The Next Room — Christina Engela

Things aren't always as they seem. Neither was Andy Niksn. Outwardly, Andy appeared to be the successful, respected, somewhat over-paid Captain of a commercial space liner. Andy loved his job, and not just because it paid well and the crisp white uniform gave him an opportunity to show off his assets - but also because it meant seeing his best friend Jim every day! Trouble was, Andy felt trapped! He was in a relationship with Mandy Fringle - another colleague - a dead-end partnership that had no future and promised both even less happiness. Jim Sykes had never returned Andy's affections - and on top of that, Jim had died recently, leaving Andy in the darkest place he'd ever been - and he didn't mean space! Andy, who felt that life had turned into a living, waking nightmare - wished he could just wake up to a different reality where everything could make sense again! It became something almost like a prayer! As it turned out, someone heard him.