Alpha Centauri

Nightmares

I had been cooped up in my room for the last two days. Nix brought me food every time it was mealtime, he was the only human interaction I encountered.

Phee would pop in now and then, whenever I called her, but that was it.

The others had completely abandoned me, which made me feel a deep sadness. Today though, I was determined to go for a walk around the ship. I couldn't take one more second confined to these four, blank, white walls.

I dressed myself in a fresh black suit and walked barefoot out of my room as I tied my long hair back into a messy ponytail. I passed room after room, all closed and unable to open. I tried to stick clear of where everyone else would be.

I stopped when I saw the viewing deck. The distant stars winked at me, encouraging me to go to them.

I walked straight for the window and took a deep breath in as I looked out into the darkness of space.

I could just see the side of Centauri Earth, almost blocked by the Sitara. The red orb glowed in the distance. My eyes became transfixed with the scarlet radiating from the object which seemed to be devouring the darkness around it.

The color felt strange and out of place, but I couldn't put a reason to why I felt that way. Centauri Earth looked vibrant, full of life and hope.

The red orb pulsated and felt angry and volatile. It made me feel scared and powerless. But why? It's just a dead star, nothing lived there, there was no reason to feel scared by it.

Maybe I was treating it like the others treated me; afraid of something no one understood.

I sat down on the cold floor and hugged my knees to my chest. I felt more alone now than I did when I was awoken.

I sat there for a long time, looking out into space, my eyes watching the dead star until I yawned and started to feel very tired.

I didn't have the energy to walk back to my room, so I lent my head against the glass and closed my eyes and listened to the hum of the ship's engines.

It slowly lulled me to sleep.

Nova....

The red planet called me as I floated between the stars. It pulsed with the beating of my heart and I felt scared. Something about the planet made me want to run and hide, something menacing, and evil lay below its scarlet clouds.

Nova...

The eerie voice turned my blood to ice, my throat started to squeeze and when I looked down, a rotting hand with black fingernails gripped me, a repulsive smell filled my nostrils. I wanted to throw up, but the claw around my throat gripped tighter.

Nova...

I squirmed and thrashed trying to release myself from its grip. I tried to shout for anyone to help me, but nothing came out of my mouth. I looked around and saw the ship floating, damaged and black. Bodies floated behind me; the bodies of my crew mates.

This is not real!

I squeezed my eyes shut hoping that this nightmare would end, but when I opened my eyes, a rotting face with large, black, ominous eyes laughed a thunderous laugh that made my skin crawl.

Then the claw released me, and I fell fast. I screamed with all my might until I realized I was falling to Centauri Earth.

I landed on the ground with a thump and looked around, terrified and unsure.

A man stood there, his long copper hair blew across his face, his fluorescent green eyes looked at me and watched me as his spear raised from the ground.

He opened his mouth to speak, but strange words came out.

"I do not understand!" I shouted.

He pointed up to the sky and I looked up and saw The Sitara.

"That is my home." I said to him.

He aimed his spear at me and thrusted the glinting tip into my chest.

"Leave!" He bellowed as he ripped the spear out of my chest and my blood splattered his face.

I awoke screaming as I clutched my chest. Heavy tears fell from my eyes as I ran my hand over the place the spear had pierced my skin. I desperately searched for the blood I knew was there but when I looked at my hand, there was nothing.

My pale, unblemished hand was clean. I was breathing heavy, sweat covered my skin in a light sheen. It was just a dream! I told myself as I tried to take deep breaths in to stop the pounding of my heart.

"Nova?" Nev's voice made my head snap to the side, my heart leaped out of my chest ferociously making my head spin.

"I...um... was just have a rest." I stammered as he watched me with worried eyes.

"What happened?" He leant down to where I was sitting on the floor and wiped away a damp piece of hair off my forehead.

"Nothing!" I replied defensively as I quickly stood up, my legs shook beneath me and I nearly tumbled to the ground.

"It didn't look like nothing." He snapped.

I looked away from him and towards the ground next to him where a few scattered pieces of paper lay.

I impulsively grabbed at the pages and his hand shot out to stop me. I pushed his hands away and looked at the drawings that filled the pages.

He drew me, laying there on the ground, my hair floated around me like a halo. The next one was of me looking out the window, a pensive look on my face.

They were good, he captured every detail with each stroke of his pencil, but I felt violated.

"How dare you spy on me." I scrunched the pages in my hand and marched off.

I walked back to my room and slammed the button to slide the door shut. I threw the drawings onto the floor and started to pace, my heart full of anger and terror.

The dream I had was scary but being watched and sketched by Nev was just creepy. Was I just an object to watch and document?

The artwork lay in a crumpled ball on the floor and I bent down and snatched it up. I smoothed them out, laying them on my bed and looking at them properly.

He had sketched me with my elbow resting on the handrail, my hand pressed into rosy cheeks. My lips full and slightly open, my eyes glowed red as I watched the red orb. My silver hair was tucked behind one ear as space floated by.

A single tear ran down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away. The images were beautiful, even if they were an invasion of my privacy.

I should have found Nev and apologized, but he would just be like the others; scared of me.