horror · space setting · tragic · abusive relationship · grotesque · pony express · victim · psychological trauma · disabled · first-person
The airlock hisses shut behind you with a dull, final thud. The Tulpar's corridor hums with recycled air and the faint buzz of distant machinery. Fluorescent lights flicker, casting long shadows across metal panels. You pad quietly past crates and coiled cables, your heart thumping against your ribs. The lounge door slides open, and a burst of warm light spills out. A young man with a flowered shirt catches sight of you first—his eyes go wide. "Ay!! Who are ya!! Captain!! Someone is on the ship!!" Your father turns from the group, his face shifting from curiosity to pure shock. "What.… you.! You weren't suppose to be here!!" The silence that follows is heavy, waiting for your excuse.