Origin Fanfiction

Elliot jolted awake with a loud gasp, her breathing heavy and ragged; mind in complete awry from
the remnants of her last dream. Nightmare. The blinding light glaring against her vision isn’t helping
her at all in her situation.

She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment and tried to calm herself and even her breathing, then
blinked them back open to adjust them under the light. She right away noticed her current
predicament.

She was inside something like a cylindrical casing with dim blue-green lights illuminating the interior.
It was claustrophobic and positioned upside down and the feeling of nausea slowly crept into her.
She attempted to move but found out that her wrists, waist and ankles were restrained by a sturdy
contraption. Worse, she’s naked. Panic immediately reigned over her.

“Help! Anyone!” Elliot called between heavy pants as her heart starts beating erratically; her voice
was meek but she called out again. With no response. And then a sound like alarm began echoing
from somewhere in the area and was followed by the feeling of rushing water coming from her feet
and down to her head. She went hysterical.

“NO! HELP!” she screamed at the top of her lungs knowing fully well what will eventually become of
her. The water continued its relentless rushing inside until it filled a small portion of the cylinder
wetting her loose hair and slowly reaching over her eyes. Her thrashing and screaming became
desperate as it finally reached over her nose and mouth, choking her.

She held her breath and focused on it, her head throbbing along with the loud pounding of her
heart. And in that short time, she heard the sound of a fully filled up container. She wanted to cry –
scream but it would only quicken her demise if no one or nothing would make the container open
itself. She cannot hold her breath for too long.

She is going to drown.

Under the oppressing blanket of water, the alarm carried on blaring - anyone should be able to hear
it and find her immediately. But it sure seems to be unlikely.

Her lungs started to constrict painfully - running out of air. She continued thrashing, squirming,
kicking to no avail. Until she finally went to the point of coughing involuntarily, no longer able to
hold her breath. At the action, water immediately rushed inside her. Her body attempted to cough it
out but more water rushed in. Blocking any passage of air. She coughed and choked hopelessly. Her
insides burning. Exploding at the suffocation.

She gave one last thrash, feeling her strength rapidly leaving her until her lungs completely gave
away. Darkness crept at the corners of her eyes; she’s going to die.
For a fleeting moment, she thought all of it was just but another phase of her nightmare. She did
almost drown a few times before. She would wake up or if ever she indeed dies in her nightmare,
then it would be kind of mortifying. Such pitiful and senseless death.

She never woke up.

As she wasn’t asleep in the first place.

The contraptions holding her suddenly came unlatched, making her body to slowly slide downwards
and before she knew it, she fell and hit a hard ground snapping her completely awake.

Instinctively, she spluttered and coughed the water out of her. It was excruciating like her lungs,
throat and nasal were being flowed with lava.

She kept on wheezing and coughing, freely breathing in actual air and slowly, crawling up on her
hands and knees. Her whole body was exhausted from getting almost drowned but she tried her
best until she was standing on her two wobbly legs.

Looking around, what she found out didn’t ease her panic at any slightest. There was a large turbine
gently spinning up the center of the ceiling, a spot light shining down but from behind it basking the
room in a slightly dim light. But it was enough for her to see the other black cylindrical
compartments or better yet pods that hung up on the air around. About 10 of them, one was open.
Her pod.

She frowned and looked around then found a transparent plastic with some folded sheet within it,
conveniently lying on the half concrete and half metallic floor she was standing on. She took the
plastic and found it to be a long-sleeved navy-blue shirt, a pair of dark sweat pants and
undergarments. ORIGIN logo printed on them. She changed into them and examined the room she
was in once more.

This wasn’t the type of awakening she was expecting. Not exactly what had been told to her.

She was told she will awake in a new place. In a new world. Not inside in this room with no one to
assist her.

She once again looked around trying to find an exit of the room but then stopped abruptly when she
heard a low muffled gasp. A man’s gasp. She turned back to the pods and followed the sound of
panicked panting and grunting then he shouted.

“Tatsuketedayo!” The words spoken were hardly comprehensible to her but how it was delivered
was clear enough.

She rushed to the pod that was glowing. The pod was hung level to her head and half of it is made of
see-through glass. Half of the man’s naked body is visible but her eyes directly connected to the
man’s eyes which are also now staring back at her as she stood and planted her hands against the
glass. His black eyes are wide, confused and terrified. It magnified even so when the alarm blared
again and water began to fill his pod. He screamed and choked in water.

She needed to help him.

Elliot attempted to pull off the hatch of his pod but it didn’t budge. The man continued on screaming
even now he was under water, getting her even more panicked as well.

“Hang on! I’ll get you out!”

She pulled on the cover harder again and again but it remained tight shut. The water carried on
filling the pod and yet it hasn’t opened. It was taking too long to automatically open. Too long than
hers. She needed to act fast.

Elliot studied the monitor planted on the pod that shows the passenger’s vitals. It was flashing in
red, manifesting his current paranoia. There are few buttons on it and she pressed the red one which
seemed to be the release. Only for it to flash a message “Access Denied”. She pressed the others,
slamming her fist on them in frustration when none worked at all. It’s useless.

She looked around frantically, trying to find something else that could help her open the man’s pod
but the room was completely barren of anything other than the pods and another clothes folded
inside a plastic bag lying on the floor. There’s nothing that can help her and the man but herself thus
she went back to the pod, she rammed her elbow as hard as she can on the monitor. Ignoring the
pain that immediately shoot from her elbow as she clawed her fingers underneath the broken
glasses; ripping out all the wiring within.

