whatisgoingon

All Simon knew was pain and dark. Not the kind of dark that makes you feel safe and hidden, the kind that rips the air from your lungs and hurts your eyes. The kind that coats your skin and stains your teeth. All he could taste was iron as it filled his stomach and lungs. Blood forcing its way past every defence and choking him. His skin burned and his limbs ached. He thrashed as he could feel all the warmth drain from everything, from the blood around him to his very cells. He fought even as he knew there was no point. Because that's what he did. He fought. And if he was going to die, he was going down fighting, even if his opponent was an ocean of blood filling his airways. As Simon flung a hand up he felt a difference, like he had finally found the surface. Simon's desperation increased tenfold as he swam the best he could, his heart aching with the searing hope. If he just swam a little faster, if he just went a little further, he could breathe and alleviate the burn in his lungs. But he was tired, and something kept dragging him down into the blood. Like the blood didn't want him to leave. Like that monster had a hold of his leash and refused to let go, allowing him just a moment to feel freedom before dragging him back under. After what felt like eternity, the something let go and Simon found purchase. He grasped what felt like a cloth covered branch, using it to pull himself to the surface. Upon opening his eyes he saw stars, real, living stars. The light seared his retinas, yet he refused to look away. In front of him was a person in some kind of space suit, they were Simon's anchor as he held onto their arm for dear life. He stared at them, at his one chance to survive, wanting to beg them to help him. He just couldn't open his mouth. He couldn't breathe. His vison was going. His mind was going. The stars went dark once again. The last he saw was a glimpse of blond hair and angelic blue eyes.

“What. The. Fuck.” Ryland Grace said, staring out of the ship's window to see a gigantic red tree floating through space. Him and Rocky had been on their way to Erid when they had to slow down and stop for some unforeseen repairs. About two hours in, a blip, a tree; just appeared next to the hull. It was close enough to the Hail Mary that the computer was blaring a warning and Ryland couldn't see the bottom or the top.

“What, question. What Grace see, question. Grace tell Rocky.” Rocky's musical notes sounded from his tunnel behind Ryland, tapping on the xenonite wall impatiently.

“It uh… it's a tree.”

“Impossible. Tree earth organism, need earth to survive, can not be tree.”

“Yeah, I agree Rock, but I'm also staring at the biggest tree I've ever seen, so.” Ryland went to turn, to say something, when the thought flew from his mind as he saw something. Movement. He stepped closer to the window and pushed his glasses up as high on his nose as they would go, as if that would help him see better. Rocky stayed silent, noticing the shift in his best friend's demeanor. Just when Ryland began to think he imagined it, he saw it again. There, in the middle of the part of the tree they could see, inside a crack in the bark; Grace saw a hand reach out from the darkness before retreating. A human hand. “Jesus Christmas! I think there's someone in there!”

“Impossible! Space conditions no support life, statement.” Rocky responded as Ryland bolted, or floated quickly, from the room for the airlock. Rocky went after him, thoroughly confused. He was right to be, everything he was saying was correct. It was impossible for a tree that big to be floating through empty space between solar systems. It was even more impossible that there would be a live person inside. But Ryland knew what he saw, and he wasn't going to just let the person, whoever or whatever they were, suffocate and freeze in the vacuum of space.

“We don't know that.” Grace found himself saying as he slipped into his EVA suit. “The astrophage can survive out there, who knows if another species has evolved to be resistant as well. Either way I have to go check.” He slipped the helmet on before Rocky could argue and was out of the lock as quickly and safely as possible. Ryland clipped a tether to the hull before finally turning to look at the tree. It was much larger than he had initially assumed and considerably closer than it had appeared. The leaves were still green and its roots seemed to go on forever.

“Grace being stupid.” Rocky's whistle crackled through over the helmet's speaker, snapping Ryland out of his slightly horrified reverie.

“Maybe, but I'd rather be wrong and stupid than right and not help.” Ryland responded before he traveled down the side of the hull until he was approximately directly across the crack in the tree. He then reattached his tether where he was and kicked off just enough to send him flying at a reasonable rate, arms out to catch himself. It didn't take long to get there, a grunt leaving Grace's chest with the impact. He landed just above the crevasse and quickly began to climb down. He ignored the way he could feel the bark move beneath his thick EVA gloves, as if it was breathing and holding onto him as well, convincing himself it was just the adrenaline. He ignored how he was now aware that the tree was not red, but simply covered in some slippery red liquid he refused to admit was very bloodlike. As the crack got wider Ryland was forced to hold onto the edge, praying to whatever heard him that he didn't slip. Finally he got to the bottom of the crack and took a deep breath, preparing himself to see whatever was in it, or at least attempting to. He was not prepared. Looking in he saw a deep pool of a dark, opaque, red liquid; bubbles rising from inside every few seconds. The distant stars reflected off the surface at the far edges.

“What happening, question.” Rocky's voice sounded again, making Ryland jump.

“Jimmini- you scared me.” He said with a huff, still staring intently at the red pool. “There's a- AAAAAAA-” Ryland screamed as a hand shot out of the pool, scarlet liquid clinging to its skin, and gripped Rylands wrist. A head full of long dark hair followed, one glowing red eye and sharp teeth the most noticeable features. Ryland stopped screaming as the eye stared at him, nothing but fear and pain shone from it. Ryland then noticed the way the hand shook and the teeth chattered, though he couldn't hear it. The face was beginning to turn blue and the eye began to roll back into the socket. Ryland immediately began wrenching whoever this was out of the tree, not caring what they were, only that they were obviously suffocating.

“What! What happen, question! Grace alive, question!” Rocky's panicked voice screeched through the speaker, making Ryland wince as he pulled a very well built, if missing an arm, naked man. That's about all Grace could tell about him through the red liquid that covered him. He will worry about what it is later.