Character Study: Adjira

She fled down the ship's corridor, her heart hammering in time to the thump of her bootfalls. She glanced behind her, though his voice was still on the all-ship comm, calling her name: Adjira . . . Adjira . . .

The way was dimly lit. Twice she stumbled, the last time catching herself only just, her hand reaching out to the bulkhead for support. She instantly retracted that hand as she felt something wet and sticky touch her fingers. She looked at it in the glow of the deck lights.

Blood.

A cry of fear caught in her throat and she was off again, going in the only direction she could from this portion of the ship: down, towards the engine room. Her breaths echoed in the darkness.

She came up short as a hatch stood in her way, and pounded the entrance button, shooting desperate glances over her shoulder as she did so. Even with her superiour night vision, she could see nothing past a few paces; the lights were too small, too weak, to make out more than vague shadows.

But still she could hear him, taunting her.

The hatch at last opened, and she darted inside, whirling about to hit the entrance button again, this time to get the hatch closed. It refused to work. Tears of fear and frustration burned her silver eyes. She continued into the room, hoping he was still on the bridge and that she could reach a safety pod in time. What had happened to the others . . . she could not know. Did not want to know. Her flight was cowardly, she understood that; but she found she had no courage left.

Not when it came to him.

Heat hit her, a great wall of it, causing her at once to perspire: she had reached the engine room. From here she could make her way to the safety pods – if he didn't find her first. But he was still calling her name –

She stopped, frozen in flight, realising all too late that the sound of his voice had changed. He was no longer speaking on the all-ship com.

He was calling from behind her.

For an instant terror refused her motion. Then she broke into a fresh run, colliding head-on with something metal and large that sent a jolt of pain thrumming up her leg and hip. She scooted sideways and resumed running, limping now, her knee a mass of agony.

If she could only reach the safety pods . . .

She could barely see in front of her, it was that dark, and she cursed whoever had skimped on the emergency lighting. Captain Moller, likely. She'd kill him once she got her hands on him. If he wasn't dead already, that was.

At last! She found the exit hatch and tore through it. It was a short dash from there to the safety pods. Her heart hurt it was beating so hard.

Adjira . . . Adjira . . . I'm coming for you, Adjira.

Well she knew it. He would never let her be, now that he had found her. He would hunt her to the end of her days. He would find her grave and dig her up to desecrate her corpse. She knew he hated her, and she knew why.

She slapped her palm against the entrance button to the nearest safety pod, feeling her triumph at hand. He could hunt her all he wanted tomorrow, just so long as she survived today.

A light came on above the hatch, bold red letters:

Safety pod already activated. Go to the next available pod.

Her fear rising, she went to the next pod . . . and the next. They had all been used. The crew had left her, or he had jettisoned the pods whilst he had control of the bridge; either way, she was never making it off this ship.

His voice was getting closer. Panic overtook her, and she bolted down the corridor to the storage facility, where she found a large crate to hide behind. She clamped her hands over her mouth to stifle her ragged breathing, but nothing could silence the pounding of her heart, which beat in time to his footsteps, edging ever closer. She heard him call her name: Adjira . . . Adjira . . .

I'm coming for you, Mother.