by Paul Teague
Either I passed out for a while, or this is what I thought was the vibration of the power coming back on. What I believed to be movement in the building must have been this internal transformation taking place. It’s quite incredible. Gone are the grubby, cold, concrete walls, they’ve now been replaced by some light, plastic or metallic substance. If I had to describe it, I’d say it looked just like the interior of a space station. Not that I’ve ever seen one mind you, but it’s what I’d imagine one would look like.
I should have concentrated on the three figures approaching me. One of the women has pressed the trigger on her weapon, a ray of some kind strikes my head and my thoughts stop dead.
Activated
This is better. The bunker has full power.
Internal transformation is 100% on upper levels. Communications as yet unrestored. Darkness is at 53% and progressing at normal rates.
But the timing was wrong. Why did this start so late?
The Missing Host
Needless to say, our family visit to the bunker was a huge success. I’ve seen it on adverts many times, but in this case the slogan was true. There really was ‘something for everyone’ here.
The scale of the bunker was astonishing. Rooms and corridors the size of a football pitch over two levels is quite some feat. When you’re walking along that rabbit warren of passageways - with no natural light - you understand what an amazing structure this is. And how much concrete they must have used. They certainly won’t have mixed that all by hand.
Had there been a nuclear attack, life could have continued here virtually as normal. Everybody would have had a job of course, the Control Room was quite clearly where all activity would have been focused. We had a good hour looking around until Mum reminded us that we were due to meet our late hosts in the cafe area on the top level. We’d been shushed quite a lot as we walked around the bunker.
Harriet and David had loved the lengths of the corridors, and had used that as an opportunity to go running off into the distance, then charging back at Mum and Dad. I couldn’t be completely certain about this, but I’m positive that I sensed a hostility from the other adults who were in the building. I’m not sure why as this was a tourist attraction, it’s not like we were in a church or someone’s office or anything like that. Though now I think about it, why were there no other children here except for us?
The Jigsaw Puzzle
I was pretty sure that the black car had been driving directly at us. There’s no mistaking something like that. I was equally sure that I had seen Nat moving. And I knew that Mum had been distracted by that man, the one who went to help Nat. Was he helping Nat? The ambulance workers accepted his authority, they knew exactly who he was. Or maybe they didn’t know him, but they understood and accepted his position. There was no challenge or argument from them, no resistance at all.
Three parts of a jigsaw puzzle that didn’t quite fit. Like they belonged somewhere else, pieces of another puzzle. I’d been troubled by this for three years now. But when you know that your twin is dead, when you’ve learned to accept that, because all the evidence confirms it, there’s not much that you can do about it.
Unresolved issues never go away. As humans, we need closure, we can’t just forget things. Life would be much easier if we could. Just delete a section of our memory that is no longer required or wanted. So although I couldn’t do anything about them, these memories troubled me.
But in the events that followed in the Secret Bunker, I was going to get all the answers I needed.
Chapter Two
Revival
I don’t recall anything between the weapon going off and waking up in a medical area. I’m not even sure how long I was out - asleep, knocked out, unconscious or whatever it was - but it must have at least been overnight because I felt pretty well rested after the the gruelling events that I’d experienced alone in that corridor. It didn’t hurt, that’s for sure. Whatever those weapons were, they weren’t there to hurt me. I’m not even sure if they were weapons now - seeing that I’m here, healthy and unhurt.
My mind is feeling a little fuzzy, no worse than having to wake up on any other day mind you, but it quickly accelerates from 0 to 100 miles per hour. So many questions … What’s going on here? What happened to the bunker? Who were those people who came out to get me in the corridor? Why were they wearing virus suits? But most important of all, where is my family? The room is well lit and extremely modern. It’s more hi-tech than anything I’ve seen before. This is clearly a room for medical purposes, but it doesn’t look or feel anything like a hospital. There are data screens everywhere, like computers, yet like nothing I’ve ever seen in a regular hospital.
There is no sinister, metal, torture-like medical equipment set out on trays and I can’t see any containers or medicines. And there are no syringes anywhere, which is always a good thing. Everything in this room seems to happen electronically. I am alone, but I see that I am being monitored on a camera which is pointing directly at me.
I am comfortable, warm and not in any immediate danger, so in spite of all my questions, I can only assume that whatever is going on is not a threat to me. I also hope that it means Dad, Harriet and David must be on the receiving end of the same treatment. I’m desperate to see them, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen at the moment.
And what about Mum? If these guys came out into the corridor in virus protection clothing, what on earth is going on beyond the bunker doors? And what does that mean for Mum who’s currently trapped outside?
Waiting
At the time I’d assumed that there were no other children in the bunker because we were here during term time. But that only excluded families with school age children, what about those with toddlers? It’s very unusual not to see any other children. But that wasn’t the only thing.
