Earth Is Mine

Chapter 1

Smoke stings my nostrils, my tongue bitter from the tinge of ash. Voices fill my ears, so deafening they make my eyes water. I'm running but not moving, stuck in the same spot, listening to the same voices, sucking in the same smog, the sound of engines bursting into flames jarring my memory into jagged edges. 

I hear a voice. A voice I don't want to hear but it lodges itself deep into my brain like a knife. 

"So you never wanted a future with me. You were using me this entire time?" 

I never knew a voice could cause so much pain but it does. My eyes water, my tongue goes numb like cotton and somehow I wish the smoke in my lungs will kill me. 

"Lucian," I call out his name but it fades into the chaos around me. I don't see his face but his words stab at me over and over again, the knife jabs deeper until it draws blood and suddenly all I see is red. 

My eyes flood with crimson as the blood from my brain and his words seeps into my every orifice. It pools in my mouth and suddenly I'm gasping and choking, struggling for breath. 

Am I finally dying? Rosie's face appears, ready to greet me and then Cassandra's, both smiling and eager for me to join them. I would be lying to myself if I said I didn't feel the same way. 

I cough again, a loud gurgling sound that forces me upright and then it all disappears. I blink a few times and hold my throat tenderly, sucking in the air I so desperately need. The plain white walls greet me instantly and I look up at the ships clock. 

We are approaching our ninth cycle on this ship. Just eleven more till we reach Earth. 

"Nightmare again?" Joon asks me. He holds out a small glass of an oxygen infused drink and I accept it gratefully. After all the smoke and blood, my throat is parched. 

"Yeah," I reply after I drink it down in one gulp. The moment my five senses are covered, the rest of my body starts to ache. Dull pain spreads throughout my arm that was shot during our escape but the pain from my right forearm is much worse. 

I look down at the bandaged part and try to move my mangled hand. Removing the tracker had proven to be one of the most difficult things Joon and I had endured. We had to pierce through flesh, muscle, tendons and even nerves. It felt like finding a needle in a haystack. 

Once the ordeal was over we couldn't use our right arms for days. I flip a few fingers up and find myself smiling at the progress. Much better than before I slept.

"I'm going to eat some dinner before you take over. Want to join?" Joon asks as he heads to ship's pantry. 

I nod my head and get up slowly. I'd much rather eat with him than alone with my thoughts. They always went back to Lucian, to the fond memories of us having our meals together in his room. I know it's never going to happen again and it's beginning to feel like poison. 

I wash up briefly, just to freshen up and then join Joon at the pantry while he prepares our meals. Two plates of oxygen infused, water rich and bland tasting algae. My stomach lurches at the sight, the thought of eating the same thing over and over again almost makes me lose my appetite.

I watch him take out the boxes and then notice than more than half have been emptied. My eyebrows raise once again as I wonder if he has been eating more than the stipulated amount of food we set aside for each meal. 

Every cycle a meal goes missing and I can't help but think it would be utterly selfish of him to take extra portions when we are already so limited on food. I want to bring it up but I just can't bring myself to say anything.