Til the Stars Turn Blue // Chris Beck

III. Sol 18 (Part III)

EXT. MARS - DAY

Two alarms sounded.

Two bodies laid facedown, half-covered in red sand at the base of a hill. One had an arm around the other.

Watney and Beck.

The oxygen alarms inside the helmets continued to blare.

Mark and Mackenzie gasped for air, jerking back into consciousness. They were disoriented and the alarms continued blaring inside their helmets.

They struggled to move and screamed in pain. The two glanced down to see a jagged length of antenna in his abdomen and in her left shoulder. Caked blood surrounded the wounds.

Mark's training kicked in - his and Mackenzie's suits were breached - he struggled to his knees while gasping for air, motioning for Mackenzie to stay down, reached to pull the side of his helmet for the breach kit and pulled the valve free. He grabbed hold of the antenna in his abdomen and gritted his teeth.

Mark yanked the antenna out of his side. The antenna snapped free, exposing the suit to atmosphere. The pressure inside dropped. Mark cried out, went woozy, but stayed conscious.

He slammed the breach kit over the hole and sealed it. He checked his arm pendant to see that the oxygen stabilized. He was still alive.

Mark turned to Mackenzie, pulled her breach kit, pulled the valve free and yanked out the antenna causing her to scream out in pain. He placed the breach kit over the hole and nodded once her oxygen stabilized.

Mackenzie and Mark struggled to their feet and both picked up a length of antenna. They began the long climb up the hill, supporting each other.

EXT. MARS - HAB

Mark and Mackenzie climbed the hill and soon arrived at the hab. It was battered from the storm, but still intact.

"Chris!" Mackenzie cried as she and Mark exchanged a relieved look.

Their eyes moved to the MAV launch site.

It was empty.

They kept walking. Mackenzie's eyes stung and she blinked furiously.

INT. HAB - AIRLOCK

Mark and Mackenzie fumbled their way inside. As soon as the airlock equalized, they tore off their helmets.

INT. HAB

The two stumbled into the main area, the latter falling ungracefully to the floor. She found a cloth and put pressure to her wound and let out a pained groan.

Mark nodded. "I gotta treat this, then I'll help you. Keep pressure on that."

Mackenzie smiled sadly. "I wish Chris was here."

"Hang in there, okay?"

"Yeah."

Mark peeled off his jumpsuit. He winced as he ripped the blood-caked fabric away from his wound.

His fingers probed the puncture. It was deep. He checked his back for an edit wound to find none. He grabbed the broken antenna. His fingers traced the bloodied end. It was jagged as though a piece of antenna broke off inside him. Mackenzie investigated her wound. It was deep, but thankfully there was an exit wound.

Mackenzie, using surfaces to help her walk and stay upright, stumbled over to the first-aid station and grabbed supplies for both herself and Mark.

With swear pouring from their brows, Mark and Mackenzie both loaded up a syringe with anesthetic and gritted their teeth. They injected the syringes into their wounds. The two gasped, breathed, and Mark grabbed the forceps while Mackenzie slowly began stitching up the front side of her shoulder wound. Mark hesitated before taking a deep breath and dug the forceps into his wound.

The two cried out in pain. Mark nearly went unconscious, but fought it. He probed with the forceps whilst grimacing in agony. He couldn't find the shrapnel. He pushed the forceps in deeper and deeper, causing his face to pale.

He found the piece of antenna and yanked the forceps free to see the shrapnel.

Mark grabbed the other needle and tried to thread it. His hands wouldn't stop shaking. He made fists and Mackenzie gave him a nod. Mark returned her nod and steadied himself just enough.

He began stitching himself up. His hands wouldn't stop shaking, but he refused to stop until the wound was closed.

When he finished, he chipped the sutures. He turned to Mackenzie and stitched up her exit wound as she groaned in pain. As soon as the two were stitched up, they collapsed back into their chairs and tried to catch their breath.

Mackenzie let out a small whimper at the gravity of their situation. They were in agony. Left for dead. Just the two of them.

The only two on the planet.

Their eyes drifted to the middle distance before they said, "Fuck."

Mackenzie smiled sadly. "Hey, Chris. Mark and I are alive. If we don't make it, I just want you to know that I love you and I'm sorry I never told you before we were separated."

Mark glanced at the brunette. "We're gonna make it, Mackenzie. We have to."

"How are we gonna get through this, Mark?"

"I don't know yet. But we need a plan. You in?"

"You don't need to ask."

"Good. Then let's get started."