Apocalypse: The Dead Lives
Chapter 31: The Bunker

Chapter 31: The Bunker

Screams of horror and agony filled the air.

The screams belonged to the people who couldn’t escape the colossus hordes.

It had started raining a few minutes ago, making it hard for us to see. I was clutching onto Ronan’s hand as if my life depended on it. Truth is, I didn’t want to let go. I was too afraid that if I did, he’d disappear just like the other.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by someone yelling something as they ran past us. It was Marco and his men. They were everywhere.

"Run!" A soldier yelled at a civilian.

The streets reeked of death, worse than ever before. It was potent, and it felt wrong to inhale it, so I covered my nose with my jacket sleeve.

I recognized Tiny, Marco’s right-hand man. He was waiting for us near what looked like an open drain. People started streaming down the drain. Impatiently rushing to safety.

I wildly looked around us, hoping to see our friends but there was too much chaos to focus on one thing in particular. Even if they were here, I wouldn’t be able to see them.

I just hope they’re safe. That’s all I could hope for.

Because the colossus wasn’t stopping. They just kept destroying everything in their way.

A nauseating feeling settled into the pit of my stomach when I saw a hulk picking someone up and then throwing them against a wall.

"Come on, Hailey-Jade." Marco’s voice came and snapped me out of my thoughts. "Tiny will take you and your friend to my bunker." Marco blankly stated while glaring at Ronan.

"Trust me, Miss Jade," Tiny told me while looking into my eyes.

"Fine." I blankly uttered and Tiny quietly disappeared down the drain. I took the stairs down the bunker and Ronan followed shortly behind me. Tiny led the way down a dark tunnel-like hallway.

There were hundreds of doors on either side of the hallway.

I could people whispering, indistinctly from behind the doors.

Tiny led Ronan and me into a bunker at the end of the hallway. He told us to go inside and I thanked him before stepping into the dimly lit space.

"Thank you," I told Tiny and he simply nodded at me before leaving the bunker again.

"Well, well. If it isn’t Hailey-Jade and Ronan King." I heard a familiar voice speaking from behind us.

"Cooper?" Ronan hopefully asked. He turned around and a mix of disbelief and relief washed over his face. Ronan pulled his brother into a tight hug.

"Come here," Ellie uttered before pulling me into a tight hug. I started crying into her shoulder and she gently rubbed my back.

Thank God they’re okay. This could’ve played so differently. I was so scared for them. I’m still scared, the feeling just won’t go away.

How much longer do we have to live in fear? I’m tired of running. I’m tired of losing people. My brother is still out there, my dad’s still out there. I couldn’t save them. I failed so miserably in being there for them when they needed me.

I still need them.

"Oliver and my dad- are still out there." I cried out and the room dawned in silence. A chilling sound that I wasn’t ready to face yet.

"They’re gonna be okay," Ronan said before pulling me into his chest, and I wrapped my arms around him as tightly as I could.

"We’re survivors, remember?" Cooper’s voice came from behind me.

"Yeah." I softly uttered through tiny sobs.

The ground above us suddenly started to shake and my eyes widened in fear.

"What the hell is going on up there?"

"It seems like there’s a new mutated strain of the virus." Ronan calmly explained. I wiped my tears dry before listening to the earth-shaking above us.

"I think Marco and his men called them colossus zombies," I added.

"I have no idea how we’ll be able to fight these things. They can crush a skyscraper building with their bare hands. They rip people apart like it’s child’s play." I uttered in horror.

"The bombs didn’t seem to help much either. They’re literally indestructible." Ronan stated and Ellie nervously started pacing up and down the room.

"We’re never gonna get out of here, are we?" Cooper asked us, his eyes wild with horror.

"Seems like we’re gonna have to join forces. To reach a common goal." We heard Marco say as he stood in the now-opened doorway.

He walked in and Tiny followed shortly behind him. The door closed behind them and the room dawned in silence.

Marco carefully watched me. His eyes were filled with concern but I didn’t buy it.

"They’ve sealed the doors, sir," Tiny informed Marco. He finally removed his gaze from me, and I let out a soft sigh of relief.

"Good. Keep them sealed and don’t open them for anyone. Not even for my father." Marco uttered and a deep frown settled on my forehead.

He would be so cruel towards his own father?

"Watch over our new friends, Tiny. I will be in my office for the remainder of our time down here." Marco uttered before disappearing into a room at the back of the bunker.

"Tiny, could you tell me if you’ve found my dad yet?" I carefully asked the tall man in front of me.

"No," he uttered in a thick voice.

"Are you like- a cyborg?" Ellie asked Tiny in confusion. "And why does everyone call you tiny? I mean you’re huge." She uttered in fascination.

"Wow," Cooper uttered before bursting out into a fit of laughter. "That’s a fucked up thing to ask someone, El," Cooper told her in disbelief.

"What? I’m curious." She uttered. "So?" She asked again.

"It’s a metaphor." Tiny blankly told her before going over to a cupboard in the corner. He grabbed a bag from it before going into Marco’s office.

After a minute or so, Tiny returned with the bag still in his hands. He held it out to us before nodding at me.

I hesitantly stretched my arm into the bag before grabbing something plastic from it.

A bottle of water!

"Water!" I exclaimed before eagerly opening the bottle. I gulped the water down and the rest of the group followed my actions.

"Tiny, you’re a fucking legend," Cooper told Tiny who shot him a warning look.

Knowing Cooper, he’s gonna make Tiny’s life a living hell down here.

Tiny received a million thank yous from each of us. "There’s more." He informed us and I reached into the bag again. I grabbed what felt like an energy bar.

Correct! I haven’t eaten in so long. I quickly unwrapped the energy bar before biting into it. I hugged Ronan out of sheer joy and he placed a kiss on top of my head while watching me in adoration.

"Coop’s right. You’re the man, Tiny." Ellie uttered and I nodded in agreement. Tiny just shook his head at us.

"Get used to rationing. We have limited supplies in the bunkers. You’ll have to grow accustomed to hunger." He explained and we nodded at him.

"What happens next?" I curiously asked him.

"We wait. Until the commander gives us an order." Tiny’s voice thundered through the bunker and I slowly nodded in understanding.

"How long will it take until he gives you an order?" Ellie curiously wanted to know.

"A day, a week, it could take months. But we trust the commander. He’s led us into battle countless amount of times. He knows what he’s doing." Tiny uttered.

How did our fates end up being in the hands of the same man who was hunting us down just hours ago?

How did I control a horde of rotters back there? Where did that horde of colossus zombies come from?

How is this real life?