Respirare

The alarm was blaring; blaring so hard and shrill, my head felt like a balloon, being filled up. My chest felt so heavy and tight as I gripped the frame of the metal door, pulling myself, and Marion, to safety. He was attached to my legs, holding on for dear life, just as I hoisted myself through the door, activating my suit, which magnetizes to the wall. Marion got off, did the same for his boots, then ran to the control pad, bent down, and slammed his fist against it, closing the door. When the door completely shut, the room immediately refilled with oxygen and we both take a large breath, as well as collapsing to the floor, coughing.

"Oxygen and gravity restored to Hall C-15 in the C-Wing," DAVAI announces over the intercom.

After a minute of gasping for air, I looked up to notice Marion resting his head against the cold, metal floor. From my angle, I could see sweat, dripping down his neck, as well as him shaking. A second later, the intercom comes back on to a more feminine, but harsher, voice.

"What the ever-living EFF was that?!"

In a hoarse voice, Marion croaked, "Gee... Thanks for asking how we are."

"What happened?!"

Marion stayed silent for a couple seconds, before speaking up with a tinge of terror, "That's the same question, just worded differently... But honestly, you're asking the wrong people, sister..."

A sigh could be heard from the other side of the speaker and one can just imagine her, rubbing her eyes and giving a fat, middle finger to the microphone. As we caught our breath, I got up and went over to control panel, typing in a code and pushing the emergency reinforcement button. A second door start to shut, slowly, and right before it finished shutting in its spiral fashion, I swore I saw a shadow speed past the other side of the broken room. My eyes go wide and I step back, a bit spooked. How in the world did a shadow get into the room?! I know we're in space and there's a sun, but this wasn't an asteroid or debris.

I try to say something to Marion, but it just came out as some sort of squeak. He looks up at me, confused, and mouths "What?". I clear my throat, which hurt a lot, thank you very much, and attempted to speak again. All I could get out is a hoarse "Did you see-", the rest was inaudible.

"See what? I'm on the ground. All I can see is your feet, legs, crotch, and half of your ginormous head."

I was going to make a comeback, but he did have a point... I shake my head and sigh, before offering a hand to him. He got up on his own, a bit wobbly, and popped his arm, which sent shivers up my spine. As he made his way towards the door, I noticed he was hobbling, trying desperately to hide it.

"Marion, what the hell happened to your leg?!" 

He looked down at his leg, even though he already knew it was injured and brushed it aside.

"It's nothing bad, what is bad is the HOLE in our station," he exclaimed, pointing to the barricaded door, after he turned to face me. "We have to get back to Hassa before we're all dead!"

Marion stormed off in a hobbled sprint, running towards the Commons. I followed him in a hurry as well, trying to ignore the ear-splintering alarm and the red, gliding across the room and down Marion's left leg. Thoughts rushed through my head as I ran along the hallway like, how did we survive the compromised room? What tore a hole in the station? And why in the backup generator room? My thoughts were cut off when Marion's booming voice piped up.

"HASSA! Meet us in the Commons and bring everyone else!" he screamed into his chest comm.

"We're already on our way, pal," Vince snorted sarcastically, much like Ace Ventura.