Ryan checks on his family, ensuring they're safe and sound before reluctantly bidding them goodbye. Each step back to the ship feels heavier, the burden of what they've endured weighing on him. When he arrives, he finds the hatch ajar, the silence inside thick with tension.
Jamie makes it back first, leaving a trail of blood from the entry hatch to his room. He doesn't say a word, merely storms in and slams the door shut behind him. The sound reverberates through the ship, echoing the unresolved emotions swirling within him.
As Jamie enters, Angelia, Judah, and Alex look up from their tasks, concern etched on their faces. "What happened?" Angelia asks, her voice laced with worry. "Are you okay?" Judah chimes in, but Jamie brushes past them, refusing to meet their eyes. He's wrapped in his own turmoil, unable to articulate the chaos inside.
Ryan enters, and Angelia, her voice a mix of anxiety and weariness, asks if the family made it to safety. He nods, but the relief is short-lived. Without another word, he strides to the ship's controls, inputting the coordinates for the next planet they had originally intended to visit. The hum of the engines feels hollow; it's a routine action that belies the turmoil inside.
Meanwhile, in his room, Jamie grapples with the reality of his injuries. As he examines his injured arm, frustration boils over. He tries to flex his fingers, but there's no response. Panic rises within him, followed by a wave of anger. In a fit of rage, he punches the wall with his good hand, the impact reverberating through his knuckles.
"Why did I even bother?" he mutters to himself, the bitterness seeping into his thoughts. It feels as if the entire trip was a waste-an exercise in futility that cost him not only physically but emotionally as well. The scars he bears now seem to represent more than just wounds; they're a reminder of everything he sacrificed.
Jamie sinks onto his bunk, his breath heavy with frustration. He's angry at himself, at the situation, and at the world that made this necessary. The silence of the ship is suffocating, amplifying his feelings of isolation. He hopes it was worth it for Ryan's sake, but deep down, doubt gnaws at him. Was it worth losing part of himself?
As the ship prepares for departure, the weight of their choices hangs over them all, a reminder of the fragility of their lives and the scars-both seen and unseen-that will remain long after they leave this place.
YOU ARE READING
We're in Space ... So What?
Science FictionIn a universe teeming with danger, opportunity, and corruption, a mismatched crew of misfits just wants to survive. Judah, a former gladiator with a penchant for violence; Angelia, a brilliant but withdrawn mechanic; Ryan, the strategist always look...
