As she stowed the last of her dead crewmates in the freezer, she bit back a sob. She already missed her friends, she was terrified of the days ahead, and she longed for the comforts of home. But, more than that, she was saddened and frightened of who—of what—she had become.

Now that she was finally alone, she didn't have to pretend anymore. She didn't have to hide the remaining rations, she would never again have to worry about discovery, or even have to fight with the others for survival. She had won. She was alive.

For now.

She had done the math. If rescue came after ten days, she was a survivor, but if they came any sooner than that, she was a murderer. So, she sat, staring out the galley porthole, eating from a stale ration packet, hoping not to be rescued too soon.

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CB DROEGE is an author and voice actor from the Queen City living in the Millionendorf. His latest book is Peacemaker and Other Stories. Other recent publications include work in Daily Science Fiction and Nature Magazine. Learn more at cbdroege.com.