The Electrical Room
It is unbearably hot, and for the past 6 hours I have been working on a ship that isn't even mine. I've left the awesome power of an LHD for a resupply ship. At least it's only temporary. None of the five of us who've been transferred are happy about it. So, rather then getting ahead on tomorrow's work, I'm hiding out in an electrical room. There will be no more "oh, by the ways" for me today. It's dirty, poorly lit, and smells but at least it is mine for the moment. I sigh heavily and heave myself against a dust covered bulkhead, sliding down it. After all, the dirtier your uniform is, the more work you've done!
It's at the moment I start to close my eyes, that she walks in. The woman that isn't my wife, whose heart belong to another, and who've I've developed reality crushing feelings for. There's a silent moment when our eyes meet, realizing we've both come to this spot for the same reason. I let it out a short laugh.
"Come on in, I'd guess that you've had enough for today too eh?" I ask. She regards me a moment before smiling her easy smile, and sitting down next to me. It's likely that I'm overreacting, but she's too close. I feel wrong and I feel right all at the same time. There's barely an inch between our shoulders, and the gravity in that inch is unbelievable. So much so, that decency and faithfulness are the only things keeping me from closing the gap.
"Oh, it's not so bad, I guess. Gettin' a little tired of putting so much work into something that ain't ours, though," she says. The voice is melodic, peppered with a Georgia accent. Something I can't replicate, but still hear in my head from time to time. I manage a nod, which is mistake because the movement brings her scent to my nose. I can feel it happening, my sense of reason is becoming lost to me. My head swims.
I make as though I'm wiping sweat from my forehead. It's an attempt at grounding myself, of feeling my own skin to remind me of who I am.
"Well, at least it'll be time to go back soon," I comment. She nods at me and smiles again. I have to turn away, to look down. It's like trying to look into a room that's too bright. She starts a moment and checks her phone for the time. She's apparently forgotten a meeting with one of the crew that's been overseeing our work. With a polite "See you later", she's gone. I'm left to place my face into palm of my hand, and ponder my life course over again.