Page 55 of A Long Way Home

ALEX

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“Lecker?” Matthias asks.

I nod, moaning as I take another bite.

He chuckles as we make our way to the dining area. Our fingers entwined – one of his warm, large hands enveloping my much smaller one.

A tin is tucked under his other arm whilst I munch my way through my third Lebkuchen. Or was it my fourth? Fifth? I’ve lost count, but the delicious spices blend together perfectly. I hum in delight.

He frowns at me, shaking his head at my obvious foodgasm.I’ve been waiting for these for a good six months; pardon me for savouring the moment.

Up ahead, a jabber of voices spills out into the hallway, even over the droning sound of the air recyclers. As I turn the corner, no one pays us any mind. No one besides Luca.

His eyes glide down between us, settling on our latticed fingers. Before he quickly glances away.

My stomach clenches. I feel awful for the guy. Just because it wasn’t love doesn't mean what we had wasn’t special. We were friends, and it doesn't sit right with me to ditch him so suddenly.

“Ok,mein Herz?” Matthias asks.

I smile up at him, nodding.

We enter further into central command.

The rest of the group are all leaning over the table, Reiter and Yuri are prodding at a screen in front of them, mumbling sounds of disagreement.

“It’s analogue. Look, here…” Matherson schools them, her finger pointing at the screen.

Aiko is meekly hanging back as she leans into Anderson. The only person missing is Dr Hadfield, and…I need to check on Chelenko.

He is one stubborn bastard. Roles reversed, I'm not sure I would have survived it.

A little squeeze of my hand has me tearing my attention away. As I look up, Matthias is looking back at me, his moss-green eyes twinkling in reassurance.

“You got this.” The edges of his eyes crinkle as he smiles, bringing the back of my hand to his mouth to lay a kiss along my knuckles.

Further inside the module, Clayton's voice calls out above the other babble. “Now, we’ve got bad news and bad news. What would you like first?”

I swallow harshly, my throat feeling itchy and dry.

“Guess we’ll start with bad then,” Matherson smirks.

Yuri nods, “Like rippingoff bandage.”

Clayton rubs his chin, his fingers brushing against his coarse beard before he takes a deep inhale.

“As you all know, we have lost contact with Earth. We’re on our own out here. No Houston. No nothing,” he leans back against the wall slightly, his fingers thrumming against the stainless steel. “We sent out a distress call on all analogue frequencies. Hoping for…” he sighs, scrubbing a hand down his face. “Something to get through. That was before we realised we were millions of light years from Earth.”

“Jeez. When you said bad, I didn’t realise you meant depressing.” Matherson rolls her eyes.

“Oh, it gets better.” Anderson chimes in.

Matherson's eyebrows climb higher up her forehead, her eyes wide.

“Yes, I was getting to that.” Clayton huffs. “We got a response.”

“Houston–”

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