I woke up the next morning brushed my teeth, took a shower, and got dressed. I wore a grey long sleeve shirt, a pair of dark blue jeans, and a pair of old brown combat boots. I pinned my hair up "messy ballerina bun" as my mom called it. When I came out of the bathroom Kida was waiting for me by the door. We didn't need our bags we didn't have school today. Just The Test.
We made our way to the testing wing in silence. Once we made it there we both walked over to our parents and awaited our names to be called. One after one names of fellow classmates were called. It's been an hour and so far none of them have been removed. I know my name is coming but, when it's called a rush of panic shoots throughout my body.
"Linnea Howard," I look to both of my parents. They both smile and my mom gives my hand a tight squeeze. I get up from the chair and made my way towards the testing room. I toss a look at Kida and she also gives me a reassuring smile.
The door shuts with a loud bang behind me and I'm engulfed in cold air. I look at the door and see two very large men standing on either side. Then I look around at the walls all I see it dark, rusty, tented, metal just like most of the compound.
"Sit," demands a lady in a lab coat with jet black hair that stops just below her ears. I do as I'm told I walk to the center of the room and sit on the cold steel table. She walks over to me and shines a light into my eyes then she writes something on her clipboard. She had dark bags under her dull brown eyes as if she hadn't had a good night's sleep in days.
"Are you feeling okay today?" she asks in dead voice.
"Yes," I reply simply seeing as she didn't seem like much of talker.
"Okay now lay back," I swing my feet onto the table and lay my head back. She then begins to attach some wires to my temples and walks over to her end table. One it was a bowl of clear pills and a water cooler with a stack of cups beside it. She fills the small cup with water then picks up a pill.
"Take the pill whenever you're ready," she tells me while dropping the pill into my hand. I sit up, place the pill on my tongue, and use the water she hands me to wash it down. She takes the cup from me and I lay back down.
"Close your eyes and relax it will be over before you know it," she says as she walks back over to her desk and starts typing on her computer. I close my eyes and try to relax, but the table was uncomfortable and freezing. After a few seconds I open my eyes to tell her it's not working, but when I open my eyes I don't see her.
I'm standing in one of the hallways in the school wing. It's silent aside from the usual machine hum. I turn around to see a little girl approaching me. Her eyes are red, puffy and her bottom lip is quivering. I'm usually not a fan of kids; let alone crying ones, but she can't be much older than three. I squat down to eye level and brushed her wispy platinum blonde hair over her shoulder.
"What's wrong?" I ask lifting her chin up gently.
"H-He stole my toy. Can you get it back?" she asks her brown eyes looking into mine pleadingly. Her tiny, trembling finger points behind her to a boy about my age. I hadn't noticed him standing there a few seconds ago.
"Sure, I'll be right back stay here," I walk over to the guy she was pointing at and grip him by the shoulder and turn him around. It was none other than Devan. He would steal from a little kid.
"Give her back her toy," I demand.
"Try to take it short stop," he challenges poking me in my shoulder.
"Just give it back or else." I say swat his hand away and, standing my ground.
"Or else what? The little princess with call for her guards?" with his face inches from mine he scoffs and shakes his head. I can't take his gaze so I cast mine down to the ground. I should call the guards. Just when I begin open my mouth to call for the guards he speaks first.
"That's what I thought. You're scared, pathetic, and weak, He shoves me back and fall to the ground. Anger surges through me; I get up to feet and land a punch on his left cheek. His head jerks to the side and he rubs his cheek. He slowly turns back to me and his eyes are filled with rage. He takes a swing at me back but I duck just in time. I take the chance to punch him in the stomach and he stumbles back hunched over. His head snaps up and we both look at each other for a second.
I look down at my hands and notice they're trembling. He takes the chance and charges at me like the football players Kida's Dad and mine used to watch from before the war. The next thing I know he slams me into the wall. My eyes widen as I feel all the breath rushes out of my lungs. Devon backs away from me as slowly slump down against the wall. I gasp for air and try to focus on my breathing, but it proves to be rather difficult. My chest feels tight and my vision is blurry. The only thought that ran through my mind was that I was dying.
Devon bends down in front of me and looks straight into my eyes and says simply "Like I said... weak," Then in a instant he was standing above me again. He raises his black boot off the ground and slams it into my stomach. I squeeze my eyes shut and scream in pain.
Then my eyes fly open, I inhale taking in as much as I could and I clasp the side of the table. I breathe rapidly and reality starts to settle back in. I hear the lady in the lab coat yell at the guard's remove me, and doing as told I feel two hands grip my forearms firmly and the door opens. I squirm as much as possible and scream at them to let me go but their grip only tightens.
"No! There has to be a mistake!" I plead, but they ignore me as I'm dragged past my parents. They're both on their feet; my mom is hysterical and tries to run to me, but my dad hold her back. I take one last look at Kida and she's weeping into her dad's chest.
"Mom! Dad! Help me please! Please!" I beg as hot tears rush down my face.
"We'll figure it out sweetie I promise! Just a few hours and we figure it all out!" My dad yells to me; his voice is unwavering. He is on The Board maybe he could work something out.
I'm dragged down hallways I've never seen before and eventually into another room. They toss me into it and shut a steel door behind me. I bang on the door and I continue to beg for them to let me out. Through a small window in the door I see them tapping some numbers on a keypad and realize its begging is of no use.
I wipe my eyes with my sleeve and turn around and see a door resembles that of a bank vault. The door opens slowly with a hiss and a rush of air fills the small room. I stood there for a couple seconds taking it all in. I didn't have to wait for the door to open to know what was on the other side.
It was the Outlands. The one place we we're never supposed to go. The one place that was considered said to be a death sentence. I look back at the guards and all they do is look at me with emotionless expressions on their faces. I wonder how they plan to make me leave. Why won't they come out here and throw me out the doors themselves? I look around the room and guns mounted in two corners the wall. Then I hear a man's voice come from above the door.
"Leave now or die where you stand," well that answers teat question. I start walking toward the vault door. I didn't want to be shot, I want to live and out there I still have a chance to. It might be a small chance, but a chance none the less. I stood in the frame of the vault door. I slowly lift my right foot up and it hovers above the grass. "Now!" I jump as the voice shouts at me.
I close my eyes then I allow myself to place both feet onto the grass. I breathe in deeply and crisp, cool, fresh air fills my lungs. I don't know quite know exactly what I imagined it to smell like but, this in no way matched anything I could ever think up. The air in compound was stuffy and smelt like oil. This air smelt sweet, clean, untouched by man.
I feel a soft breeze gently sweep across my face. It was cool enough that Goosebumps appeared on my arms. Everything is quite expected for the leaves on the trees blowing softly in the wind. The sound of the vault door sealing shut behind me snapped me back to reality. I open my eyes suddenly becoming more alert of my surroundings.
I look up to the sky. It was painted baby blue color with some wispy clouds. Then I look around me and all I see is green. Tall, bushy trees and high, lush grass surround me. I crouched down to feel the grass. A smile forms on my lips as it tickled the palms of my hands slightly. This all seemed like some incredibly vivid dream, but it wasn't. This is all real; I'm in the Outlands.
The smile slowly slipped away as I began to realize one very important thing. This place is a nightmare clocked as a daydream. Worst of all I was facing this nightmare alone.
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