Seven Strangers

Marjory stood against a set of large steel doors; her hands were clasped daintily at her waist. She was in a corridor of sorts with two large, rusted steel doors in front of her, held closed by a chain. The two behind her were more polished and required a key card for entry. Her eyes were closed and though her body was in that damp corridor, her mind was sunbathing on a remote island. A gorgeous, shirtless native was just about to hand her a drink when a cacophony of voices and growls brought her back to reality. When her eyes opened there were six people close enough to her face to tell she’d skipped her last facial screaming and pleading for her to let them in. They were all angry, but one voice stood out among the rest. Probably because it was an 11-year-old girl hurling profanities at her like she was born to it.

“Let us in, you decrepit old road whore or I’m comin’ at you faster than grass goes through a duck!”

Aila was just about to charge towards Marjory when Lucas grabbed her arm. The two of them just met a few days ago but he had her number down. They were an odd pair to look at. Her, 4’11, slightly chubby with curly blond hair and bright green eyes. Him, 6’3, long black dreadlocks and the kindest hazel eyes. When they met, she was running from her parents who were trying to fry her up like a thanksgiving turkey. Lucas scooped her up on his motorcycle, going as fast as he could while her parents and other infected chased them. They rode in silence until the bike ran out of gas and then walked a day and a half to the bunker.

There was something infecting people. It started as an isolated case in Florida but after a week you couldn’t turn on the TV without seeing a new case. The government had no idea what it was or where it came from. Why some were infected, and some weren’t. The only thing they did know was that it made people overly aggressive and ravenous. Aila watched her parents eat through everything in the fridge and the cabinets. Both cooked and raw. When there was nothing left, their gaze turned to her sitting on the sofa. Their eyes were crazed and bloodshot. Before she could think, they were on her. Biting, scratching and pulling at her. She barely got free.

Lucas heard about the underground bunker while watching one of those survivalists shows. The owners were boasting about the indoor pool, library, theater and the solar, wind and water that would power the generators and charge battery banks to keep the bunker running infinitely. It was the first place he thought of after fighting off his neighbor who was trying to bite chunks out of him. The show never mentioned if they sold any of the luxury condos in the bunker and he certainly didn’t have the 1.2 million one would cost buy one. He didn’t even know if they had room for him, but he had to try.

When they got to the bunker there were already five people inside the corridor. An older, well-dressed lady was standing with her back against a set of steel doors. Her eyes were closed and for this to be the end of the world she almost looked at peace. There were two men, yelling at her about being selfish and a woman with curly black hair holding a little boy, 2 maybe 3 years old, crying for her to open the door. Aila started pulling on his shirt and pointing outside before they could introduce themselves. There were 5 or 6 infected running quickly towards the door. Lucas held it shut but there were large cracks down the seam and infected hands were pulling on his clothes and trying to grab at his face. The two men helped him to keep the doors closed while the young lady put her baby down, grabbed a chain from the corner and wrapped it around the handle. It held, but it wouldn’t hold for long. And the noise from them banging on the door would eventually attract more infected.

Marjory had her eyes open now but she wasn’t communicating. Despite Aila’s verbal assault.

“Lady?” Lucas walked up to Marjory.

“Lady?! You have to snap out of it and let us in or we’re people chow!”

“I can’t do that.” Marjory said, sighing deeply.

“Why not?” One of the men said, stepping closer.

“Because I don’t know you. Because I paid for my spot here and the people inside paid for their spot. We went through background checks. How do I know what I’m unleashing on them? What if you’re all murderous thieves?”

“Oh sure, look at the black and Mexican guy when you say that.” The woman said, squeezing her baby tighter.

“They do commit majority of the crime in this country. I can let in the little girl, maybe the black boy but I can’t let you adults in.”

“Maybe the black boy? His name is Micah!” Lucas quickly stood between Marjory and the woman to prevent a possible altercation.

“What if we all introduced ourselves? I’ll start. I’m Lucas, I am – was a computer programmer. I’m an only child and my parents are back home in Jamaica. I pray that they’re safe.”

“I’m Tiffany. This is my baby, Micah. My husband was a prepper, that’s how I know about this place. We were going to buy a condo here but then we had this little guy. Life just kept happening and we kept putting it off.”

Tiffany started crying and Aila grabbed her hand to console her.

“When things started to happen, I rushed home so we could get our bug out camper and go somewhere safe. When I pulled up, the camper was already in the driveway. I went in and saw-”

Tiffany's voice started to crack and Aila squeezed her hand.

“I saw my husband eating Mila, Micah's twin. Micah was crying in his car seat by the front door. I took him out and I ran. This place was all I could think of. "

Tiffany was crying uncontrollably now. Lucas walked over and hugged her until she calmed down.