There was a hissing sound that came after it and she noticed it was the hatch of the pod releasing
but it didn’t open all the way through. She hooked her fingers on the lid and pulled it with all her
might. Not minding when she felt her fingernails began to sear in pain as they slowly tear apart. She
pulled and pulled until there was water spilling from the small opening. She pulled much harder and
finally the hatch flew open, spilling the man out. Immediately grabbing him around his shoulder
preventing him from falling hard on the floor.

But the man was heavier than her and she was dragged down along him. She landed on her side and
then the air left her lungs when half of the man’s body landed across her stomach. She hastily
pushed him off and scurried further from him. The man’s back was turned to her and she can’t help
but stare at it for a moment.

His entire back was covered in tattoos and stretches up to the half of his left arm. The tattooed face
of something like a demon in the middle stood out from the rest. They looked like a Japanese art.
She examined him more; he has dark short hair and lean physique. And like her earlier, he is also
fully naked. She blinked and immediately handed the spare clothes to him before turning away to let
him get dressed.

He coughed and spluttered water all the while Elliot rubs a hand on her sore elbow soothingly and
checking her fingers as she waited. She let out a heavy sigh finding the tips of some of the fingernails
got ripped and bleeding. It was nothing too serious but it can be quite discomforting. She then pulled
the hem of her sleeved shirt and wiped off the blots of blood. She heard bare feet padding against
the metal floor and shuffling of clothes then a baritone voice spoke.

“Thank you.” He said between his breaths. It sounded somewhat forced like he was hesitant to say it
nonetheless she appreciated it and replied – “You’re welcome.”

“You can turn around now.” He said and she did as what was told. He looked to be an Asian, a
Japanese or Korean by the looks of it. Most likely a Japanese. This time his eyes are no longer
frightened yet still they held confusion; some wet strands of his hair fell over them. Fair skinned or a
bit tanned she couldn’t much tell with the dim lighting. Slightly sunken cheeks and some stubble on
his jaws and chin. He looked to be around his early 30s and few feet taller than her. Other than that,
he looked normal, seemly looking even if to be honest.

“Are you a crew?” He questioned right away to her, his voice was low and raspy from all the
screaming he did.

Elliot shook her head.

“No, just a passenger. I just woke up few seconds earlier before you.”

He stared at her for a moment seemingly having a hard time processing what she just said before
walking further in the room then spoke once again.

“Do you think we have arrived?”

He meant the planet. THEA. A planet like earth where people like her can have a blank slate. To start
life all over again as someone else. As someone better than what they were on Earth.

“Then there should have been some crew that would have warmly welcomed us when we woke. Or
even at least gave us a less discomforting wake up call.” She chuckled at her last sentence in attempt
to lighten the heavy air. But he didn’t respond to it, her awkward laugh died down instantly. He just
kept on walking around until he came into a small digital screen planted against a wall.

She watched him plant his palm against the screen and surprisingly a sliding door opened beside it.
Ahead was a dimly lit catwalk leading farther to who knows where.

“Come.”

He called out and she followed in silence. There were wheat and other plants kept on the other side
of the catwalk. The crops are sectioned and bounded by metal railings. It was like a greenhouse. The
sprayers were still operating but other than that, the whole place was still deadly silent. The man in
front of her just kept on walking straight, looking here and there until he stopped. In front of them
was a wide glass wall and beyond was the rest of the massive ship, still spinning and moving across
the vast space.

They are still in space.

This is not what they were told. They would sleep and only wake up when they arrive to their
destination.

“I don’t understand…” she started but before she could finish her words, the alarm like before when
they woke up sounded again. It means more people.

The man rushed to the sound leaving her behind and she was forced to run after him. Her feet are
bare, both their feet are but thankfully the floor wasn’t made of stones and gravel. He weaved
through several catwalks before he pulled into a stop in front of the same room where they came
from. The alarm kept on blaring but none of the closed pods dared to open. Just like what happened
to the man earlier.

Both frantically rushed to the pods without a word. Breaking the monitors did not help and neither
her nor the man’s strength could pry the hatches open. Before they know it, the passengers inside
their pods drowned. Elliot willed all her might to not weep for them.

She had helped one, why can’t she do the same to the others? The moment the thought sunk in, a
surge of trauma came rushing within her and she desperately shook them off as she fought to catch
her breathing. Thankful that the man was with her when he placed a hesitant hand on her shoulder
startling her out of her slight panic before it had gone too out of hand.

They went out again and stood by the door for a moment mulling over what in god’s name is
happening.

“What is happening here?” she breathed and the remains of panic underlying her voice was very
evident. She can’t help it. The ship must have been damaged. They were lucky enough to even got
out of their own pods.

“I have no idea.” He responded but she then cut him off when she saw something move in the
shadows at the catwalk across them. The area was lit poorly. It startled her but at the same time
gave her hope. The man followed her gaze.

“Hello?” She called after it.

“Is someone there?” He added and surprise, silence was the only response.

The man started walking again, this time in a more guarded way towards where she saw the
movement. She did the same thing, keeping her eyes peeled. It could have been just a trick of the
light, or something else. Clearly it wasn’t a person or it would have come to meet them.

There was no one, nothing and they kept walking until they reached another section. The place was
more well-lit with a high ceiling and tons of barrels and crates lined and stacked up against the wall.
A storage area?

They jumped in slight alarm when something crashed from the distance, both turning around to the
direction. The man slowly stalked forward and as always; she follows a little behind. His attention
seemed to be directed to another corner however and slowly he peeked around. Then they both
stopped again when another sound came, this one came right from above them. Not even a second
and she was suddenly pulled by her arms into a corner, the man now hovering right in front of her as
several barrels fell down on where they once stood before.

“Thanks.” She panted, out of breath for that very short moment as she pulled herself away from
him. It was a malfunctioning robotic claw that caused the disturbance, it moved around with no clear
direction. Knocking few more barrels along its way before it got stuck into a gap between tall
dividers.

