you lie in bed
the window is open
too-thin too-cold air
as you jolt awake again, overwhelmed with the feeling that you are falling
your meat-brain is slow to adjust to the lower gravity
but it is better than home
safer than home, after everything
safer than after … somehow
you give up, stand up, pad to the kitchen in silent hyper-awareness
she still startles you, somehow
“can’t sleep?” she asks. your roommate
over a foot taller than you (and eerily thin; that’s martian physiology for you)
“in this gravity?” you snort. she chuckles
“you?”
“i think i was supposed to be asleep” she shrugs “i guess i missed it”
you nod, as if that makes any sense at all
eventually, the sun rises