Red Horizon (The Martian Fanfiction)

Chapter 48

The first thing Olivia felt was a deep, throbbing ache in her chest, like her lungs had forgotten how to work. There was a ringing in her ears, and the world around her was dark, still spinning in a haze of disorientation. She blinked, trying to focus, but her eyelids were heavy, her limbs sluggish and unresponsive. It felt like waking from a deep, heavy sleep—the kind that leaves you disoriented and unsure if you're truly awake or still dreaming.

The second thing she noticed was the silence. The roar of the engines, the crushing weight of the G-forces—both had vanished, leaving behind an eerie, weightless stillness. She was spinning through space. The realization hit her slowly, as if her mind was struggling to catch up with her body.

"Olivia? Liv!"

Mark's voice broke through the fog, urgent and strained. She could hear the rising panic in his tone, but it felt distant, like a radio just out of tune. She tried to move, to respond, but her body wouldn't cooperate. It was as if the G-forces had drained every last ounce of energy from her, leaving her limp and weak, still strapped to her seat in the enclosed space of the MAV.

"Liv, come on! Wake up!"

The sound of his voice pulled her closer to the surface, like a lifeline in the darkness. She blinked again, her vision slowly clearing, and for the first time, she became aware of the dim glow of the cabin around her. The weightlessness was disorienting, her body floating awkwardly in her harness, but the crushing pressure was gone. They were free of Mars, hurtling through space.

She groaned softly, the sound barely a whisper as she tried to force her body to respond. Her fingers twitched, then her arms, slowly becoming aware of the lack of gravity. The pain in her chest persisted, a dull reminder of the violent ascent they had just endured, but it was fading, replaced by a strange lightness that made her head swim.

"Liv!"

This time, Mark's voice was closer, and she managed to turn her head slightly, her eyes searching for him in the dim cabin. He was floating beside her, his face pale and drawn but filled with relief as their eyes met.

"There you are," he breathed, his hand reaching out to gently touch her arm, as if reassuring himself that she was really awake. "I thought I'd lost you for a minute."

Olivia swallowed, her throat dry and tight. It took a few moments before she could find her voice, and even then, it was hoarse and weak. "I'm here," she whispered, her eyes struggling to focus on him as her mind slowly caught up with the reality of where they were. "I... I'm okay."

The cabin still hummed faintly as Olivia's senses continued to return, the weightlessness making her feel as though she were floating through a dream. Her mind, sluggish from the intensity of the launch, tried to catch up with what was happening. Her neck ached, and a dull throbbing radiated from her leg, but that was nothing compared to the relief of knowing they had made it off Mars. For the first time in over a year, they were no longer bound to that harsh, unforgiving planet.

"Sorry, just thought I'd take a nap there for a minute," she retorted weakly, her lips quirking into a faint smile as she coughed, the tightness in her chest reminding her of the violent ascent.

Mark's face was pale, but his eyes held that familiar spark of determination. "You scared me there."

Before Olivia could respond, Commander Lewis's voice crackled through their comms. "What's your status?"

Olivia winced as she shifted in her seat, her neck protesting the movement. "Neck is killing me and my leg's throbbing, but otherwise okay."

Mark groaned beside her. "My chest hurts. I think I broke a few ribs." He glanced over at her, his expression softening. "How are you?"