“Now we’re even.” He said looking down at her and she looked up at him in bewilderment. She
wasn’t aware they were keeping scores.

Elliot was about to respond to him only to be disrupted again when suddenly a woman screamed
somewhere in the area. Quickly, they both rushed to it, back to where the green house was. The
alarm was also blaring and when they reached the door of another room, she let out a heavy sigh of
relief seeing there are several more people just got out of their pods alive and are now dressing
themselves. There were a lot of them, 10, 5 women and 5 men.

“Hey, are you guys from SIREN?” a guy asked them when they reached them. He’s lean and equally
tall as the Japanese guy, has short brown hair, beard and brown eyes.

“No. We just woke up like you.” The Japanese guy was quick to respond and the guy who asked the
question was at loss for words as he stared around while mumbling “Where the hell are we?”

A woman then stepped in and spoke. She looked wise and authoritative. Her hair reaches just on her
shoulder, brown and wavy. And her eyes are blue, wide but certain.

“This is some kind of a wake-up facility, right? To prepare us for the planet.” She concluded.

“So are we there? We are on THEA?” another woman who looked much older than the rest of them
questioned. At this, both Elliot and the Japanese guy look at each other wondering if it’s even good
to tell them when they just woke up and are still barely grabbing their bearings.
“They said we’d open our eyes there.” The woman 1, the authoritative woman supplied.

“Then, we just need to find the exit.” The guy 1, the man that first questioned them commented.

“We’re not on a planet.” The Japanese guy suddenly interjected. Elliot looked at him, silently
scolding him but he didn’t even look into her way. Everyone fell silent, not believing what they’ve
heard.

“What?” Woman 1 questioned in disbelief and the Japanese man continued to speak.

“I don’t know why we woke up, but we’re still in deep space.”

The rest of them stared at him in complete disbelief, Elliot looked down not wanting to see the looks
on their faces.

“We can’t be.” Another woman breathed in dread.

“What did he just say?” another guy, guy 2 demanded; anger was evident in his voice forcing her to
look up into his direction.

He steps out from the shadows in into the light, drenched, disoriented and distraught. His blue eyes
are wide and accusing. His dirty blonde hair just barely touching his shoulder and his receding
forehead wasn’t something that’s hard to miss. But the Japanese guy just responded to his demand
coolly.

“I think we’re on a transport ship. The ORIGIN.”

And the commotion began.

“What?”

“That’s impossible.”

“What are we supposed to do?”

“Something must have gone wrong.” Whimpered the youngest girl among them.

Even Elliot was having a hard time processing what they had just discovered. The Japanese guy
looked at her briefly, he doesn’t even look like he regretted spilling the news and sending the others
in complete emotional breakdown. But she guessed it was better that way than keeping it from
them and feeding them false hopes.

False hopes.

“All right, all right, all right.” Guy 1 began. “None of us know what the situation is.”
“It wasn’t meant to be this way.” Elliot heard the Japanese guy mumbled to himself. His face was
looking disappointed and something more. Hurt?

“How can we know that what you are telling is the truth!?” Guy 2 once again demanded.

Directing his angry stare at the Japanese guy, but the latter seemed to be lost in thought when he
didn’t reply and was just looking down on the floor with his brows furrowed and arms crossed over
his chest.

Elliot looked up and saw the guy 2 growing even more distraught every second for getting no
response.

“Hey I’m talking to you! Answer me!” Guy 2 glowered as he steps closer but the Japanese guy
remained silent. Elliot stepped forward.

“It is the truth, a little up ahead there’s a wide glass window that views the outside. We went in their
earlier. There was nothing out there other than black endless space.” She supplied but the guy 2 still
seemed to be not convinced and he sent her an irritated look.

“Can you at least show us where it is? We want to see it ourselves.” Woman 1 asked, her voice firm
but kind. Elliot nodded then turned to the Japanese guy, he was still lost in his own world that she
had to place her hand carefully on his shoulder to get his attention. His head immediately shot up,
dark hard eyes glaring down at her causing her to pull away as if burned.

“They wanted to see the outside.” She informed him, gulping the sudden bile that had somehow
appeared in her throat.

There was this feeling she has about him since she saw his face particularly his eyes, that he isn’t
someone who can simply be trifle with. Her warning bells are telling her that he is dangerous. Like a
predator silently observing his prey, waiting for the best moment to strike. But her gut-feeling could
be wrong, she had witnessed him at his weakness. When he was stuck in that pod and was
screaming for help. Anyone would do the same when they are aware that there was nothing they
can do while at death’s door. He thanked her and even saved her when those barrels suddenly fell
down on them. Even if it just meant for tallying up the score, she appreciated the gesture.

He regarded the others a look for a moment before he nodded and started walking towards the
direction where he remembers the glass window was. The rest followed behind and later on they
filed in front of the glass, the guy 2 the one who was looking extremely distraught was at the front.

Elliot couldn’t tell what he was feeling at the sight in front of them but by the looks of the others,
utter shock and disbelief he’s most likely wearing the same expression. And by his next word he
uttered it was confirmed.
“Fuck!”

“Okay, all of us. Let’s just take this calmly and think of something that will help us all.” Woman 1
declared; she looked just as lost as the others but at least she was trying to hold them together.
Elliot was silent while just observing, looking calm and collected. It was a big part on her line of work,
past work, but truth be told she was just as panicked. And remembering her past life was not
something she was so happy about. They brought only painful memories. Too painful memories.

“All right we have to look around. Find out what has happened.” Guy 1 spoke as he ushered them to
go.

They walked together in silence, none dared to speak as they opened few doors and entered
different sections until they stop in some kind of a spacious circular room.

