WebNovels

Chapter 2 - Chapter 1 I found a puppy

The nights in Sector Seven of the Broken Star Belt were cold enough to crack metal. Selene huddled inside a shelter pieced together from derelict ship wreckage and a waterproof tarp, listening to the howling wind whip grit and stones against the metal sheets outside. Today hadn't been the worst; she'd found half a tube of still-edible nutrient paste and a small bottle of relatively clean condensed water. It left a faint whisper of warmth in the core of her body against the pervasive chill.

The danger had come suddenly, on her way back to this so-called 'home'. A pack of marauders, scavenging and preying among the ruins, had spotted her. Selene didn't hesitate. She turned and fled deep into the labyrinth of abandoned mining tunnels. She knew these passages better than those who only dared skulk the periphery. In the darkness, she navigated by memory and instinct, her breath a raw burn in her chest, not stopping until the cursing from behind was completely swallowed by the dark. She leaned against a rust-covered support column in a mining tunnel, gasping.

It was here, in this depth of silence and shadow, that she heard it—a sound so faint it was almost imperceptible. Not the wind. It was more like… the unconscious, labored gasp of a dying creature.

Following the sound, she carefully pushed aside a clump of faintly phosphorescent moss. In a wind-sheltered hollow, she found a small, white form.

It looked like a puppy, its body covered in fur that should have been white, but was now matted with dark red blood and grime. It was curled into a tight ball, its body cold as death. Only the faintest, shallow breaths proved it still clung to life. Its eyes were tightly shut, as if it had already given up.

Selene crouched down. Her fingers trembled slightly as they touched the icy fur. Reason screamed at her: here, struggling to survive herself, any unnecessary kindness could be fatal. This fragile thing would likely be dead by morning.

But as she looked at the lifeless, shivering little body, a more primal emotion overrode logic. On this frozen wasteland forsaken by the universe, loneliness eroded the will more than hunger or cold. She needed another living thing, even just for a short while. Proof that she was still alive, not merely surviving.

Almost instinctively, she undid the top clasp of her coat, gently scooped up the cold, weak creature, and tucked it against the warmth of her chest, wrapping her coat tightly around them both. It was so light, it seemed to weigh nothing.

Back inside the wreckage she called 'home', Selene got to work immediately. She tore the cleanest strip from her inner shirt, dipped it in her precious condensed water, and began patiently, meticulously, cleaning the clotted blood and filth from the puppy's wounds. There was a deep, nasty tear on its hind leg, as if slashed by sharp metal. During the cleaning, the little thing twitched slightly, a faint whimper escaping its throat.

Selene's movements became even more gentle. She used the remaining clean cloth to bandage the wound carefully. Then, she unscrewed the half-tube of nutrient paste, squeezed a small blob onto her fingertip, and brought it to the puppy's mouth. At first, there was no response. Selene waited patiently, gently stroking its closed lips. After a long moment, perhaps stirred by a latent will to live, a small, warm, rough tongue emerged and licked the morsel away.

That tiny action made Selene exhale in relief.

The night cold deepened. She spread out her only, threadbare but thick, thermal blanket. She placed the puppy carefully in the center, then lay down herself, pulling both the blanket and the dog into her embrace. The small, cold body shivered faintly at first, but soon, surrounded by her persistent body heat, it gradually relaxed. Unconsciously, it nuzzled into a more comfortable position against her, its tiny head resting on her arm. The faint, steady rhythm of its breath whispered against her skin, a strangely comforting sensation.

Holding the small, warming life form, Selene felt its faint heartbeat against her chest, a rhythm that slowly seemed to sync with her own. Outside was a cold that could kill and danger that lurked everywhere. But within this narrow, broken space, because of this tiny spark of living warmth, a transient, inviolable peace had taken root.

The little creature in her arms let out a very soft, contented sound in its sleep, a tiny front paw resting unconsciously on her wrist, as if claiming it as a safe harbor. Just before sinking into sleep, a vague thought crossed Selene's mind: perhaps tomorrow, she should venture into the more dangerous ruins to the east. Maybe she could find some expired, but still usable, med-spray.

 

More Chapters