Crick laid the contents of box out on the ground for everyone, Human and Keetan alike, to see. The humans gathered around in puzzlement at the bizarre contraption. They approached with caution and touched its cool metal. They stood under its wings, and inspected the rotating blades adorned on its nose.

The Keetan youngsters knew what it was.

'Been to the model store again, Crick?' Chirped Marlon.

'What does this one do?' asked another.

'Fly. It's what ancient humans called a aeroplane. A Spitfire to be exact.'

'Look uncomfortable.'

'They fought their wars in these things! Can you believe it? This one's remote controlled' Said Crick as he lifted the controller to show everybody. 'Now all it needs is a pilot for its maiden flight.'

'Well if you're talking about my Atilius. You can look somewhere else.'

'Oh, come on Lexi! He'll be fine. He likes driving around in the model cars at home, this is no different. I've got the controls handled. It's perfectly safe. Just one quick spin around the park. He's gonna love it, one of his ancestors probably flew in the real deal.'

He put his hand out to Atilius and presented him with a tiny human sized pair of aviation googles. 'What do you say boy?' Atilius struggled to put them on with great difficulty, have no real awareness of what the plane was or the conversation being carried out around him.

'Could be cool to see a human fly.' Whistled Marlon.

'Just up and down.' Lexi said begrudgingly. 'We're already due back home. And no higher than the trees.'

'Alright!' cheered Crick. He delicately placed Atilius into the cockpit of the plane, closing the hatch above. His human hands reached out to grab the controls in front of him. They moved but the plane did not react to them. Crick picked up the plane in his hands. Atilius looked out the cockpit window. He saw Mary-Lou, nestled in the arms of Marlon. Next to him stood his dear Lexi. Her expression one of grave concern.

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Atilius was confused. Wasn't this just another car to drive around in like at home? This thing had wheels like a car, and a seat and controls just like a car. Crick placed the plane down on a flat piece of land.

'Clear the runway for takeoff, please.' Crick waited all afternoon for the chance to say that. The Keetans scooped up their humans and parted to the sides of the plane. Crick flicked a switch on the bottom of the model plane. The blades of the plane cracked alive with a whirring start. Crick pushed forward on his controller and the plane began to roll across the ground.

Just like at home. This was what Atilius expected. Concern set in however, when he noticed the speed increasing and the rapid approach of the river embankment. Had Crick gone completely mad? Was there time to jump out? He felt his stomach drop as the ground disappeared from underneath him. The plane carried him into the air. It tiled to the left and banked away form the river.

Atilius kept his hands glued to the controls though powerless over them. He looked out the window and saw his friends. Keetans had never looked so small to him, and the other humans barely in view.

'Alright, that's enough Crick, bring him back now.' Demanded Lexi.

'Sure thing sister, right after this last maneuver.' Said Crick cooly as he pulled back on the controls.

The plane shot upwards into the air, double the height of the trees. What a rush it was to be this high up. He took in the view of the entire field of the park, the twists and bends of the river that ran along side it. Roads, houses, mountains and forests. The view was spectacular. Now the plane was arcing further and further upwards. Atilius felt the force against his lurching body. He could see the sky and ground, then only the sky, then for only a moment, only the ground beneath him before the plane rotated back around again.

'The perfect loop-de-loop. Okay, I'll bring him home now.' reported Crick. He maneuvered the controller. but the plane did not reorientate. The group sat and watched as the plane ascended higher up into the air, travelling away from them.

Lexi saw with horror the single bead of sweat run down the side of her brother's silent face.

In an instant, everything can change. Before you even realize what happened.

Atilius never saw the panic set in as Lexi screamed and cried at Crick as he wrestled helplessly with the controller before falling to his knees. He never heard Barton and Cornwell's labored breaths as they leapt from their owner's arms and ran after him across the field trying in vain to catch up to their friend. Atilius never felt Mary-Lou's heart break as he disappeared beyond the tree line and out from view altogether. There was only the pang of fear in his heart that something was dreadfully wrong.

And in an instant he was gone.