2030 - April 16'th "Departure Day" - 09:20

Allen was watching a movie in the back seat of the car. His brother, Matthew, was laying against his arm, asleep for almost an hour. His sister Alexis was texting, paying no attention to the rest of the world. A flaming elephant could have charged at the car and she probably wouldn't have noticed.

His mother was desperately trying to get the GPS to stop making them go in circles, and his father was red in the face and just about to smash the thing the rest of the way into the dashboard. And knowing Allen's father, it was quite possible he would.

But Allen wasn't paying any of these things any attention. He was starring out the windows, watching the various buildings and plant life blur by. It would be the last he would ever see of it. His family, not the richest in the world, had entered a contest.

The famous STAT company, or Star Tourism And Transport, was giving away 20,000 spots on a new planet. This was, of course, being sponsored by the government as a possible solution to the massive overpopulation.

There were currently nearly 10 billion people worldwide. It wasn't believed that the Earth would hit 10 billion so soon, but with a combination of the cure for cancer, aids and the outright banning of alcohol and tobacco throughout most of the world, people never seemed to die. Not to mention there were almost no car accidents anymore since the introduction of self driving cars.

The world's food supply was never in such lack, many people finding they could actually make a better living as farmers than as scientists or surgeons.

But even with all its faults, it was still the only home Allen had, and he was still upset to be leaving. That's when he fell asleep as well, visions of different green paradises dancing before his eyes.

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Author guidance for This story

There's not much plot set in stone here. Just that Allen and his family will get on the ship, and that there is some sort of accident. (Or, maybe, an 'accident')

updated May 26 '09 by NeverChance