5

Chapter 26

The snarling turns to growling. It's a voice; a language I couldn't understand.

Shouting…screaming.

Someone screams in agony.

David awoke from a cold sweat; he gasped for breaths as he struggled to discern his surroundings.

His heart beat a mile a minute; his eyes were blurry.

He could make out objects…but they looked like large gray lumps.

He ran to the doorway…and flipped the light; he was in his quarters.

He glanced around…his memories slowly emerging into his mind.

He sank to the floor; he landed on his hands.

He stood there for several moments…trying to collect his breath.

After calming down…and assuring himself it was a nightmare, David sank to the floor on to his behind.

He sat there for a several minutes…glancing around at his drab gray, cramped little room.

The doctor suggested he made have been having the same nightmare over and over again because of the extended amount of time on the outpost; he said lots of officers tended to get a bit of cabin fever out there.

David glanced up at himself in the mirror; his eyes were sunken from fatigue.

He didn't believe that; he couldn't explain it.

But he knew it wasn't cabin fever.

A few hours later after laying in bed tossing and turning…David got up and took a quick shower.

He quickly threw on his uniform; it was rumpled and un-washed.

Many didn't bother with such things on the outpost.

Nor shaving.

He glanced at the stubble in the mirror…shrugged his shoulders and continued on out the door…grabbing his phaser from his desk chair.

He fastened the weapon to his belt…and started slowly walking to the guard post.

He could hear the echo of his footsteps in the empty, dead gray hallway.

It was like a ghost town.

It always sent shivers up his spine.

He reached the post and found three other guards keeping watch; Bob, Frank and Kim.

Neither Bob nor Frank acknowledged his presence; Kim glanced up for a split-second…then returned to his monitor.

"Lieutenant Moore reporting for…" David stopped himself and nonchalantly waved his hand and sighed.

David took the empty seat next to Bob; Bob was fast asleep. His gregarious snores unpleasantly echoed through the small room.

David glanced over at him; his mouth was hanging wide open…and a line of spittle dangled from his lower lip.

David sneered in disgust…inwardly cringing slightly.

"Anything good?"

Frank chuckled slightly; he hadn't glanced up once since David had arrived. He was engrossed in shuffling a deck of cards…dealing a poker hand…then re-shuffling a deck.

"I saw some space dust earlier," Kim responded monotonously.

David nodded his head…curling his lips into a look of irritation and boredom.

He propped his legs onto the desk in front of him…he leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest.

David listened to the sound of shuffling cards and snoring; it was so monotonous…that it almost formed a rhythm.

He started to envision an ace of spades…or a nine of hearts as the deck was being shuffled over and over again.

He felt himself beginning to drift off into a world of fatigue; he wasn't quite falling asleep…but he couldn't really focus on his surroundings.

"The Commander said the Admiral is supposed to come in a couple weeks,"

David heard the words but he didn't really acknowledge them.

Frank chuckled a bit again.

"You said that six months ago, Kimmy,"

Kim didn't take his eyes off his monitor.

"Couldn't hurt to be prepared," he muttered.

"Kimmy, Kimmy Kimmy…when will you learn?"

David subconsciously started twiddling his thumbs; he started wondering how much effort it would take him to write up and submit a resignation.

He figured it would take too much; he didn't have the will power to craft a finely structured sentence…let alone a good enough excuse for his superior officer.

Just the thought of it made him feel exhausted.

"Did you guys make any coffee?"

Kim shook his head; Frank said nothing.

David glanced at Bob again; he slowly struggled to his feet.

"I think…I'm gonna a make a pot," he struggled out.

He slowly moved in the direction of the supply store…carelessly hunching over as he walked.

He started hobbling slightly…as his left leg had fallen asleep.

He let out several exaggerated winces from the dull pain…grasping the knob to the cupboard containing the coffee grounds.

"Ow," he mumbled as he poured the grains into the machine.

He leaned against the counter with one arm on his hip, listening to the sound of the coffee maker spit out liquid and hiss from the heat.

He watched the trio…feeling an odd pull to do something or say something.

But…his mind and body wouldn't allow it.

He simply had to return to the status quo.

And return to his desk…the most excitement he would have was the hot brew in a Styrofoam cup.

David quietly hobbled back to the desk; he sniffed the bitter brew and grimaced a bit.

The taste and smell had become so familiar…it was more like bitter water to him.

He set the cup down on the desk…and returned to his previous position.

As he listened to the shuffling and snoring…and eyelids grew heavy.

He began slowly drifting away to a restless sleep.

As his vision blurred and slowly disappeared…he could hear Kim's voice in the background.

"Ha-eyyyyyyyyyy," he sound…panic in his voice. "I've got something. Guuuyyysss…I've got something!"