Fear and Sabers | (The Push of a Button #1)

Whoops

I had no idea what was happening.

Here I sat, phone and cursed button in hand, strapped to a chair.

Or at least, I think it was a chair. It was terribly uncomfortable and reminded me of a torture machine I'd seen in a movie. My hands were strapped down, and I was cocked slightly backwards, just enough to make my neck hurt as I looked about the room in confusion.

It was very dark. Black floor and ceilings, and the door looked like it slid open. There were no windows, and a low hum came from....somewhere.

I swallowed thickly. Who knew what kind of universe I had been transported to? I could be in some freakish horror movie waiting for my execution by a creepy alien creature.

I sighed and licked my lips, once again trying to free my hands from the restraints. I mentally cursed myself, or at least, I cursed myself with the one curse word I knew. My mom didn't even let me say "oh my god." And I was sixteen. But right now, this situation called for vibrant words.

I glanced at the button in my other hand. Surely this button couldn't have put me here. I'd gotten it in the mail. Anonymously,but I'd thought it was from a friend. It had reminded me of that post I'd seen floating around the internet. I had laughed and shrugged,giving it a good ol' push just because, and boom. A flash and a whoosh and here I sat. I'd called my mom soon after, but my dad and the rest of my siblings who had phones weren't answering. I'd explained to mom as best I could, and of course, she didn't believe me.

I banged my foot against the metal seat and muttered to myself. I didn't dare scream for help. I might alert the aliens. But, if I didn't, I might sit here until I died.

The minutes ticked by.

The room felt like it was closing in. Why did it have to be so dark?

I had just opened my mouth to shout when I heard footsteps behind the door.

Oh no.

My instincts told me to hide, but obviously, I couldn't follow them.

Darned instincts.

I began quaking in my boots as the footsteps drew closer, and then they stopped outside the door. A beeping noise, and the door whooshed open-

I gawked as a man in white armor strode into the room. Or it could be a woman. I couldn't tell. He stopped when he spotted me, his hand immediately moving to what I suddenly realized was a gun.

"Don't shoot me!" I squealed. "I come in peace!"

"Quiet!" The voice was definitely a man's, but it was garbled, like it was coming through an old radio. "Prisoners aren't allowed to speak."

"I'm not-" I bit my tongue. I didn't dare find out what happened to prisoners who did dare speak. I frowned as I looked him over. On his chest armor he had a number, TF-3997.

"What are you doing here? We have taken no prisoners." The armor man's helmet expression didn't change, but I felt his evil glare.

Also, he wasn't that bright. Telling me to shut up and then asking me a question?

"I dunno," I said moodily. "I just showed up here."

"Silence!"

I almost screamed out that curse word, but the armor man had pushed something and was now speaking into what I guessed was an intercom in his helmet. Man, this armor man was high-tech. Also, he looked almost exactly like-

"Sir, we have a prisoner in the interrogation cell. Please alert the Supreme Leader."