"Remember the first time we held hands?"
"Of course...your palms were so sweaty."
"I was so nervous..."
"You thought I didn't like you cause I flinched...was just surprised."
"I'm sorry...it must have felt gross."
"I liked it...it was cold...your hand was warm."
"...."
"...."
"I wish we...had more time..."
"...we...we do...someone will find us...just have to keep our eyes open."
"...we've said that a lot Laura...we can hardly breath...the others...are already gone..."
"...we'll make it Marin...we're still here..."
"I can't feel anything...I can't move...we haven't eaten in days...no water..."
"Marin please...stop...I can't..."
"I'm sorry it took so long for me to ask you out...that I wasted so much time..."
"..."
"I wanted to be with you for so long and I was just too much of a coward to even look you in the eyes..."
"Marin..."
"I want more time...to know you...to feel you...to wake up with you..."
"You will...we'll have time...so much time..."
"...when?"
"In this life...or the next..."
"...you think there's...something after this?"
"...I do...not sure what...but there has to be..."
"...and I'll see you there?"
"I swear...we'll be there together...and nothing will take us apart again..."
"...it's a promise then..."
"...It's a promise."
_____________________________________________
A heart beat. Faint but getting stronger. Muscles twitching. Eyes flutter. Vision blurred as if underwater. Feeling returning to the still motionless body of a young woman. Marin's brain takes a few minutes to even register her own thoughts that felt so distant. Ego reforming. Bodily control snapping into place as warmth and color returns to still flesh.
And with control and sensation comes realization. She feels weighted. Suspended in place. Her eyes can see something in front of her. Shapes and blinking lights. And as she moves her hands out she feels resistance all around her. Like she is submerged in gelatin. But with some effort she can feel tight walls around her with her hands and feet. A box. Metal. Except at least in front of her feels more like glass.
She tries to bang on the glass but the fluid she is suspended in prevents her from getting any sort of momentum.
Marin's vision continues to adjust but the fluid she is in is still blurring things. She starts to wonder how she isn't drowning in all of this until her eyes focus between themselves. Like staring down at your own nose she notices a dark surface over the bottom half of her face. Her hands moving back to explore it. Finding a rubbery surface attached over her nose and mouth. Straps that lead around the back of her head. Several tubes of varying sizes protruding from the end of the mask and disappearing down into the floor where other hoses end as well.
She curiously bends down to grip the other hoses and follow their lead up to her body. Finding that they end against her crotch and her butt, connected to a black rubbery harness over her pelvis. Her eyes widen as an embarrassing red flush creeps over her cheeks. Now that she has noticed them she can feel all of the tubes from the mask and harness subtly within her throat and her lower regions.
Am I...in the hospital? Did we actually get found?
Marin considered the possibility. All of these tubes are definitely keeping her alive. And she does feel fine now as opposed to when she passed out only moments ago. Or at least what felt like moments. She is surmising she has probably been unconscious for a while. Maybe even in a coma. It would make sense given how dire of a condition she was in before. But even if this feels clinical to her, she definitely doesn't remember ever hearing about a treatment like this before. It's strange.
How the hell do I get out of this? I want out.
And just as that thought clicks in her head she hears a sharp beep and buzzing sound. Suddenly she feels the box she's in move, shuddering and shaking before it drops down slightly. Then several green lights begin to shine inside of her metal coffin. And after a few seconds the dense gelatin she is in suddenly starts to get lighter and easier to move through. Gradually turning into a liquid. Her body no longer suspended as her feet touch the metal floor of the box.
The box shudders and the green lights around her turn blue before a sloshing sound echoes through. She flinches as she feels suddenly chilled on the top of her head. Hand reaching up to instead breach through the liquid that is quickly draining. The chill having been the top of her head being exposed to open air. The box is drained quickly, the more of her body is released from the liquid the more her body is weighed down by its own weak state as she lowers down to her knees.
