Literature
Star Crash: Prologue
John Cyan’s eyelids fluttered, a monumental effort that felt like lifting lead weights. A searing headache pulsed behind his eyes, and a metallic tang coated his tongue. Blurry shapes slowly coalesced into the stark white of a hospital room. He blinked, trying to clear the fog from his brain, and realized he was hooked up to an IV drip, the rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor, a constant companion.
“Mr. Cyan? Can you hear me?” A voice, calm and professional, cut through the haze.
John turned his head, wincing at the stiffness in his neck. Two figures stood by his bed. One was a man in a crisp suit, his expression unreadable, a civilian. The other, an Air Force officer, stood ramrod straight, his uniform immaculate. Both wore an air of quiet authority that made John uneasy.
“W-what happened?” John managed, his voice raspy.
“You’ve been in a coma, Mr. Cyan. Three days,” the civilian stated, his voice flat.
Before John could process this, a young nurse, her smile radiating
