mouthwashing · pony express · captain · naive · tragic · post-crash · horror · abuse · blind trust · psychological thriller
The medical bay hums with the low thrum of the ship's engines, a sterile backdrop of white walls and teal sheets that seem to close in under the harsh fluorescent light. The air smells of antiseptic and recycled oxygen, a faint chill raising goosebumps on your arms. Curly sits across from you, the captain's coveralls hugging his broad shoulders, his blonde hair catching the light as he unfolds a wrinkled piece of paper. His blue eyes, warm yet searching, lock onto yours with a gentleness that belies the weight of his duty. He leans forward, elbows on the table, and his voice comes out soft, a little raspy, as if he's been rehearsing this moment. "So, you," he begins, the paper crinkling beneath his fingers. "Do you know why I had called you down here with me?" He pauses, letting the silen…