[center][h2][u]Elysium- Borealis: Ticking Time Bomb[/u][/h2][/center]

[i]
Mother had told him to hide.  

When the alarms blared, Vellios was abruptly shoved into the galley food cabinet and left there while she investigated the source. She was only supposed to been gone for a bit. However, with anxiety building in his chest the boy counted as the moments turned into minutes and finally hours, causing him to shift within his cramped spot.  His ears picked up voices outside his hiding spot. Curious as to why they hadn’t opened the door and gotten him out, Vellios’ talon cautiously edged open the sliding door then peered out. His eyes caught three shapes passing by. Panicked, he jerked back and blinked, shocked by the sudden movement for a moment. Shaking off his tension, he bite back his fear then once more edged toward the slotted opening. 

Light barred across his eye while it flickered to absorb the scene unfolded in front of him. The sounds were louder, more violent while things were ripped from cabinets and the strangers began to rummage within the food stocks. There were three culprits, a Krogan and two Turians, each seeming to be wary of each other during the search. It was only going to be a matter of time before they discovered him there. Terrified of what might happened, Vellios’ talon examined his hiding place and its contents with a wandering hand, coming to rest upon the sealed canister. He picked up to examine it then an idea filled his mind. 

Carefully opening the sliding door more, he then tossed the canister across the room and farthest from his. It smacked into the Krogan’s back leg just when Vellios jerked his hand back inside on seeing one of the pirates note it. The Turian, distracted by his action, didn’t notice the Krogan’s irritated figure draw dangerous conclusions at the source of the canister. His fingers tighten on the gun then pointed it at the Turian’s back, Vellios able to spy it over the male’s shoulder while the pirate bent down and observed him with a wicked delight in his eyes. Vellios froze. The Turian’s long arm reached out to nab him when suddenly he was jerked backwards by the leg. The Krogan shoved him to the side, the victim’s side smacked into the ship’s wall as Vellios took his chance and bolted out of his hiding spot. The two pirated, distracted by one another, didn’t even see the boy dart down the corridor toward the bridge. His figure vanished like the shadows on the ship before either knew it. 

Quietly and carefully, Vellios darted down the corridor. His talons tapped along the empty hallways and past the blue smears decorating the walls, bodies hauled away to where his wildest imaginations lurked. Wide eyes scanned the evidence of struggle left over while he made his way to the bridge, the last known location of his mother and cautiously his anxiety grew with each step. There shouts and gunfire in the background caused him to pause for a moment, inwardly debating to either check it out or continue onward. The ability to chose didn’t last long when his ears caught footsteps approaching. Immediately his head jerked to the side and noted someone coming, an  asari pirate.  Her crest and left side was scarred down to her neck, her slender figure covered in blood splatters while she gracefully swaying into view, taking her time going down the corridor. The pirate’s head was down and  checking her worn gun, noting the sink was overheated from recent fire. It sizzled for a moment causing her to tsk in irritation then look up.   

Vellios was gone. 

At the last moment, and in sheer panic, he darted into the nearest quarters. There he shoved against the door frame, his thin body pressed tightly against the cold steel stiffening his spine. His breath seized within his chest where it rattled and became thick, nearly suffocating him as he counted down the seconds. The Asari’s steps drew closer and closer causing the panic to edge in to his core. Vellios’ head turned, seeking a fast hiding spot for the worse case scenario: being discovered. Through he knew very little of the pirates onboard, he had a gut feeling if they found him then he wasn’t enjoy what was about to happen. 

When the steps hit their climax, Vellios braced for the worse. His eyes shut and breathing swallowed in preparation for the gun to sound off near his face, ready to shoot it off the moment the trigger was pulled. Or worse.  Pop! Pop! Pop! Three shots went off down the way he came, his figure jerking in fear from what he assumed was his life ending. It took a moment for his mind to realize he was still alive. Abruptly the asari’s footsteps started to fade when they turned off down another corridor, her feet picking up speed toward the gun fire with a slightly mad look in her face. Carefully, he edged out then bolted toward the bridge. 

His talons smacked the bridge button when... [/i] 

[center]~~~[/center] 

Vellios’ eyes fluttered open suddenly. Something was off as his figure gradually lifted within his makeshift hammock, his eyes briefly closed off to the scene to collect himself. A sense of haze washed over his attention and threatened to blur his sense of reality and memories, something that tried to add to the budding panic in his chest. His heart thumped relentlessly within his chest and threatened to shatter his few unbroken ribs while he just sat there adjusting his rattled mindset. 

[i][color=rosybrown]'It was a dream...wasn't it?[/color][/i] Vellios questioned.  

Creak...creak...creak. 

Sounds of his bed gently swung in place, the foggy sensation faded slowly. Exhaling deeply, the scarred turian dropped his hands in relief. His heart stilled raced feverishly within his chest from the aftermath causing him to get up. Vellios leaned into the hammock then lowered his feet down as he hopped onto the floor catching himself before his legs collapsed underneath him. 

Steadying himself on the nearest cabinet, he made his way toward the hobbled together sink. Mainly it was just an oversized kitchen bowl with a pitch of water next to it. Pouring what remained in the pitcher into the bowl, he set it back down and shifted the tiny mirror left there, he used it to examine himself. The thing easily framed his head and showing the slight discoloration underneath his eyes as he looked himself over.  

Vellios knew it was pointless to look for physical symptoms and merely did it to make himself feel better. However, it didn’t work. Gradually his hand placed the mirror back in its place and leaving him to glare at it. He reflected on the knowledge he knew about Haides survivors and felt a sour taste edge to his throat back. 

Walking time bombs. That was the first thing that often came to many health professionals who treated such patients from that filth ridden ship, their mental warped beyond being mended and eventually would have to be put down. Vellios bitterly chuckled at the saying every shrink knew about survivors like him. 'It wasn’t if they lost their grip on reality, but [i]when[/i].' It was difficult to explain how or what triggered a survivor’s denotation switch, some taking days while others taking years, and  greater mystery was how to prevent it. In the end… some believed it was best to be put out of their misery instead of fail and cost lives. 

For a dreadful moment, Vellios thought he had lost his grip on reality. His talons dipped into the bowl of water then splashed it into his face letting the chill sooth his rattled nerves. He wiped his forearm across his lower face as he reached for a towel to mop up the rest. Leaving it beside the remaining water, he casually walked back to his other bed and flopped down on it.