Car Wash to the Cosmos

An imaginative girl narrates in her captain's log as she, her father, and her dog pass through a car wash…and emerge on the other side of the galaxy. Genre: Science Fiction   Excerpt:"Let me see where there's a good place to land in that jungle," I said, easing off the brake again.  "Not a good idea."  I smiled a little. "Oh no?" Meena explained. "Don't you know what they say about the jungles of Zarqlok? Pretty from above, deadly from below." "What does that mean?"  "Predators. Venomous predators. Lots of them."   The Wheel of Fiction Turns. What did it land on this time?Each Season 9 story follows a theme chosen by the Wheel of Fiction. Thirteen spokes. Eight are the themes from previous seasons. One is "Turn Again." One is a wild card. And three are covered in question marks and will be revealed when the wheel lands on them. See a story trailer and a (satisfying) video of the wheel turning here: Car Wash to the Cosmos This episode landed on a mystery spoke that was revealed to be TRAVELER. Ever pretend you're going at warp speed when you're sitting in your car during the drying phase of the car wash?   MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork?Please visit my Store page for info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE   NEWSLETTERSStoryfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create) Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me)  Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)   FICTION-WRITING ARTICLES & RESOURCES (New)Come and explore the Fictioneer's Field Station. I've also started posting some tips on Pinterest: pinterest.com/storyfeather/   MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written? I have a method. You can learn it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available from Amazon as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. You can also get there from my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE   CREDITSStory: "Car Wash to the Cosmos" Copyright © 2022 by Nila L. PatelNarration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production:  Nila L. Patel   Music:"Space Discoveries" by ANDREW SITKOV (Intro)"Through the gravitational field" by TRG BANKS (Outro)"Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)   Music by TRG BANKS"Through the gravitational field""Insideoutworld""Instellar breakfast""After midnight""Above the Earth""Cigar""Keith in 1987"   Music by LEE ROSEVERE"Cosmic Drifting"   Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)"Space Discoveries""A Long Way""First Contact"   Tracks by Andrew Sitkov are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.   Music by Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev MarketMusic by TRG Banks is licensed under CC0 1.0 UniversalMusic by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY 4.0Sound effects from AudioJungle, GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg)Vocal effects created with Audacity Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration. Find more music by Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more music by TRG Banks at freemusicarchive.org/music/TRG_BanksFind more music by Lee Rosevere at freemusicarchive.org/music/lee-rosevere and leerosevere.bandcamp.comFind more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com   Episode Art Description:Digital drawing. View inside the cabin of a car through the front passenger window. Foreground, a girl and a terrier sit in the front passenger seat, both facing forward and seen in three-quarters view. The girl, seen from shoulders up holds her left hand up to her lips. Her eyes are raised in a thoughtful expression. A braid falls over her right shoulder and seatbelt. She has a star sticker on her right cheek. She wears a headband with two antennae ending in balls with rings around them, like ringed planets. Her right hand, just visible is held against the chest of the terrier who has front paws propped against the window edge, and mouth open with tongue lolling out. A man, face in profile, sits in the driver's seat, both hands resting on the steering wheel. He looks at the girl and dog with a worried expression. Moon roof is open to a starry view of outer space. The driver's side window shows darkness with streaks of light. The middle panel between the seats shows glowing lights where the gear shift would be. Watermark of "Storyfeather" along side of the driver's seat.