Once the water is all gone the blue lights shut off before the entire inside of the box is lit up with bright florescent light that monetarily blinds her. Blinking her eyes rapidly to adjust them as she sees the light gray and black walls of the box. Meticulously machined plating, almost no gaps. Definitely coffin shaped on the inside as well but roomie enough to float in for the average human body. The glass in front of her is still blurred even without the water. Appearing like it's frosted over.
Marin's examinations cease as she hears a hiss close to her ears. The mask on her face which was hermetically sealed now loosens. The straps automatically snapping open to flap freely. Her eyes widen and she lurches forward against the glass as she feels the tubes in her nose and throat worm their way out of her body as if their alive. The mask falling away from her face along with a long trail of various tubes that slither out from her. Thankfully it seems covered in copious amounts of some kind of lubricant. Lubricant that she is now vomiting out onto the floor of the tank. The slimey fluids draining into the deliberate drains built in to the structure. The mask and tubes coil into the slots in the floor where the other tubes go. Realization hitting her far too late.
Oh no…
Her face going bright red as she's feels the harness on her pelvis loosen, straps unlatching. Then the sensation she was suddenly dreading occurs. The horrifying feeling of something squirming around inside her belly and urethra as the waste tubes nestled deeply inside her slither their way out as well. Her body shaking as she leans against the glass for support. Her groans echoing in the tank before the harness finally drops to the floor.
Marin lets out a long sigh of relief, laying her full weight against the glass. Coughing up more of that sterile fluid. Feeling heavy and sticky. Taking deep breaths of what tastes like very sterile oxygen. Trying to collect her thoughts. But is interrupted again with another loud hiss as she sees the glass clear up. Eyes narrowing as the room her tank is in is revealed. Immediately seeing what seems to be tanks like her own across from her. The glass darkened and the coffin like tank leaned back into a slot in the wall. Various cables and tubes coming out of it and into the dark mechanical cubby it settles in. The walls and floor are stark white tiled metal with a glossy finish.
The glass in her tank shudders forward and unfolds out, causing Marin to tumble forward onto the cold floor of the room. Groaning as she lifts herself up on all fours to scan the area. The room is relatively small. 3 tanks like her own on either side of the room, including the one she came out of. All the rest of them are laid back and slotted into the walls over a slight air gap that leads down into some mechanical recess.
The white tiles on the floor and walls stretch up onto the ceiling as well. So reflective that Marin can see herself clearly in them and the white lights only make the room more blinding. To her right on the back wall of the room in between the last set of tanks is a stark white pedestal that is flush with the floor and wall. A black metal half ring settled on top of it with an indention in the middle.
Immediately to her left right outside of her pod is what appears to be a sealed doorway with a white door. No doorknob or handle in sight. Barely indistinguishable from a wall if not for the obvious indention it has and the cracks where it likely slides apart. All of it is far too clean and far too alien-like to be a regular hospital room.
"Where the fuck am I..." Marin mutters aloud, her voice coming out slightly rugged but unimpeded. And despite the obviously concerning environment she is now in she feels oddly calm. Her heart beat steady. And the lethargic weakness she felt before seems to have subsided very quickly. Testing her feet against the floor and taking a deep breath as she pushes herself up to her feet. Nearly slipping in the viscous fluids lubing the floor from her pod. But with a little effort she is able to raise to a stand.
She takes a moment, scanning the room again for anything indicating that she might be somewhere at least a little familiar but that more than proves itself false pretty quickly. Taking gentle slow steps towards the other pods to try to get a peak into the glass but their completely blackened. The only indication that they are working are the softly blinking green lights across the surface of each pods stark white paneling.
Not really spotting much else that could help, the young woman turns to face the door. Approaching it with a perpetual hunched stance as if trying to sneak. Or bolt away if the need arises at least.
Reaching the door she starts to look around for some sort of handle or latch to possibly open it. Her brows furrowing as she finds nothing of the sort. Not even some kind of futuristic panel or button or anything.
"Oh come on...then how the hell do I open this thing?" She gives an exasperated raise and drop of her arms against her sides. Getting a bit fed up as she simply slaps the door with one hand. "OPEN!" And the girl jolts backward like a frightened cat, falling down onto her ass as the door suddenly hisses and parts in four ways to disappear into the corners of the doorframe.
