Denise Walters fastened her safety harness and wore her mind-reading neural headset to initiate ''dreaming ...''


    The hypersonic engines of the commercial spaceplane roared for takeoff to reach orbital velocity.


    While enjoying a 20-mile bicycle ride alongside the beach, everything shook and rumbled.


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    "An earthquake?" she asked aloud. "How''s that possible?"


    She removed her headset.


    Passengers were screaming and crying.


    "Folks, this is your captain speaking. Something''s collided with us. We''re breaking orbit. Brace for impact!"


    Denise put her headset back on and concentrated.


    Returning to the beach, she played fetch with her dog to smile for one last moment.