Resurgent

Chapter 3

I open my eyes and stare at the blank ceiling above me. Unfortunately, I still feel tired and weighed down, probably a side effect of all the serums injected in me. The room is still empty and I don’t know how long I’ve been sleeping for.

Caleb, Cara, and Matthew have probably already told Tobias and everyone else the “big news” about me. Do they really need a whole week to think about how I’m not actually dead? No. I slowly sit up and start to pull the wires off of me, carefully sliding the needles out of my pale skin. Dragging my legs to the edge of my bed, I take a deep breath and slide onto the floor. I stand up tall, but only for a few seconds, before I collapse. After lying on the marble tile for a little while, I take a deep breath and use my bed’s edge to pull myself back up. Gathering up strength and confidence, I take a step and this time my fall brings down one of the computers, which cracks against the hard tile. Frustrated, I try again. And again. And again. I’ve fallen too many times to count.

I rip myself up off of the ground and storm over to the desk at the foot of my bed. My vision is blurred by angry tears as I start to shove the stacks of paper onto the floor in frustration. It’s then that I realize what I did. I walked, with no support, over to this table and didn’t fall. Laughing a little, I slowly make my way to the door. I don’t know what to expect on the outside, so I close my eyes and step through the exit.

I find myself on a small stairwell platform and there are two options. I can go up the metal stairs or down them. Because I still feel weak and the stairs going up look too steep for me, I decide to go down. Clutching the railing, I shakily make my way to the first level below my room. Here, there is a long, narrow hallway, which is lined with several doors, each with a glowing green or red light above it. I walk down the passageway and stand on my tiptoes to peek my head through each door’s window.

In most of the rooms, I see people hunched over computers. In some of them are businessmen and women engaged in discussions and heated debates. I notice, however, that they aren’t wearing a particular faction color. Instead, they are dressed in yellows, blues, greens, browns— anything. It’s different than when the factionless would combine the different clothing items of several factions, though. The outfits these people wear seem more…organized. The colors all blend together and are nice to look at.

I continue down the hall until I reach the last door. Expecting to see the usual men and women with their computers, I pointlessly steal a quick glance through the window then turn around to start back to the staircase. After taking three steps, I stop. This last room was different. It was smaller than the others and contained only one small desk and chair.  Also unlike the other rooms, there was only one person occupying the space. Although only the businessman’s back was faced towards me, I think I know who he is. Afraid that I may be wrong, or perhaps also nervous that I may be right, I step backwards to the last door and peer in.

It’s him. It’s Tobias. I watch as he continues typing rapidly on his computer. After a few minutes, he stands up and walks to the other side of the room to get a drink of water from a fountain I didn’t see before. His movement is relaxed even though he wears a black and white suit that looks uncomfortable. I watch as he walks into another corner of the room, which is out of my view. Desperate to see Tobias still, I press my face against the window and lean into the door, straining my eyes to catch a glimpse of him.

Instead of seeing him, however, the door gives way and I topple into the room. Startled, Tobias whips around and puts his fists up.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” He commands in his deep voice.

“Tobias…It’s me.” I sit up and wipe my hair out of my face. “It’s Tris.”

I expect him to pick me up and wrap me in his arms but instead, he backs away and keeps his fists in the air.

“No. Tris died a long time ago.” I can tell he’s confused as he slowly shakes his head. “Now, please tell me who you really are before I have you arrested.”

His eyes wildly move around, trying to take in every detail of me and trying to make sense of it all. It’s the first time I’ve seen his eyes in almost three years. They are still a deep blue, but they seem so distant, as if dreaming of another time. I get lost in them, trying to see if he’s still the same man I knew.

“Caleb didn’t tell you? What about Cara or Matthew?” I ask, wondering why he doesn’t believe I’m alive when he was supposed to be prepped already.

“Tell me what?” I can tell he’s becoming more and more upset.

“That…that they managed to save me.”

“They tried telling me something about Tris being alive but I knew they were lying because they figured out that I’ve had an extra bad week.” Tobias’ eyes begin to look tired.

“It wasn’t a lie! I’m here, it’s me!” I stand up and make my way towards him. “Look at me! They saved my life and I’m back now. I’m back.”

I reach out and grab his hand, which is still clenched.

He pulls away quickly as he anxiously yells, “Don’t! Don’t touch me. Please…” His voice is calmer now as he walks away from me. “Just leave me alone. This doesn’t help.”

Tears swell up in my eyes as I watch him lean both arms on his desk, hunched over in grief. No, he has to realize that it’s really me. He should be able to tell that I’m not some imposter. If anything, I’m the one that should be scared. I’ve missed two and a half years of my life and now am just expected to pop back into the world like nothing happened. Meanwhile, Tobias had a life and was able to create a living for himself.

“You don’t get to do this.” I quietly say.

“What?” Tobias agitatedly responds.

“You don’t get to reject me. I’m alive and you are refusing to even look at me! I’ve been gone for a while but I’m here now! So stop sulking and turn around! I’m scared too and don’t know how this is going to work but I need you to help me.” I frantically start raising my voice and watch him intently. “Tobias! Are you even listening? You can’t check out now, not after I’m finally alive again!”

“You see, that’s just it. I’m supposed to just accept that you’re alive again? After all these years?” He slowly turns around. “I…I held your cold hand and watched them take you to the morgue. I spread your ashes when I went down the zip line. And now I see you standing here, alive and yelling at me just like you used to.”

I can’t help but laugh. I did used to yell at him a lot.

“This is funny to you?”

“No. No, of course not.” I’ve been standing for quite a while now and have been off of the serums for even longer. “I just…I…um…I ju…”

The room starts to spin and I realize that I’m falling. That last thing I see is Tobias lunging forward to catch me as he yells, “Tris!”

Then everything goes black.