There didn’t seem to be any couples in the bunker. There were men and women of different ages, but none of them seemed to be together. It was like it was an open day for childless and friendless people. There were plenty of people visiting the bunker, I’d even go as far to say that it was quite busy.
But none of them seemed connected - and here’s the other thing that struck me. Most of them weren’t engaged in the exhibits in the same way that we were. It was almost as if they were just hanging around waiting for something to happen.
Control Room
The terminal is active now, and all is as it was during the training. The location is different of course, much more modern than that grey and functional building. But this is exactly how they said it would be. He’d trained alone, in isolation. There were no colleagues to laugh and joke with, it was important that each person knew their role completely.
His work station is an exact replica of what he had at the Orientation Centre. Everything exactly the same, including the framed photograph of his family. He’d been trained thoroughly and precisely, so he knew exactly what to do and when to do it. He understood that his instructions would arrive at the appointed time.
All was as it should be, except for the long delay activating the lighting. But he couldn’t help worrying about Trudie and the kids. They said that his family would be okay on the outside. It would only be for a limited time they said. And he didn’t really have a choice. ‘No families!’ was the strict policy on this mission. So long as they were in their home when the darkness fell, they’d be okay.
Outside
The darkness began at 15:00 BST on 15th May. It was undetectable at first. Just like the weather had changed and the skies were going grey. Only this was a weather pattern that was happening globally. It had been preceded by high winds and extreme weather conditions.
The sort of weather that grounds planes and stops ships setting off to sea. This was a global phenomenon. The same weather forecast would have covered the entire world. It was like somebody wanted as much of the world as possible locked up safely at home.
Chapter Three
Clarity
Whil
e I’m thinking about Mum and what might have happened to her, a screen in front of my bed jumps into life and positions itself directly in my view. At a perfect focal distance. Very clever. A face appears on the screen.
‘Hello Dan,’ says a very official looking lady on the screen, ‘I’m sorry if we worried you.’
‘That’s fine,’ I reply, ‘But what’s going on? And where is my family?’
‘Sorry Dan, there’s a lot to explain,’ she continues. ‘Would you prefer to get some food first, then I can brief you fully on what’s been happening?’
I’m really hungry and I’m never very good on an empty stomach. The thought of sitting down with some decent food and getting some answers is just what I need right now. But I need to know about my family first.
‘Where is Dad?’ I ask, ‘He must be here with David and Harriet still. Is this still the same bunker of have I been moved?’
‘Dan, your Dad and your brother and sister are fine, but I’m afraid we can’t let you see them just yet,’ replies the lady.
‘You’re in a classified military area, we have to follow certain protocols I’m afraid,’ she continues, ‘But let me reassure you, they’re absolutely fine.’
‘And my Mum?’ I ask, relieved that at least I seem to be safe now, and things are looking more hopeful by the minute. The face on the screen changes slightly, she tries to hide it, but I can see that she is suddenly concerned. I have caught her out, she wasn’t expecting that question.
‘Dan, were you with somebody else when you got caught in the bunker? Other than your brother and sister and your dad?’
‘Yes,’ I reply, ‘My mum.’ I’m concerned now, I don’t like the look on her face. She’s looking at somebody off-screen, like she hopes they’ll give her an answer. This doesn’t feel like it’s going to be good news.
‘Dan, there was nobody else inside the bunker when the doors closed, where was she?’ the woman asks me uneasily.
‘She was outside,’ I reply, ‘Running towards the blast doors.’ ‘Oh’ is the only words that she utters.
Recruited
He was pretty surprised when the recruitment call came. He was ex-military. Struggling to return to civilian life. It’s a big change when you leave the Army. One minute you’re in a foreign country being shot at, verbally abused and fearing for your own life and the lives of your colleagues. The next you’ve been made redundant and your military life is over. The routines, the discipline, the friendship. It takes some adjusting to.
It had only been three weeks when the call came, but he was ready for it. A few trips to the job centre and he’d known that civilian life was going to be a struggle. How can you be a waiter in a pizza restaurant when only a few weeks ago you were dodging sniper bullets and trying not to step on a landmine? So he was eager to get involved when they contacted him.
It was almost as if they’d been waiting. When they asked him to sign up, he was desperate to get back in action, there was no way he was saying ‘No’. Trudie would understand. And at least nobody would be in danger. That’s how it had looked at the time.
Anticipation
‘Uncomfortable’ is not a good word to use to describe the person who’s responsible for medical procedures, especially if they involve you and your body.
But the woman had not really had a choice. When they put it the way they did, what else could she do? If it was your family, wouldn’t you be able to make tough decisions if it meant them being okay? And this didn’t seem too bad, it certainly hadn’t hurt at all. She’d had more discomfort from a filling at the dentist. Only once you’d had a filling it was all over and done with. And if you went easy on the sweets and drinks, you could even avoid it happening again if you really wanted to.
