The Threshold:
Coming together into one place. Life and Death.
The white glow of the cabin was submerged into darkness as the blast of a siren beat against the metal walls. Red strobe lights illuminated every step to the safe room. Captain Alejandro clutched his chest as he felt the air get lighter and his lungs shallower. He put on his helmet with a hiss and it locked into place, securing his head in its own bubble of oxygen.
The captain balled his fists as he noticed the slight tremble in his bones. This wasn’t the time for panic. It is time for action. They were there, they were inside of it – all. He chuckled through his nose and fogged up the glass that kept him alive.
He reached the safe room door, two thick slabs of titanium controlled by a winch. The rest of the crew was pouring inside. The captain ensured everyone else entered first, and was the last man to step in as the two engineers cranked the door shut.
The blare of the siren faded away with each turn and the crew was submerged into quiet and hushed conversation. Their eyes found Captain Alejandro.
His voice was projected through a speaker on his suit.
“A reminder that we –”
WAKOOSH!
The entire vessel jerked everybody backwards.
SHOOKAW!
Gravity was gone. They were suspended into the air and the room began to spin. Some held onto the walls while others crashed into each other. Everything was pandemonium. Alejandro attempted to scream through the tornado of bodies. “Hold onto WHATEVER YOUCAN!”
His mind reeled; complete upturn?
They must’ve broken away from the main ship, either that or it fucking exploded. He managed to secure a grip onto a ridge in the door. Alejandro held his breath to repress his stomach lining from lining his face.
Gravity returned. Everybody dropped. Some plopped onto their backs. Some fell face first, shattering their helmets and cheekbones. A couple broke their arms, one person - their legs. Alejandro heard his wrist and fingers snap on impact. He bit the inside of his cheek and suppressed his scream.
A single tear trickled down his cheek as he shifted himself upright to look at the carnage.
The uninjured were standing up and the injured were groaning in pain, or didn’t groan at all.
Everything had been torn apart in less than ten minutes upon entering.
The captain noted the time and he lifted himself up with his knees alone. The sobbing began to permeate the stillness. The panic and pain came out in halfway shouts. He spoke loud and clear.
“We must get the injured to the med-bay, anyone that is stable, please help! The safest place to be is within the HeartLocke! I know – it hurts, but the ones that have tragically died –”
Clang! Clang! Clang!
They sounded upon the door.
Alejandro’s hand felt like two rocks put together. People began to drag or carry their loved ones into the HeartLocke. Fear pushed them into clarity.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The whole vessel vibrated with each pound.
Alejandro fumbled with his toolbelt. He frowned as he pulled out the only item; a shattered super-seer. Useless. He had hoped, but – no, shattered like his wrist.
Dink. Dink. Dink.
They were lighter this time. More inviting. Warm. They were there.
“Captain?” One of the engineers, a younger man that had blood running down his temple. Alejandro stepped towards him and waved him inside with his good hand. Once the engineer was inside, the captain quickly twisted a switch beside the opening and shut himself out of the HeartLocke in one single swoosh. Cutoff from the rest of his immediate world.
They will be safe. I –
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Alejandro snapped his head back to the titanium door. He swallowed the guilt for his crew and kept his fear solidly within his gut. His breathing shuddered as his wrist pulsed in pain.
I need to see them. Maybe –
He cranked the winch with his entire body weight.
The door to the outside cracked open. Nothing but silence came in. Each turn was an entire body-tremor peppered with sweat and strain.
The gap widened and revealed black emptiness as Alejandro fell onto his knees. He crawled over and stared into the pitch of the afterlife. They were beyond the horizon. Beyond known reality.
It was starless, eventless, nothing. A strange warmth bloomed from his chest and he whispered, “Come in.”
A celestial force tugged on his suit and pushed him forward. He closed his eyes as he crossed into the threshold. Alejandro was submerged into the unknown.
(Thank you for reading. Inspired by
to whip this one up. Directly inspired by an image posted by . Go buy their book.)GO READ MARYELLEN”S RESPONSE: The Aries Mission
I also came up with another idea for this prompt that struck as soon as I finished this one, probably write it later.
Trying to save up for a mic so I can begin proper audio recordings. Consider upgrading for accessible Fiction:
I hope you get the mic soon. This pacing and the atmosphere will be a fantastic narration.
Omg the pacing, the details, so YOU. And as I held my breath reading this, you made me giggle?! ....Alejandro held his breath to repress his stomach lining from lining his face.....
Omg this is AMAZING & you wrote it so fast. Beautiful words, this is amazing. 💗🙌💗 omgosh soooo fun to do this with you too!