I don't know how much time had passed. I was still lying on the bunk in the cabin, thinking about my past, contemplating the reasons why I found myself in this situation, when suddenly the silence was broken. There was a loud crash followed by a strange hissing sound from the other side of the massive exit door. My breath caught.

I need to hide. Now!

How did I not think of this earlier? There was no guarantee that my kidnapper wouldn't come in and do something terrible to me!

Where? Where to hide?

I frantically glanced around the cabin.

Under the bunk? That's ridiculous, I'd be found immediately! It would be visible from the entrance. Damn, there's nothing else here!

In the meantime, the beeping of the control panel sounded from the corridor, and I heard the previously locked door open.

Someone's in the corridor.

I froze and held my breath. I couldn't let myself be caught. Someone walked past the cabin with calm steps, heading, it seemed, towards the laboratory. Yes, I wasn't mistaken! The lab door opened, and he went inside.

This is my chance!

I carefully got off the bunk, grabbed the flask, and quickly tiptoed to the wall next to the cabin door. My heart was pounding wildly, my legs were shaking, and my hands were trembling. In one hand, I held the flask that used to contain water. My only option was to incapacitate the intruder as soon as he entered, so I would wait by the door. Once again, time seemed to slow down for me. Drops of sweat appeared on my face from the tension.

Footsteps in the corridor again. He's coming closer! I prepared to strike. Yes, he stopped right behind the door! He's there! And then silence again.

What is he waiting for?! Why did he stop? Why isn't he coming in?

Fear spoke within me. It was the fear for my life. I felt like a cornered animal, ready to do anything to survive.

Suddenly, the door opened, and with all the strength I had, I swung my hand with the metal flask to knock out the stranger entering the cabin. However, the flask didn't reach its target as the stranger managed to grab my hand and stop the blow. Our eyes met. Familiar amber eyes looked at me. There was no hint of surprise, or any other emotion for that matter. Yes, it was the same guy I had seen when I was still lying in the capsule, but instead of a hospital gown, he was now wearing a white suit like mine. After a few seconds, he broke the silence:

"Sorry for the delay," he said, smiling. "It took me longer than I expected to get us some food."

What?!

"But I see," he continued, "you've already managed to explore the ship a bit. I hope you didn't get too bored while I was gone."

I couldn't utter a word in response. I expected anything but this! Seeing my confused look, he continued:

"I understand you have many questions. Let's discuss them over dinner."

He released my hand and was about to leave the cabin when I shouted:

"No, that's not going to work! I woke up in an unfamiliar place, in some lab, in an unfamiliar capsule, completely naked and bald, as if experiments had been conducted on me that I don't know about, and you expect me to follow you without question? I don't even know your name!"

He stopped and silently looked at me. His behavior seemed suspicious to me. After a few seconds, he said:

"I apologize. You must not have been fully conscious when I introduced myself. My name is Neight. And yours?"

Does he really not know, or is he pretending to gain my trust? I need to check.

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

"My name is Evie," I lied, watching his reaction. However, Neight's expression didn't change.

"Well, nice to meet you, Evie. Is there anything else you'd like to ask me now?" His voice was completely calm, as if letting me know he was in full control of the situation.

What should I ask first? I had so many questions swirling in my head. I needed to at least get a general understanding of my situation. It's important to act cautiously since I don't know this guy's motives.

"You..." my voice trembled with excitement. I tried to speak as calmly as possible. "Do you know where we are and why we're here?"

"I'm afraid it's a long story. In short, we landed on the edge of a forest near a river. We're lucky the flora and fauna on this planet are quite rich and much is edible for humans..."

"Wait, wait!" I interrupted him. "On this planet? We're not on Earth?"

Neight raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise. Apparently, he didn't expect me to be so unaware of the situation.

"Amazing," he said. "You know, I have many questions for you too, so I suggest we continue our discussion over dinner. You have a lot to learn and accept, so you need to gather your strength first. All you need to know right now is that you're safe and nothing threatens your life."

"What... What are you talking about? I need to know more! I don't..."