She stares at the open door for a few good seconds, seeing out into the next room which seems to be quite larger. Sterile hospital-esc air hitting her nose but she is unable to see much as the lights are turned off.
Raising back up to her feet as she approaches the doorway, looking around at the frame where the door pieces slid into. "Uh...Close..." And just as quickly as it opened the door slides back out and seals in front of her. Marin slowly nodding her head as she considers the implication of this. "Okay...yeah...Open please..." And the door unseals and opens. Cold crisp air hitting her nude and wet body. Her spine shuddering as she tentatively steps into the darkness of the next room.
"Umm...I guess...lights on?" The room suddenly humming with energy as white florescent panels dotting the ceiling light up to reveal what looks eerily like a futuristic medical room. Matching the pure white tiles of the pod room. An open plan room with no dividing walls but sectioned off instead by translucent white plastic panels that are connected to the ceiling and floor and look as if they can be folded back. The room is divided into 3 separate areas. The main area looking like a mix between reception and recovery. A white oddly shaped desk near the back with a strange arrangement of black rings with indents in them. While nearby on the side wall is 3 open white beds. Each bed having plastic like sheets shrink wrapped over them. And on the wall where the beds are connected is several noticeable gaps that give the appearance of cabinets and shelves that can likely be pulled out of it.
One of the sectioned off rooms behind the plastic panels is most definitely some kind of operating room. A single T shaped table in the center held suspended waist high by an arm connected to the ceiling with several other arms reaching down around it each with different gleaming implements and strange looking tools. Marin doesn't spend too much time in there as it makes her skin crawl a bit.
The last divided area in the med bay is a bit starkly different as the floor goes from white metal tiles to almost like a black rubbery mat. Gaps in between each black rubber panel is a shiny steel grates that look like drains. And at the back of the room is a separated section by sheets of frosted glass.
The air feels a bit humid as she approaches the glass area, turning to the right and nearly screaming as she sees a person reflected back at her. Only taking but a few seconds to register that it's her. The entire right wall is a mirror surface with gaps in between to differentiate the panels that can be pulled out.
Seeing herself for the first time since waking up is a bit jarring. Especially since she is as naked as the day she was born. And she certainly feels like she was just born given the sticky viscous fluids clinging to her tanned skin. Her short black hair matted and messy against her head. But over all she doesn't look bad. Her body looks the same as it did when she checked herself out last in her bathroom outside her dorm. Lean but muscled and toned like a runner as she does track for her university.
Tearing herself away from her reflection as she looks back to the back area of the room. "Please be what I think you are..." She mutters quietly with a sigh as she steps up to the glass. "...Open..." And a portion of the glass in the center slides up into the ceiling to reveal a quite spacious shower. Half of the ceiling on one side devoted to a grated shower panel.
"Oh thank god..." Marin doesn't bother thinking further, too enthralled by the idea of a hot shower as she steps under the overhead panel. " Shower on..." Jolting again as an entire square radius of water begins to rain down from the panel, sending shocks through her body as her skin feels like its curling. "TOO COLD! HOT WATER PLEASE!" Before she screams in pain as the water scalds her skin. "WARM WATER! WARM WATER!" And finally sighing in relief as the water shifts quickly to a more soothing warmth.
Marin isn't sure how long she spent in the shower but by the time she was ready to apprehensively step back out her hands were quite wrinkled. But the fluids from the strange pod she was in are all washed away now. Leaving her stark clean. Although it did take a few minutes to find that the inside of the shower had little hidden panels that popped out for shampoo and soap.
Exiting the shower she is surprised she hasn't been found by someone yet. There has to be someone else here right? All this high tech stuff can't just be for no one.
As she expected before, the mirror wall does have its own hidden compartments that when ordered to open they do so obediently. Which makes Marin wonder how the compartments know which one she wants opened at a given time. But she chalks it up to high tech nonsense as she locates a compartment filled with towels and other sundries. One compartment she opens slides out to show stacks of plastic white scrubs that she graciously puts on. Suprisingly much more comfortable than they looked initially.
