To the heavens above

Inhaling deeply, filling my lungs, I am rigid. Without thinking, I hold my breath.

T-000:00:58 Armstrong: PAD Comm, going Off.

Feeling my chest heave, I am otherwise conscious only of the sights and sounds in the jam-packed space within the command module.

T-000:00:57 Collins: And my PAD Comm, going off. Sure have been a nice smooth countdown, Skip.

The muscles of my chest cramp tight around me, strangling me from within.

T-000:00:53 STC: Ah, thank you babe.

Thump, thump, thump the pulse hammers in my head like a blacksmith's anvil.

T-000:00:52 STC: LMP, VHF increase a little bit.

My vision starts to blur, sweat forming on my forehead

T-000:00:46 Collins: LMP, copy.

At last, I release the breath, my senses returning a little.

T-000:00:44 Speaker: Roger, (we're on the dial?).

Getting my breathing under control, the feeling returns to my hands and fingers as I try to follow the procedure unfolding before me.

T-000:00:43 STC: Okay. And CDR, GDC Align.

The planned sequence of events unravels as if I am in some strange dream.

T-000:00:41 Armstrong: Roger.

Hearing his voice, I feel as if I am one with the Mission Commander.

T-000:0034: Speaker: S-I pre-press.

Almost there, exchanging glances.

T-000:00:33 Speaker: Roger.

This is it. 'Moment of truth' doesn't quite cut it.

T-000:00:30 Speaker: 30 seconds.

30 seconds? Did he say 30 seconds?

T-000:00:29 Speaker: MC, we're [garble].

The voice sounds a million miles away, garbling its nonsense into my ears. I try not to let it distract me.

T-000:00:27 Speaker: GDC is good. Twenty seconds and counting.

Twenty seconds, can it really be that close? Time seems to stand still and I feel as if I am drifting outside of the module looking in, seeing three anxious faces looking out. I wonder what the next 20 seconds will bring... and then, it is no longer 20 seconds but...

T-000:00:15 Speaker: 15.

No turning back. We are heading for the momentous event, a building up of a cataclysmic power that will force the launch vehicle up, up, up.

T-000:00:12 Speaker: GRR.

Last seconds before they light the lamp.

T-000:00:11 Speaker: Roger, GRR. T minus 15 seconds, guidance is internal...Twelve, 11, 10, 9, ignition sequence starts...

My body is shaking violently with the shuddering of the engines. I feel like the whole thing will be rent apart any moment. I find it hard to see, hard to feel anything else, so hard to think what’s next.

T-000:00:10 Speaker: 10, 9, 8, 7...

Magic numbers, final numbers.

T-000:00:06 Speaker: 6, 5, 4... 3... 2, 1, zero, all engine running...

Another captive breath, dizziness, darkness, light, heat, all in one second.

LIFT-OFF! We have a lift-off, 32 minutes past the hour. Lift-off on Apollo 11.

I release the breath with a hiss and concentrate until, glancing up at the mantlepiece, I realize to my horror...

"Shit!" I shout at the clock. It's gone 2.30pm! I'd better get back to school before someone misses me.

O ~ 0 ~ o ~

Breakout text is taken verbatim from lift-off scripts published by NASA. All other narrative is entirely made up. I was nine years old on July 16, 1969, and can assure readers I was at school at 2:32 pm (UTC+1) or 9:32 am EDT. I do not recall watching the Apollo 11 lift-off but did watch the first steps taken by Armstrong and Aldrin as Collins kept vigil above.

Thanks for reading