Dry.

  I’m…so…thirsty.

  Saylee’s nose, throat and mouth felt like sandpaper.

  Her mind filled with fog. She squinted as the bright light seemed to pierce through her eyelids.

  Saylee jolted up as she began coughing sporadically, trying and failing to hold in another painful cough.

  Each cough felt like little knives were digging into the walls of her throat.

  She began, with some difficulty, opening her eyes in search of a drink. What she saw, was not the cabin of the passenger ship. What she saw instead was a large rectangular room. She could tell from the content on the shelves and equipment attached to the walls that it was a medical bay.

  It was a large room with no windows. Dozens of beds were spaced evenly around the edges of the room, none with privacy curtains. Some of the beds with occupied. Those beds occupied appeared to people evenly, which many of whom wore a cast or wraps. She two individuals walking around in white uniforms, who Saylee assumed must be the medical staff.

  A deep yawn and cough, escaped her. The pain causing her to cringe up. She laid back.

  I’m going back to sleep. I’ll….

  One of the medical staff noticed her movement.

  Saylee was feeling weight of her eye lids as the staff member was quickly striding towards her.

  Her eyelids were tried to stay open. She squinted as she felt the staff member place one hand on her shoulder.

  “Hey, Ms. Green, are you awake?”

  …I’m not in the mood, go away…

  She heard the medical staff member speak away, “hey, Alec, she’s awaking up. Give her a few minutes for the meds to wear off”

  …ah…that’s way I feel so odd…I’m still th-

  “Hello, Ms. Green, Ms…Saylee. Hey, wake up. Please wake and drink this, you must be thirsty. Thirst is a common side effect of the medication”

  Saylee felt a gentle shake from her shoulder. She begrudgingly opened her eyes.

  “…OK…fine…but only because I’m dying for some water”

  Saylee felt light headed, and irritable. She began to raise her head up from the pillow before she started to the weight of exhaustion weigh her back down. She froze as she felt the aid put their hand onto Saylee’s back. The gentle hand gently guided her upwards. She felt a brim of a cup placed against her lips.

  “Drink”

  She began to eagerly down the water. Completely ingoring the cold metal piece from the stethoscope placed onto the chest.

  Saylee put the cup out, wiggling the cup for more.

  A hand reached out, grabbing the cup to refill it.

  Saylee starting to feel her senses fully return. She noticed it wasn’t one aid by her bed, it was two. Each standing at opposite ends of her bed. One had finished refilling her cup and the other was monitoring her heartbeat.

  If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

  “huh, there’s two of you. I thought there was only one” she muttered.

  One of the aides smiled, “I’m Dr. Cleed, but you can call me Alec” He pointed at over to the other medical person, “this is Nurse Alex” Dr. Cleed smiled, “yes and yes, before you ask, we are twins and yes people get our names mixed up all the time”

  “Dr. Cleed, um Alec…what happened? I…”

  Saylee’s eyes went wide, she looked around the room before returning her gaze over to Dr. Gleed. Her eyes danced between the doctor and nurse Alex. A toothy smile making an appearence, “I…can’t…I’m alive”

  Dr. Gleed smiled, “yes, you survived. You’re quite the fighter”

  Saylee eyes lit up, “I’m alive. I…I can go home. I can see my family. This all was a bad dream. Where’s my phone, I need to call…wait, are they waiting for me out there?”

  Her face, full of hope and beaming with joy, stared at the two of them for a response.

  Dr. Gleeds smile faltered. He glanced over at Alec, and the two of them stared at each other. Alex grimaced.

  Dr. Gleed spoke, “You were knocked out unconscious from the knock out gas. I’m sorry”

  The pure joy slowly faded from Saylee’s expression. She ran a hand through her hair, no longer able to meet their eyes without tearing up.

  The doctor continued, “your elbow and noggin are swollin. Either from hitting the deck when gravity was corrected or…perhaps during your skirmish with the terrorists”

  Saylee didn’t say anything.

  After a few moments of silence, Alex spoke, “You’re a hero”

  Saylee slowly raised her head to meet eye to eye with the nurse. She stared at Alex with bewilderment, not saying a word.

  Alex coughed and then continued, “you…saved the crew. You stalled the terrorist long enough for help to arrive. Those people were kidnapping passengers. They got away with taking a few but…who knows how many more would’ve been taken if you didn’t distract them. A few got away but they were able to arrest quite a few terrorists, thanks to you and Joshua”

  Saylee looked around, but after glancing the beds around the room, failed to see Josh. “Hey, were is Josh. Is…he okay?”

  Both Dr. Gleed and nurse Alex nodded.

  Dr. Gleed sighed and began to type something on his wrist tablet. Alex frowned, “Josh is okay, he is currently away getting his statement recorded. I’m not sure if he will return but he was healthy before they checked him out”

  Dr. Gleed finished tapping away at his screen, “Ms. Green, or Saylee. I’m happy to say you’re going to be okay from. Please take it easy for the next few days. Drink lots of water. I’m sorry but-”

  The front door opened and a group of four armed individuals strode in, heading towards Saylee’s bed.

  The woman in front of the group, nodded to Dr. Gleed before turning her head to Saylee. She spoke tersely, “Saylee Green, you’re needed for questioning”.

  Josh had his arms crossed, trying to think of something to pass the time. The two uniformed gentlemen who had left him alone in the small room had locked the door on their way out. Josh could only assume this was the interrogation room.

  He had woke up three hours ago in this ships medical bay adjacent to Saylee’s bed. Josh, soon after waking up, was escorted out of the med bay. They ignored his questions and protests along the way. As he was escorted through the halls, he took mental notes of his surroundings.

  This is definitely not the same ship.

  He pinched the bridge of his nose. He slowly stretched out his thumb and index finger, gradually placed his face into the palm of hand.

  sigh.

  He thought about the groups of soldiers that walked past them in the wide hallways. They were different from the uniforms he’s seen so far prior. Their sleek silver uniforms had sported what appeared to be some glowing hexagon patterns on their sleeves that glowed a faint purple. They all carried as what he could best describe as dark purple steel rifles.

  He recalled the elongated glass windows that were built along the right side of the hallway, providing him an amazing view of the universe beyond, the endless stars out beyond making him feel insignificant. The two silent armed men waiting outside the room, giving him a sense of dread.

  I must stay calm.

  The door had a small window, he peered out it earlier, seeing the two soldiers standing guard outside the door.

  Josh waited, for what felt like hours.

  He felt antsy. He found himself constantly rotating the same time killing actions. He paced around the room for several minutes before kicking the lone chair around until he eventually when back to a set of push ups. When his finally did tire, he decided lay on the table and just stare up at the ceiling. Arms folded behind his head, he sighed.

  Perhaps I could hum a song. What song…you know what? Nevermind, I don’t care.

  His eyes found nothing to focus on. There was nothing on the ceiling.

  He was getting irritable.

  I’ve done nothing wrong. why am I here? Why treat me like I’m a criminal? If I get blamed for something…this is bullshit. What kind of afterlife bullshit is this?

  Josh stood up and once again,paced the room.

  The door swung open and he froze.

  But only for a second, he quickly turned, no hesitation as he rushed towards the open door.