The final, resounding 'CLANG' of the blast door sealing shut was the most beautiful sound any of them had ever heard. For a long moment, they just stood there in the sterile airlock, their bodies trembling with a cocktail of exhaustion and adrenaline. The silence that followed was not empty; it was full, heavy with the unspoken relief of having survived.
Rosa was the first to break it, letting out a whoop of triumph that echoed in the confined space. She slumped against the wall, sliding down to sit on the floor, a wide, weary grin on her face. "I vote we never leave this room again. All in favor?"
Clara didn't say a word. She simply sank to her knees, her head in her hands, her small frame wracked with quiet, shuddering sobs of relief.
