Anya sat in her chair. The room was dark and small. Outside, space was black. She was alone on a spaceship. Her job was to listen. She listened for signals from other planets.

For three years, there was nothing. Only silence. Anya felt tired. She wanted to go home. Then, a light flashed on her screen. A signal. It was very weak, almost a whisper. Anya put on her headphones. She listened carefully.

The signal was a human voice. A woman’s voice. It was a message, but it was not from a planet. The message came from her ship. The source was the cargo bay.

Anya felt fear. The cargo bay was always locked. It was sealed from the start of the trip. No one could get inside. She typed on her keyboard. She checked the ship’s log. The cargo bay door was still locked. The systems were fine.

The voice spoke again. “Help me. Don’t let it out. It is here.”

Anya’s heart beat fast. She looked at her screen. The signal source was moving. It was not in the cargo bay anymore. It was moving along the corridor. The line on the screen moved closer to her room.

“It knows I am here,” Anya said to herself.

She looked at her door. The lock light was green. The door was strong. She was safe. But the voice on the radio said, “It is in the vents.”

Anya looked up. There was a small air vent on the wall. She heard a sound inside. A scratching sound. Like a claw on metal.

The sound got louder. It was coming from the vent. The cover of the vent shook. Anya stood up. She took a heavy metal tool from the wall. She hit the vent cover. The sound stopped for a moment. Then it started again, faster.

Suddenly, the vent cover fell to the floor. The hole was small and dark. A long, thin leg came out. Then another. Then a small, black creature crawled from the hole. It had many legs and sharp teeth.

Anya screamed. She fell backward into her chair. The creature was small, but it was fast. It jumped on her. She felt its weight. She reached for her wrist. There was a small red button there. It was for an emergency.

With her last bit of strength, she pushed the button. The ship’s main computer spoke. “Warning. Self-destruct sequence started.”

Anya’s last message was sent. It was a simple code to her home planet. “Warning. It is not contained.”

Then the spaceship exploded.

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Vocabulary Notes

Signal
What it means: A sound, light, or electronic message that you can hear or see. It’s a way to send information.
Example: “Then, a light flashed on her screen. A signal.”
Similar words: message, sign, broadcast.

Corridor
What it means: A long passage in a building or ship that has rooms on either side. It’s a hallway.
Example: “It was moving along the corridor.”
Similar words: hallway, passage, walkway.

Sealed
What it means: To be closed tightly so that nothing can get in or out.
Example: “It was sealed from the start of the trip.”
Similar words: shut, closed, locked.

Creature
What it means: A living thing, like an animal or a monster.
Example: “A small, black creature crawled from the hole.”
Similar words: animal, being, monster.

Self-destruct
What it means: A command for a machine or a ship to destroy itself. This is often an emergency action.
Example: “Warning. Self-destruct sequence started.”
Similar words: explode, destroy itself, blow up.

Contained
What it means: To be held inside something and kept under control. It means it cannot escape.
Example: “Warning. It is not contained.”
Similar words: held, controlled, trapped.

Story written by Gemini Pro AI

Image created by Imagiyo AI

CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads

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