Blackout

by Pauline Barmby

Gravity, lights, and my restraints fail. I extricate the needle; blood sludges down my arm.

I drag myself along the ship’s frigid metal wall, passing writhing sentients of many species. Machine-maintained, with atmosphere, temperature, and desirable circulatory fluids our only commonalities, we never managed to communicate let alone conspire. My attempts to free other captives yield only terror-filled vocalizations.

The sight of an airlock once made me tremble. Now, it brings only relief. Slipping inside, I glance back. What duty do I owe the others?

Lights and gravity return. Machines whir. I jam the inner hatch and open the outer.

Pauline Barmby is a Canadian astrophysicist who believes that you can’t have too many favorite galaxies. She hopes to someday visit her namesake minor planet, 281067. Her website is www.galacticwords.com.