The laundry room was suffocating, heat wrapping around me like an oppressive blanket.

My hands trembled as I folded the fabric, my vision swimming at the edges. I had been sick since yesterday, but I didn't have the luxury of rest. There was always more work to do, always another pile of clothes to fold, another task to complete.

The first sign of trouble was the vibration beneath my feet.

At first, it was subtle—a barely perceptible tremor that ran through the Zypherian ship's wall's like a restless pulse. Then came the distant sound of sirens—low and steady, followed by the chilling, automated voice of the ship's AI.

"SOLAR FLARES ACCOMPANIED BY CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS. ALL LIFE FORMS RETURN TO DESIGNATED QUARTERS. SECURE YOUR POSITIONS. I REPEAT....."

We had been warned in advance, given clear instructions on how to proceed, but no amount of preparation could have braced us for the sheer force of it.

I looked around. The other workers had already dropped what they were doing, scrambling toward the exits. I was the only one left, standing in the sweltering heat of the laundry bay like an idiot.

My stomach churned, a familiar dread settling in. I knew I had to move. Had to get back to my quarters, a cramped cubicle in the deepest, most unstable part of the ship before the lockdown sequence began. It was a trek, especially in my condition.

I forced my body to straighten, but the moment I took a step, the world tilted violently. I grabbed onto the nearest metal rack, my breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps. My fever had drained what little strength I had left. Every movement felt like wading through wet sand.

I was too slow. "Come on, Ruby," I muttered to myself, "just a little further."

The hallway stretched before me, endless and unrelenting. The fever had already settled deep into my bones, turning each step into an agonizing effort. My joints ached. My skin burned. A wave of nausea coiled in my stomach, threatening to pull me under.

A figure appeared at the end of the corridor.

"Noah—" My voice cracked.

He was already rushing toward me, his expression tight with concern. "What the hell are you still doing out here?"

I swallowed, trying to steady myself. "I was working—"

"Are you insane?" He grabbed my arm, steadying me before I could collapse. "The ship's about to go into full lockdown. You need to get to your bunk."

"I know," I mumbled, but my legs refused to cooperate.

Noah exhaled sharply and threw my arm over his shoulder, half-carrying me forward. "You're burning up. Why didn't you tell someone you were this bad?"

I let out a breathless laugh. "And get reassigned to waste disposal? No thanks."

Noah muttered a curse under his breath but didn't argue. 

"They say these storms can be pretty bad," He whispered, his voice laced with anxiety. "I heard stories of ships getting torn apart, swallowed whole by... by nothingness."

I let out a weak laugh, though it hurt like hell. "Comforting. Really."

"I'm serious, Ruby," Noah snapped, his grip tightening. "The Zypherians don’t prepare for storms like this unless it’s bad."

"Yeah? Well, what do you want me to do about it? Yell at the storm to calm down?" I gritted my teeth as another tremor rocked the ship.

"At this rate, it might be our best shot." His voice wavered, but he forced a smirk.

I swallowed, my throat raw. "Just keep moving, okay?."

He didn’t answer right away. His jaw clenched, his expression grim.

"Yeah, well, 'you' better not pass out on me. Because if I have to carry your ass all the way, I swear I’m dropping you in the nearest maintenance shaft."

The ship groaned again—a deep, unsettling sound, like metal being twisted in giant hands. The lights flickered once, twice.

Then, everything lurched.

A violent shockwave tore through the walls, knocking both of us off our feet. My stomach turned as gravity seemed to flicker, my body weightless for half a second before slamming back down.

I barely had time to breathe before another impact rattled through the corridor.

Noah gritted his teeth as he helped me on my feets. "Damn it. The worst of it's starting."

His grip tightened as the ship gave another violent shudder.

"This is bad," he muttered. "This is really bad."

"I noticed," I rasped. Each breath felt like inhaling fire.

By the time we reached Level 3's access point, I was barely conscious. My fever had worsened, my body trembling uncontrollably. I clung to Noah, my fingers digging into his arm.

"This is as far as I can go," he said, eyes flicking toward the access hatch leading to the lower decks. "I'm not cleared past Level 3."

He hesitated, scanning my face, then his jaw tensed.

I nodded weakly, swallowing against the nausea rising in my throat. "I'll be fine."

It was a lie.

I wasn't fine. But I had no choice.

Noah hesitated, his grip tightening. "Ruby—"

"I'll be fine," I repeated, forcing a small, reassuring smile. It took everything I had left.

Noah didn't believe me, but he had no choice. "Stay low, cover your head, and do not leave your quarters." His voice was firm, but I barely heard him over the static ringing in my ears. "Promise me, Ruby."

"Okay," I said, knowing full well that my cubicle was barely safer than the open corridor.

Noah exhaled, giving my hand a quick squeeze before he turned and disappeared down the hallway.

I was alone again.

I forced my body forward, dragging myself toward the hatch.

Just a little further... I told myself. I had barely crossed the threshold of the hatch when the ship lurched violently beneath me.

I stumbled. My hands flew out to grab something—anything—but I was too slow.

My head slammed against the cold metal wall, and a searing pain exploded in my skull.

The world tilted.

I crumpled to the floor, my vision swimming.

The ship bucked again, throwing me like a ragdoll against the opposite wall. I barely registered the impact before my body collapsed in a heap.