Signal

Vera had been alone on the station for six years. Every day she checked the systems, ate her food, and watched the stars. The station was old, and something broke down almost every week. Six years ago, Earth had gone silent without any warning. One day the radio was full of voices; the next day, there was nothing. No calls, no news, no ships — just the cold hum of the machines. Vera had learned to live with the silence, but she never stopped listening. That night, she was drinking coffee when a small light began to blink. It was the old receiver — a channel that had been dead for years. Her heart began to race as she turned up the volume. Through the noise, she could just make out a human voice. The signal was weak, but the words were slowly becoming clear. "This is Earth," the voice said. "Please, can anyone hear us?" Vera's hands were shaking as she reached for the microphone. Then the voice said something that made her blood run cold. "Vera," it said softly. "Vera, are you still there?" It knew her name — and the voice was her own.