Space Hysteria by Ava Lock

Author:Ava Lock [Lock, Ava]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Publisher: Semiscope
Published: 2023-05-09T23:00:00+00:00

21 - The Result

Ruby didn’t know where to go or what to do. The shock of being struck caused an adrenaline release. Adrenaline caused tunnel vision. Tunnel vision caused poor judgment.

She spun around in the corridor, searching for an escape.

Left? Right? Up? Down?

But at that moment, Ruby didn’t want to be anywhere. So she froze in place, secretly wishing she could evaporate into thin air.

Part of her needed to hide from everyone.

Another part of her felt afraid to be alone.

She needed comfort.

She wanted to feel safe.

She needed love.

Ruby turned to channel two on her cuffUX and whispered, “Gwen, where are you?”

No answer.

“Gwen, it’s me. Something horrible happened, and I-I-I need, I need you.”

Still no answer.

Ruby leaned against the cold metal wall. “Gwen, you were right about Dad. God, you were so right. I need to talk. Where are you?”

Then her wife’s breathy voice came through her wearable. “Hey, sorry. I didn’t have my fob on.”

“Oh, thank God, it’s you.”

“Of course, it’s me. What’s wrong?”

“I’d rather not say over the radio. Where are you? Can we talk?”

“I’m in the lightroom, getting some sun, but I should be done in an hour—”

That’s just down the hall, Ruby thought, then cut in over the radio, “I’ll be right there.”

But Gwen didn’t hear that because two people can’t talk on the same shortwave radio channel at the same time.

Ruby switched to channel three out of habit but then flashbacked to her father brandishing his knife, and panic struck again. She raced to the ultraviolet lightroom so fast that she almost bashed her cuffUX against the door sensor. When the door swished open, bright-white light spilled into the hallway, and she had to shield her eyes.

Every crew member had to log three hours of suntime weekly to prevent seasonal affective disorder. Being cooped up in a tin can with no sun caused space depression, and Ruby realized she hadn’t gotten her UV hours yet this week. So as she stood in the doorway, the artificial sunlamps warmed and comforted her even more than usual.

Inside the lightroom, a fully-reclined cool-mesh chaise lounge was mounted to the shiny white floor. The lone piece of vibrating furniture massaged Gwen as she lay there, sunbathing nude.

When Ruby’s eyes finally adjusted to the brightness, she noticed clothing strewn all over the floor. Gwen’s red jumpsuit. Her black combat boots. Her gray left-right socks. Her black sports bra. Her matching thong. Her red leather corset with black laces. Her green miniskirt. Her black tights. Her whip.

Her what now?

And white canvas All Stars with black soles and laces.

Another pair of shoes?

Maybe Ruby didn’t see it initially because she didn’t want to. Perhaps it was the trauma-induced tunnel vision. Or the bright sunlight. Or maybe she just needed a few seconds to process everything. But once she saw Gwen’s legs spread wide open with a cheap green wig working her crotch, she knew.

She’s cheating on me. Ruby pointed, and her father’s words came out of her mouth. “Aha! The great big fat gotcha!”

“Oh, shit.

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