This isn't possible

Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say. The mind doesn't always listen to facts though. Will heard the screams as the ship exploded around them. He heard the screams as escape hatches were shut and people pounded on the door to be let in. They still echoed in his mind as he opened his eyes to nothing but endless space. Trying to focus on anything but the memories of suffering, Will looked around to figure out where he was. He turned his head to the right and saw the planet that was to be his home. He was looking at it on the observation deck when the fighter ships flew into view. He remembered the murmurs of confusion and fears from the small gathering of the others who traveled to call the planet home. The screams started as soon as the first shot was made. Will squeezed his eyes shut again as the screams echoed in his mind. He attempted to turn and leave the observation deck, but reality took a hold of his mind and shook it awake. There was no floor beneath. No ship surrounding him. He was floating in space. This time the scream he heard in his mind was his own. He opened his mouth to let it escape, but nothing emerged. His first thoughts were on how he would be rescued. He moved his hands to search his pockets when he noticed the impossible. He wasn't just floating in space with no ship, he wasn't wearing a space suit.

Thinking about all the science classes he took for school and the instructional lessons given before they were allowed to travel to the new planet, he should be dead. He couldn't remember all the details of the attack, but he remembered the ship blowing up.

He lifted his head upwards and saw the wreckage of the ship floating above him. Spying the closest piece, Will began to flap his arms and kick his legs in an attempt to move in zero gravity. When he wasn't moving, he tried pulling his legs to his chest and kicking them back. With all his effort, he was only able to achieve summersaults. Halfway through a summersault, he spotted the ship approaching below him and figured the movement and heat of his body attracted the rescue. It isn't every day you see a person floating around space performing acrobatics.

As they laid him on a bunk, Will opened his mouth to speak, but the woman quickly stopped him. "Your vocal cords are still frozen." He touched his throat as she clarified, "So are your hands, you won't be able to feel anything."

Will looked around as he heard one of the assistants whisper to another, "This will be seven now."

He turned his head to follow the voice and saw the speaker several feet away. Confused at being able to hear him, Will returned to looking around as the first speaker told the woman, "Captain says we'll head back to get the survivors medical attention."

The woman pulled a blanket over Will, "There could be more survivors."

"Another ship is coming to continue the search."

"Good because I'm unequipped to help them. Is the Captain telling them to bring someone with a stronger medical background and equipment for more survivors like this?"

"They don't believe him and have limited resources."

"Why would we make up something like this?"

As the second assistant left, the speaker replied, "He tried to argue with them, but they wouldn't listen."

The door closed behind him while the woman grabbed a tablet. "My name is Samantha Brooks." She took his picture with the tablet and initiated the face recognition from the passenger manifest. "We weren't expecting survivors, let alone ones floating in space."

Will lifted up seven fingers, "How did you know?" Will pointed to his ear and then the door, "You heard them say it." Will nodded and she turned to look at the spot they had been standing to try and recollect if she heard it.

Shaking herself from her thoughts, she turned her attention back to him, "I'm a simple field medic who is way out of her depth on what to do. All I can tell you is the others are still experiencing frozen extremities and some organs."

Will slowly nodded looking around to see if anyone was in there, "The others filled up the first room. All I've been able to figure is to treat you like you had hypothermia, so I wouldn't suggest sleeping right now."

Will nodded and motioned for something to drink. Brooks shook her head, "We tried it on someone else without realizing their throat was still frozen, they couldn't swallow. Unfortunately, I have no supplies for dehydration. Like I said we weren't expecting survivors…"

Will nodded and waved his hand in understanding, as her tablet beeped. "You are William August, water engineer." With a nod from Will, she asked, "Do you go by Bill or Will?"

Will lifted two fingers, "Will it is? So, I'm guessing they brought you out to improve our current water system?"

Will nodded as his eyes started to drop. "You got to stay with me Will, I was serious about the not sleeping."

Forcing his eyes open, Will moved to stand, "I'm sorry but your legs are still frozen. They need to thaw before we can look at moving."

Will nodded remembering he dropped to the floor when they entered the ship and he pushed away from the rescuers. He made a motion of writing with his hand and Brooks spoke, "You're hands are frozen too."

Will sighed in frustration as she pulled the blanket back over him. "I'm sorry but all you can do is lay here, stay warm, and stay awake."

Brooks glanced at the door and Will motioned she could leave, "No can do, someone needs to keep an eye on you until we land."

Will pointed at the door, "I'm supposed to have someone come and sit with you so I can check on the other patients."

Repeating the motion of her leaving, he opened his eyes really wide and she chuckled, "Nice try…"

The door slid open and an older man walked in, "I'm here to watch the patient, Brooks."

"Smitty? Who's keeping a watch on the engine?"

"A bunch of kids who couldn't stand the idea of babysitting," Smitty looked at Will, "No offense, sir."

Will wiggled his hand in understanding.

"What about the others?"

"Cap spotted another survivor and wants to grab 'em quick?"

Brooks shrugged in resignation, "Well, the goal is to keep him warm and awake. At this stage that is all you can do."

Smitty nodded as he approached the bed, "Will do. I'll page you if I need you."

"Okay." As she stepped towards the door, she called over her shoulder, "Oh, his name is Will."

The door closed behind her as Smitty picked up the tablet with Will's info, "An engineer, huh. I'll have to bring you down to the engine room when you're able to."

Will lifted his thumb in agreement as Smitty moved to grab a chair. Setting it next to Will's bed, he slid the tablet back on the tray. "You been briefed on our current water situation?"

Moving his hand to indicate a sort of, Will's eyes started to droop. "Now none of that," Smitty commanded as he shook Will's shoulder.

Will looked down at his shoulder at the realization he didn't feel it. Smitty ignored the confusion as soon as Will showed he was awake. "The attack on your ship was the first space attack. Up until then they remained on the planet and stole supplies from us. What they couldn't use they destroyed. We were told you were bringing materials to build a better water system."

Gloomily, Will nodded at the thought that it was all destroyed. "Well, we were originally out here to salvage what we could from supplies. Then one of the cadets spotted someone moving outside one of the portholes." Smitty opened his mouth to continue when the ship lurched beneath his feet along with the banging to notify they hit something. While Smitty fell on the floor from the chair moving out from under him, a siren began to sound.

Will's eyes opened wide at the curse of his current events while Smitty scrambled to his feet. He rushed to the door on instinct then slid to a stop to return to Will. His eyes were panicked as he struggled with what choice to make and then he felt the engines die through the lack of vibrations in the floor. "I gotta go fix it."

Will motioned for him to go and Smitty hesitated, "Are you sure you'll be fine?

With a nod, Will increased his motion for the man to go. "Please don't go to sleep or Brooks will kill me," Smitty muttered between flusters then rushed to the door.

Smitty stopped as the door opened and looked back at Will who motioned once again for him to go.

The door closed behind Smitty and Will sat up slowly to grab the tablet. He put his hand around it and picked it up, but his hand couldn't grasp it tight enough and it dropped back to the table. He slid the tablet to look at it, using his numb fingers to see if he could locate the others who survived. When he didn't recognize anyone, he tried to search a name. His head jerked up as he almost nodded off in the brief seconds the search took. A picture of a twelve year old girl appeared, the spitting image of her mother, but no indication of where she was.

Will leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes in grief. He took the job to make a needed change after his wife died on their home world. His daughter was headed down a path that was dangerous and instead he brought her out in space to die. With an image of his wife and daughter in his mind, he gave in to the sleep.