Page 9 (1/2)

1

ALICE

I didn't think anything could beyear after year, stranded in deep space on a ship with no reading

Clearly the universe is out tostuck in an escape pod is ten ti than that

I lie on my back on s in the air, e, and I stare at an upside-down Kaspar, ain He does this every day Pretty soon he'll pull off his boots and shine thes on his data pad that's practically useless He'll pace back and forth in the closet-sized cabin of our escape pod and then will sit down across fro to do

It's the sa my nose twitch, because the cleaner he uses makes me sneeze

I glare at hi there wasthere was a bit ger than the size of a walk-in closet, with a tiny boxed-in space at the far end of the cabin for a bathroom-slash-sonic shower Other than that, our two “bunks” line opposite sides of the pod and there's controls covering every inch of wall space There's oneto see out into deep space, I guess to help with claustrophobia Other than that, there's barely enough roos Even now, his knees are practically brushing against e on my bunk

He glances over atthe plas-film towel aside "What?"

I stick ue out at him

Kaspar just rolls his eyes and hauls off one of his boots

It's the tight living quarters that areus both crazy, I think It's not like ere super best buds e got pushed into this pod I'ainst me for my honeypot actions and I'm worried about Jade and Helen and Ruth Neither one of us is particularly pleasant Add in boredom and it's a deadly mixture

So I decide to pick a fight, because what else aht now?" I ask

He scrubs his shiny boot, that floppy lock of hair falling over his brow as he leans forward "Do what?"