Ethereal Lives: A Romantic Sci-Fi Novel

Chapter 23

Ariane flinched when her stomach rumbled loud enough for the whole ship to hear. "Stay hidden," she mumbled.

She stepped closer to the door, desperately wanting to go and explore if only to find food. Unfortunately, she couldn't blend in like Ax and his men. She glanced at the surrounding crates, and then back at the door. She had nothing better to do, might as well see what's inside.

Carefully moving to the very back of the room, she picked a crate hidden behind some others, in case anyone entered. The lid seemed to be nailed shut. After some very persistent tugging she decided it wasn't going to open, so moved onto another. A group of chests, similar to the one she'd travelled in, sat in the corner. That was something she could open. With a grin, she removed a grip from her hair and went to work on the lock.

The chests were full of clothes and material, nothing interesting, and most importantly, no food. This wouldn't do, her stomach grumbled again, and her bladder ached reminding her it was hours since she'd been to the toilet. Did Xans have toilets?

Glancing at the door, she wondered how long it would take for one of the men to return. Unlike Ax's ship, this one seemed to have proper doors with handles. Sneaking closer she pressed her ear to it, in an attempt to hear outside. When she was met with silence, she opened it an inch and peered through the gap. The corridor stood deserted, and no sound could be heard from anywhere.

She looked back into the cargo hold. Her stomach grumbled again, making her decision. Cautiously, she opened the door, left the room and crept along the corridor.

Now she was out of the room, she wondered if she'd made a wise decision. Her heart pounded harder in her chest with each step she took. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to wait just a bit longer for one of the men to return. Turning around, she made a move to head back the way she came, but voices brought her up short. They seemed to be in the direction she'd come from. She quickly tried doors, hoping one would open. Sweat built up on her palms making the handles slip in her grasp. After the third attempt, she found one unlocked and dashed into the room, leaning against the door with a sigh.

Luckily, the room stood empty. She pressed her ear to the door and listened to the approaching footsteps, panicking when they paused near the door. Glancing around the room frantically, she searched for somewhere to hide in case they entered. Another door stood on the opposite side of the room, so she crept over there and opened it a gap. On the other side was a tiny cubicle. When the outer door's handle began turning, she entered it, shutting the door behind her.

Two Xans entered the room. Keeping her ear to the door, she tried to listen to their conversation, but she couldn't make out the words. The sound of them walking closer made her hold her breath. If they opened this door, she had nowhere else to go. She'd be seen for sure. When the steps receded, she finally let herself breath. A few minutes later, she heard the outer door open and close.

Leaning against the door, she closed her eyes in relief. This was getting way too dangerous. She wanted adventure, but at this rate, she'd have a heart attack. When she opened her eyes, she realised she appeared to be in a cleansing room, the same as the ones on Ax's ship. Relief swept through her when she stepped away from the door and suddenly heard a whoosh sound. The same tingling sensations she'd had when using the bathroom swept over her and within moments, the urge to use the toilet was gone.

"Thank God," she murmured, smiling. At least one need had been sorted, now if only she had some food. The first room she'd entered stood empty again. Sneaking back to the other door, she opened it a crack, relieved to find no one in the corridor.

As she re-entered the hallway, she debated what to do. With any luck, she could now get back to the cargo hold undetected, but she was still hungry. No sound could be heard from any direction. Would it really hurt to try just a couple more doors before going back?