One Giant Leap

At first, she had been worried as she saw the city's lights.

They reminded her of cold and loneliness, of feeling so much hunger that she couldn't move, or moving despite not feeling her legs anymore to get scraps of food. Even if she didn't have to even stand up for days or if she would be left in isolation for no reason until her memory of the world would turn blurry, she still liked her current situation far more than her previous one. The cold wasn't so intense nor was she ever really hungry and, though she would be often alone, she knew that it wasn't forever; soon those warm arms would be around her, running down her face and neck while happily calling out for her.

Both relif and confusion washed over her as they turned away from the large buildings, walking towards a small cabin. This was something new, something special; she knew by the way her companion walked faster than usual and her closer to their bodies. When he let her on the ground, it wasn't over freezing snow or hard tile, it was over wood. The sensation under her feet was as alien as what came after: more came into the room, not ignoring her greetings with apathy, but instead beckoning her to come closer and be held and played with and cared for. For the long hours she waited for the bad moments to pass, this good one seemed to last so very little, even if she could she the sky had changed from red and purple to light blue.

She went back home panting and tired, but so joyful that she didn't mind being put inside the tiny room where she would be left alone for longer that she could count. The cables puggled onto to her where annoying at most, so was the buzzing of people, but what broke her out of her happy haze was something else: her companion's face. Everytime they did this, their expression was of exited determination as they called her their "Zhuchka", but today they seemed almost mournful as they kissed her small nose and walked away. What it something she did? She wanted her friend to feel better, if only to repay the joy they gave her, but she didn't get the chance to do so.

In a moment, everything seemed to change: the door to the tiny room was close, everyone left and silence came over the site. A single voice could be heard and, though she didn't understand what was said, she recognised two familiar words that always were repeated when this happened:

"Sputnik", as loud sounds came from all around her;

"Laika", before her world trembled and shook as the spaceship took off, only to be overtook by an almost silence.