Earth is Dying

13 - (Layla's POV)

There are too many thoughts running around in my mind for me to be calm right now. Why didn't Atlas go through with running away with me? Why did the volunteers say they're taking us to be a part of the experiment? And where are we going, now that they've tied up me and Atlas and forced us to sit in the back of this van. I want to ask so many questions, but I can't because my mouth is taped shut. I look out window, and it feels surreal as I watch the orphanage get farther away behind us. Leaving the orphanage should be a happy feeling, but under these circumstances it's not and it never will be. I watch as trees fly out of my line of sight, and I shed a tear as I see the garden, with the sunflowers still swaying in the distance, go away too. I look at atlas, and I give him a look that shows him how angry I am at him for not only betraying me by leaving me behind, but also betraying me by not sticking to his word. He puts his head down in disappointment, like he's either disappointed for leaving me or disappointed for intervening and getting himself involved in this mess too. Either way, based on what the volunteers said, he would've been involved as soon as he woke up in the morning and he wouldn't be leaving with his dad so I don't know where his sense of regret is coming from. Me and Atlas sit patiently and silently, since we have no other choice and wait for the person driving us to give us some answers. The volunteer driving us to our unknown definition is short, peppy, and psychotic. She knows full well that what she's doing is kidnapping, and she drives with a silent smirk on her face. She has bright red hair and orange lipstick which is a horrible combination for her pale as snow skintone. "Look to you right kiddos!", she squeals making me jump in my seat. "We're almost to our destination," she says with such pure enthusiasm and cheerfulness that it makes me want to vomit. I hear a gasp, and I look over at Atlas, who, even though his mouth isn't visible through the tape, is still clearly shocked beyond belief. I look through his window to see what hes looking at, and I see the biggest monstrosity ive ever seen in my life. Layers upon layers of an all ceramic government base looking building with a sign in the center that says something in a different language I cant understand. So this is real, this is happening. I am trapped with Atlas Montana and we are going to participate in the supposed greatest experiment of history against our own will. We are now going to be the governments test subjects, and this building proves that. "Oh isn't this so exciting!", the volunteer says while she bounces up and down in here seat. "We're pulling in, we're pulling in!!", she squeals as our van makes it off of the dirt road and into a security gate. A man working the gate exhales his cigarette smoke as he checks the volunteers id to make sure shes authorized to go in. When the gate buzzes to let us through she says, "This is just the beginning kids."