Echoes from Earth [ENG]

Chapter 4

After an intense training session, Jo Ann, Stella, Vika, and Lena trudged tiredly into the barracks' locker room. The cool stone floor under their feet and the soft echo of their steps filled the spacious room. Showerheads glistened under the cold glow of the neon lights, and the washroom, with its polished tiles, almost looked inviting.

"Time to scrub off the sweat," mumbled Vika, the first to strip off her uniform.

Under the hot streams of water, the women started to relax, and as always, a bit of playful teasing followed. Lena laughed out loud as Jo Ann suddenly threw a handful of suds over Stella's shoulders. "Not the hair!" Stella protested, half laughing, half serious.

"Oh, excuse me, Princess!" Jo Ann replied with a grin, taking the opportunity to wash the sweat off her own face. The warm steam filled the air, creating a comforting haze that made the day's tension seem to melt away.

As they finished up and began to dry off, their conversation naturally shifted to familiar topics. Lena, as usual, was self-critical, eyeing herself in the mirror with a frown.

"I really need to watch it," she muttered, pulling at the skin on her hips. "Every extra inch, every ounce, it drives me nuts."

Vika, who didn't concern herself much with such things, just raised an eyebrow. "Come on, you're overreacting. Besides, we're soldiers, not models."

Stella, now sitting next to Jo Ann on the bench, combed through her long, still-wet hair thoughtfully. "Still... I really need a haircut. It's getting way too long for the helmet."

Jo Ann smiled to herself, standing at the mirror with wet hair, reaching for the hair dryer. "You and your hair..." She enjoyed taking a few extra minutes to herself whenever she could. The familiar hum of the hair dryer drowned out the others' quiet chatter, and she let the warm air dry her hair as the others dressed.

Then, a loud, metallic announcement echoed through the barracks, clear even in the locker room: "Assignment in one hour in the main courtyard." Jo Ann looked up, the hair dryer still in hand, as her friends finished getting ready.

"So much for our break," Lena muttered, pulling her hair into a tight ponytail and swinging the door open. "Better hurry."

"I hope we finally find out what's coming," Vika said, tossing her towel over her shoulder. She and Lena left to head back to the dorm and prepare for the hour ahead.

Jo Ann stayed behind for a moment, gazing at her reflection, her mind elsewhere. She carefully smoothed her hair as if it were a ritual, something to help keep her nerves in check. But with each slow stroke, a quiet, nagging unease crept over her.

When she finally finished, the others were already gone. She hesitated, then left the locker room as well. The corridors of the barracks felt endless and silent at that moment. Jo Ann felt a rare sense of loneliness, something she seldom felt when her friends were nearby. But today, something was different, hanging heavy in the air.

Meanwhile, Lena and Vika were already waiting in the courtyard while Stella stayed back in the dorm. She noticed that Jo Ann hadn't returned yet and decided to go look for her. After scanning the dorm and not finding Jo Ann, Stella headed back toward the locker room.

When she entered the empty space, she found no sign of Jo Ann. Frowning, a quiet sense of unease settled over her. Where could she be? Jo Ann couldn't have taken that long. Stella looked around, but the locker room was silent. Her usually practical instincts shifted into worry.

Just as she was leaving, she ran into a sergeant passing through the hallway.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for Corporal Johanna Johns. She was in the locker room, but I can't find her," Stella said, her voice steady but with a trace of concern.