Circling the asteroid of Hygiea at a distance of 1.3 miles was the luxury spa-cruise ship of Asclepius. Throughout the solar system, Hygiea has been known for its healing properties of its ice. The frozen water ice ponds spotted on this metal and rock sphere contain microorganisms that awaken and hunger when warmed from a cryogenic state. One of these microorganisms has folkloric healing properties, supposedly living on toxins from the body. The water is not healthy to ingest but it can be brought to high temperatures and bathed in. At its height, this bath became a healing trend for the upper one percent
***
10 Hygiea’s surface was dark and cold and had awkwardly low gravity and a mind bendingly highly magnetic field. In the early days, most of the health conscious people who could afford this once high priced treatment would not set foot on such a dirty and unaccommodating space rock. An exclusive spa resort was created above the uncomfortable surface to give a view of the ice chunks and validate authenticity while soaking in this non-FDA approved medicine to heal.
With time it became dated, less of a fad and more affordable.
***
Sonja was escorted through the wide corridors and into the “Lave” room by a tall skinny man with a black mustache wearing a skin tight lycra suit with a tiny white collar and clip on black bowtie. As the dented metal doors opened sideways an unusual smell wafted out. It was the smell of the sea mixed with a pungent garlic and metallic odor.
The room was no bigger than a closet. It obviously had been much larger at one time but was cut in half for economic reasons. The large doorway was the entire back wall. The side walls were painted a sanitary white that could use a second coat. There were chips along the floorboards and the corners of these walls were bubbling. The fourth wall faced a large sealed window that oversaw the asteroid below..
In the center of the castephobic room was an overwhelmingly large jacuzzi tub.
A long thin mirror stood on one side. The mirror was stretched like a circus mirror, distorting its reflected image in a way that would flatter the physique of the man or woman who peered into it.
The ship hovered uncomfortably close to Hygeia’s landscape. The small world slowly drifted by as it moved in its natural rotation. Mostly dark, its surface was covered in long, shallow craters. Large, glistening frozen jagged ponds reflected the ship’s lights back to the spacecraft Asclepius. This was the bath water and this view was part of the spa package.
***
After the attendant had left, Sonja took off the thick white robe the spa had provided. She noticed an orangish brown stain on the fleece inside. She made a face of disgust. But what did she expect? She had used a coupon.
Hanging the robe on a metal hook, Sonja looked into the mirror and stopped to admire herself. She was more fit than she had thought.
She eased into the tub. The water was viscous, bad smelling and almost unbearably hot to the touch. She would get used to it, she thought. She gazed down at her toes and at the rock that appeared huge just beyond the glass. Uncomfortably close.
The water temperature became tolerable but the smells did not. It was noxious. She tried to call out to her attendant outside but found she couldn’t. Sonja gagged and stiffened. Her vision went down a tunnel of static. Her eyes slowly closed halfway. Shrinking pupils clicking from the left to right repeatedly. The tunnel closed. The fumes took over everything.
***
Sonja was soaking in black. Spots of white moved above her. It was the night sky. She was submerged in water. The air was clean and warm. Her body felt heavy and unmovable. A large rectangular object passed by overhead. It was metal and glass and made an old, rickety sound. The Asclepius. What did that mean? She was in a crater filled with water. Steam hung in the air.
Tiny pinkish dots were swimming amongst the debris in the water surrounding her. They tickled Sonja’s body as they swam around her. They grew very quickly from eggs to an inch long in seconds, transforming in front of her eyes. They were human-like and had crowned heads. One had a red ribbon tied onto the crown. One carried a trident. They had wide tails to cover their nudity. She thought about advertisements she saw in comic books as a kid and was filled with joy. They began to do tricks and Sonja laughed and clapped. “Sea Monkeys”, she whispered and giggled.
They kept changing, flushing with darkness. Their crowns rounded into suction cups with tiny teeth. Their tails grew long and tape-like.
Mature leeches, dark green with a light blotchy stripe down their backs. They probed her body. One attached to the skin of her armpit. With disgust, she pulled on its tail but it only stretched impossibly long and wouldn’t detache.
Were leeches the treatment? It hadn’t been communicated to her. She wouldn’t have agreed to this. Would she?
Soon a second and then a third leech attached. The fourth had two heads and both grabbed a space on her stomach on either side of her belly button. Her skin was being covered. The leeches grew fat with her blood. She was being drained.
***
Sonja stood up and stepped out of the tub. The man in the latex suit was holding the white robe open. He looked the other way for her modesty. She slid into it. The immaculate white fleece lining was soft on her skin.
She felt great.
About:
10 Hygiea is the 4th largest body in the Main asteroid Belt. It has a radius of nearly 138 miles and makes up 3% of the total mass of the belt. It is considered an asteroid, minor planet and possibly a dwarf planet.
Sea monkeys most likely don’t Live there.