A thudding vibration rustles me into hallway consciousness, and I groan and turn over, trying to stay asleep. Another earthquake-like rumbling ripples through the room. Now I'm up, wide-awake, and looking around frantically. Another loud crash and I'm knocked off my feet. Strands of hair fall into my face as I stand, but I push them away and tie it up. I hear lots of shouting then rapid gunfire outside, but I can't tell exactly where from, whether it is inside or outside the base.
My fists beat fiercely at the door, but no one is around to hear me. I begin shouting out names of some of the men, for someone to let me out.
Maybe it's just an exercise, I think to myself, Maybe, hopefully, but probably not.
Another explosion tests my balance. I look around frantically at the same room I've looked at for days. And then it hits me. The vent. It's small. But I think I'm slim enough to fit through. I scoot the bed over; the scraping against the linoleum hurts my ears. The rickety frame is tall enough that I can reach the vent, and it easily pops open.
Shoulda thought of this sooner.
It takes some effort, though the push-ups helped a great deal, to hoist myself up into the vent. It's much too small, and I feel instantly claustrophobic. Panic begins to take over as I inch myself forward nonetheless, but soon I feel stuck. The metal tube shudders with another explosion and I reach my breaking point; instantly I back up and fall out of the shaft. I plop onto my bed, breathing heavily. One more blast sounds before I'm calm enough to sit up.
I prop my elbows on my knees, head in my hands in defeat. There is nothing I can do.
YOU ARE READING
The Fear Within Me
AdventureSeventeen-year-old Samantha Tucker is a city girl from New York. She's always been invisible and forgettable, keeping mostly to herself except to play violin in the school band. When military science goes terribly wrong, Halos take over every previo...
