Bunker 29

 “Evacuation is starting in ten minutes, have all your belongings and gear on you” the voice rang from the speaker. My heart shudders as I knew that evacuation was meant for only serious incidents. I calm my breathing and scurry over to my bunk gathering what little belongs I have and search for my sister. I spot her next to the hazmat suits and I run over to her. The sound of sirens and the hurry footsteps are all around me. I speed up, my breath catching in my throat. The bunker doors were starting to open and I knew I had to make a split second decision. Get my sister and hurry her in her suit or get my suit. I didn’t even skip a beat, blundering through the crowd I grasp my sister. She looked at me terrified as the sirens grew louder and were jostled around. I cling to her making my way to the suits. 

  “Don’t worry Sarah. Will be alright” I whisper softly. We enter a small room where they keep the hazmat suits for children and I snatch one from the hook and hastily put it on her. “Bryn, we have to get yours” she whimpers her eyes searching for a clock. I zip up the suit and my hands begin to get shaky. I smile “I will, I just have to do you first”. Sarah was shaking and I stop and take my bag from my shoulder and hand her a stuffed animal that she always sleeps with. “Mr. Bunny will take care of you, and I’ll be right behind you.” Sarah gladly takes it and I move aside so other people can get the suits. I grip her helmet stringing her along as we make it toward the doors. The same voice says “Five minutes until evacuation”. 

   My stomach twists and my mouth salivates and I search the area for someone I trust. Dirk, a janitor that knew my parents stands with his two grandchildren, his dark face twisted in concern and fear. I push my way to him, my hands tight on Sarah’s hand. “Dirk…” I yell breathless. I get pushed back and the thudding in chest triples as my hand loses Sarah’s. I turn around , searching. “Sarah”! I yell my voice breaking. I wait , my eyes landing on every small suit. “Bryn” yells someone I search to my left. I sigh in relief as I see Sarah near Dirk. I hurry over and hug her. Picking her up and I rush over to Dirk and I ask quickly “Please can you watch her until I come back”. He quickly agreed and I take my bag off handing it to Sarah. I put her helmet on and I gulp in the musty air. “I’ll be back, i have to put my suit on and I’ll be back”. She cries “No, I don’t want to be left alone”. I give her one last hug, “You won’t, Dirk is here”. 

   Quickly I leave , grabbing a suit and putting it on. The sirens became overbearing and I couldn’t hear myself breathe nor think. The door we’re getting wider and the air thinner as the air pressurized. “Two minutes until evacuation”. My throat throbbed as I put the helmet on and checked my oxygen level. It was almost empty. My breath hitches and I search for another tank, my hand shaking and everything I tried to pick up slips from my grasp. I stopped remembering what my parents told me when I was little. “When you feel afraid just remember that it doesn’t have to take over you. Control it”. Calmer, I open my eyes switching the tanks and shoulder through the crowd.

   Memories flood me as I take each step. My mother made an art mural on the cold gray walls of our safe bunker. My father read to me with the dim light. The first evacuation because there was brushed pipe in the bunker. When Sarah was born and a year ago on the awful day my parents died, bringing back a shipment from the outside. My only family was Sarah, if I failed her then all my promises to my parents were for nothing. A white light shines inside the bunker and I could barely make out the surroundings. Finally I had Sarah in my arms and the sirens were so intoxicatingly loud. The voice on the speaker boomed “Start the evacuation , directions are on the outside. Doors closing in Five minutes”. 

   There was confusion all around as we realized that this evacuation was different from the others. We could be leaving our home for more than a couple days. I gawked behind me as the pipes started to gurgle and burst with white smoke. My eyes widen and I push forward yelling “Run”. Some people fell and I helped one up on my way. It was frantic as screams became louder as the mist snuck up on us. The people in the back screamed and clawed at their suit as the mist wrapped around them burning through the fabric. Jostled and trampled over every one, I was on the verge of crying. Pulling Sarah toward me I rush out of the bunker pushing people forward. 

   It was chaos and mayhem as the noise became unbearable and the mist becoming closer. The doors were starting to close and people were being violent as the opening became thinner. The light was too bright and I put a hand up to block the shine. “Go,” I yelled as I pushed Sarah out through the door. I followed the doors almost arms length out. My feet hit the soft ground and I turn to help people out of the bunker. The sirens were muted but I didn’t notice my surroundings but just the thought of helping people. Just the fluid movement of my arms going in and pulling out with weight in them. The door's length only had enough room for maybe one more person when I heard a scream inside. The mist was swimming toward us and I could see a child and a mother running toward us. The mother looked me dead in the eye and said “Take her”.

   Without a thought I rushed inside ignoring the protest from outside. Squeezing inside I grasp the child, my eyes wide as she screams for her mother. But I didn’t have time and I gave an apologetic look and ran toward the door. I pushed the child inside and I could feel the mist wrapping around me. I scream as I jump inside the closing doors, half of my body already out I tried pushing the doors open with my hands. I scream as the mist claws at my legs and people from the outside help me out. I land on the ground, the bunker door slamming with a thud. I rock myself , terrified as I watch the bunker enclose in on itself. People scream and I watch as people go to the edge staring at the horror before us. The bunker slides down into the ground, the number 29 disappearing below the ground. Someone helps me up, holding me in their arms and I grip their shoulders as we hear the crash of the building somewhere below us. I look up to the person holding me, Dirk. I hold him as I whimper. Our home was just gone in an instant, all my memories. 

    My whole life was spent in those safe walls and now I see it crumble before me. There were wails and cries of anguish as we realized that all those people inside are dead. I turn around braking from Dirk searching for Sarah. I see her crying holding her bunny. I ran to her , picking her up. Turning around so she can’t see the scene in front of us. I soothe her rubbing her back when I see it. The ground was covered in tan grass and a chest was set right in the middle of the ground. I looked back to the non -existent bunker and realized that this evacuation was meant for so much more. This was the start of something terrifying new.