CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE — THE BURIED BUNKER
Shira was the first to notice the metal beneath the rubble.
“…Everyone. Look.”
The half-crushed bunker door sat at a crooked angle, its hinges warped by time and cave-ins. Only the upper half was visible, the rest buried under decades of collapsed freeway and soil.
Yoshi ran a hand along the metal.
“It’s old, but… this isn’t civilian. This is reinforced. Military grade.”
Curator crouched, examining faint stenciled letters beneath layers of dust and mineral buildup.
“…‘S.C.F. ARCHIVE SECTOR.’”
Mewo blinked.
“Archive as in… books? Research notes? Data?”
Toady added, “…or classified experiments.”
Cornball shook.
“I don’t like that option.”
Norther leaned closer to the door, listening.
“There’s air behind this. That’s… good. Means it’s not flooded.”
“Or not collapsed,” Goober murmured.
Gebrix brushed debris away with careful swipes of their tail.
“It opens inward. If we clear the rubble off the frame… I can probably force the mechanism.”
Shira sighed. “Then let’s start digging.”
CLEARING THE ENTRANCE
It took all of them—
rolling stones aside, pushing boards, hauling twisted rebar.
The more the rubble moved, the more the stale, metallic scent of the bunker seeped out.
Corpse.Bride wiped sweat from her brow.
“Feels wrong,” she muttered. “Like this place shouldn’t be uncovered.”
Yoshi gave her a faint smile.
“That describes our whole adventure so far.”
Cornball nearly laughed.
Nearly.
THE DOOR OPENS
Gebrix positioned himself by the half-freed handle.
“I’ll try,” he said. “Let me know if you hear anything moving on the other side.”
Toady nodded, hand on his makeshift weapon.
The mechanism groaned as Gebrix pulled.
Old gears turned reluctantly.
Dust rained down.
Then—
CLANK–KRRRRNNN…
The bunker door jerked inward, swinging open just enough for light to slip inside.
A cold draft spilled out.
None of them moved.
Curator swallowed.
“Flashlights. Now.”
They stepped through the narrow opening one by one.
