Isolation

Chapter 40

Sara's first orders as captain were barked out over the sirens.

"Everyone stay here! Do not panic!"

She wasn't sure if everyone could hear her. She could barely make out a single face. She caught sight of Tim and ran to him. He was trying to keep Maria calm, which wasn't working. She was in full panic, rocking on the floor and pressing her hands over her ears.

"Get her outside!" Sara said in his ear.

He said something back and picked up Maria. They made it outside. The sirens weren't as loud there. Cassidy and Damien followed them outside. Sara turned on her flashlight and pointed it to the ceiling so she could see everyone.

"What's going on?" Sara said.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Cassidy said. "If we don't get those systems back online, this ship will turn into an icy coffin!"

Tim was trying to keep Maria calm. It wasn't working.

"Take her to our room," Sara suggested. "Stuff a pillow in the speaker. It'll deafen the sound."

Tim nodded. He carried her away.

"Where are the life support systems located?" Sara asked Cassidy.

"They're controlled by a console on the bridge, but the main systems are connected to the engines. When the lights shut off, there must've been some sort of power surge. That's the only explanation!"

"Can you get it working again?"

"I can try. We better hurry. If the unscrubbed air doesn't kill us, the cold definitely will."

"Okay. You lead us. We'll follow."

Cassidy ran as quick as she could. She could already hear the mental clock ticking down in her head.

Five minutes. In five minutes, the interior surface of the ship will start forming ice. Once essential systems get hit with freezing temperatures, they will all shut down. There will be no hope of getting it started again.

In five minutes... everyone will die.

"Come on!" Cassidy urged.

She slid down the ladder next to the elevator. The others followed her down. She bounced off the ladder and blew on her skinned fingers.

"That's gonna blister later," she said.

"Environmental systems failing."

She lifted off the floor.

"Aw, great!"

She barely slowed down. She propulsed herself through the mess hall to the passenger hold. She opened the shaft to the engine and floated inside.

"Three minutes!" She shouted.

"Until what?" Damien asked.

"Take a guess," Sara said.

"Sara?"

It was Tim. Sara looked back and saw him floating toward her.

"Environmental systems restored."

They crashed to the floor.

"What the hell is going on?" Tim shouted.

"This ship is screwed, that's what!" Cassidy shouted from the shaft.

"You and Damien stay here," Sara said. "It's a tight fit in there."

"We'll be here waiting for you," Damien said. "Hurry."