Now dressed she exits the shower area and sighs, looking to the door out of the medbay. "Either there is no one else here or this is the most passive alien abduction ever." She muses as she approaches the door. "Open." The door unsealing and sliding into the frame in four parts like the last one. The door lets out into a short hallway. The medbay seems to be one of four rooms in the hallway. Two rooms on either side while at the end of the hall to her right is a staircase upward. While the left end of the hall is just a dead end. The medbay being right next to the dead end.
Everything outside of the medbay is still pretty much white paneling but atleast it's more matte white so it doesn't bounce light around so much.
Immediately across from her is another door that she steps up to while calling out. "HELLOOOO? Anyone here?" Listening for a few seconds but nothing answers back. Marina brows furrow in slight frustration. "Maybe their out to lunch…" She sighs again as she steps in front of the door and the door unseals and opens before she even can speak the phrase. Stopping herself in a defensive stance as she thinks someone else is on the other side but there isn't.
The door opens into a quite nice bunk room. 3 spacious beds on either side with accompanying desks next to each and a lounge of white plush couches in the middle as a common area. The walls all across the room having various indications of hidden shelves and drawers.
Marin cautiously moves into the room, scanning around the empty bunks. Seeing no signs of any recent living or personalizations at all. The air still smells sterile and heavily filtered. Not even a sign of a s dust bunny.
The young woman walks over to one of the beds nearest to the door and sits down. The soft memory foam-like mattress makes her sigh in relief. She surrenders and falls back onto the bed and looks up at the pure white ceiling. Every other tile lit is a dim light that works in tandem with the others to keep a constant mute fluorescence.
"Six beds….six pods...and I was in one of them." She ponders quietly. "But how did I get here…I don't look like I've aged or anything." Her brain starts to hurt more and more she tried to piece her through together. Shaking her head as she sits back up and rises to her feet. Beginning to explore around the room, opening desk drawers and cabinets from the walls. Even turning over the blankets and pillows. Which doesn't turn up anything but atleast worth a try. The drawers and cabinets on the walls do have more changes of clothes. Likes like tight white, gray, black trousers. Long and short sleeve shirts. Even simple underwear that she graciously puts on along with a set of form fitting gray pants and a long sleeve black sweater. Completing the outfit with a pair of black socks and white slip on shoes she found in a drawer.
The sweater though does have what looks to be a patch on the right shoulder. Three dark purple dashes with a white diagonal strike through then. Which is the only indication so far that this place is actually owned by someone. But she decides to push that back for now and continue exploring. Leaving the bunk room and heading down the hall to the other sets of doors. Choosing the door to the left, the door slides open for her without a word. Making her wonder if it's just her intent for it to open that does it. Which would definitely be way ahead of what she remembered technology being capable of.
The lights hum to life as she is now faced with a full on kitchen area. Wide open with a large white table on the left side with simple ergonomic chairs around it. Off to the right is ample counter space, a kitchen island, several ovens, stoves, and fridges. Most of the cabinets and the fridges look to be built into the wall like everything else and the island in the center looks like it can be pushed down into the floor for more space.
Marin whistles low. "God damn this place is fancy as fuck…" She muses, putting her hands on her hips before turning and exiting the kitchen to walk up to the last door. Upon entering it just seems to be a rather small empty white room with two raised sections in the floor likely used for benches. But she knows by now that the walls are probably where everything in here is stored. Whatever it is.
Walking up to one of the obvious hidden cabinets she asks it to open but is surprised instead to seed a feint red light flash on the hidden compartment. "Oh…"
She tries again but is met with the same answer. Even trying it on several other compartments. Eventually just ending up rounding the entire room until she finally finds a set of compartments she can actually open. A few drawers and a pullout rack of shrink wrapped packages. The drawers have a few items in separate slots like metal tactical belts with accompanying pouches that can be added on. Another drawer housing some sort of white rubbery respirator masks in plastic wrap. The other drawers containing various other tactical gear and equipment that Marin isn't even sure what they do.
