Rebel Rising: A Dystopian Romance

Below, the Creepers on the ladder were gaining on us as we pushed upwards and passed the next floor of the bunker. There were just two more levels to go and I could see the outline of a round hatch with a big wheel to open it, looming above our heads.

The ladder gave a shuddering groan and we froze momentarily before increasing our speed again. Alicia reached the hatch and leaned back as she tried to force the wheel to turn while Laurie held her in place so that she didn't fall. I clung to the metal rungs and waited. Adrenalin pounded through my veins.

I glanced down to see the Creepers rapidly closing the gap between us.

The ladder shuddered and groaned again, lurching backwards as some of the bolts holding it to the wall gave way and I fought back a scream with everything I had as I clung on for dear life.

The wheel on the hatch finally gave and started to turn under Alicia's efforts.

With another loud groan, the ladder lurched back and I watched in horror as the metal broke apart above my hands.

My section dropped again and I was flung backwards as it peeled away from the wall. I screamed as I fell backwards, hooking my arms around the ladder even though I knew it wouldn't save me if the whole thing broke. I scrunched my eyes shut and clung on with all my strength.

Coal released the ladder below my feet and I opened my eyes, terrified that I’d see him falling to his death. For a moment I couldn't see him at all and then I felt his hand close on my ankle as the ladder shuddered again, swinging me further out and away from the wall. Coal stood on the top floor of the bunker, his eyes locked onto mine.

“Come on,” he urged, reaching for me.

There was a deep bang as Alicia finally got the iron wheel on the hatch to finish turning and it fell open. A weak beam of dim sunlight lit the shaft. I looked up towards the possibility of escape but the ladder was peeling free of the wall and there was no way I would make it.

The section above me started to shift too, the masonry crumbling around the bolts as Laurie screamed in panic.

“Trust me, let go," Coal commanded, his hand stretched out to me.

I reached towards him, my hand shaking as I released the freezing metal. Our hands connected and he yanked me off of the ladder with a surge of strength.

I fell into the top floor of the bunker just as the ladder gave way completely, landing on top of him with and oomph.

I rolled aside and scrambled back to my feet, desperate to see what had happened to Alicia and Laurie as screams echoed through the elevator shaft and the broken remains of the ladder fell from the wall.

The terrible cacophony of screams was cut short as the Creepers on the ladder plunged to their deaths and an echoing boom resounded through the open space.

I clung to Alicia's hand with all my strength as I swung over the terrifying drop beneath me. Alicia's white blonde hair hung down around her face as she leaned forward, her stomach digging into one side of the hatch and her free hand braced against the other as she fought to keep hold of me.

I started to slip, the fear making my palms sweaty as I battled to cling on. My legs swung wildly above the drop and I didn't dare to look down.

Alicia's face twisted and she released her grip on the hatch, bringing her other hand down to clasp my wrist. With a powerful wrench and a growl of determination, Alicia yanked and I was dragged higher. I grabbed at the metal door with my free hand, catching the wheel and clawing at it as Alicia heaved me upwards again.

As I broke through the opening, I kicked and dug my elbows into the hard concrete above the hatch, my skin tearing as I dragged myself forward. With a final grunt of effort, Alicia wrenched me out and I rolled away from the gaping hole with a gasp of relief.

The two of us lay panting on our backs for several seconds as the adrenaline subsided.

“Holy fuck,” I breathed, trying to grasp the fact that I’d actually just survived that.

“You can say that again,” Alicia panted before crawling back to peer through the hatch.

I scrambled onto my hands and knees and followed her quickly.

Pale daylight filtered down from the opening and lit the top of the elevator shaft so that we could see some way down into the dark. It wasn't bright enough to show many details of the twisted, broken shapes on top of the elevator far below us and I quickly turned my gaze from them as I hunted for my friends.

I couldn't see Maya and Coal anywhere.

“Are you okay?" I called desperately, my heart pounding with fear for them.

"Yeah," Maya replied shakily from somewhere on the top floor and I shifted until I could see her and Coal standing there looking up at us.

Alicia moved away from the hatch and glanced around quickly before leaning back down to look at them again.

“There's nothing up here. We're going to have to go and find some vines to get you out," she called.