But she had a feeling that sitting here in this office, having this thing whatever it was - placed into her body … She had a feeling that this was the easy bit.
Outside
Although the darkness felt like an accelerated nightfall at first, if viewed from space, it would have taken on a much more startling appearance. This had nothing to do with the sun, or the light that is cast over the planet, depending on where you are in the world, at certain times of day. This blackness fell over the entire planet.
From space you would have seen no land, no sea, no land masses. You would just have seen those familiar forms slowly darkening, until completely obscured by blackness. Nothing - just an orb of dull darkness - and no signs of life.
Chapter Four
Normality
The woman is called Kate and although I can’t get over my concern about Mum - and my eagerness to see Dad, Harriet and David - I like her and I feel safe in her company. It’s the security of being with someone who seems to know what’s going on. It seems to be my best bet at the moment. I have so many questions to ask, but I’m trying to stay calm and sensible. I know that if it all comes pouring out the way I’d like it to, we’ll get nowhere.
I want to ask a thousand questions at once and get all the answers right now. Unfortunately, I know that won’t happen. Also, there’s a sense of urgency in this building. Nobody is saying anything, there are no alert signs or anything like that. It’s just the way that people are getting on with their work - like they’ve been trained for this and they know exactly what they’re doing.
And here’s another funny thing. All of these people were in the bunker when we were visiting as a family. They are the same people who seemed surprised at our presence there. 24 hours earlier they had seemed to be in the wrong place. Now it is quite clear that they were all in that bunker for the same reason. They have jobs to do here. But I’m not even sure that they knew each other before this all happened. They’re working together but there is no easy chat, no jokes or sense of familiarity. They seem bound now by a common sense of purpose, by work and activities that they all understand. Like they have all been trained for this. Like they were expecting it to happen.
The Military Approach
He looked at the picture of Trudie and the kids, then placed it to one side. As a military man, he knew how this worked. Focus on the job and get through it. He’d been away from the family for six months at a time before. They were used to it. They didn’t like it of course. Who would? So one month away from home - and in the same country? Well that was a luxury compared to a tour of duty. The training had been military in nature, even though he knew it wasn’t Army.
It was probably safer to say that it was a ‘Government’ job. But the routines were the same as the Army. The Official Secrets Act and all that. They wanted ex-military people because of the way they’d been trained. This was clearly not a civilian job, it needed military discipline and routines. The biggest difference was that you weren’t a unit. In fact, he hadn’t met anybody connected with this mission yet. First it was the training. In isolation. He’d felt bad about lying to Trudie, but she knew the score.
It was no different to having to keep quiet about military operations abroad. Every part of him wanted to share this stuff with her, after all they were husband and wife weren’t they? But he’d just told her he’d had to go away for a week to an assessment centre for a new job. She didn’t ask too many questions. Just things like ‘Where is it?’, ‘Who is it with? and ‘How long are you away?’ She was used to being on her own with the kids, it would just be like life in the Army again. Only without the constant worry and the fear that there might be a knock at the door from someone bearing bad news.
The training had just been like old times for him. A functional Government building, a purposeful regime and perfunctory relationships with your superiors. Except for that Doctor who seemed to be in charge. This man certainly knew his stuff when it came to the tech they were using. But he was an ‘odd one’. He’d really felt uncomfortable whenever this guy was around. He missed the laughs with his colleagues though.
He knew he’d be joining other people for the main operation, but they would not meet before the event. They were to be trained in isolation,
via simulations, so that each person knew exactly what to do when all the elements were placed together. This was quite different from military training where they acted as a unit, under central command. It was almost as if no single person was supposed to know exactly what was going on.
Activated
If this was the easy bit, she might as well relax and get on with it. She’d had enough experience at work to know that you should take one thing at a time. No time worrying about what might happen in a week’s time. Focus on what’s going on now. Whatever was going on with those screens, it was obviously connected with this thing inside her. They wouldn’t tell her what it was, only that it was ‘mission critical’ and non-permanent. How reassuring. When he talked about ‘mission’ she hadn’t a clue what it was. Only that she had no choice but to get involved and to play her part.
It was almost like her short stint in the Army before before she met Mike. Following orders, doing what you’re told, never asking questions. It hadn’t really worked out for her then so it was almost a relief when redundancy came. It was one of the shortest military careers in history. Long enough to get a feel for it, not long enough to see any real action. Except for the one mission of course. The one that changed everything.
She wasn’t really the ‘trusting authority’ type. Look at how they’d home educated Dan. Most people don’t even know that’s possible. They just follow the rules, do what everybody else does. And taking David out of school during term time. Okay, these weren’t the crimes of the Century. But she had a natural aversion to doing what she was told. Except when the lives of her family were being threatened.