My eyes popped open, and I bolted upright. I was drenched in a cold sweat, and I tried to steady my breathing. I had another nightmare. Every time I tried to sleep, all I could see was the attack that had taken my crew, all I could feel was the panic that seized the air. Yet, no matter the scene that I was dreaming, I always look out the window of the pod, and stare helplessly at the people I couldn't save until I wake up.

I sat up and tried to calm my heavy breathing. I walked to the tiny window where I had watched the horrific scene not long ago. I could still see their faces, the faces that haunted my dreams. The darkness was becoming too much, and I was sure I was losing my sanity, in fact, sometimes, I swore I could hear voices pleading for help. I shook myself out of a daze and walked over to the control center again, I had no idea whether it was day or night, it was just everlasting darkness, nonetheless, I grabbed the pen that had run out of ink long ago, and scratched a mark into the wall. I sighed, and stared up at the marks, there were hundreds now, and I had nearly covered the half wall. I looked down at the panel, and pushed a bright yellow button

The panel hissed alive, crackling, until the only sound that remained was static. I squeezed my eyes shut, and repeated the phrase that I had spoken for months, " This is Commander.... Lucy Jason, reporting from one of the escape pods from the... Oddity, I am requesting immediate help, supplies are running low, and I don't know how much longer I can survive out here."

I released the button, and sat down on the floor beneath the panel. I buried my face in my hands,

"I am losing my mind. I forgot my name, and the name of my ship. I'm going insane out here."

I took a deep breath and suppressed a sob, my head still buried in my knees.

Static crackled against the silence, and my head snapped up. I scrambled out from beneath the panel. My eyes widened as I pressed the button again, listening intently.

“...Commander Jason, it's not safe down here... we can try...send you supplies...send us your coordinates… we can try and find you.”

“Whats wrong?” I said, much apprehension in my voice.

“The plague...outbreak...can't contain.”

The signal was fading now, and I stood unmoving, shocked as the depth of his words sunk in, until I realized the severity of the situation. I tried to bring the signal back as a thousand thoughts flooded my mind.
The plague is why I came out here in the first place. We were searching for a cure. It seemed like an eternity ago, but it couldn't of been more than a year when I first boarded my ship. They sent me up here, a commander, and some of the world’s most brilliant scientists. They had figured out that the plague had come from space origins, but they didn't know where, and thus began our quest. It was a top secret classified mission, but somehow, word had gotten around.

“That's why we were attacked, the plague was a biological weapon.” I realized with horror, “The creatures who attacked us weren't out for cold blood, they were trying to stop us. We had thought the plague was just a series of unfortunate events, but no, we were fighting a war we didn't even know about. No one else knew about the real intentions, I was the only one. I had to warn someone, somebody. But there was no way. I was alone, and there was no one to stop the deaths that were to come.”         

I pushed the button on the panel, but nothing happened. The signal was gone. I became hysterical, pushing the button again and again, silent tears streaming down, my face, blurring my vision. I collapsed on the floor, once again being left alone with my thoughts. I returned to my position under the panel, still sobbing. I didn't try to stop the tears this time though, there was no one here that I had to appear strong for. No, it was just me, all alone, and my broken mind.