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October 5th, 2022
Screams echo down the empty corridor, blending with the sounds of running feet.
They can almost feel the agony of the poor souls that were screaming.
Captain Kratz hurried down the long corridor, following the MPs. The floor tilted slightly downward and the air was becoming cooler as they descended. The corridor seemed to go on for miles before ending at a huge thick steel wall. A security panel near the wall flashed red, the MP typed in the code, not even trying to hide it. Kratz watched in silence. Suddenly, the sound of hydraulics started and the whole steel barrier swung inward. They stepped into a room that was enormous, it was a cave but the floors were tiled and huge pillars were set about every 15 feet apart, holding up the ceiling. Off to the north of the room were lighted corridors. The screams came louder than before reminding the Captain why he was here. They ran deeper into the cavern, down into an unfinished corridor. Many injured lay around the area. Soldiers were digging out more injured from under the collapsed ceiling. Kratz runs to the nearest victim and got to work.
“Where will you be taking them?” Kratz asks as the last man was stabilized for transport.
“We have an infirmary, down C1, sir.” The sergeant said, “but at the moment it’s not staffed.”
“Well then that doesn’t do us any good, now does it?”
“No sir, I will transfer them to Stanley Air force base.” The sergeant saluted as the men were wheeled away.
“What is this place?” Kratz asked the MPs as they led him out.
Neither answered him.
“I already signed the confidentiality papers, so there is no reason not to answer.”
“This is a Designated Emergency bunker, for the President and government officials. At least it will be when it is finished.” One of the MPs told him.
“I thought they already had some place for the President.” Kratz mumbled.
“They do but it’s been compromised and this one will be much bigger. It also is resistant to EMP weapons; it has a natural spring from an underground aquifer and is solar powered.” He said proudly.
The other MP gave him a shoulder check, not happy at all with his loose lipped partner.
They finally emerged from the building, which looked like a dilapidated old barn, leaning against the side of a mountain.
Once outside Kratz climbed into his truck. He heard the MP’s yelling at him but he didn’t catch what they were saying. He watched as they jumped into their jeep and sped off.
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“Beth, where are you?” He shouted as he came in the house.
“I’m right here, how did everything….?”
Breaking News-
Washington D.C. has been destroyed, a nuclear bomb detonated above the capital around thirty minutes ago. Maryland and Virginia have also suffered significant damage. Reports are coming in that there are no survivors in the DC area. The president and all the government are gone…
New York City has just been hit…Boston…Los Angeles…Las Cruses….Houston…
God Help Us…
Beth stands in front of the TV in shock.
“Beth, grab what you need. Where is Carly? Beth! Snap out of it, if we are going to survive this we need to keep our wits about us!” Kratz yells, immediately switching into survival mode.
“I’m sssoorry, Carly is in her playpen.”
“I’ll get her, you grab what you and the baby need and some food and meet me at the truck, hurry!”
At the vehicle Kratz puts Carly in her car seat and throws in all his camping supplies. He grabs the bundles from Beth as she comes into the garage.
“What about Fluffy and Daffy?” She cries when the dogs run up the truck. Kratz throws the cockers in and follows after them. He opens the garage door and he guns the engine as they speed out unto the road.
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Beth is silent until they hit the freeway.
“Where are we going?”
“To an emergency bunker.”
“What is happening Steven?”
“I know as much as you do Beth, we are under attack.”
“How do you know about this emergency bunker?”
“I didn’t know about it until this morning. That’s where I was called too, it’s not completed but I think we’ll be safe there.”
“Will they let the baby and I in?”
“It’s not staffed yet, so I don’t think it will be a problem.”
“How will we get in, obviously they don’t leave it open.”
“I saw the code this morning when they took me in. Several workmen were injured when the roof collapsed.”
“How will we be safe if it’s collapsing?” Beth cringed.
“We won’t go into that section, don’t worry the place is huge, we’ll be fine.”
Beth became silent again, struggling to keep her fears at bay.
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They got off the freeway and drove about five miles down a very rugged dirt road. Then they pulled up in front of the old barn,
Beth cried out in dismay, “This can’t be where you expect us to shelter?”
Kratz said nothing; he got out of the truck and pulled one of the doors open. He got back in the truck and drove into the interior.
“Get the baby and follow me.”
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October 6th, 2022
The first thing Kratz had done was search the immediate area; he found the kitchen and mess hall, infirmary, barracks and a communications room. He settled his family into one of the barracks and showed them what areas were safe. Wanting some normality Beth went down to the kitchen. Shock lit up her features when she walked into the food storage. It was like walking into a well supplied grocery store. There were enough supplies to feed over a hundred people for years. Happily she started doing what she loved, cooking. When she finished she saw the intercom on the wall and called her family to eat. Her husband brought the baby down and they had their first meal.
She could almost forget what was happening outside, almost.
Day 1 of lockdown.
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December 10th, 2022
This morning they saw a straggler in the barn. Kratz had been warned by the surveillance system of movement outside. The cameras showed a man collapsed by the door.
“Beth I’m a doctor, I can’t leave him outside to die.” Kratz told his wife.
“I’m afraid; he’s the first person we’ve seen since we came here, what if it’s a trick?
What if he’s contagious?”
“Beth, I’ll be careful and put him quarantine until we know.”
Beth agreed but stayed in communications center to watch the cameras as her husband went out. It took him thirty minutes to bring the unconscious man into quarantine.
It took another thirty minutes for him to wash down and come out of the infirmary. Beth anxiously ran to him.
“Are you okay?” She cried reaching out to hug him.
“No!” he said as he moved out of her reach.
