Earth is Dying

12 - (Atlas's POV)

I know Layla wants me to leave with her, and believe me, I want to leave with her too, but there's a part of me that wants to go back to my dad... I know that sounds crazy, but with the years ive been in here ive hoped that hes changed, and that ill be able to see him again. He might be off the pills now, and the fact that he asked to get me back shows he actually has interest in me for once. A person I care about has actually showed that they want me, and to go with Layla means ill be completely ignoring that and not even giving my dad a chance to explain himself, explain why he got rid of me, or to even say sorry for how he treated me when I still lived with him. I hate him so much for leaving me, for treating me badly, for pretty much abusing me, but at the same time I feel like just hearing him say "I'm sorry" would help to heal the pain in my heart that he caused me. To hear him say "I love you, son" would end my sleepless nights of suffering, and would allow me to make peace with myself after having to accept the fact that I don't have a family anymore. Just to be able to have one person who I can call my dad would mean the world to me. I know I care about Layla, but I don't think I can risk the chance of me being genuinely happy again. I still plan to reach out to her, to continue to get to know her, but I cant risk this, not now, not when I finally have hope again. So I tuck myself into bed, and I wait, I wait until the next morning comes so I can see my dad. I remind myself over and over again that even though Layla thinks im letting her down, im not, even though I did tell her I would leave with her. I close my eyes, and I try not to cry. I'm surprised that I feel the need to cry over leaving her, because I haven't cried in years, not since I first got here. But as soon as I close my eyes I see Layla, in a dream, running away from the orphanage without me. She looks panicked, terrified, and most importantly she's screaming for me "Atlas, Atlas.. why would you do this to me?" I jolt suddenly, causing me to wake up, and take deep breaths to try to forget about the nightmare I just had. I see all of the boys in my room whispering and shocked. It's 4:00 am, they shouldn't still be up. "What are you guys whispering about?" I ask, fully startled now. "How have you not heard?? It sounded like Layla, there were screams coming from outside the door, Atlas. She doesn't sound okay." I don't think, I just act, I run outside the door and I see Layla, on the ground, bruises all over her body, screaming at the people pinning her on the ground to stop hurting her. "GET OFF OF HER", I shout, and I run towards the volunteers, trying to pry myself to get to her. "Atlas Montana, perfect, we were going to get to you tomorrow ," one says, "but I guess we can just get to it today." I shudder at the voice of the volunteer ive never heard before, and I look at Layla, still pinned on the ground, with tears streaming down her cheek. "What do you want from us?," I tremble. The woman steps up close to me and breathes into my face, "Congratulations Atlas, you've been chosen to be a part of the experiment."