“Shit! Be careful it’s a long drop.” The woman 1 who was at the front cursed and jumped back,
spreading an arm in attempt to stop the others. Guy 2 carried on, stepping onto the walkway in front
and spitting his own colorful words. “Jesus fucking Christ!”

Elliot followed after the others and realized their cause of distress. The catwalk they were on was
hung up in the air and is connected to 3 steel shafts in the center, below them was nothing but a
deep gaping hole and above are more levels. The catwalk bridging across the hole, it was split in two
ways at the middle, forming a circular platform. There are LED lights everywhere but the ones on
one of the 3 shafts what caught their attention. They were blinking and moving upward as if pointing
a certain direction. There are also sturdy metallic looking bars attached to the said shaft. A ladder.

Some of them started calling out for people.

“Hello? Is anybody there?”

“Hello?”

“Hellooo!!!”

No response.

Guy 2 went ahead across the catwalk where at the end, another door stood. He pushed into it but it
didn’t open.

“Can anyone hear us?”

“What the hell is this?” Guy 2 questioned as he looked down at the 3 shafts that stood in the center,
he glanced at Elliot as if she would provide him an answer which she answered with a shake of her
head. There was no other way from here and as if Elliot’s internal monologue was heard, another
young woman spoke.

“Where do we go now?” She has an Irish accent; her hair was short and dark red and framing it was
her fair looking face. “We’ve been through the entire level.”
“Somebody will come for us.” Guy 2 said, enunciating his word as though he was very sure of it.

“They have to.” Guy 1 added.

“Where do you think that goes?” Woman 1 questioned as she gazes upwards, pointing at the one
shaft with moving LED light. The rest of them followed her gaze.

“Only one way to find out.” The Japanese guy spoke from behind Elliot, causing them to turn his
way.

“You out of your goddamn mind? You want us to climb that thing?!” Guy 2 objected at Japanese guy.

“We cannot even see the bottom.” Red hair girl stated the obvious while looking down the hole. “I’m
not getting on that ladder.”

“You don’t have to…” this time it was from a new voice. Among all of them, he was the tallest. He
has this middle eastern look, an Arab and he has a shifty look on his face. “…one person can make
the journey and alert whoever they find. Best of luck.” His last sentence was directed at Japanese
guy.

“The next platform is not far. We can make it.” Woman 1 commented, trying to sound encouraging
but most of them looked scared including Elliot but if it means finding something that can help them,
she would climb. She’ll just have to try her best not to look down.

“I’ll come with you.” She said to the woman 1, her decision is final, she would climb. The latter
nodded.

“All right. The 4 of us will go. It’s gonna be okay. We will find help.” Guy 1 assured the others and
red-haired girl said to them “Be careful.”

“After me.” Woman 1 breathed and unlatched the rail that blocks them from the ladder. Elliot stood
behind her to climb after, her heart was beating so hard that she had to take very deep breaths to
calm her nerves. But before she could grab the handle a hand suddenly clamped around her wrist. It
wasn’t tight but it wasn’t loose either. She turned to the owner and found the Japanese guy looking
at her.

“You should just stay here.” He said and this made Elliot frown. “I know what I’m doing.” She
retorted, turning away immediately leaving him no room to argue with her. But then he surprised
her with his next words.

“What is your name?” She turned back at him in a flash and blinked her eyes at him nonplus. She
had already guessed their names was the least of his concerns but here he was asking her,
nonetheless she replied, it’s only decent to. “I’m Elliot…Elle.” She added her nickname at the last as
most people think her actual name was too manly for her. “I’m Shun.” He replied and she offered
him a hesitant smile which he returned with nothing.

Elliot then looked away shrugging off his nonchalance and grabbed the handles, her legs and arms
were shaking but she braved herself and pulled her body up. The first movement was nerve
wracking but her limbs were holding tight on the handles and she climbed up behind the woman 1.
Shun was following behind her then the guy 1 after him. They slowly and carefully scale the ladder
and Elliot’s limbs started to feel sore. She wasn’t actually a very athletic one but she was determined
that she would reach the next platform with the others.

Their grunts, heavy pants and tapping of feet and palms were the only sounds other than the
howling wind within the wide complex. Few more grueling minutes of climbing, they finally reached
it.

The woman 1 held her hand out to help Elliot up and she accepted it gratefully, pulling her up to the
platform. They both breathed for air and all the while the woman introduced herself to her. “I’m
Lana.” She said and Elliot gladly replied with a smile. “And I’m Elle.” She was even more glad when
Lana returned the smile.

Shun climbed next and the guy 1 followed. They went to the nearest door and managed to open it,
revealing nothing but a long empty hall way with black walls. LED lights would shine every now and
then illuminating the path.

“Hello? Hello?” Lana called out, still no response. She looked at the rest of them with a disappointed
expression but then walked onward. At the end, there was another door and this one just
automatically opened as they neared it.

“This doesn’t make any sense. There’s supposed to be hundreds of us. Where is everybody?” Lana
said.

“They might be just at the upper rings.” Elliot inputted, trying to sound positive.

“I say we try to get to the top. If there is a bridge, that’s where it’ll be.” Guy 1 suggested. The 3 of
them stared at him, having no clue what he meant.

Guy 1 sighed and added – “I was in the navy. Ship’s still a ship, right? Navigation room is always at
the top.” Elliot nodded and so did Lana. At least one of them have some if little knowledge when it
comes to this situation.

They scoured the room that they entered, there was nothing but cases of akin to computer
machines and other electronics that made Elliot’s mind spin. No computer terminals, anything that
would leave a clue to what has happened.

Eventually, they left the room and as planned climb up higher, Lana was still on the lead but this
time Shun was following her, Elliot after him and guy 1 just right behind her. Again, they were silent
as they continued their grueling trek but it was shattered when an alarm started to blare around
them. This one sounding much louder than the one when they went out of their pods. They all
stopped.

