With a watch on his wrist, no memory of his past, and a puzzle-filled room, Atlas tries desperately to escape the elevators.
Upon waking to darkness, Atlas stumbles into the white room. His desire for answers driving his feet to move. In the firs...
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"Are you listening to me?" the girl repeated.
Her words snapped Atlas out of his daze. He blinked. Looking down to her hand, he noticed that she had a pair of scissors akin to the set in his back pocket and a watch identical to his.
"Atlas. Who are you?" He was unsure if he could trust the redhead. Keeping his conversation minimal felt like the best course of action.
The girl kept the sharp object in her grasp. Her gaze was unwavering as she replied.
"Hope." Atlas looked into the girl's eyes to find something he had seen in his own eyes just seconds before: fear, uncertainty, and confusion. Atlas chuckled to himself and shook his head. "Hope. Yeah right." The bitterness in his voice surprised him. He tried to walk around the girl but she was fast to react. He felt the cool edge of the scissors against his throat and could feel her forearm pushing his chest back. Atlas lifted his hands in submission.
Her face was inches away from his, her breath so hot that he could feel it. Her mouth was set into a thin hard line and her eyes danced with anger. "Are you the one who put me here?" she questioned.
Atlas looked taken-aback by the question. He was wondering where she had come up with the notion that he could be the reason she was here. "N-no!," he stuttered, "Of course not!"
Hope's grip tightened on the metal. "And why should I trust you?"
The pressure of her arm against his chest was heavy. She was fully intent on stabbing the blade into his throat if she did not like his answer.
Atlas had to think quickly. Looking around the room he examined the location of the pillows. That's when it hit him: he needed to find something in common to use as a bargaining chip.
"Because I can help you escape," he reasoned.
At this, Hope's eyes widened. Just as fast as the emotion spread to her face, it vanished, and the same hard features were back. She seemed to be thinking for a few moments before releasing him with a slight push. She took a few steps back and placed the scissors into her back pocket.
"How?" Hope asked with a slight plea in her voice. She seemed to want out as desperately as he did.
Atlas let out the breath he had been holding and looked to the room once again.
'I need to be careful around her .' he thought to himself before backing up towards the vanity.
Finding honesty and his knowledge of this particular room to be a key to gaining her trust, he touched the mirror that was behind him for indication. He never took his eyes off the unpredictable girl as he felt the smooth and cool surface hit his fingertips.
