The Space Voyage (G/T P!Septiplier)

Infected

"Caution: detecting atypical fluctuations in blood plasma proteins. Systems are showing signs of physical failure. A cure is indispensable." Mark sat quietly under the couch, and for a moment he didn't move. After he absorbed the news, he set the scanner down in his lap. He looked at it for a few more lingering seconds, and then Mark finally looked up. Under his eyes were dark bags from exhaustion, and his hair was an absolute mess. His skin was pale and shiny with perspiration, and his muscles had gotten smaller and weaker. Every breath he gasped into his lungs was raspy, and the engineer had to fight back a cough.

Mark knew he wasn't faring very well. He had been stranded on this planet for only two-- or was it three...?-- days, and so far no sign of any help on the way. He didn't know if his friends were ok either, but Mark was determined to keep optimistic. Jack and Felix still had no idea that Mark was hiding in the cabin, and Mark hoped he could keep it that way. Felix had successfully insisted on staying over for one more day, so today was his final day with Jack before he had to go back home.

Mark was still trying to figure out some kind of schedule where he could look the things he needed, but even nighttime scared him. Last night through his exhaustion he had tried going into the kitchen, but Felix had gotten up for a drink, so Mark was stuck under the table for an hour. And then when he tried to continue, the sheer size and mass of this world stopped the engineer from being able to open a cabinet! He was lucky enough for his fabricator belt to absorb a couple drops of water that Felix left, but Mark was getting really thirsty. His tuna sandwich was gone, and he needed to hold out until rescue came. Maybe they would even have a vaccine for whatever infection was making his body go on the verge of deterioration.

But whenever Mark slept, he slept for steadily longer periods of time, yet he never felt more rested. If anything, it was a sure sign of how his health was crumbling, because he just felt so tired, and he was exhausted all the time-- and not just because he was stuck in a giant house!

I need my strength back. Mark sighed quietly and curled up in Jack's shirt. When his expedition to the kitchen had failed, Mark had decided to move out of Jack's room and hide out under the couch with the shirt in tow. It was big and offered plenty of shelter, and in the short time Mark had been here he never saw either of the giants look under the couch. It was a little dusty, but Mark thought he could manage. But right now, all he wanted was simply sleep.

The stranded man closed his tired eyes and nestled in the pocket, and his body succumbed to the craving for sleep swiftly.

It was dark. Mark couldn't see anything, but he could feel plenty. He was running, and his chest was tight and heaving with fear as he sprinted for his life.

His surroundings suddenly formed out of the darkness, and Mark's eyes widened. He was in the city from that virtual reality game!

"Hey, c'mere!" Mark turned his head, and adrenaline made him run faster. Jack was right behind him, and he was trying to catch the stranded engineer with every thunderous step.

But no matter how much effort Mark put in, it just wasn't enough. A shadow fell over him as large trunk like fingers swooped down and curled around Mark, and Mark screamed as his feet left the ground.

"Got ya- Aw you're so cute!" Jack held Mark up to his face in a crushing fist and grinned with way too many teeth. "Hi! Aw you're so tiny!" Mark was in a full blown panic, squirming and trying to thrash out of the giant's fist, but it was no use. He just wasn't strong enough. He wasn't fast enough either; he was completely helpless.