“What the hell is going on?” Lana asked in confusion and panic.

To make things far worse the handles of the ladder they were climbing on began to retract
backwards into the shaft. Elliot’s heart jolted in pure naked fear.

“JESUS CHRIST! GO! GO! GO! CLIMB!” Guy 1 shouted in panic below Elliot, sending her anxiety to
overdrive. She clambered faster on the ladder, completely ignoring her now screaming muscles as
she keeps up with Shun and Lana. The handles were becoming smaller and smaller as they retract.

Lana made it first to the top and helped Shun up immediately, Elliot followed but then the next
handle she was about to hold onto has already retracted into the shaft and so was the one that her
feet was perching on. Time seemed to have stop when she felt herself fall. Her stomach becoming
unnaturally tight and her mind gone painfully blank.

“We got you!” Lana exclaimed, both of her hands holding Elliot’s right arm, while Shun was on her
left arm. But then suddenly, Elliot’s whole body painfully strained when she felt something suddenly
pulled on her right ankle. It was the guy 1. The muscles of her leg screamed at the strain; he was no
small man but to hell would she let him let go of her.

“NO! NO! NO!” Guy, one shouted in panic, his eyes are darting from up them, down below then back
at them.

“Hold on!” Elliot shouted at him between gritted teeth. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling being stretched
like a rubber band. All her joints felt like they’re going to pop off from each other at any minute now.

Lana and Shun both grunted as they tried to pull both of them up but guy 1 keeps on fussing making
them sway slightly from side to side and making the both of them even heavier. Elliot felt fingernails
now digging against her skin but she ignored it. What’s one simple injury when someone’s life relies
on it? He tried to hold on but his hands started slipping slowly, they feel warm and clammy or was it
the skin in her leg?

“NO! HOLD ON!” She tried to bend her knee to at least make it easier for him to hold on to her but
as said, he was heavy. Guy 1 attempted to grab to her other leg but the sudden movement caused
Lana to drop flat on the metal floor. The weight had become too much for her. It disrupted guy 1’s
secure hold around Elliot’s ankle, both of his hands slipping off from her.

Elliot screamed in both utter horror and pain as she watched him fall, his fingernails had scraped
across her ankle and foot as he descended. Flailing his arms frantically in hopes of grabbing onto her.
His blood curdling scream bouncing against the walls of the complex as he fell, then he hit the
railings on the lower level, bones cracking so loud and with it the silence of his scream. He went
down further below and hit onto another surface again.
Elliot shut her eyes as hot fat tears burst out from them. He’s gone.

She was immediately pulled up by strong arms, clutching her into a sturdy body tightly before being
deposited on the floor. Unmoving and whimpering she laid there. Images of deaths of certain people
she desperately tried to bury resurfaced in front of her eyes. Haunting her.

NO! NO! NO!

She felt arms pulling her once more, this time they are slender and held her against a softer body.
She was being hugged. It was Lana.

“I’m sorry.” It was like in underwater but she heard it, Lana speaking between her own whimpering
and sobs. “It’s my fault. If only I didn’t falter on my hold, he wouldn’t have…” louder sobs followed.
Elliot, finally composing herself pulled away from Lana but she kept her hands holding the other
woman’s arms comfortingly and spoke. “It was no one’s fault.” She consoles her, she doesn’t like
seeing someone blaming their selves for something they have no control over. Anyone but her. Lana
shook her head in disagreement but before she could argue with Elliot, Shun disrupts her.

“We need to go.” He said simply while looking emptily at nothing.

“Why are you like this? Didn’t it affect you?! Aren’t you terrified?” Lana bit back at him, angered. She
stood up to advance to the man, Elliot held her back.

“Please Lana, we need to go.” She looked up at her with pleading eyes and this have somehow
calmed her down a bit. Lana helped her to stand, quickly catching her when she suddenly staggered.
She notices Elliot’s right leg where guy 1 had been holding onto. “You’re bleeding.” She stated in
concern and knelt down in front of Elliot, pulling up the pants revealing the deep scratches that was
left behind.

“It’s nothing too serious. We can go now.” Elliot assured Lana, briefly glancing at Shun who has his
eyes down at her leg then up to her eyes. She immediately looked away and saw Lana shaking her
head. “I need to patch you up.” “It’s fine really, I’ll just do it myself.” Elliot interjected.

She knelt down onto Lana’s level while internally crying when she felt the pain that seared from her
right ankle up to her knee. She tore the left sleeve of her shirt with a bit of effort, splitting it in 2
pieces. She dabbed the blood away with the piece of cloth before gently wrapping the other that’s
left to prevent the opened skin from catching any foreign bacteria. She then carefully twisted her
sprained ankle, letting out a short-pained grunt when she heard a popping sound. Then stood and
tested her leg. It felt fine, if a bit discomforting but not enough to cripple her.

She looked up and noticed Shun and Lana were staring at her, the latter looking obviously concerned
while the former one, she can’t even very much describe his expression.

“I’m fine.” She breathed, repeating it much clearer. “I’m fine, so let’s go.” She then walked ahead
rubbing away any tears that was left on her eyes and cheeks. She was slightly limping but still
capable of walking or running if needed which she hopes won’t come to that point.

Heavier feeling weighed inside her chest as she looks down on the floor. They don’t even know the
guy’s name and now he’s gone. He didn’t deserve such demise. No one does. Swallowing the
tightness in her throat and blinking away the threatening tears in her eyes, Elliot advances onwards
with the others.

They entered another room; this one is unlike the first one they had entered with sleek black walls
but still it was silent. As they went further in, Lana pauses and saw something on the floor. She
crouched down, Elliot and Shun doing the same and stared at the thing that caught Lana’s interest.
Elliot’s breathing partially halts upon recognizing the smeared liquid on the floor.

