Insanity (Mars, Part 4)

Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

The angry mob is pouring into the room while the doctor is trying to block them out, assisted by some nurses. But it’s not enough. Not even close.

”Are you all mad?” One of the nurse's shrieks. ”You can’t just throw sick people outside! We will all die faster than we would have on earth if that becomes our new rule!” But none of them is listening. They drag patients out of their beds, tie them together and pull them alone.

My mom left the chair next to me and is shielding my bed with her body. I can basically feel the death stare she’s giving those people. But she won’t be able to put up much of a fight, they’re too many and she’s basically alone. I try to get out of the bed but as soon as I move into an upright position, the room starts spinning.

Ugh … fuck …” I groan and close my eyes, hoping that it helps. It does, although only slightly. ”Mom, help me up, we need to leave”. I say with a pressed voice. My mom turns around. Her worried look worries me even more. Thankfully, she doesn’t say anything but just helps me up and holds me up so I don’t break down.

The room is pure chaos with people screaming and fighting for their lives. We keep to the walls, trying to not draw any attention. Sadly, it doesn’t work.

”Hey! You!” A woman shouts. ”Don’t even think about escaping with that girl. She’s a danger to all of us here!”

”The only danger I see right now”, my mom hisses, ”are the maniacs who attack sick people with knives and threaten one of our few doctors. And I won’t just give in to you and hand over my daughter. You’re absolutely insane.”

Mom is right, this woman has clearly lost it. I start to wonder if it’s really the flu she’s worried about or if being crammed together with so many people in a small, confined space has just driven her mad. It feels a lot more logical. But analyzing what exactly went wrong won’t get me out of this situation, will it?

The woman starts laughing.

”Maniacs? Us? You’re the one allowing the disease to spread to us all, making us all sick. I haven’t fled earth to die in the darkness of some cave on Mars, just because some middle aged bitch decided her daughter is worth more than me. Hand her over and I won’t hurt you. Refuse and I won’t be so nice.”

”Try it, asshole.” My mother spits out. I bury my fingers deep in her shoulder. Angering the madwoman might not be the smartest course of action.

”Mom, I think …” I don’t have a chance to finish my sentence.

The woman lunges forward and plunges the big knife deep into my mother’s chest. My mom doesn’t even have the time to let out a surprised scream before she lets go of me and sinks to the floor.

”MOM” I scream despite my weakness and fall down next to her. I press my hands on the wound to contain the bleeding. Pulling out the knife is out of the question, it would just accelerate her bleeding out. ”Mom, no, no, please, no.” I can see the life fading out of her eyes. Her body goes limp. She doesn’t breathe anymore.

”Mom”, I sob.

Then I feel a rope being tied around my wrists.

”I warned her”, the woman says. ”If she had just handed you over, she could have lived. Made some more children, whatever. But I can’t allow you or your body to remain in here. You must be thrown outside to contain this virus.”

Everything after that happens in a blur. I barely notice being dragged through the tunnels, towards the airlock. Around me are dozens of coughing, sneezing, sobbing people who are all going to share my fate. It’s over. It’s over. We’re going to die.

”I’ll see you soon, Mom, Dad”, I think.

The blare of a siren disrupts the choir of misery. Startled, I look towards the airlock. What the …? That’s the sound of the airlock being depressurized. But there is nobody in there yet, why would they depressurize it? They have to put us in there first, they can’t open the airlock like this!

The angry mob seems equally confused. Until …

”The other spaceship! It arrived!” Someone calls out. Of course. A new crew is coming through and they don’t know what’s going on. So they don’t know this airlock was about to be used. I close my eyes and pray to a god I don’t believe in, that the about hundred new people joining us will save us.

I pray that they haven’t gone mad like the ones holding us captive.

I pray that they had better psychological support than our crew during their long flight.

I don’t want to die.

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References:

Definitions of Crowding and the Effects of Crowding on Health

Crowds & Behavior - Why did I do that?

Psychological and Behavioral Changes during Confinement in a 520-Day Simulated Interplanetary Mission to Mars

Mars One: The psychology of isolation, confinement and 24-hour Big Brother

Space Psychology 101: How NASA Keeps Its Astronauts Sane

Psychological Challenges of a Manned Mission to Mars

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