The Gravediggers of Orpheus [14]

A Sci-fi flash fiction

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Previously [13]

[14]

Joe had said he wanted to be cremated after death, and Derek respected his last will. The Gravedigger crew stood around his dead body in the white open coffin to pay their respects.

Afterward the whole crew, Doc Liz, Sophie and baby Annouk gathered in Vulture’s canteen for a meal to honour Joe’s memory.

The meal was humble, and Derek realized nothing better laid ahead; they were stranded in a mist covered territory, open to warfare. Even though the Ghouls would not dare to fly through the red mist, they still shot missiles from afar. The inhabitants of Vulture heard them hit the ground and explode not far ahead. The solar batteries provided the Vulture with heating and hot water, the latter they could get using a drill to dig a well. There was plenty of water underneath the red core of Orpheus’ surface. The food was a problem, they would run out of it soon.

Derek said a couple of words to honour Joe, before his voice broke down in the constant buzzing white noise of the Vulture. The Gravediggers raised their glasses; none of them were good with pretty words.

The cremation didn’t take long. Despite the possible dangers of the unknown territory, the Gravediggers set out into the red mist to spread Joe’s ashes.

“Better do it while we can. Who knows when them Ghouls would blow us up?” They pondered.

“Ashes to ashes…” Derek gritted his teeth not to break down sobbing in front of his crew, “…dust to dust.”

He poured the grey substance out the small container. It weaved with the gentle winds and the sparkling red mist until it landed gracefully on the sand.

“From the red sands of Orpheus he came and to them he returns,” said Derek, with a lonely tear escaping his eye.

“Well said, Cap,” Jimmy tapped him on the shoulder.

***

The boys were right, Derek thought, whilst going to the disinfection shower. They were a sitting target; any minute could bring them death. The cool chill of hopelessness crept up his spine.

As usual, Captain was the last one to hit the shower, after he’d taken care of maintenance issues of Vulture in stand-still mode.

Sophie was waiting by the showers.

“Doc Liz is watching Annouk. We need to talk.”

Derek stood silent, looking into her eyes.

“I have my connections with the Rebel forces. They’re not as bad as you think. They could help us if we reach them before…”

“Before the Ghouls blow us up.” Derek paused. “The Rebel forces left you to die.”

“Annouk’s father is an active Rebel. He protected me, until one day he was just gone without an explanation.”

“I would never leave you to die. Even though…”

“We might die any minute,” Sophie said and moved closer to embrace him.

“I hadn’t been disinfected!” He stepped back. The shower door swooshed open.

“I know,” she embraced him, pushing both of them into the shower, with the door closing behind them.