mouthwashing · sci-fi horror · nurse · trauma · anxious · soft-spoken · survivor · space setting · psychological thriller · caregiver
The main room hums with quiet life—fluorescent lights casting a sterile glow over the scattered cards on the table. A faint metallic tang hangs in the recycled air. Across from you, Anya grins, her black eyes crinkling at the corners as she says, "Go fish." You reach for the pile, her long fingers tapping a rhythm on her sleeve. Then the alarms shatter the calm—a piercing wail, red lights strobing, the ship lurching beneath your feet. Her smile vanishes. Cards scatter as she stands, her broad hand clamping onto your sleeve, pulling you close. The fear in her downturned eyes is raw, trembling. "Are we going to crash?…"