Revived (Revived, #1)

by Jodie Kobe

Rob greets the people we pass and I assume he’s trying to lower any suspicion they might have. I do believe he’s making the situation worse. People might actually start to realize something must be going on.

  The next time Rob’s hand shoots up to wave at someone, I slap it down in vexation. “Stop.” I know I did the same thing my first day here but I can’t help but get bothered by Rob. He’s trying to use me to escape for Pete’s sake!

  By the time we get down to the steps, my anger has ceased and I get a little curious to what’s out there. It wouldn’t hurt would it?

  These are the first stairs I’ve seen here. Are these the only ones? Rob starts ascending them and I hesitate. I know there’s no way he would let me go right now. Unless I run…

  He turns his head slightly toward my direction. “Are you coming?”

  I follow him.

  The stairs go up for a while. I don’t exactly know how long it will take us to travel to the top. Rian had said we’re underground. But how far from the Earth’s surface?

  We’re still heading up, and my feet are already sore.

  Rob doesn’t seem to be stressing out as much as I am.

  “Hey, Vivian?” he calls as he skips a few steps, increasing the distance between us. “Have you ever thought of heading to the gym?”

  I scoff and keep climbing. So he noticed I’m struggling. “How much longer?” I breathe out.

  He shrugs. “An elevator was supposed to be here. They created stairs instead so it doesn’t have to constantly run on electricity.”

  “Elevator! Pfft!” I exclaim.

  I really wish the elevator was here.

  We’ve been traveling for fifteen minutes (according to Rob’s watch) when we reach the top of the staircase.

  There is a narrow hallway in front of us now. It’s made of gray brick. Rob tells me if I would’ve traveled faster, we would have arrived five minutes earlier.

  Squinting toward the end of the brick hallway, I see a metal door. It doesn’t look too big.

  My heart rate picks up and Rob shakes his hands out. “Exciting, isn’t it?” he asks.

  I guess it is. What is out there? I imagine an endless field of grass.

  Maybe instead of green, it’s dry and dead. That would make sense. Honestly, I don’t know what is going on outside, and I hope it isn’t in ruins.

  We slowly approach the door. I’m fidgeting with every step.

  So close to the outside but... it’s not too late to turn back.

  Rob reaches the metal door first and turns to me, beckoning me closer. “This won’t hurt.” He grabs my hand again and I want to pull back.

  I change my mind! I don’t want to find out what’s outside—

  Too late. He presses my tattooed hand onto the surface of the door, just like I do to access my bedroom door.

  Why me? Why these certain types of people? What’s so special about a tattoo?

  When I feel a faint vibration underneath my hand, I know it’s being scanned. I’m not ready to see what’s out in the world, but Rob’s grip is too tight for me to just pull my hand away.

  “Rob,” I mutter quickly. “Rob, I change my mind, I don’t want to—”

  Beep.

  The door slides open.

  I can’t help but recoil. A startled squeak escapes my mouth and I stare, dumbfounded, at what’s in front of my eyes.

  Rob is right. There is a glass hallway leading outside. It appears to stretch out for a few yards across the dirt. There is no grass.

  I take a step closer to the open metal door, but don't actually walk through.

  A gasp escapes me, and I suddenly feel so exposed.

  It's almost like I am actually outside. It's almost like there is no glass wall existing between me and the natural air.

  But there is, and it’s a major disappointment.

  Nature changed. It’s gray and depressing, not green and lively like it's supposed to be.

  Thick dust completely covers the air. If not for the glass surrounding me, I would have choked on it. And that’s it. I can’t see past the dust.

  So there is no such thing as the open field I hoped to see.

  A smirk brings me back to reality. I know it’s Rob’s.

  He stands there, and for a second, my gut twists.

  “This is all there is,” he says. “And this is all you will ever see during the last week of your life.”

  “Wha—?”

  “You're a nothing, Vivian, and that's all you'll ever be.”

  Before I can realize what's happened, Rob sticks his hands out and shoves me through the metal door.

  My feet strike the prickly, dry grass and I start to scramble back before I can crash into the glass walls keeping me from making contact with the air.

  There is a beep behind me.

  My blood turns cold and I turn around just in time to catch the door sliding closed.

  And I’m running, running for the door. But too late. It slams shut and I smack into it, making a loud thud.

  No. This can't be happening. Rob did not just lock me out.