fictober 08: this is it, isn't it.

the deafening explosions from the normandy were little more than muffled pops in his ears now, almost drowned out by the ringing of his ears. he drifted weightless above the planet, just another piece of debris among the shards of the normandy’s hull. the view outside his helmet was one of disaster and tragedy- as if to prove that, a ray of yellow energy tore through a chunk of ship with ease.

it left him with an odd feeling- the scene looked so chaotic, so loud, and yet he floated here feeling as slow and quiet as if he was drifting alone in a pool. the faintest clunk told him he’d hit something, and the several years it took for him to turn his head was just quick enough for him to see the last of several pods light up in the atmosphere of the planet.

alchera, his brain helpfully reminded him, as if that was the most important thing right now. he turned away from the planet again, and slowly blinked at the carcass of the normandy. it was just floating there, like him. there were no more pops, and that fact settled heavy on his chest. the peaceful floating slipped away from him, and though he felt himself reaching out as if to try and grab it back, his hands remained floating motionless in front of him.

you should be panicking right now. there’s no oxygen. you’re going to suffocate. the thoughts came into his mind as if from somewhere else, and yet.. he didn’t panic. the heavy feeling only increased, and his head muddled further. he registered his limbs flailing now, scraping at torn oxygen tubes, but it was as if his body was disconnected as well. there was his body, his mind, and himself.

this is it, isn’t it? he asked himself, watching as his own flailing became weaker and weaker. you should be more concerned about this. you’re dying. said his mind back, and he had nothing to say in return. he just felt as his chest heaved for air that wasn’t there, felt the chill of space as it sunk into his bones as the warmth of life left him.

dying takes a long time, he thought muzzily as his eyes fluttered shut, benezia was right..