Free Reset by Jacqueline Druga

powered equipment. But it can be utilized elsewhere...”
    “Sweet. We will need these.” John smiled.
    Guiding Nora toward the door, Jason stepped to them. “John, what are you doing?”
    “In case this door opens and nothing is there. I want everything out of here before the timer ticks down.”
    Jason drew up a quirky look. “Are you that convinced things are bad?”
    “I’m smart.” John said. “And this is my plan B. Seriously, if it is bad. It’s best to be prepared. If it’s early, we could emerge to a violent world, if we overslept, nothing will be good anymore.”
    “You’re ridiculous,” Jason said.
    “Call me what you may, but you’ll be calling me for food when you’re hungry.” John stated smug.
    “Guys,” Amy said and pointed. “Twenty seconds.”
     
     
    The digital time counted down while the eight of them waited by the door. Jason, Nora, Malcolm and Grant had two backpacks each.
    John, of course, had what he could grab from the storeroom.
    Amy, Meredith and President Thomas optimistically had nothing.
     
    Ten seconds …
    John inhaled deeply and bounced from heel to toe. He was closest to the door and he turned to look at those behind him. Each had placed on the clothes that were in their locker, no longer did any of them wear the comfortable drawstring pants. No longer did they look like lab experiments.
    “Aren’t we all going to look silly with all this stuff when this door opens and people yell ‘welcome back’?” John asked the group.
    Jason tossed a serious stare his way.
    “Maybe not,” John cleared his throat.
    Five.
    Four.
    Three … Two... One.
    A deep buzz rang out and the door slid open.

Seventeen – lifting
    John’s allergies,  would act up for sure, after all, according to Dr. Harrison, it was April. At least he missed those dreadful winters in Connecticut. Those were some of the thoughts that raced through his mind. None of them ever considered an elevator was behind the countdown door.
    Yet, sure, enough it made sense why they couldn’t get it open, when it slid from left to right.
    The opening of the door exposed a huge freight like elevator, one everyone hesitated in entering.
    Using his foot, John pushed a box to ensure the door remained open, they started moving their belongings in there.
    “None of you are gonna help?” he asked. The others just entered, moving to the side of the items John shoved inside.
    Appearing frustrated, Jason set down his backpack. “I’ll help. Only because you’re so darned adamant about this. You’re scaring me.”
    “Little voice of your savior not chiming in and telling you give it to him?” John asked with sarcasm. “Get it, the big Christian saying, Give it to God.”
    A slight growl rolled from Jason’s throat, yet he continued to help move the boxes inside.
    Soon enough Malcolm and Grant joined in, along with Nora. Meredith was agitated and the president urged them to hurry because he just wanted to get topside.
    They got what they could inside, not everything fit, and John didn’t want to waste time, especially knowing the lab would be decontaminated.
    The door to the elevator closed. John turned and faced the rear of the lift. Another door was there and he was willing to wager, that was the one that would open once they were lifted to the top.
    With a shift, the elevator moved and they began to rise. It moved slowly and steadily for a long time. John figured they were deep in the belly of the complex.
    Very deep.
    Supplies surrounding him, John waited impatiently but didn’t show it. Even with his doomsday attitude and ‘just in case’ ways, John was optimistic. To him, when the elevator doors opened those supplies wouldn’t be needed, he’d be the butt of all jokes when the group of scientists, along with his pissed off wife, were there to greet him.
     
     
    The spark of nerves fluttered in the pit of Jason’s stomach when he thought about reaching the top. He closed his eyes and said a prayer. To