“I’m Thomas, this is Efrain. We were married a week ago. My idea to do the ‘bucket list’ honeymoon. This place was on my, weirdest shit ever list.”

Marjory rolled her eyes.

“I’m Marjory and I’m still not letting you in. So, you shared a few fun facts. Samuel Little could share fun facts with me and you know what a disaster letting him in would be!”

"Who?" Efrain asked, confused.

"He was a black serial killer. Killed like 60 women. Doesn't matter, you're not getting in."

Tiffany shook her head and turned her back to Marjory. Lucas started to laugh out of shear frustration. There was now 10 or more infected at the door and the crack down the seam was getting wider.

“Just let us in you stupid cow!” Thomas screamed at her.

“No, you stupid gay!”

“Whoa! No need for that!” Lucas said, stepping closer to Marjory.

“He called me a cow! She called me a road whore, whatever that is. I see no need to be polite to a group that refuses to be polite to me.”

“With all due respect, you’re the only thing standing between us and death so we’re a bit on edge. You clearly have prejudices and you’re using some flimsy, I don’t know you, reasoning to justify not letting us in.” Efrain said.

“I don’t know you!” Marjory countered.

“You don’t know anyone in there either. You think background checks have a, likes to kill old women section?” Tiffany said.

Thomas walked over the corner and slid down the wall.

“Guess that stupid locket was wrong.”

“What locket?” Lucas asked.

“The Reveal Heart Locket. It was diamond studded heart shaped locket with a secret compartment that held a special message made just for the wearer.”

“Oh yeah, I remember that. My daughter wanted one really bad. Every time she’d see the commercial she’d go, want the shiny!” Michelle took a deep breath, trying to contain the sadness she felt.

“I heard it was a lie anyway. All the messages were the same.”

“I don’t know. Me and Efrain went to the demonstration they had where you could try it on at the mall. Every single time I got the same message and I tried on 3 different lockets.”

“What was the message?” Aila asked.

“You’re a survivor.”

Everyone but Marjory burst into laughter.

“I went to that demonstration. Tried one on. It said I bring people together.” Luca said, sliding down the wall next to Thomas.

“I really wanted one of those.” Says Aila.

“I had been saving for it since it came out. Had about $536 when I went to the demonstration and found out it cost $10,000. Might as well been a million bucks.”

“Did you get to see your message?” Thomas asked.

“Yeah.” she said sadly

“What’d say?”

“You’re the spark the future needs.” Aila said, crying. Just then, they heard a beep and the sound of the large steel door being pulled open.

“Come on.” Marjory said.

“Go in.”

“What changed your mind?” Lucas asked.

Marjory pulled out a shimmering silver necklace that held a heart shaped locket, covered in diamonds.

“What was your message? Tiffany asked.

Marjory opened the locket and inside was a picture of her husband and their dog, Sams. She pressed her thumb against the picture and a second compartment with a tiny electric screen opened. A few words started to fade in and they read:

You can be the difference.

“Wow.” Efrain said.

They all breathed a sigh of relief as they walked through the door. Aila was the last one through. She stopped and hugged Marjory as tight as she could before running to catch up with Lucas.

*******************************

“Wow, that was a great story Mr. Ellis.”

Nine children were gathered around an elderly man with long grey dreadlocks.

“It’s not just a story, it’s the history of this compound. Those seven people helped to create a community here that is thriving during one of the darkest times on our planet. Just by choosing humanity.”

“Well, it's not like they could choose something else. They are human.” Sophie joked. Sophie was Mr. Ellis's granddaughter.

“Humanity isn’t an inherent part of being human, Sophie. It’s a choice. It’s a million small choices we make every day. Opening the door for a stranger or helping an elderly woman across the street. Good. Gripping your purse tighter when a person of color gets too close. Not so good. We like to think that we’re either, or. That there are good people and there are bad people. The truth is, we all stand at the center of a moral teeter totter trying to keep both sides level. Sometimes we’re successful. Sometimes we lose balance. Sometimes we fall. But it’s important, for our mutual survival, that we never give up our pursuit of humanity.”

“Well, I think that Marjory was a troglodyte.”

The children surrounding Mr. Ellis started to giggle and he gave Sophie a scolding look. She shifted in her seat, trying to escape his gaze but didn’t back down from her opinion of Marjory.

“It was one of my million choices, Granddad. And I chose violence.”

The children started to laugh again, and Sophie sat up straight, her chest puffed out and proud.

“Grandad? Do you ever think about what would have happened if she didn’t let you in?”

“I don’t have to. That’s the benefit of time. You get to move on.”