The End to Come - Page 12 3D Render, Digital Artwork by emarukk

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The End to Come - Page 12

3D Render by emarukk

Olivia swallowed hard, her gaze fixed on the massive space suit that loomed before her like a coffin ready to engulf her entire being. The suit's embedded exoskeleton under the orange surface stood rigid and unyielding, its electronics waiting for a suitable user. That was not Olivia, and this detail made her death stiff. She was acutely aware that its finely tuned sensors would struggle to register her slight frame. The mere thought of climbing into this imposing contraption made her breath catch in her throat; she envisioned herself trapped, blinded, and utterly helpless. The knowledge that the stranger would hurl her mercilessly from the station into the unforgiving void of space while she remained utterly defenseless amplified her mounting dread to a fever pitch. Her hands trembled uncontrollably as she hesitated, her mind a cacophony of desperate pleas for escape. The distant groans of metal twisting under immense stress reverberated through the air, sending shivers of terror cascading down her spine. The section was failing, and the integrity of the structure was compromised. "Claustrophobia," Olivia thought incredulously. How could a Stationer suffer from claustrophobia? Despite the stifling heat within the airlock, she shivered involuntarily in the cold.

"I can't," she murmured, her voice struggling to rise above the station's agonizing wails and blaring warning alarms. Everything around her was a symphony of chaos, each sound urgent and demanding her attention. The overwhelming clash of crushing metal and sirens was both terrifying and strangely mesmerizing, pulling her in different directions.

The stranger lowered himself beside her, his movements deliberate and calculated. As his voice emerged, it was muffled and distorted by the helmet, carrying a tense, commanding tone that brooked no argument. "You don't have a choice," he stated, his words slicing through the air with an undeniable authority.

Tears brimmed in Olivia's eyes, and she couldn't tell if the sensation in her body was a desperate need to pee or the onset of fainting; everything felt out of balance. "It won't even register me! I won't be able to move! I'll be stuck..."

"You have to do it, and you will," the stranger insisted, helping Olivia into the suit. "Otherwise, you'll perish here."

The remnants of Verdantia station seemed to heed his words, responding with a terrifying answer that underscored the stranger's ominous words. The floor convulsed violently beneath them, quaking with a force that sent shockwaves through their bones. A thunderous groan reverberated through the corridor as if the very soul of the station was crying out in agony while something crucial shattered and crumbled. The collapse wasn't just happening; it hurtled toward them with relentless speed, threatening to engulf everything in its path.

The stranger glanced back over his shoulder, eyes scanning the corridor for any sign of the drone, fully expecting it to reappear at any moment. Yet, it remained conspicuously absent. With a frustrated sigh, he muttered a curse under his breath, "That damn thing better come back..."

The inner door of the airlock stood ajar for the drone, its metallic frame glinting in the flickering emergency light. He should have closed the door, sealing them safely inside the airlock. It would have been the prudent choice, the logical course of action. But he hesitated, a stubborn resolve anchoring him in place. He wasn't leaving without retrieving the elusive drone. Nearby, Olivia leaned forward, her hands deftly maneuvering the mechanism of the suit's entrance, each click and whir echoing softly in the confined space as she opened her way in.

PROFILE

Digital Drapery CoSat, Mar 29

Karma: 6,755

The weight of survival presses down heavier than the failing station itself Olivia's fear is almost suffocating, yet there's no time for hesitation. The suits stand like silent sentinels, indifferent to her terror, while the strangers urgency cuts through the chaos like a blade. The tension crackles in the air, the walls groan like dying beasts, and somewhere in the distance, fate holds its breath. This isn't just a story, it's a plunge into the raw, relentless pulse of sci-fi at its best. Absolutely gripping!

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