Isolation

Chapter 30

Sara held onto Tim as tightly as she could. She was getting feeling back in her body, but it was like she was a giant pincushion. She stayed still, letting Tim guide her body amidst the debris that hovered around. When the tether was destroyed, they had reduced to using emergency jetpack, which Tim was not experienced in. It was a miracle he could catch Sara when he did. She thought she was dead for sure.

"I feel like an idiot," Sara said.

"Why?"

Tim grabbed a large piece of a ship to hold himself.

"Haas had no known motive to kill, but it never dawned on me."

"Neither did the captain," he said. "And he had help from his sister."

"I feel like I should have seen what was happening."

"You were onto him from the very beginning. He used you as an alibi."

"He was playing me the whole time, and I walked right into it."

"Don't put yourself down, laddie. This wasn't his first time. I can guarantee it."

He looked around, feeling lost.

"Alright, I'm going to need your help on this one. When you were zooming about, did you see any ships airtight-like?"

"No. It's desolation out here. I didn't want to say anything, but... there's not much hope finding one. That blast was huge."

"There's bound to be something we can use," he said. "Don't lose hope."

She wasn't putting much faith into it. She checked her O2 gauge.

"We have thirty minutes of air left," she said.

"Well... you have thirty minutes of air left."

"Tim..."

He stopped and showed her his gauge.

"I only have about five."

"Tim, why didn't you say anything?"

"What's the point? If we can't find air, we can't find air. I didn't want to make you worry."

"But I want to be worried! Jesus Christ, it feels good to worry about someone! I have no one left except for you!"

"I'm sorry, laddie..."

"We'll have to improvise," she said. "We can trade Oxygen every few seconds."

"That will just waste more time we don't have to spare. Can you move?"

She wiggled her toes.

"Yeah, I can move, now."

"Good. You need to go and find a ship while you still can."

"I'm not leaving you," she said.

"There isn't time," he said sadly. "You need to save yourself while you have the chance."

"There's no point! I don't want to be alone out here!"

"You have Maria," he said. "I know you treat her well. Like blood. Someone needs to look after her when I'm gone."

"Tim! Stop talking like that! You're not going anywhere."

"Three minutes," he said. "Only three minutes left."

"Stop it!"

She looked around desperately.

"M-maybe I can find another tank somewhere. We'll go back to that ship!"