One of the drawers does catch her eye in particular. Once it opens a row of 6 white rectangular objects with black accents raises out diagonally. Looking over the objects they seem to have a section of them where their meant to be griped. The end of the objects that are still aimed downward into the drawer sort of flare out slightly. The drawer itself has slanted indentations for each of them. A green light flashing above each as well.
Marin reaches down to gently grip and pull one of the objects from its slot. The flashing green light above it turning red in the drawer. Her brows furrowing. "Oh…it was charging…I guess." She surmises as she rolls the rectangular tool in her hand. Gripping it where she thinks is right. On the top where the flare is is a thin slot. On the grip near her index finger is a silver switch that she curiously presses on. The switch clicking back and the tool begins to hum. Above the switch a slot opens to reveal a red button.
"Uh…okay…" Marin starts to feel a little nervous as her index finger slides up to the red button and she clicks it. A bright flash of red and a sharp metallic screech as she drops it to the floor.
Marin leaps back, quickly covering her ears. Her eyes wide as she stares at the obvious weapon now sparking loudly on the floor.
The entire room is now bathed in a dim red light as the tool she dropped is now slightly hopping as the dark red knife blade connects with the floor. Sparking and crackling.
Marin hisses under her breath and reaches down to pick it back up. The floor slightly scarred where it fell. She lifts it up carefully to her eye level. The dark red blade is flat and shaped like a standard combat knife. But it seems to be entirely made out of some kind of energy. Black in the center and spreading out in dark red and then bright red on the edges. The brightest part being the sharp edge and point of the blade.
Marin gives the weapon a few testing waves and swipes. A satisfying hum heard as it moved. "Well…this is definitely not something that exists where I'm from…" She nods to her own observation. Realization sinking in that she might be waking up a bit later than she thought.
Possibly WAY later.
But her thoughts are suddenly ended as a sharp scream echoes through the halls and the sound of clattering metal objects.
Marins heart finally begins to race for the first time since she woke up in this strange place. She shuts the knife off and runs in the direction of the scream. Finding herself back in the medbay and rounding the corner where the operating room is. A rolling tray is knocked over near the entrance with a few tools strewn around. Peering inside she sees some of the robotic arms hanging from the ceiling around the operating table are currently in motion, adjusting themselves and doing rotations. Might be calibrating.
Marin scans around, noticing some fresh sticky footprints and drag marks leading quickly away from the OR and back into the pod room where she started earlier. Following them cautiously. "Hello?"
She hears a gasp and some wet slapping as someone falls and scrambles backwards. Marin very slowly stepping into the doorway of the pod room and immediately noticing the pod next to hers is upright and open. Fresh fluids all over the floor. And the back corner near the odd pedestal is a human girl. Naked, glistening, long hair messy and matted to her head and neck. The poor thing curled up on the floor holding what looks like a scalpel, reaching it out threateningly from a distance.
Marin raises her hands up in surrender, taking a deep breath. "Hey…it's okay. I'm just like you. I just woke up here like an hour ago. I was in the pod next to yours." She calmly tries to assure the frightened woman on the floor as she carefully steps further into the room. "Not going to hurt you."
The girl on the floor freezes, eyes widening, seeing the tan skinned girl more clearly as she enters the room. The scalpel dropping to the floor as her hands grip against the flat wall to bring herself up to a shaky stand. The shorter blondes lip begins to quiver as her voice cracks. "M…mar…Mmm…Marin?"
The taller tan woman stops in her tracks, brows furrowing and eyes squinting at the trembling figure before her. Making out the familiar features she had only just begun to know. "Laura?"
Laura sobs as she hears her name back, bolting forward toward the other woman desperately. Easily slipping on the sticky fluids from her pod. Marin quickly rushing forward to catch her as she falls to her knees. Bundling up the blonde in her arms so tightly that one would think it would crush her.
The two stuck in place. Wrapped in deep embrace and afraid to let go.
In a strange and unfamiliar place.
But atleast. Together.