From The Bunker to The Sky

"We’ll be out soon, little one.” The woman looked down at the tiny infant in her arms smiling warmly. Many generations had survived in the bunker. She was grateful hers would be the last. Nuclear war had ended life above ground, and radiation took away any possibility of that life until today. The bunkers filtration system was clocking the radiation at stable levels, meaning the air from outside was becoming clean.

The woman felt a tug from around her neck and looked down at her daughter who cooed softly as she played with the woman’s heart-shaped locket. It was a gift from her husband. One of the bunkers few welders and mechanics left. He was lost in the last cave in. As the years had past parts of the bunker had grown weaker and the mechanics department struggled to keep the bunker from falling apart. This resulted in the bunker growing smaller. It would be wonderful to have free space again. She smiled to herself as thought about it. Her thoughts were soon interrupted by the sounds of voices coming toward her.

“Mina! Mina, we must hurry!” Mina turned to see a grey-haired woman approaching quickly. Baba, her late husband’s mother flurried into the room, looking frenzied and grey. “Quickly, Mina!” Everyone is waiting at the valve!”

Chuckling Mina replied “We’re coming, Baba! There’s no need to worry today.”

“No! We must hurry. The hungry are pounding on the door.” Mina’s face paled, and she stopped to listen. In the distance she could hear the echo, it sounded like a gong ringing clear. The hungry were those lost to the radiation seeping in from parts of the bunker that had caved.

She was barely old enough to remember the first time part of the bunker collapsed. The radiation had been high at that time and those in that particular sector of the bunker died quickly. However over the years, as the radiation lessened those trapped or exposed didn’t die but lost their minds. No longer human.

Mina handed the baby over to Baba. She quickly through together the remainder of belongings she would be taking to earth side into a trunk. She picked up the trunk and nodded at Baba with a serious expression. The two women left the room the clangs coming from the steel security door ringing behind them like war drums making their hearts race and stomachs turn.

They reached the decontamination chamber located just outside the valve. The remaining survivors of the bunker stood nervously waiting as the tech sector worked to overdrive the lock code. There was a collective sigh of relief as the tech typed the final code. Whirring could be heard as the valve mechanisms kicked in, followed by a pop and hiss. Everyone waited with bated breath as the hydraulic system began to lift the heavy valve.

Natural light beamed down and there was a collective cheer. Everyone started to climb the stairs climbing out of the opening one at a time. Once they were halfway through the line, cheerful voices were halted by the sound of screeching. Mina turned around and to her horror could see that the steel door holding back the hungry was being pried open from the other side. Light and happy chatter was now replaced by horrifying screams and panic. People began to move up the staircase more quickly. Mina stared at the door. It groaned as it was pushed open more and more, growls coming from the inside.

As she watched Mina saw an arm slip through the crack and her breath caught in her throat. It was withered and mangled but the tattoo on the forearm was still clear and visible. It was the same shape and design as her locket. Baba who had also seen this grabbed onto Mina’s arm and began to pull her closer to the stairs.

“It’s not him anymore, Mina! We have to go!” The line was moving quicker but not quick enough. Baba felt anxious as they finally got to the stairs and started to climb. The steel door gave more shrieks and groans from behind them as the hungry tried to claw through and push the door open. They were halfway up the stairs when someone let out a blood-curdling scream. Everyone left in the bunker turned to see the first of the hungry had managed to push half its body through the crack. Snarling it tore its flesh while it struggled to get out. Its skin had pus-filled blisters from the radiation and its eyes were red and soulless. Baba stared at the face of her son.

Panic ensued. People began to shove and fight to get to the door. Baba held on tightly to the infant in her arms as she and Mina attempted to move through the chaos. As they reached the top of the stairs there was a final groan as the steel barricade gave way. The hungry rushed through. As the few who were left struggled to get through the valve one person shoved another who lost his balance and bumped right into Mina who was standing on the landing. She fell back in what felt like slow motion. Losing her grip on the trunk. Baba reached out and attempted to catch hold of any part of Mina, but she wasn’t fast enough. She caught Hold of Mina’s locket and the chain snapped as Mina tumbled backward down the stairs. She stared on in horror as the hungry descended upon her daughter-in-law.

The screams were cut through by the sounds of an alarm. One of the last survivors grabbed Baba and pulled her through the valve. The blaring of the alarm and snarls of the hungry were cut off by the valve door closing. Dazed Baba looked up to see the tech crew working with a tablet in hand initiating an emergency seal on the door.

The infant in Baba's arms wailed pitifully as though she knew she no longer had her mother. Baba looked down at her hand still grasping the locket. She shushed the baby gently in an attempt to soothe her. Looking around they appeared to be in the ruins of a city. Once grand now crumbled and dim. Something unseen caressed their faces and dried their frightened tears. Breathing the breeze in they once again cheered. They had made it out, and life on the earth's surface could begin again.