“It’s blood.” She stated, reaching a finger to it, testing. It’s sticky, near to drying. “This must have
been here for almost half an hour.”

“Then there’s somebody here.” Lana said, standing up and looking around before walking to another
door.

The next room was wide, dimly lit with thick dark colored cubic pillars that almost reached the
ceiling, standing side by side. But as they neared the pillars, pale orange light appeared from the
pillars’ foot, scaling in a zigzag line upwards. Another set of computer central units perhaps. They
continued further in the room and reached an area where sleek screen monitors lay on several
desks. Incomprehensible formulas, graphs, schematics are displayed the screens but none posed any
use to them as they stared at it with identical confusion on their faces. And standing up to the front
of the room was another wide glass wall, viewing the outside space.

Lana began jogging around, looking over the corners and everywhere and up to the catwalk that
hang over near the glass wall.

“There’s no crew. No crew.” She breathed in dreadful realization.

Elliot noticed Shun standing up ahead and dipping his fingers inside a tin can, beside it was some
sliced loafed breads placed on a tray.

“It’s cold.” He stated, giving Elliot the idea that it was a cup of coffee. She went near him and studied
the left food herself, seeing it untouched. “Something must have happened and they left in a hurry.”
She said looking at Shun and Lana, the man replying right away. “Something that wasn’t good.” He
said clearly referring about the smear of blood they ran on the way here.

Then a loud thud erupted within the entire room causing the 3 of them to jump in fright, all their
gazes directed at the glass wall where Lana was nearby. Something big and metallic soared slowly
across their view. It looked like to be some sort of a structure. Its parts were twisted in different
directions, damaged.

“I think it was a solar sail. Something must have damaged it.” Shun stated, the underlying
breathlessness of his words didn’t bode to well to Elliot. The ship had been hit by whatever there is
from space. Asteroid? Then why would the crew leave in such hurry? It’ll be absolutely stupid and
irresponsible if they just did what they seemingly did with the ship boarding hundreds of passengers.
“What the hell happened on this ship?” Lana mumbled; clear anxiety laced in her voice. Elliot had
the inkling feeling but she doesn’t want to indulge it. It was a stupid notion. There could have been
something else that had happened other than what her mind was insisting to assume. She had to
blame the movies.

She felt a stare being directed at her and she turned to it, seeing Shun looking down at her with
questioning look in his eyes.

“Do you have any idea?” He voices the expression his eyes have and Elliot was quick to answer. “I’m
afraid I don’t.” Shaking her head, but then he followed another question. “Among all of us, you were
the very first one to awake. Are you sure you don’t know anything?”

Elliot gaped at him. Is he suspecting her? Lana was also now having her attention to her. Her face
showing an equally suspecting look.

“I don’t know anything. I may have awakened first before you but I am just as clueless as all of you.”
She dignified; it was the truth. Just because of waking first before them, now he’s suspecting her?
But the way Shun stared at her told her he wasn’t convinced.

Another sound came, startling the 3 of them and they turned behind them to see the door opening,
it’s the others. They made it up there. But how? They all walked in, looking around the room. Lana
jogging towards them and questioned the man with dark skin and bald head.

“How did you guys get up here?”

“There was a shuttle. It must have been reactivated when…” He answered then trailing off, but it
was enough for Elliot to understand.

“He nearly made it. We also almost lost her too.” Lana said, her mournful eyes directing to Elliot. The
dark-skinned man was looking at the Arab guy for a moment, his face looking pained before
following Lana’s gaze into Elliot. Though this time Elliot’s eyes are trained at the Arab guy. He looked
kind of…guilty.

“Fuck me. Have you seen anyone at all?” Guy 2 came near to Lana but she only stared at him, giving
him her answer. “Jesus fucking Christ! That’s just great! I mean, what the fuck are we supposed to
do now.”

Elliot looked away from him, what he’s doing wasn’t helping at all. She walked near a desk then
paused, seeing something lying on it. It was a small and flat rectangular object, a device of some
sorts? She examined it and saw a small button on its edge. Then suddenly a humming sound came
within the entire room along it, the lights turning on from above them basking the whole area in a
much more viewable way.

They all froze when they heard a screeching of something somewhere in the distance. It was faint
but it doesn’t sound good. Elliot inhaled sharply. Her mind once again started presuming things.

“What the fuck is that?” Guy 2 questioned.

“What you did just do?” Arab guy questioned directing it to the other woman with an also dark skin
and braided locks who had just actually planted her palms on a screen that powered up the whole
room. Or probably the whole ship. All of their attention is on her but then they jumped, in Elliot’s
end gasped when she accidentally pressed the small button on the device she was holding. Loud
static crackling erupted from it.

“Jesus!”

“What is that?”

Elliot stared at the device wide eyed then there was a man’s grunting coming underneath the
crackling. It was a radio. The others quickly flanked around her. She brought the radio to her mouth
and spoke.

“Hello? Is somebody there?” there was only static and beeping coming from the radio for few
seconds before someone responded to her.

“Hello? Hello?” the man said on the other side, he sounded regardless Elliot’s chest swelled upon
the discovery. She brought the device much closer to her mouth and said back.

“Who is this?”

The radio stammered for another moment but the man heard her.

“I’m one of the…crew. Crew.”

That word alone was enough to give them hope. Elliot hastily replied.

“We’re at the top of the ship.”

Static

“Please…Please…”

The man breathed then he started yelping. Elliot’s stomach slowly began to sink. He doesn’t sound
fine. He was scared of something.

“Hello! Can you hear us?”

