Iain Kelly

The train arrived at Prestwick Spaceport, built adjoining the airport.

The heavy spacesuit made the short walk to the terminal difficult for Frank, the boots weighed him down.

Since watching an astronaut talk to his school class from the Space Station forty years ago, Frank had dreamed of travelling in space.

He had bought the old NASA spacesuit at auction and converted his garage into the interior of a space capsule. For days he would suit up and pretend he was flying through the stars.

Having spent the last of his savings on a ticket for the SpaceZ budget civilian space shuttle, he would finally realise his dream today.

He plodded up to the check-in desk. The woman stared at him.

‘Good morning,’ he said.

‘Good morning,’ she replied and picked up his ticket. ‘There won’t be enough leg room or seat width to accommodate your spacesuit. Have you brought any other clothes?’

Frank began to panic.

‘Don’t worry, you’re not the only one.’ She pointed wearily. ‘Through there.’

Frank walked through the door and joined the queue of middle-aged men taking off old spacesuits and being handed trousers and sweaters.

‘Thirty-five pounds for clothes hire,’ said the chirpy man handing out the clothes, ‘Seventy pounds to buy them.’

Written as part of Sunday Photo Fiction. Write a story of around 200 words based on the photo prompt given (above). Hosted by Al Forbes. For more details visit HERE.

Prestwick Airport in Scotland, typically used by low-budget airlines, is a possible sight for a new civilian spaceport on the near future.

To read more stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.