The Land Above Ground

[dkitsune]

Please do not post here unless myself or @benempt invite you to do so.

The Land Above Ground




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After the Third World War, countries were turned into acres of radioactive wastelands. One after another, each country had launched their nuclear bombs against each other. A deadly chain reaction that dropped the earth's population down from just over 9 billion, to a mere thousands. You were supposed to count yourself lucky if you were one of the few who made it to a bunker before the bombs hit. Sam didn't feel the same.


She had made it with her uncle and cousins, but her parents and little brother didn't make it before the doors locked on them and the elevator took them down to the underground city.


The girl woke up with a start, breathing heavily and sweating from her brow. Almost five years later and she was still having nightmares. Looking around to the other cots where her cousins slept, they were undisturbed. Sam rolled her eyes at how soundly they could sleep, and how the reoccurring nightmares kept her from hers. Sliding her legs over the edge of her cot she placed her bare feet on the cold cement floor and headed for the bathroom.


Turning the squeaky handle, cool water drizzled out of the spout above the makeshift sink. She cupped her hands under the faucet and splashed the water on her face cleansing herself from her bad dreams. Trying to wash away the memory of the shelter shaking loudly as the nukes hit their targets. Taking a deep breathe she turned to walk back to bed.

 

[benempt]

His body still felt rigid as he sat atop the building, watching the stars. The cold air seemed to pinch and pull at his skin as he exhaled to see his breath come out like smoke. Jason had to check his shaking fingers to be sure his nicotine addiction hadn't resumed without his acknowledgement. His focus then shifted again to the stars. His t-shirt clung to his body as if trying to stay warm as well. Decisively, he returned back inside to the old apartment building he'd broken into. A couple days ago he'd decided it'd be best if he'd left home. The corpses were beginning to rot and he refused to bury the bodies. He muttered something about avoiding confrontation and closure. Something his girlfriend had been yelling at him about. Right before the nukes blew through the bunker and knocked out her sector. The buzzing through the radio he'd spoken to was still ringing in his ears. He could still feel the blood trickling from his eardrum. The sound. He let his fingers trace his left ear. The last noise he'd heard in his left ear was static. He could still hear her chanting. "I hate you." He shut his eyes in hopes of fooling himself to sleep.

 

[dkitsune]

An annoying repetitive whining sounded throughout the room alerting the family to a new day.


"Chester," Sam moaned sliding a pillow over her head to mute the noise, "Shut it off." She murmured. The three other occupants slowly came to, sluggishly sliding off the bed. They stretched and yawned slowly waking up for the day. Chester, the oldest of the group scratched his shaggy dirty blonde head. He peeked his blue green eyes open and lazily slammed his palm down on the alarm.


"Time to get up Sammi." he yawned and threw his pillow at her.


"Oof," she huffed and sat up to throw it back at him, glaring at him while doing so.


"Did you not sleep again?" Asked Lisa, her eyes were the same color as Chesters, but larger and rounder.


"Not really," she groaned out of the side of her mouth and sighed, "It's okay, I'll meet you in the kitchen." Sam patted the younger girl's head, slightly running her finger's through the girl's long hair. Lisa smiled and pranced out of the sleeping quarters followed by her two other cousins, Chester and Max.


Rolling out of her cot she brushed the roots of her hair with her slender fingers and pulled her long hair back. She pulled the elastic from around her wrist and wrapped it around her hair to hold it in place. Still sitting on the cot she leaned forward and rubbed her temples. She had a bad feeling about today...

 

[benempt]

Jason could feel the ground humming beneath his feet and assumed it would be another generator malfunction, and potentially an earthquake. Power would be out for a few hours down below. Life underground had always been too stuffy for him but the supplies shouldn't be neglected, and as such he took the hum as his signal to return below. Abandoned stores with decent food were difficult to find; if there was a whole in the can, there was radiation in the can. A lack of weapons could also put him at risk. Animals with radiation showed aggression and stumbling into them didn't seem fun either. With all this in mind, he forced himself out of the apartment with a small flashlight, knife and empty backpack strapped to his back. Each echoing foot he hoped would be a family member behind him. He could see his brother. His girlfriend. Rose. Rose. Rose. He refocused himself. He still held himself guilty for their deaths. Mom. Dad. Lucas. All of this family. He flipped open the sewer cover to jump in, and covered his face with his hood as he ran through the tunnels 'till he found the crack that opened up to the Undergrounders' plumbing system. From there, it'd be simple and he'd easily climb into their world, which as he suspected, was experiencing another earthquake and blackout. His raid for food and weapons would commence.

 

[dkitsune]

Sam stood at the sink and picked up another bowl to be cleaned after breakfast. Max stood beside her and pumped water into the small basin while Chester and Lisa continued throughout the living space with their own household duties. Puckering her lips, Sam began to whistle a small uplifting tune and side glanced down at her little cousin. He looked at her in awe his mouth in a wide O shape. Turning her head she pretended not to notice his awestruck gaze and continued the song. Pressing his lips together, Max blew and furrowed his brow in frustration as the only sound that protruded from his lips were raspberries. Sam snickered between closed lips trying not to laugh as he blew harder and harder turning red in the face till he was spitting everywhere trying to mimic his older cousin.


The lights above the two flickered causing Sam's head to snap up. She put the bowl down and placed a protective hand on Max's shoulder. He looked up at her now with timid curiosity. They flickered again, this time more violently. The walls around them shook with the shudder of the ceiling lamps knocking items off their shelves. Quickly she grabbed the young boy and carried him, crawling to hide under the table. Sam held Max in her lap and held him close as he buried his quivering lip into her chest. A scream came from the hallway turning her attention to her right.


"Lisa!" She yelled.


A loud short humming answered her call, followed by pitch black.