“I’m in cell 50. 50. In the lowest ring…” he sounded agonized when he spoke the last words. He’s
hurt. Then he screamed and the connection was cut-off. Elliot stared at the device with watery eyes,
she gripped it tight around her hand and took a shuddering breath. She doesn’t want to
acknowledge of what had just happened to him. Turning to the others she found them looking back
at her with equally alarmed expressions.

“What the fuck was that?” Arab guy asked.

“He sounded terrified.” Red-haired girl clarified.

For a while they are silent, completely just as jarred to what they’d just heard before Lana spoke.

“Cell 50. He said he was in Cell 50. We need to find him.”

“But n-no.” Guy 2 stammered. “There’s no fucking way we are leaving this room.”

“He needs help.” Lana dignified.

“You want to go sniff around this ship after what happened on that ladder?” Arab guy said
incredulously and Elliot sent him a glare. He spoke as though the death of that navy guy bothered
him but he was not. He looked guilty but he wasn’t sorry.

Then they turned their attentions to Shun who was standing a bit further from them when he spoke.

“He’ll have answers. He said he was crew. I say we go.”

“Does anyone have medical training? In case he’s hurt” Lana questioned and Elliot immediately
responded. “I do.” He’s more than hurt.

“Good. We’ll take the radio.” Lana confirmed, lifting Elliot’s hand that was holding the radio then she
pulled her towards the door.

“Why do you get the radio, huh?” Guy 2 followed after them, his voice irritated and demanding. “I
mean there’s more of us here.”

The two women turned to his direction.

“We’re the ones going to find the guy.” Elliot reasoned pointedly but guy 2 was not backing down as
his respond was immediate. “I sure as hell didn’t ask you to. We might need it.” He sneered then
reached his hand to hers only for his arm to be roughly stopped midway. His eyes followed the
other’s hand and found Shun coolly looking down on him. They stood there for a moment, both of
them locked eyes and unblinking but eventually guy 2 relented and swatted his arm off, stepping a
bit closer to Shun with a taunting look on his face. “Fine.” He muttered, malice underlying his voice
then he stepped away and turned back to Elliot. “I hope you make it back.” He said, eyes held no
sincerity and turned away walking back to the others.

Elliot’s blood churned a bit at the guy’s behavior but then felt Lana’s hand gripping her arm and
spoke from her side. “Let’s go.” Ushering her towards the exit. Elliot briefly glances at Shun finding
him doing the same before both looking away.

---

“Hello? If you’re still there please speak up.” Elliot attempted to contact the crew again as they
made their way to the shuttle but there was only static sound coming from it. She accidentally
bumps on Lana when this suddenly stopped on her tracks right in front of the shuttle. Lana was
breathing raggedly while staring at the blood that stained the side of the lift. The Guy 1’s blood.
Elliot squeezed the woman’s shoulder comfortingly and pushed her quickly inside the shuttle, her
breathing becoming heavy witnessing the sight. To distract herself from such distress, Elliot went
straight to the controls and pressed the button with a glaring Ring 10, the last ring and they begin to
descend.

They all stood in silence on either side of the compartment, Elliot gently squeezing her fingers, Lana
looking emptily at nothing and Shun sending glances at the two women. Lana began speaking,
breaking the silence.

“I left everything behind thinking I could become so much better, someone’s already dead.” Her
words hit Elliot like a bag of brick. Her throat tightening and jaws clenching feeling another surge of
emotional breakdown. She instead ducked down her head further, gripping tightly on her hands.
“I don’t know if people can just…become better.” Surprisingly it was Shun who spoke. He rarely
spoke as much as what she had observed on him over the course of their time within this ship. Let
alone talking about serious as this.

“Then why are you here?” Lana questioned. There was silence for a moment and Elliot thought he
would never answer the question but he surprises her again.

“I made a promise to my brother.” He said and she felt a pang on her chest when she heard the
word promise. Like him, she also made a promise to someone. Someone who meant the world to
her someone who she can never save despite of how many sacrifices she’d made.

“I see.” Lana then voices, detecting that Shun’s words will be only at that and decided to not pry.
“But there’s no harm in trying, at least.” Then she diverted the same question to Elliot. “And what
about you Elliot? Why are you here? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Elliot looked up to her, Shun is as well looking at her. She took a deep breath before answering Lana.

“Like Shun, I also made a promise to someone…” she trailed off then whispered the following words
but they are loud enough for the others to hear. “You cannot help me but you can help the others.
Promise me that you will.”

Elliot’s breathing started becoming heavy and her vision turning blurred as unwanted tears began to
accumulate in the corners of her eyes. She was in the verge of crying but then she felt a comforting
arm rubbing her back.

“It’s okay. You don’t need to tell any more.” Lana spoke from beside her. Elliot nodded and rubbed
her palms against her eyes only to pause again when Lana questioned her again. “What happened to
your fingernails?” She then grabbed Elliot’s hands and examined her chipped and injured fingernails.
“It was nothing.” Elliot supplied pulling away her hands from Lana but Shun once again made himself
be heard.

“She helped me out of my pod earlier. If it wasn’t for her, I’d have probably drowned and wouldn’t
be here now.”

Elliot looked at him, shocked. He doesn’t have to tell anyone about it. Lana nodded and smiled at
her, giving her a warm smile.

“You saved his life.” She stated and Elliot responded quick. “And so you did mine as well.”

She smiled a bit the it became a frown, remembering what happened to the other guy.

“It’s no one’s fault…” Shun spoke. “It was beyond our control.”

Both the women nodded to his words then the shuttle suddenly pulled into a stop. The door opened
nnalong with the AI speaking ‘Ring 10’

“It can’t go any further down.” Shun said and took the lead as he went to the door that stood across
the catwalk. His shoulders tensed, slowly taking steps forward. The room they entered this was
dimly lit and like the greenhouse however, there aren’t any plants on the other side of the railing but
clear tanks waist high, full of water and snakes like creatures she recognized as electric eels.