"You're not ready for it," he said firmly.

The room fell silent. My head was a jumble of fear, anger, resentment, and despair. He wasn't going to tell me anything else right now, and I still didn't know anything. What the hell is going on here?! I think Neight felt sorry for me. His gaze softened, and he tried to comfort me:

"I understand it must be very hard and scary for you, but it's better if I gradually bring you up to speed. Your body needs time to recover from the long sleep, and emotional shocks won't help."

I wasn't looking at him anymore; I continued to listen silently. I felt like a helpless little child who needed to be cared for. And Neight continued:

"Rest here for now, and I'll go prepare dinner. Okay?"

I nodded quietly in response. What else could I do but comply? He clearly knew more about the current situation, and besides, he was stronger than me. I had no advantage over him.

"That's great. I'll be back soon," he smiled at me and left the cabin.

He's gone.

I plopped back onto the bunk, tightly closing my eyes and covering my face with my hands. My head was pounding.

I'm no longer on Earth.

This thought wouldn't leave me. My parents, my friends. Would I never see them again? What if I never return home? And most importantly, is there even a place to return to? How long was I in the capsule?

An image of my room appeared in my mind, small but so familiar and cozy. The walls with green wallpaper that I had chosen. They depicted dense jungles with beautiful exotic birds. I remember how long I persuaded my parents to buy that wallpaper. Dad kept saying they were too bright for my bedroom and wouldn't help me study because they'd distract me, and I wouldn't be able to focus on my lessons. Still, I managed to persuade them. Although, looking back now, I think my parents just didn't like the price, but they agreed for my sake. I didn't ask for much and tried to be a good daughter. My grades were excellent, and I never hung out with the wrong crowd. Yes, I made mistakes sometimes, but no one is perfect, right? But I'm sure my parents always loved me, just as I loved them.

A lump seemed to form in my throat. Tears rolled down my cheeks, and I sniffled. I felt so weak and defenseless. I wanted to see my family again... It took me a while to cry it out.

After a brief emotional release, I stared at the white metal walls of the cabin and began to ponder the current situation.

And this Neight, can I trust him at all?

So far, he hadn't done anything bad to me and was trying to be friendly, but how sincere was he? I couldn't rule out the possibility that he was just trying to gain my trust for his own interests. Besides, I still had a nagging feeling that something was off about him, but I couldn't pinpoint what exactly. I needed to keep a close watch on him.

Reflecting on our conversation, I scolded myself for my lack of caution. I shouldn't have interrupted him; I should have held back and listened to the end. But could I have? Who could remain calm in my position? Still, I made a mistake, putting myself at a disadvantage. Now he definitely understood his advantage in terms of information. But he said he had questions for me too. This could be my key and my trump card. I needed to give out information sparingly and never reveal details unless absolutely necessary. Who knows, he might decide to get rid of me if he realizes I'm no longer useful. Why would he help me at all? There's a chance we ended up together on this ship by someone's plan, and Neight just needs an ally to handle the situation better, but I can't be sure yet.

I began pacing the cabin, as it helped me think. Actually, there's another important point that worries me. How long was I unconscious? From my memories, humanity didn't yet have the technology for long-distance space travel, which means I could have been asleep in that capsule for quite a long time, until such technologies were developed. If that's the case and Neight was born in the current timeframe, it would explain his reaction. Perhaps space travel seems natural to him, unlike for me. However, there's also a chance I was part of some secret research and experiments in my time. I need to at least find out what year it is. That will already tell me a lot. If I ask Neight this question during dinner, he should answer me. The question about the year is quite innocent and simple, so I don't think it will be a problem.

Speaking of the upcoming dinner. I need to plan my actions before Neight returns. For now, I'll comply with him to avoid provoking him, just in case he's playing his own game and only pretending to be my ally. At the same time, during dinner, I need to try to find out as much as possible about his goals. This time I must be mentally prepared for any information: from being kidnapped by aliens to the complete destruction of Earth. Yes, I must be strong to survive.

Ending on this thought, I sat back on the bunk and waited for Neight.