One: Emergency Lockdown

"Attention, please take refuge. We are going into emergency lock down. Attention, please take refuge. We are going into emergency lock down."

An automated voice blared through the speakers above my head as I stepped out from the shower. Emergency lock down? Wonderful. My second day on board The Amhul and we were already having problems.

Maybe there was an oil leak or something. I'm sure it wasn't anything to really worry about, people are always making big deals out of everything.

I hear the automated voice once more as I slip into a pair of my favorite khaki pants.

"Attention, please stay calm as we go into emergency lock down. Please return to your chambers until we give you further notice. Attention, please stay calm as we go into emergency lock down. Please return to your chambers until we give you further notice." The automated voice repeated itself once more.

I'm pretty sure there were tons of noisy people snooping around the corridors of The Amhul at this very moment for any gossip they can get. I myself am the opposite. I prefer to keep to myself and stay out of other people's ways. It just makes life so much easier when you can avoid the drama.

I ran a towel through my hair that was currently dyed a chestnut brown color. It was a pretty drastic change from my natural jet-black hair, but I think that it suited me. At school everyone was always dying their hair, I guess people like to change their look for excitement or to make themselves feel better on their appearance.

I honestly wasn't sure why I dyed mine.

I pulled a thick navy blue sweater over my head once I applied deodorant. You'd think an enormous space station like this, providing human beings refuge they'd kick the heat up a bit higher.

I know I said I liked to stay out of drama, but I must admit I was curious about this whole emergency lock down thing. It may not concern me, but It definitely concerns my father. My father has worked for ISS long before I was born and long before he met my mother. We moved from Seoul, South Korea to Los Angeles, California when I was seven years old so he could be closer and more available for his job.

It was difficult learning English and adapting to a totally different culture, but I guess it's easier at a younger age when making new friends was easy. It was never easy for me and it still isn't.

However, making friends right now was the least of my concern. I had to see what was going on. My father is one of the members who helped created The Amhul, the space station we're on. His job was so secret that I didn't know much about what he did. I was thrilled when he asked me to join him up here to check out the new space station.

The Amhul is pretty much like a big resort for those who are willing to get in a rocket and see space. There was no way I could pass down this opportunity, and I've been dying to see what my father's been working so hard on for so many years.

"Abeonim!?" I call, as I enter the paltry sized kitchen.

The doorways to our room are so narrow, I was lucky to be lean.

"Abeonim?" I repeated, now searching around our vacant room.

I searched the bedroom, thinking he might of slept in after our immense time change from space but his bed was empty and unmade. I hurried to the living room to find only an empty bowl and used chopsticks on the tiny coffee table in front of our TV. He was gone.

Well, the automated voice was declaring an emergency situation on board, so maybe my father had to attend to it?

Still, something didn't feel right. If my father was needed for such matters he would of informed me, he wouldn't have left me by myself, at least not on this space station he wouldn't.

Despite all the warning notifications, it wouldn't hurt to just pop around and ask for a bit...now would it?

I was just going to ask where my father is and then I would go straight back to our room. Quick and simple.

Before I left on my little quest, I headed back to our bedroom and seized my black Nike bag, stuffing my phone and an extra sweatshirt in there. Like I said, it gets pretty cold here.

Slinging the bag over my shoulder, I stepped back into the hobbit-sized kitchen grabbing a few granola bars, water bottles, and slapping together a quick peanut butter sandwich. I haven't had breakfast yet, and I figured if I got lost on the way, I could stop and eat.

The Amhul was a fairly large station with four tours. The first tower is a resort area for all passengers, with rooms, restaurants, gift shops, and entertainment. The second tower was where extensive communications were taken along with brilliant views of space. The third tower was the medical facility for ill passengers or the ones who've gone hysteric from being out in space for a matter of time. And finally the fourth tower was forbidden for all passengers and where all the machinery of the ship was located.

I sure would like to sneak to the fourth tower to turn up the heat.

I wrapped up my sandwich with tinfoil and tossed it in my bag along with the rest of my things. I walked down the narrow corridor to the main door of our room that would lead me out and into the main lobby where customer service was taken care of. I slapped my hand onto the red button, causing the door to slide open automatically.

The corridors were completely isolated and silent, as if no one else was on the ship. I guess people were cowering inside their rooms or were out on deck demanding staff for answers.

I've only made it about a third of the way down the corridor when a frantic voice began to speak above me over the intercom.

"A-attention all passengers, this is Captain Jeremy D. Seely, we advise you to PLEASE stay in your rooms until further notice..this is an emergency situation. Please keep your doors locked and r-remain c-calm-"

Like you are?

There was some muffled and loud staticky noises in the background before the person let go of the receiver. Alright...so maybe this wasn't a gas leak issue? According to how the Captain sounded, it must be more serious.

Maybe a patient who was kept under lock down in the medical ward has gotten loose? Or maybe we were expecting some sort of meteor shower coming our way? I had to find my father.

There was no one in sight as I made my way through the never-ending corridor that turned this way and that. Everyone must have followed orders and scurried back to their rooms, I was being the stupid one who was lollygagging around looking for my father.

Taking what I thought was the final turn of the corridor, I could make out the customer service lobby about twenty feet away. I spotted a middle-aged women behind the desk, and to my horror she was reaching for the handle of the blinds to close the windows of the office.

"WAIT!" I shouted, relieved I said that in English.

I raced across the wide lobby, my bag bobbing against my lower back and smacking my butt as I ran over to the front desk.

The lady looked up at me, alarmed. Her bright green eyes stared at me frantically and her pumpkin-colored hair was starting to unravel from the bun on top of her head, a few strands falling over her long-oval shaped face.

I came to a sharp halt in front of the counter, awkwardly slouching over her panting like a dog. I may be thin but I was NOT in shape.

"H-hey..." I greeted lamely, shoving my hands into the front pockets of my pants. "I-I need help.."

"Young man, I'm not sure if you're aware, but there's been an emergency. You must return back to your room immediately." The women responded to me in a soft voice that I had to hold my own breath in order to hear her.

"I know...I know, I will...I just...I uh-" Wow, I was not good at talking to people.

"I'm looking for my father, my name is Kuk Chaeyoung-I mean Chaeyoung Kuk! My father is Yeon-woo Kuk!" I always forget that Americans put their given name first and the family name last.

The women only shook her head and to my disblief, reached for the blinds again.

"I'm sorry, Chaeyoung, But I can not help you...or your father. Please, safe yourself and get back to your room."

Alright, what is going on?

"W-wait! Please! I need to know what's going on!" I nearly beg, smacking my hands down onto the counter causing the women to jump. I mutter an apology as she frantically tucks the loose strands of her hair behind her ears. Tiny beads of sweat were starting to slide down her cheek bones.

"I-I don't know...there is something on board with us...something happened to a patient in the medical ward...some chest wound...I have to go! Please, don't tell anyone you saw me!!" She cried before pulling the blinds down.