Inside the space house, Alexander and Chris lay side by side on the floor, completely unconscious. Only the faint rise and fall of their chests showed that they were still alive.
Not far from them, Laurel remained crouched on the ground, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as her body trembled uncontrollably.
She did not know how long she had been fighting it. Every second stretched endlessly, like it was forever.
Her teeth chattered softly as her fingers pressed into her arms, trying to hold onto any trace of warmth, yet the chill clung stubbornly to her bones as if it had rooted itself deep within her. Her breathing came out uneven, and her vision blurred at the edges as her strength continued to fade.
Somewhere in the distance, she heard voices.
They sounded distorted and far away, overlapping as if they were being pulled apart before reaching her.
"Laurel…"
"…condition unstable…"
"…her temperature is dropping…"
