In The Black

Black

Blurry

My vision was fuzzy as I sat up on the padded floors. I looked around, my eyes slowly adjusting to the light.

Pain flashed through my head, it felt like someone was trying to saw open my skull, to add to that, there was a faint ringing and buzzing sound in both my ears.

This was the interior of a space pod...an escape pod.

Memories rush into my mind on fast forward: the deep space expedition, the biohazard, the crew being spontaneously affected by mental illnesses... then tearing the ship apart, literally.

I'm alone in unchartered space, deep space.

Alone!

Ccrrrrrrshhkkk...hhuuussshhhkkkrre...

The cacophony blasted louder in my ear canal again.

Impulsively, I repeatedly clawed both sides of my head and raw pain seared my ears.

I caught the sight of my hands.

My hands...they were caked with thick, dried blood. Fresh crimson rivulets dripped down my arms.
Bits of flesh were jammed inside my nails.

I felt bile rising up my throat.

Dizzy

Black

* * *

Black

An icy breath fanned the back of my neck and goosebumps erupted on my skin.

I shot up off the floor.

The lights flickered and dimmed faintly above me.

The pod's insides hummed abnormally loud.

Shit. I can't be experiencing engine failure right now.

The pod plunged into inky blackness and stopped moving.

I blindly maneuvered through the suffocating layers of black, then, I hesitantly reached for the handle.

I took a deep breath and slid it open...

After feeling through the cabinets, I found a flashlight.

I shone the light into the closet.

My eyes scanned over the equipment and landed on the visor of a space suit's helmet.

In the dim light, my distorted reflection stared back at me.

Another was next to mine.

I whipped my head around and illuminated the area behind me.

The shadows danced as the beam of light moved.

Directing the light over to the pod's view screen, my eyes caught a disfigured lump floating weightlessly outside the pod.

I recognized the suit...

"Audre..." His pleas were cut off as she stabbed him in the neck. Blood oozed out of the wound and his dead glassy eyes stared back at her...

Die
Die
Die
...If you don't sing I won't be your friend anymo...

"No! Stop it...get out of my head!" I yelled, vigorously clawing my numb, bloody ears.

Something was crawling inside my arm.

I rushed to the closet and grabbed a pocket knife.

Everything was a blur.

I stabbed my left arm repeatedly.

"GET...OUT...OF...ME!" I pierced my skin with each syllable.

I carved a scarlet line across my arm.

Blood bubbled out.

My vision turn black - I'm blind.

I chocked sob broke through my lips.

I'm done.

Somewhere in the black...the faintest of giggles reverberates off the walls.

I brought the knife up to my throat.

Pain.

...black