Milk Carton

A chilled milk carton sits partially obscured among the clutter of Professor Chronotis' room. Its white cardboard surface, darkened slightly at the seams where condensation has gathered, marks the urgency of the moment. Romana notes it only peripherally—its presence is incidental to her immediate task of stabilizing Chronotis' failing vitals with the medical collar. The carton sits undisturbed, a mundane reality amid the alien crisis.