We’re all laying on the floor, looking up. The elevator stops, and now, we’re . . . floating up.

“Grab something!” Zoe yells.

“What? The ceiling?” I reach up and brace for impact. But then I just float there, weightless, in the middle of the elevator.

“Arcade, where on earth did you take us?” Doug is doing out-of-control barrel rolls in the elevator.

My heart starts to pound. I can’t believe what I’m about to say. “Um, I don’t think we’re on earth anymore, bro.”

I’ve studied a little bit about space. And I’ve watched enough movies to know that when an astronaut floats away into space, he floats away FOREVER.

If these doors open and we really are in space . . .

I glance over at Zoe, who is turning a cartwheel. “Hey, Zoe! You’re finally coordinated!”

Zoe glares at me through her fogged-up face shield. “NOT FUNNY, Arcade! I’m not TRYING to do this!”

“Oh. That’s too bad, then.”

“Get over here and help me!”

As much as I want to let my sister just flip there a while, I float over and steady her. And that’s when I notice all three of us are tethered to a hook inside the elevator.

Whew, that’s a relief!

The doors open. And we all drop to the floor.

“Oof!” I sit there in a heap and assess the damage to my body. “That didn’t hurt as much as I thought it would. Where are we?”

I stand, take a floaty, semi-weightless step toward the doors, and peer out.

“Well, what do you see?” Doug asks, with a slight tremor in his voice.

“We’re definitely sitting on some kind of planetary surface. Wanna take a look around?” Doug and Zoe have plastered themselves to the back corners of the elevator.

“Are there edges?” Doug holds on tighter to his tether.

I tap my foot on the ground. “Not that I can see.”

“I’m not sure we should go out there, Arcade. If we’re in space, we won’t be able to breathe.”

I take a big breath in and let it out. “I’m thinking we have air in these suits, Zoe. What do you think you’re breathing right now?”

“Yes, but how? I mean, what are we connected to? What if it runs out?”

“What are we connected to? And you think I ask ridiculous questions? Have we EVER known what we’re connected to? Look around, Zoe. This elevator doesn’t have any cables.”

Zoe takes a step forward. “You’re right. This whole thing is insane.” She turns to Doug. “I guess we should go explore.” She grabs Doug by the shoulder and they follow me out.

As we walk, we are kicking up a powder-like dust. The land is barren.