainable. There would be experiments that would advance man kind like never before.

Dr. Jennings had a feeling in the pit of her stomach, not a scared feeling, but more an excited one. She had butterflies in her stomach; it was something she hadn’t felt since she was just a high school girl.

She began walking back to her quarters, ready to sleep after an eventful day.
She wanted to just get to the planet and have this trip over with. This was her fifth trip off planet, but she’d never been farther than the moon. She was relieved that advancements were made on the new ship, so they would no longer have to wear those stuffy, uncomfortable space suits, unless they were going off ship.

‘This journey will be successful, we will succeed’ she thought to herself, ‘I will make uncle Lewis proud. It was his dream to colonize Mars and now its coming true.’
She imagined her uncle right there with her, he was saying repeatedly “Miranda, you have done it, your on your way, your going to make something of our family name.”

At least that’s what she imagined he would say, she knew it was unrealistic. Her uncle spent too much time drunk to actually be proud of her accomplishments.
Her parents had died in a plane crash 22 years before. Her uncle had raised her from the time she was six years of age.

Growing up she had longed for someone to show her compassion, or even to tell her “good job!” or “I’m proud of you Miranda.” But she never had anyone.
Then when she was 21 years old, her uncle died of lung cancer, 3 years before a cure could be found. She spent her whole life achieving, without praise. She knew now that it was ridiculous to wish for it, but she craved it.

She reached her quarters and shut the door, and locked it. Slipped into a nightgown, and went to bed. Thinking to herself, “It’ll only be a few weeks before we’re there…”
Then she closed her eyes, and drifted off into slumber.

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Lemme know what you think, and what you believe might happen next?

Love,
Joseph w.