The Lone Survivor

Chapter Five: Floating Through Andromeda

Christopher had woken us up at 2 A.M in Earth hours to announce that the gravitational device in the shuttle was running low on power and must be shut off as soon as it can to prevent overheating.

"I have informed NASA and they will send three devices. To get us through Andromeda, to the other galaxy, and back home."
He takes a breath.
"After this meeting, get strapped down. Either to your bed or i--"
"I call the bed!"
Amelia shouted.
"Did I tell you to speak, soldier?!" Christopher yelled, his face red and a vein bulging out the side of his neck.
"No sir..." Amelia mumbled meekly.
"I can't hear you!" We all straightened up, shoulder to shoulder. I closed my eyes for a moment.
"No sir!!" Amelia yelled.

Christopher turned to us, his orange NASA jumpsuit might as well been a lieutenant's uniform and we should be dressed in the rightful military attire.
"As I was saying," Christopher said, taking a breath to calm himself.
"You can either strap down to the beds or in your seat."

Christopher looked at all of us in the eyes.
"Wipe that smirk off your face, Brit." Christopher demanded, jabbing Stuart in the chest with his finger. Stuart wiped his mouth sarcastically, which only caused him to laugh.

Then came the sound of an ice cold punch as Stuart fell to the ground.
"Dismissed." Christopher turned angrily to his seat as I helped Stuart to his feet and stared in horror at his partially bruised cheek. He pulled back from me, blinking rapidly.
"He gotcha good this time, eh Stuart?" Violet laughed.
"Yea... Just like in middle school..." Stuart looked at his feet. Back in middle school, Christopher and Stuart would get into a fight every other month or two.
The last time those two fought, Stuart was left with a black eye, busted nose and lip, a ripped shirt, and a missing and chipped tooth, both of which were his two front teeth. In my opinion, it makes him cuter.

Christopher stayed quiet the rest of the day and Stuart wouldn't dare get near Christopher, in risk of loosing his other front tooth. Stuart's cheek bruised over, making a large dark purple bruise on his left cheek. I sat quietly in my seat alongside Alexander and the unsocial Stuart, sketch pad out, sketching out the features of a rose, my favourite flower. I sat my pencil down as Christopher turned the gravity off and two more gravity devices came in. Christopher pulled them in from the cold, dark abyss of endless space.
"Gravitational devices in, on schedule and we have twenty eight minutes until we get to Andromeda."
Christopher mumbles to himself. "Chris, could you install the gravitational devices, maybe?" Alexander asked nervously. "Not until we can find somewhere safe to put the auto piolet on." Christopher answers, his voice scratchy from hours of not socializing.
I glance around the ship. Amelia sits, slumped in her seat, sleeping. I notice drool trailing from the corner of her mouth down to her jumpsuit, leaving a dark stain. My nose wrinkled at the sight. I looked at Violet, staring dreamily at Christopher in the co-pilot's seat. Alex sat slumped in his seat, staring at his feet in a daze. I looked at Stuart, who touched his cheek gingerly, wincing at the pain.

I reached over, touching his forearm. "I miss Sydney..." He muttered. Sydney, Stuart's soon to be 6 year old daughter, was his world. Stuart would tell me how every morning after he wakes her up for school she'd ask if I would be at their house that day. I love Sydney like my own, she's such a sweet little girl. She's got her dad's eyes, hair (Blue bangs and all), cute button nose, and best of all, she's got her dad's smile.
"You know, when we get back I'll take you and her out on the town."
I flashed Stuart a sweet, warm smile. I pulled my hand back.
"Clem, I have to tell you something..." Stuart looked at me, his cheeks highlighted with a pink blush. "Sure! What's up?" I turned to him. "I think I l--"

"Here we are, folks." Christopher interuppted.

"Welcome to Andromeda."

I looked past Stuart, out the window, though I only saw the blackness of deep space.

Christopher put the shuttle on autopilot, removed the old gravitational device and applied the new one, flipped a switch and the gravity came on. My pencil fell, I caught it before it landed right on Stuart's head. I tucked it behind my ear, and looked back at Stuart.
"What were you saying?" 
He looked away.
"Nothing, wouldn't 've mattered anyway...."
My smile faded.
"Alright..." I cleared my throat, looking away.

Alexander, Violet, Stuart and I unbuckled and walked back to the living quarters. Alexander and Stuart raced like children to the bathroom, of course Stuart got there first. Stuart stared in the small mirror at his bruise. "Makes you look uglier, you annoying Brit..." He told himself.
He let out a deep sigh, did what he needed and went out. He didn't even bother drying his hands. Alexander took like five minutes. I laid in my sleep station, looking at my drawing. "I think it needs colour..." I said to myself. "If only Violet wasn't holding my coloured pencils hostage...." I glared at the black haired thief.

I closed my sketch book and closed my eyes. And when we reached the outskirts of the fourth solar system, I had fallen asleep from the lack of sleep today. Thus, another day of torture.