[DISCONTINUED] Making It Out Alive

Chapter 18 - Fading Shadows

It's been a few hours. I was dreading every second that passed.

Mainly because I wasn't allowed in MedBay. Ocean said they worked best without being watched, but I'm sure if they knew how I felt about being separated from Aubbie, they would be thinking differently.

Bubbles was sent out of MedBay as well. She tagged along with Personify and Tattle to do tasks.

Everyone was supposed to return to their tasks. To try and forget what was going on right now. And from what it seemed, everyone was ignoring it.

But not me.

The long trail of blood still dragged from Naviagtion to MedBay. I don't know how, or if, it will ever be cleaned up.

For some odd reason, Navigation is where I decided to get away from everyone. It had always been my favorite place on The Skeld. And even now, with all the bad memories lingering within it, I still sort of liked it in here.

Here I would sit, until my mind cleared. Hopefully, people would let me be...

~

Aubbie sat in her medical bed, struggling to keep her eyes open. She didn't want to go to sleep, as she feared she wouldn't wake up again if she did. And, she was waiting for her friend to visit her. Ocean would have to let her in sometime...

Ocean put their hand to their head, clearly stressed.

"Hey, Aubbie, I'm just going to relax for a second. Maybe go see Bubbles. I just... need fresh air. Okay? Don't move."

Once they realized that Aubbie obviously couldn't move, they slightly cringed. But that didn't matter right now, this medic just needed a break.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." Ocean said, walking away quickly.

With them gone, a wave of dread washed over Aubbie. Ocean being around gave her a comforted feeling. Not that strong, but it gave her some hope that her wound could be fixed.

But now, the air felt eerily silent. The only sounds to be heard were the lights overheard faintly buzzing. And the machine that was giving Aubbie oxygen was whirring, and she could hear her own breathing as she took in long, fresh breaths.

Then, the sound of a vent broke through all the others, ringing in Aubbie's ears.

Aubbie managed to look over to the corner. Standing there, was indeed the person who almost ended her life.

"I thought I finished you off." The Imposter hissed menacingly.

"I.. I was lucky." Aubbie said, clearer than she expected.

The Imposter slid over to Aubbie, standing over the black suited crewmate. The creature's eyes wandered to the strange machine that gave Aubbie oxygen.

"This is what is keeping you alive, hm?" The Imposter purred. It's eyes trailed along the cord until it found the outlet the entire machine was pluged into.

"If I unplug this, you'll die a slow, painful death." The Imposter said, it's eyes gleaming dangerously. It raised it's foot over the cord.

"Wait." Aubbie said. "Just for a little longer, I need to see my friend. Tell her goodbye."

The Imposter stared at Aubbie for a strange amount of time.

"You'll die alone." It said in a quiet, dark tone. "No friends. No oxygen. Not anybody."

A snap was heard. Aubbie slowly trailed her eyes to the cord, which had been torn from it's outlet. The feeling settled in, she was going to die.

It took a few seconds for the last of the oxygen to reach Aubbie's body, before there was none at all. Her body was getting weaker and weaker with each passing second.

The final stage of her death took place. Her vision was going black.

Until, everything in Aubbie's body stopped.

She was dead.

~

Ocean stalked the hallways of The Skeld, intending on returning to MedBay. They had been away more than they realized, and Aubbie needed serious checking on.

A strange aura enveloped them as they stepped inside the room. Someting was wrong, they could feel it... but what was it?

"I'm so sorry Aubbie, I got distracted and I just... ended up doing other things. But I'm back now, let's do another heart rate test." Ocean said. They walked around to the side of the bed, where Aubbie lay still. Unusually still...

"Aubbie?" Ocean asked. No response.

Their breath quickened as they looked around desperately, and their heart nearly stopped as they spotted the cord to the oxygen machine, unplugged and destroyed.

Ocean looked at Aubbie again, before slowly sinking to their knees.

"I... let her die." They said quietly. "I failed her."

After what seemed like maybe a few minutes, Ocean rose to their feet. They stepped outside or MedBay, and gazed down the hallway to Navigation, where a white suited crewmate sat with her own thoughts.

Ocean sighed, knowing what they had to do, and started down the blood covered hallway.