EDEN /// CHAPTER 07 /// THERE IS NO ANSWER

It’s dark in here. I wish I had a flashlight of sorts. But I couldn’t find any. I’ve only been here for a good… uh… 3 hours? I dunno. There’s a sign on the floor. I stare it at in the darkness for a good 30 seconds before I can finally make out “Green Ridge Military Bunker”. This place must have been a military base before the apocalypse. It also says “No entry without permission”. Whatever. I’m both intrigued and scared and I’m not willing to go back into the cold loneliness. There’s someone in here! I can’t wait to meet them. I have never seen someone asides from myself in the longest time. I wonder what they’re like. Are they a guy? Are they a lady? I hope they’re a guy, heheh… I recall those tracks in the snow though, and how they were so oddly shaped. Maybe they’re wearing something so they can’t be tracked. In that case they’re smart. No wonder they have this bunker all to themselves. Wish there was a light switch. From what I can see, this is a very long hallway and there’s pipes running all the way down. I shout out.

“Hello?”

There is no answer. My voice echoes through the tunnel. Nervously, I run my hands through my hair. It’s not a conscious thing or anything. Not trying to look good. Just do it when i’m nervous. And I can admit right now i’m nervous. It’s dark and humid and there’s a constant dripping sound echoing throughout. I can spot a few doors scattered about, but when I check inside it’s mostly just scattered maintenance and power rooms. Whatever. There’s one set of double doors left that sparks my interest. Peering through the windows on it I see a much more vibrant world than the one I have.

It feels alive. The lights are on. Many doors lead to unknown rooms and there’s… a glowing light coming from around a corner. A computer. I remember those. It’s more of a terminal, but whatever. Multiple screens are there but it’s too far away to see. I can’t see whoever’s at it, the wall blocks it. Damn it. I try opening the door. Locked. I don’t think whoever’s there heard me. I try knocking, and the screens in the other room are turned off.

“Hello?” I say. “Is someone there? Let me in…”

Again, there is no answer. I hear mad, clumsy scrambling coming from the other room as whoever’s in there goes away. F**k it, i’m kicking down the door.

On the first kick, my foot hurts like hell. I don’t have that much strength in my legs. More up towards the arms. But i’d rather die than be stuck back out in the wasteland.

On the second kick, the door budges a little. That means the third kick is going to make more progress.

And as expected, it opens on the third. I take no time to check the place out. I want to see who’s here. I was intrigued at first. But now i’m mad. Whoever this is has to answer a few questions from me. Why’re you running? Why don’t you feel like meeting someone for the first time in probably years? And if it’s a dude, why don’t you feel like reviving a dead species? I walk into the room they were just in. Looks like a control room of sorts, or a security room. Where did they go? I see many doors, and all but one are open. I take a guess. The closed one is probably the one they went to, and closed it in panic. So I open it, and I’m greeted by a stairwell going up and down. I don’t hesitate and rush upwards. Probably just common sense that the escape would be towards the surface. Besides, the stairs down were dark and closed off. No thanks.

“You forgot to close the bunker door, dude. I’m trying to help you,” I yell. I don’t think they care. For the third time, no answer. They’re clearly scared. I don’t want to hurt this person! I can hear them above me. I’m right on their tail. I think i’m faster than they are. I make my way past more mystery doors and empty stairs, talking to whoever’s in my pursuit. “I don’t wanna hurt you.” “Come back.” They don’t care. I make it to the top. Wasn’t that big of a climb, but maybe it’s the both of us tripping over ourselves that made it feel long. I see who i’m apprehending go through a doorway. It has no door to close.

“Wait,” I tell it. I’m going with “it” and not “him” or “her” because I can’t really make out who’s there. It doesn’t look like what I expect. But before I can react it does the last thing I expect it to and knocks a machine right in front of the doorway. There’s a small crack right between. From here I can only see its face. It’s not human. Gray scaly skin and piercing blue eyes. From the dark corridor it’s from, it looks like an angel. Not with wings and a halo. But something from the sky, come down to end my suffering. It stares at me, albeit from a distance before gesturing to go away. It doesn’t want anything to do with me and something tells me I shouldn’t want anything to do with it either. Before it goes, I have to ask it one thing.

“What are you?”

No answer. It disappears into the darkness. I disappear back down the stairs.

Now what?

Huh

Have you not read the story for the past 6 chapters?!

I've been reading stories just forgetting to comment on them

Also that wasn't a confused huh more of an intrigued one

I’ve devoted hours to writing dude