“I’m fine but the man is suffering from radiation poisoning, I’m going to need to quarantine myself with him, so I can treat him.”
“It’s Carly’s birthday!”
“I know I’m sorry.”
“What about Carly?”
“She’s young; she won’t know we can celebrate when he gets better.”
“Ok, I love you.” Beth murmurs softly.
“I love both of you, too.”
Day 59 of lockdown
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January 15th, 2023
“Wi Daddy be bak, wan Daddy.” Carly wailed.
“Carly Ann! You stop that screeching… Beth choked back a sob, she was dreading this moment. Honey I’m sorry, Daddy isn’t coming home. He went to be with Jesus. Don’t worry though, we will see him again.”
“No! wan Daddy, wa Daddy, wa Daddy, DADDY!” Beth gathered Carly in her arms and they cried together.
Day 95 of lockdown
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February 19th, 2035
“Mama, Where are you?” Carly yelled as she searched the corridors.
When she didn’t find her Mother in her room or the kitchen she realized she probably went to visit her Daddy. That is exactly where she found her; unfortunately her Mother had decided it was time to stay with her Daddy. She kissed them both and left them alone.
Day 4,304 of lockdown
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August 8th, 2041
Carly decided to go explore the rest of the bunker. She knew Mama said never to go into the big cave, but Mama wasn’t with her now and she was bored. So she walked down the long corridor and went through the safety doors into the cavern. It was huge, she walked to the middle and twirled around. She squealed in excitement and the sound echoed off the walls.
“Hello” she yelled
Hello, hello, h e l l o
“I’m Carly!”
CARLY, Carly, c a r l y y
Elation filled her, now she had someone to talk to.
“Where….” She started to ask a question.
GRRrrrrrrrrr
Where had that sound came from? She cocked her head to the side and heard it again.
Grrrrrrrr
The sound was coming from one of the unfinished corridors. Carly tiptoed over to the entrance and peeked her head in. Blackness filled the hall, no lights shown in there. She listened but now everything was silent except her breathing. As she searched the darkness, she noticed two pinpoints of red emerging. They seemed to be getting closer and larger. Growling sounded with the redness. Carly realized the red spots were eyes and they were coming closer. She heard claws digging into the ground as the eyes started advancing faster. Terrified Carly turned and ran for her home. She didn’t look back as she ran, she didn’t need to, she could hear the eyes getting closer and closer. Only 10 more feet and she’d be safe, but she could feel hot breath on her neck. She pushed herself to run faster, 7 feet, 5 feet, 3 feet… She grabbed the handle and flung herself through the door, slamming it behind her. BANG! She heard something slam into the door. She lay on the floor panting for breath. After a few minutes she stood up and looked through the little rectangle shaped window. The area looked the same as before, until she looked toward the far corridor, there she saw two red dots looking back at her. She hurriedly looked away; she locked the door and vowed never to go out there again.
Day 6677 of lockdown
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December 10th, 2058
Another Birthday alone, Carly thought to herself. She didn’t even know why she even bothered. Habit most likely, something to break up the day. Mother had always made her a cake and sang her a song. Except the bad year, when Daddy had gone away. He got sick after taking in that stranger. They had both died within days of each other. That’s when Mother had made her one rule. NEVER allow anyone in. Many came in the early days after the bombing. Mother would watch them crying out for help, but she never answered, never let anyone else in. Now Mother was with Daddy, Fluffy, Daffy and the stranger. She had gone to the freezer about 10 years ago. At least they had each other, she had no one.
After eating her cake and mumbling her song, she went into the media room and watched a video. The computers didn’t work anymore, neither did the communications. Mother had destroyed them if a fit of rage and loneliness back in 33’ but they did have a wonderful stock of videos. Everything Carly knew of the world, she had learned from them. She was happy no one could get in; she was terrified of running into a werewolf or vampire or the creature with red eyes. Her Mother had explained that a bombing had destroyed their country but she didn’t believe it. She thought it was probably aliens, her mother hadn’t argued too much, when she’d expressed her theory.
Unfortunately, the video bored her tonight, so she went to bed. Sleep was her friend most days anymore.
Day 21,535
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March 1st 2093
Loud rumbling woke Carly from her slumber, dirt and debris fell from the ceiling. Terrified she ran to the communication center, hoping that maybe she’d see something on the one remaining monitor. The roof caved in behind her as she ran. Aliens were attacking again she was sure of it. Mommy! Daddy! She screamed as she ran down the corridor. She no longer wanted to see what was happening, she just wanted her parents. The walls and ceiling were caving in as she ran to the freezer. She yanked the door open and threw herself into her parents frozen arms, just as everything went black.
Day 34,311
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March 5th, 2093
“Halt the movers!” The foreman yelled. “We just hit some kind of cavern; it's too dangerous to continue.”
“There aren’t supposed to be any caverns or mines in this mountain.” The superintendent scowled, knowing that now the department of antiquities would want to exam the site. This just shot his schedule to hell.
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July 20th, 2093
The archeologists were amazed as they excavated an old military installation dating back to before the war of 22’. This facility was never recorded. It was an unbelievable find.
“Dr. Faust! Over here were about to open another door.” His assistant yelled.
When the Doctor got there, they gently pried the door open, frigid air flowed out of the room.
“A freezer? And still working?” The doctor shined the light around as he walked in and what he saw left him dumbfounded.
A lone man was propped up in one corner. However what was in the other corner was what was astounding. A man and woman sat together with an old woman lying across their laps, all three had their arms entwined as if they were hugging each other and two cocker spaniels sat on each side of the bodies. The Doctor also noted that the old women was gazing at the two younger bodies with a smile frozen on her face.
Last day of lockdown
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