Within the Maze

Locked Down

She swipes her card and the door slides open. It clicks into it place tucked into the wall and I yank my arm from her grasp, letting my frustration with her show through.

Walking reluctantly into my room, I turn just in time to see the woman shake her head somberly in what I assume is either pity or disgust.

The watch on her wrist lights up suddenly and she freezes, bringing her arm up to where she can see the small screen more clearly. Her lips purse in confusion momentarily before a look of frenzy sweeps over her face.

I watch as the woman struggles to get her card back out of her pocket and into the slot. She lets out a loud grunt in frustration and scurries away as the door closes, the sound of her squeaking shoes fading as she heads towards who knows where.

I back up and flop down onto my bed, transitioning over onto my stomach.

"Sure. I'm definitely free." I whisper sourly to myself while fingering the thin, plain, white sheets.

I throw my legs back across and roll over to my back again before sitting up. I look around trying to find any way that I could possibly escape. One thing is for sure it couldn't be for long. Especially if I want my absence to go unnoticed.

I grip the edge of the mattress tightly and furrow my brow. You would think that being confined to this room as long as I have been I would know of any alternate exits.

It wasn't until a couple of months back that I became intent on venturing out of my room. I've always kind of been content with staying put because overall, WICKED has been good to me. They could have left me to be killed by the Crazies.

I don't remember much before they took me in. No specific memories come to mind except the faces of my parents before they became sick.

While I had been thinking I hadn't realized that I had closed my eyes. They snap open and I turn my head towards the door where voices are rising and words are being exchanged at an alarming speed. I push off of the bed with some opposition from the tender and sore crook of my arms. Scurrying to the door, I press my ear to the cold surface straining to listen to the frantic exchange.

"Have you transferred the rest of the subjects from this floor to the bunkers?"

"Yes. To my knowledge, they are all accounted for."

"To your knowledge?! You mean to say that you don't know for sure?"

"Well, I, that's what I was told by other members of our staff." The voice hesitated, the tension in the air thick enough to cut with a knife.

"If you are incorrect, Doctor Paige will have my head. Go check the numbers yourself. Now."

The second man stutters something that I can't quite distinguish and I hear him stumble away hurriedly. I hear the small beep of the security access card being accepted and my door clicks warning me that it is about to slide open.

Jumping back onto my bed, a tall man with salt and pepper hair steps in and briskly makes his way over to me, disregarding the fact that I had so obviously been eavesdropping.

"Come with me." He said reaching to grab my arm. I yank back making him grasp nothing but air. "Now." He said gravely holding my gaze. I gritted my teeth and stood up still avoiding his reach.

"Fine but I can walk on my own."

"Don't fall behind or I'll leave you." The man grunted and turned swiftly on his heel. He began taking long, urgent, strides and I struggled to keep up with him.

"Why are we walking so fast? Where are we going?" I say trying hard not to show the amount of effort it's taking me to keep up. We round another corner and stop in front of a door to my left.