The silence was disturbing. Day after day, week after week, month after month, I sat there listening to the endless silence. I couldn't stand it anymore.
When we left Earth, there were 20 men on board. Now there were only two – me and Robin.
We were on the last leg of a three-year mission to explore deep space. Every day, Robin would sit there and read his books. Whenever I tried to talk to him he ignored me. He won't even look at me. Since the accident, he spoke to me only when it was absolutely not necessary.
"It wasn't my fault," I said. "It was an accident. It's true. You have to believe me, Robin."
He turned the pages of his book, acting as if I didn't exist.
"It was a momentary lapse," I protested. "Lack of concentration. This could have happened to anyone."
Robin did not even answer.
It had been six months since this accident. One engine was burnt. It had to be repaired. To fix this, eighteen men set out on a spacewalk. Robin and I were left alone on the ship.
Our job was to check that the equipment was working properly. There was a checklist we had to go through. Robin looked at the list and called out each test one by one. I flipped the switches.
something went wrong. I don't know how it happened, but I flipped the wrong switch. The engines came to life.
Some people on the spacewalk were instantly incinerated. At least, I hope that's what happened. The rest were quickly sent into space. Their bodies are still out there somewhere, floating aimlessly. His oxygen will run out in less than an hour. They died grisly deaths and now their bodies are doomed to drift forever somewhere in the vastness of space.
"I didn't mean to kill them," I said. "That was an accident."
Robin turned and looked at me. "It was murder," he growled. "Plain and simple. If it weren't for you, those 18 men would still be alive. I'm sure you'd kill me too if you had the chance. In the next six months, we'll be back on Earth. Then, you'll be punished for your crimes." "I'll put you on trial for this. I'll testify against you and make sure they know exactly what you did. They'll find you guilty and you'll rot in jail for the rest of your life."
I sighed and looked at the clock. "It's time for a spacewalk," I said.
Every day, we had to do a spacewalk to check the integrity of the spacecraft's outer hull and make sure there was no damage from stray meteor strikes. Today was my turn. It was always my turn. Since the accident, Burnsy hasn't trusted me at all.
I also did not trust him. When I went on spacewalks, he stayed on board. If he wanted, he could have locked me out. I didn't want that to happen, so when he wasn't looking, I took the key to the hatch so I could open it from the outside if needed.
I put on my spacesuit and magnetic shoes and stepped into the airlock. Sealing the door behind me, I climbed the stairs and opened the door. Then, I stepped onto the helm of the ship.
I saw the vast darkness of space, dotted with tiny, twinkling stars. There was complete silence. I walked along the side of the ship, my magnetic shoes glued to the hull. After checking out, I didn't find any problems. Then a thought came to my mind.
I clicked the button on my communicator and yelled, "Robin! One of these plates has been badly damaged. It needs immediate repair!"
"Okay," Robin replied. "I'll get the equipment."
After a while, Robin came out of the hatch, wearing his spacesuit. He had a toolbox under his arm. He came walking towards me, his magnetic shoes dangling slowly on the helm.
"where is it?"He asked.
I did not answer. I just pointed to the back of the spacecraft. Robin started walking. As soon as he turned his back to me, I slid down the hatch and closed it behind me.
I opened the door and walked out the airlock. Over the communicator, I could hear Robin yelling and trying to reason with me. I took off my helmet so that I wouldn't have to listen to him.
I could hear his magnetic shoes hitting back and forth on the hull of the ship. He was probably trying to open the hatch, desperate to get back inside the ship before the oxygen ran out, but it was no use. Soon he will die.
Suddenly, Robin appeared outside the port window. His face was distorted and his eyes were bulging out of their sockets. He was slowly suffocating.
I saw his face turn red, then purple. He clawed at his helmet as he struggled to take his last breath. Blood started flowing from his eyes. I can't stand to watch any longer. It made me sick.
After Robin's death, there was no one on Earth to tell people about the accident. Upon re-entry his body will be burnt. I could make up some story to explain the disappearance of the rest of the crew and no one would suspect anything.
Days passed as the ship continued its slow advance to Earth. Whenever I looked out the port window, Robin stood there, rocking back and forth, staring at me. His magnetic shoes kept him steady in place. His dead eyes hung out of their sockets. I tried not to look, but I couldn't help myself.
Eventually, I couldn't look at him anymore.
I put on my spacesuit and magnetic shoes and headed for the airlock. I made sure to bring the keys with me. I didn't want to be stuck outside.
I opened the hatch and went out onto the hull. The hatch door closed behind me. I leapt from the plane towards Robin's body. I couldn't bear to look at his face.
I pulled on his magnetic boots, struggling to free him from the ship's hull. One of his legs became loose and then the other. I gave her a strong push and her weightless body started moving away.
"Goodbye, Robin!" I said. "see you in hell!"
I turned and started sprinting back towards the hatch. Then I stopped and looked over my shoulder. I looked back at Robin's corpse as it drifted off into the vastness of space. His bulging, lifeless eyes were staring at me. His twisted face started smiling looking at me. One of his hands moved slightly, as if he was waving towards me.
Then, as he slowly started floating, I noticed something in his gloved hand.
"No!" I cried. "No, no, no!"
He had the key of the hatch door in his hand.
The silence of space is all around me. For almost an hour, I have been standing here, clinging to the hull of the ship, rocking back and forth, listening to the silence. I look out the port window and wait.
I am waiting for the moment when my oxygen supply runs out.
Waiting until my face turns red, then purple.
Waiting until I start clawing at my helmet as I struggle to take my last breath.
Waiting for my eyes to bleed and then I'll know it's finally the end.
