No Power Here

One spark! It only took one spark! Moving around with the others to shut off computers and other power sources as protocols dictated, I was panicking. The darkness started to eerily takeover the controls, sparse furnishings, and the people around me. Flashlight! I see a light at the end of the tunnel! This thought seemed ironic as I floated towards its brightness and I laughed a little. "Jim, what's going on," I asked as his silhouette became familiar. "Get ready to work your ass off, Tina", he responded flatly. He pushed a book towards me. In the distance, the blue reflective tape was starting to glow. It was a sign that my eyes were starting to adjust, thank God!

Everyone seemed to be working silently in fear. You could hear the clank clank of the tools at work and the click click of the flashlights. How did these humans become so mechanical. Like robots or drones working on autopilot as its programming takes control. Clank, Clank! Click, Click! "Jennifer, I need you", I called out desperate to break the silence. My words unsettled Jennifer's thoughts and you could see the shock in her expression. "A switch to the solar panel created a spark. We are trying hard to figure out which switch it was." Jennifer explained. The monotone of her words were like the splat of clay hitting a table. Realization of the danger sunk in and this creeping crawling sensation rose up my spine. Did I handle any of the switches? Did something I was wearing brush against the wrong switch? How could one spark create such a dismal outcome? Has my family been told? Are they praying for us? My brother's wedding! Oh my God! Please don't let this ruin his upcoming wedding! I want to hold my dad's hand one more time. Oh gosh how I am going to miss my mother's hugs. "Shut up!" I whisper to myself.

I follow the reflective tape to an empty spot further down the tunnel. Attempting to read the emergency manual by the thin beam of my penlight, there was an undeniable feeling of oppression as the CO2 levels were beginning to rise. This force created a dull headache and my ears were ringing. The feeling was so strange. The dark metal of the spaceship is starting to close in on me. The pulse of space is getting into my head and drowning me with it's silent throbbing. Again, I try to concentrate on reading. Trying to find the answer in the book of wisdom NASA has supplied. Clank, Clank! Click, Click! These sounds are now helping me to stay focused. Claustrophobia is not your friend here. Breathe....Breathe..... Clank, Clank! Click, Click!

Reading about locating the loose switch draws me back to reality; however, I just can't focus. The words blurred as my headache starts to get worse. I wonder if someone remembered to water my plants? The image of brown droopy leaves brought me comfort. I would gladly come home to dry plants. I just want to get home. I continue to read. "How to manually check if a solar panel has been damaged." I hear mumbling further down the tunnel. Clank, Clank! Click, Click! Maybe the flight engineer has found something. He is a brilliant man. I should move towards the voices. I see others in front of me with the same placid look of hope.

Bump! My foot hits something. My penlight is not able to find what this object could be. The sounds were starting to dim. Breathe....Breathe.... Back to research. "Whoa!" I exclaimed as my head hit the wall. I must have passed out for a moment. What did I do with my penlight? Here it is. Click, Click the light comes back on. I continue to read with one ear open for any sound of human life. Clank, Click! Thank God for that sound! The walls seem too close now. Was that a Clank? I can feel that there is no longer an atmosphere of hope and ingenuity. Now the air is humid with desperation and perspiration. The Commander rushes past without even seeing me. Someone was following behind him and brushed against my arm causing me to notice the numbness from clutching the emergency manual. I let go and flex my fingers. An arm shake and shoulder roll come next. I wish this would work on my aching head. Clank, Clank! Click, Click! What a welcoming sound. I do a somersault in place hoping it will jolt my brain.

Someone is crying. I can't seem to locate which direction it's coming from. This has an undesired effect on me. The gravity of what is happening doesn't allow my feet to touch the ground so I can runaway from it. Clank, Clank! Click, Click! Run, Run! Growing now is a choking feeling. Deep in my throat I feel bile. "No, No, No!" I say convincingly. I swallow and save myself from floating vomit. My mother's hugs are so warm and inviting. I can't wait to see her again. I hang on to that thought, imagining her arms wrapping around my shoulders as she pulls me in. Like warm blanket, I can feel her with me. Tears that should drop are sticking to my face. I let them sit there so I know I am still here. They are my tears to keep.

I can't hear anything in this moment. It's a good thing. I wouldn't want my superiors to see me this way. Turning off my penlight so no one discovers the tears on my face, I listen for any distractions. Clank, Clank! Finally, a small piece of hope. I float quietly in my memories. The longer I am still the less human noise is being detected by my one good ear. The silence, oh God, the silence. I can feel my family praying for me now. Praying with all their might. I bow my head. "Dear Heavenly Father," I begin, "please provide us the energy we need because there is no Power here."