6. The Astronaut. # Sara couldn't sleep. Aunt Mae's house was too still- and dark. The clock's numbers flipped and the minutes glowed green. Sara watched them. They were like a rocket countdown turned around. Sara wished her bed were a rocket. A small machine started up. It was only Simba, purring in cat dreams. Sara smiled. She closed her eyes Her blanket was a cloud. She and Simba floated it. up on Light as balloons, they flew toward the stars. Sara piloted her ship moon miles away. She headed for a space station. It glowed green like the clock-and Simba's eyes. Sara parked. She wrote a secret message. She poked it through a window. Flip! It landed in a mail drop. Like a kangaroo, Sara's ship leaped up. Quick as a wink, it flew away. It flew toward Earth, skipping stars. It came down silvery smooth, like a waterfall. The sun was a giant orange in the trees. "Wake up, Sara," said her aunt. "I brought your orange juice, dear." Sara smiled. "Mmmm, thanks. It's sunshine