A sliver of red

Published: 2018-06-19 0337)UK T.P.

0000 Start of a story

Scenes
A sliver of red | There it is | The barrier | More than a job | Inside | tba

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A sliver of red appeared at the edge of the window and then vanished.  A second later it was back.  Todd tried not to think about it.  He turned in bed, beads of sweat caught the thin cloth sheet and made it cling to his skin.  On the wall a haze of dark red appeared in a soft expanding cone and then disappeared.

He turned again until he was facing the still form of Shuang.  She was lying peacefully, the exertions of the last half hour had sent her into a light sleep.  Todd watched as the bed-cloth that covered her rose and dipped with each of her breaths.

He moved a hand to curl some dark hair away from her face.  Her eyes were closed, but they opened slightly at his touch.  Just before they closed again Todd saw a bright glint of red light flash across her pupil and then disappear.

He wouldn't be able to ignore it.  He never could.

"On my way."  He said and swung his legs from beneath the sheets and on to the cold metal floor of his quarters.  He tapped the alert that had been flashing intermittently at the side of the bed, pulled on some clothes and made his way to the control room.

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James Aston (aka Stephen James Hunt)

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Story 2018-06-21, part 1 of N (2 so far)
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210 words

Scenes
A sliver of red | There it is | The barrier | More than a job | Inside | tba
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