A shiver racked my body as I pulled my knees closer to my chest.

“No one can know.” I told myself, rocking back and forth as a way of finding comfort. All my ears could listen to were the blaring sounds of machines cutting through the metal of my ship.

I brought my hands up to cover my ears, grinding my teeth together in a futile attempt to drown out the noise.

“They’re gonna find you…” I whimpered, still rocking in place in my tiny concealed crevice I’d found before they’d assaulted my ship.

It was only a matter of time until they found me. And when they did, I’d be better off dead, wrecked like my ship. They would take one look at the green hue of my skin and tear me to shreds. My dad told me that years ago, before leaving home. I never realized how much it’d gotten to me before now.

Even with my ears covered, the sawing sounds became louder, got closer, trapping me in and making the already tiny space get smaller.

It felt like the walls might close in on me, cutting off any circulation, like a vice. Yet that was a better fate than what awaited me outside. The five fingered freaks who’d tear me limb from limb if I dared to show myself.

My heart lurched in my chest when the metal wall beside me was ripped from its hinges, light streaming in as multiple pairs of eyes found mine.

This was it.