Isolation

Chapter 11

"Everyone," the captain said. "My name is Damian Mansell, but you can just call me Captain or Captain Mansell. Whatever you're comfortable with. I know this is a very emotional time right now. Most of you have lost someone you loved. We all have lost our home. Our course is set for Earth. Our... Spatial Fragmentation engine was damaged during the explosion. It needs to be repaired, so we're going to be here for a while."

"In the meantime, I would like to make a record of everyone on board and assign dormitories. There is a limited amount of rooms, most of them with small rooms and single beds. Families of three or more will be assigned a larger room. Ration cards will be handed out to distribute food evenly. If you're feeling lonely... talk to someone. This is hard on everyone, especially to those who have lost someone during this terrible time. We'll get through this. We always do."

"Larger families, please come forward," a female officer said.

Sara stood and watched as a few larger families formed a line. The ship's database copied all of the population's information into the server on the ship. When presented with a name, a recent image with their information would pop up on the officer's tablet. Each family was assigned a larger room until it was down to just pairs. A larger man with a tall woman with blonde hair was one of the last ones to be assigned a room.

"All of our doubles are only for single parents with single children. Adults must have separate compartments."

"N-no," the woman said. "I can't be alone."

"I'm sorry. Policy dictates—"

"No. No no no!"

She started hitting her head with her hand. The man with the bushy mustache rubbed her back.

"Please. She can't be by herself. She needs me there."

"I'm sorry," the officer said. "I can't make exceptions. There are other small families that need those rooms."

Sara could tell immediately what was going on. The woman was getting louder and started hitting her head with both of her hands.

"Don't do that!" The captain intervened.

He tried to grab her hands, but she slapped him in the face. She kept talking to herself and pressing her hands to her head. She got down on the floor and formed a fetal position. She rocked back and forth.

"She's being insubordinate," Mansell said. "Detain her."

Two other officers tried to pick her up. Other people were starting to complain. The woman was squeezing her eyes shut. Sara knew she was trying to block out all of the noise. She had to do something.

"Quiet!" She shouted. "Everyone be quiet!"

People settled down. The officers were still trying to pick her up. She pushed them off.

"Get off of her! She doesn't like to be touched!"

"Stand down," he told them. "What are you talking about?"

Sara started to sing.

"Lavender blue, dilly-dilly, lavender green."

The woman stopped rocking.

"When I am King, dilly-dilly, you'll be my queen."

She put her hands down and looked at Sara.

"Who told you so, dilly-dilly, who told you so?"

The man helped the woman back up slowly.

"'Twas mine own heart, dilly-dilly, that told me so."

The woman was back on her feet, totally calm. The man looked at her in amazement.