the only thing that made sense in the moment was to run. She knew the futility of it – she was literally trapped in a metal container rocketing through space. There was no escape. The thought of escape was always an illusion, even when she had been back on Earth. In that very moment on the ship, running felt like control. She focused on the burn in her legs until she couldn’t take it any longer. When she finally stopped, it was on a walkway overlooking an open space below. She braced her forearms on the railing and hunched over with labored breathing.
She felt her hands begin to shake and it didn’t take long for her to fall back on old urges. After catching her breath, she stood tall and walked with purpose back to the purple section. She stepped quietly when she entered as most of the compartment was sleeping and made a b-line for her bunk. It only took a few seconds before the fifth of unopened whiskey was in her grip. She pocketed it quickly and turned to leave the way she came.
She stopped abruptly when she saw Anivashak standing in the doorway. His hands were folded behind him and his gaze somehow knowing.
“Mind if I join you?” He asked in his ever-calm voice.
“I’d rather be alone right now,” Alexa declined and tried to go around him.
“I’ll share,” the man produced a bottle of honey wine that he had been holding behind his back.
Alexa wore her shock openly, “You drink?” she asked in a hushed voice.
“Is that a yes?” He wondered with half closed eyes and a smile.
“I… I guess…” Alexa was intrigued, which made her temporarily forget about her anxiety.
He nodded and stepped out of her path so she could lead the way. They found a secluded area, tucked away from any main passageways. In the alcove, there was a small round window that looked out and into a field of stars – there were many like it distributed throughout the ship. The biggest of these portals was on an observation deck just above the mammoth’s ships bulwark, where COLONY ONE was painted. Alexa rarely visited that section as it was so popular that passengers oftentimes had to take turns looking out the larger than life picturesque window.
They sat on the floor facing each other with the tiny opening to the stars between them.
“Have you ever tried any of the hard stuff?” Alexa wondered, twisting off the cap to her whiskey.
“Once or twice,” Anivashak admitted. He uncorked the wine and they exchanged bottles to take the first drink. Anivashak’s face turned bright red immediately and his smile deepened.
Alexa took two or three more sips of the wine before she felt the warmth start to hit her. “So,” she handed the bottle back. “Why do they call you Bob?” This was something that Alexa had wanted to know since she met the man. Many of her shipmates called the monk Bob, and she had remained baffled as to why.
“It is easier to say than Anivashak,” he explained.
“So is Ani,” Alexa pointed out.
“That does not get as many laughs.” Anivashak grinned.
She shook her head, “You are the strangest monk I have ever met.”
“How many have you met?” He wanted to know, the question seeming to be sincere.
Her mouth opened to give an answer, but she didn’t have one. In fact, to see a monk was incredibly rare. It was one of the reasons she had thought she was hallucinating on boarding day. The only reason their way of life had survived the religious purge was because they were not involved in the war of 2040. Even then, they were not permitted to frame their beliefs in the context of religion. The end result was very few practicing monks and even less seen outside of their communities.
“None,” Alexa finally answered, sipping on her whiskey. She looked at the bottle and reminded herself that she would need to pace her consumption of it so it could last the journey. It was difficult, however, when the warm feelings were already stirring in her and she felt the sweet release of troubling
She felt her hands begin to shake and it didn’t take long for her to fall back on old urges. After catching her breath, she stood tall and walked with purpose back to the purple section. She stepped quietly when she entered as most of the compartment was sleeping and made a b-line for her bunk. It only took a few seconds before the fifth of unopened whiskey was in her grip. She pocketed it quickly and turned to leave the way she came.
She stopped abruptly when she saw Anivashak standing in the doorway. His hands were folded behind him and his gaze somehow knowing.
“Mind if I join you?” He asked in his ever-calm voice.
“I’d rather be alone right now,” Alexa declined and tried to go around him.
“I’ll share,” the man produced a bottle of honey wine that he had been holding behind his back.
Alexa wore her shock openly, “You drink?” she asked in a hushed voice.
“Is that a yes?” He wondered with half closed eyes and a smile.
“I… I guess…” Alexa was intrigued, which made her temporarily forget about her anxiety.
He nodded and stepped out of her path so she could lead the way. They found a secluded area, tucked away from any main passageways. In the alcove, there was a small round window that looked out and into a field of stars – there were many like it distributed throughout the ship. The biggest of these portals was on an observation deck just above the mammoth’s ships bulwark, where COLONY ONE was painted. Alexa rarely visited that section as it was so popular that passengers oftentimes had to take turns looking out the larger than life picturesque window.
They sat on the floor facing each other with the tiny opening to the stars between them.
“Have you ever tried any of the hard stuff?” Alexa wondered, twisting off the cap to her whiskey.
“Once or twice,” Anivashak admitted. He uncorked the wine and they exchanged bottles to take the first drink. Anivashak’s face turned bright red immediately and his smile deepened.
Alexa took two or three more sips of the wine before she felt the warmth start to hit her. “So,” she handed the bottle back. “Why do they call you Bob?” This was something that Alexa had wanted to know since she met the man. Many of her shipmates called the monk Bob, and she had remained baffled as to why.
“It is easier to say than Anivashak,” he explained.
“So is Ani,” Alexa pointed out.
“That does not get as many laughs.” Anivashak grinned.
She shook her head, “You are the strangest monk I have ever met.”
“How many have you met?” He wanted to know, the question seeming to be sincere.
Her mouth opened to give an answer, but she didn’t have one. In fact, to see a monk was incredibly rare. It was one of the reasons she had thought she was hallucinating on boarding day. The only reason their way of life had survived the religious purge was because they were not involved in the war of 2040. Even then, they were not permitted to frame their beliefs in the context of religion. The end result was very few practicing monks and even less seen outside of their communities.
“None,” Alexa finally answered, sipping on her whiskey. She looked at the bottle and reminded herself that she would need to pace her consumption of it so it could last the journey. It was difficult, however, when the warm feelings were already stirring in her and she felt the sweet release of troubling
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