They froze when a muffled scream suddenly bounced against the walls of the area, sending them in
alert.

“Is anyone here?” Shun called out, looking around.

“Hello?” Lana followed as well.

Elliot looked around as well, her wide eyes darting at every direction but seeing nothing ordinary but
the she stopped dead on her feet. Something liquid fell on her head and across her eyes. Blinding
her for a moment, she rubbed it away and stared at it. It was dark and smelt metallic, abruptly her
head shot up. Freezing finger raked up her spine when she saw a bloody hand hanging off from a
catwalk above, attached to the limb was a woman lying unmoving. She panted loudly in panic, the
two others hearing her and quickly turned to her way. Lana rushed to her and followed her gaze,
climbing immediately on the ladder that leads to the upper catwalk. Shun stopped in front of her,
using his own sleeves to remove the blood off her face.

“She’s a crew.” Lana called from above, looking at something like dog tag on her hands. “Her name is
Evelyn Rey.”

Shun and Elliot climbed after, the latter leaning closer to the body of the woman. Hovering her ear to
the nose, there was a very faint rasping, running two fingers on the neck she then confirmed.

“She’s alive. But she’s in a bad shape.”

However, the other two seemed to be focused on something else, both their gazes locked on
something that was lying on the floor. A gun. Both reached their hands to it but Shun’s arm was
much longer and he had the weapon on his grip before Lana could. The two exchanged looks for a
bit, Lana looking somewhat unbelieving before she returned her attention to Elliot and the
unconscious woman.

“She’s been attacked?” She questioned Elliot.

“Most likely yes.” Elliot answered while carefully examining the woman’s body.

“Gun’s been used. Bullets missing.” Shun informed to them while he examined the weapon.

Another muffled scream echoed and they shot to their feet, running towards the sound and into
another closed door. Lana looked through the glass of the door and then cursed.

“Shit! I can’t see anything.”

She looked towards the digital screen on the side and was about to open it when Shun stopped her.

“What are you doing?” She questioned, sending Shun an incredulous look.

“The blood leads here.” Shun stated, pointing down on the floor. Elliot followed it and saw more
smear of blood that went into the other side of the closed door.

“There’s someone inside.” Lana interjected.

“The entire ship is empty. This one door is sealed shut. You don’t find that a little fucking
suspicious?” He reasoned and Elliot had to take consider on that but Lana is still disagreeing.

“The man on the radio asked for our help.” She said pointing a finger at Elliot since she still has the
radio in her hand.

“I’m just trying to keep us safe.” Shun said to her, glancing at Elliot as if asking her to take his side on
this. She was at loss; he could be right but then again so is Lana.
“Really?” Lana said, again sounding incredulous. She briefly glances at Elliot before she spoke at
Shun again. “Okay, what if it was you in there?” Shun become suddenly silent, his eyes looking lost.
Lana sighed. “Okay fine, give me the gun. I’ll do it alone.”

“Lana.” Elliot called, not trusting what she was about to do.

“I’ll be fine, Elliot.” She reassured her and extended her hand to Shun, asking for the gun. The man
looked at her for moment, glancing at Elliot then back again at Lana. “All right we’ll go together.”
Lana looked skeptic but then nodded regardless. Elliot wanted to come to but the unconscious
woman named Evelyn needs immediate attention.

“I’ll stay with her.” She said to the two and they agreed with it right away. “Be careful you two.” She
added, sending them confirming gazes. Both Lana and Shun nodded, the former one saying the same
words to her. Shun hovered his hand over the console having second thoughts but Lana urges him
and he then tapped on it, opening the door. Shun took the lead, positioning himself with the gun
expertly, pointing the attached flashlights on the gun inside the darkened room. And they went
inside leaving Elliot with Evelyn.

She went back to the woman’s prone body, moving her head towards a light in attempt to her check
her pupils. They are even signifying no serious concussions in front, behind or within her head. The
left side of her body was what catches Elliot’s attention more, it was coated in so much blood. She
moved away the extra jacket that was tied around the woman’s waist, letting her see the damage.
There was a piece of metal lodged onto the side of her stomach, like a piece of gear. To what she can
see it was about 2 inches in diameter but the rest of it that was embedded could be much longer, if
she attempted to remove it now, it might cause more damage than needed. Blood was still seeping
out from the wound but not too much.

Elliot jumped when all of the sudden, Evelyn gasped awake. She panted heavily, looking around with
wide eyes.

“Où suis-je?” She breathed. Elliot attempted to calm her down. “Evelyn, calm down. It’s okay I’ve got
you.” But the woman still keeps on looking and mumbling incoherent words. “What?”

“The door. No.” she panted, her breathing becoming heavier and heavier as she looked at the
opened door ahead in utter alarm. “You shouldn’t have opened it.” Elliot’s worry grew.

“We heard someone inside.” She said and Evelyn shook her head violently. “You can’t go in there.”
She stared at the injured woman, hardly comprehending her words as her heart started beating hard
and it got worse when she heard a man screaming from the room where Shun and Lana had gone.

“No.” She muttered, her heart picking up its pace as paranoia reared its ugly face once again..

“You shouldn’t have opened it. You shouldn’t have. You shouldn’t have.” Evelyn kept on saying
between her groans and pants, becoming delirious at the loss of blood. But Elliot would be a fool if
she wouldn’t take no heed to hysterical warning. Something was in there and just when things
slowly becoming more dreadful, Elliot jumped when a pained scream was heard from the room the
two went into.

“GET OUT! GET OUT! AHHHHHRRGGGHHHH!!!” That wasn’t Shun but that didn’t lessen her worry
for him or even for Lana. They needed to leave the room immediately.