Playlist for the Apocalypse

Chapter 30: Simple Man

EVELYN

The weight of Liz's words pressed down on Evelyn like gravity, and she slid down against the door, a storm of emotions brewing inside her.

For a moment, the light from the window caught her eye again and the memory of Jonathan's laughter flashed through her mind. She found herself wishing as she always did that she were anyone other than her frail, helpless self. Her fingers were ice and she rubbed them against her legs, willing herself not to freeze completely. Not again. She would not allow Liz to make these sacrifices. She wouldn't stand by while Jonathan was used as a pawn in NeuroGen's twisted game. She couldn't.

She clenched her cold hands into fists, letting the wave of anger again wash over her, heating her from inside like a flame.

"Enough," she murmured to herself, her voice barely audible. "I won't let this happen."

Determination sparked within her, and she hoped it would be enough to ignite a plan.

Evelyn's heart hammered as she paced the small room, her thoughts racing faster than her feet. She needed information. If she was going to save Jonathan, she had to know everything—where he was, what they planned to do, and how to disrupt it. The guards, the lab coat Liz wore, the sinister presence of NeuroGen—they all felt like pieces in a larger puzzle that she was desperate to solve.

She approached the door, pressing her ear against it. The corridor outside was quiet, but she could hear muffled voices further down—It wasn't Liz. No. Guards or scientists discussing her, or worse, Jonathan's fate? What had Liz said?

"They're prepping him for the procedure as we speak..."

Evelyn dragged her ear from the door. There was no time to gather more information or study up. She had to act.

Quickly she scanned the room, searching for anything that could aid her. The furniture was sparse, but a small desk in the corner held a few items: two pens and a notepad. The guards had brought them for her days ago, to fill her time by writing down her thoughts. She'd refused the gift and left them discarded on the table but now she seized the pen and paper, desperately wracking her brain for anything that might help her piece together a plan.

As she looked down at the pen in her hand, carefully, she unscrewed the cap pulling out the springs and thin pen tip within the plastic casing and eyed the keyhole in the door. She'd never been particularly resourceful but she vaguely remembered that day back at the mall when Jonathan had shown off his "MacGyver" skills and done something similar to get them into a few of the stores. A spark of hope flickered in her chest.

Evelyn took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm as she walked towards the door, pen in hand. She could do this, even without a true plan. All she had to do was get to her siblings and then to Jonathan and they would be able to escape. She had to believe that.

She began to work quietly, focusing on the keyhole with her makeshift lockpick crafted out of the disassembled pens, hoping against hope that she could get it open. Time was of the essence, and every second felt like a countdown.

She knew she was being idealistic in her plan of escape, but she had to believe that this would work. As she twisted the tool, a faint sound of footsteps suddenly echoed closer. Panic surged through her, but she pressed on, heart pounding. If she could just—

The door creaked open suddenly, and Evelyn froze, hiding the tool behind her back. A guard stood in the doorway, wearing a black mask and helmet that rendered his expression indecipherable.

"Time's up, sweetheart. You need to come with me."

Evelyn swallowed hard, forcing her expression to remain neutral. The pens felt like lead in her hands, and she shoved them up the sleeve of her sweater. "Where are you taking me?"