The QuaranTeens, #1

by Keith B Darrell

  Kai shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep. Can’t wait to hear your excuse.”

  “I don’t need an excuse to leave my quarters.”

  “Not to leave your quarters, but the bunker?”

  “I wasn’t—”

  Kai’s gaze fell on a sack propped beside the door. He grabbed it before Corona could object and looked inside. “Hmm… matches, water, food… and a knife from the kitchen. Sleepwalking your way through a scavenger hunt?”

  Defeated, Corona drew a deep breath and exhaled. “You’re right. I can’t get it to turn. Are you going to wake everyone or wait until morning to tell them?” She felt Kai’s penetrating gaze.

  “Why?”

  “I told you earlier why we should explore what lies on the other side of the door. I’m tired of living life vicariously through the pages of books written long before I was born. I want to touch and taste and smell all the things their words could never adequately describe. ”

  “But why now? Covid said we’d all discuss it tomorrow. Why sneak out in the middle of the night?”

  “I know my twin better than anyone. You heard him: he thinks we should stay here. No change, carry on as before. Regardless of what Varian claims as his own strengths, Covid’s the one who’s a natural leader. Watch: he’ll take charge tomorrow. Then, he’ll order the door guarded day and night, or barricade it off so no one’s tempted to see what’s out there.”

  Kai nodded. “I assume you left him a note.”

  Corona shook her head. “Once Covid realized I wasn’t in the bunker, he’d know where I’d gone. I guess that’s a twin thing. We could always—”

  “Read each other like a book?”

  She sighed and her eyes drifted to the ceiling. “It doesn’t matter now. I’ll be spending my life in this concrete cage until the day they toss my body into the furnace.”

  Kai glanced inside the sack. “You don’t have it.”

  “What?”

  “Upper body strength. It’s not your fault; you’re a girl. You’d never have budged that wheel.” He handed her the sack. “Put more water and food in there. Non-perishables, like crackers and tins.” He reached in front of her and grabbed the wheel, grunting as he turned it. “Hurry up; I’m working up an appetite.”

  She stared dumbfounded at him as the reality sank in. “You’re helping me?”

  “I’m coming with you; or at least leaving while I can. Now go get more provisions from the kitchen. Hurry, before someone hears us.”

  Esme lay in bed caressing Varian’s arm. The sixteen-year-old girl looked longingly into his eyes. “Do you have to go now? Can’t you stay a little longer?”

  Varian sat up in bed and reached for his clothes. “You know better than anyone what a big day I have ahead of me. You did talk to all of them, didn’t you?”

  She slithered over to him and wrapped her arms around his torso. “I told you last night. I talked to everyone I thought could be swayed.” She ran her hand along his body as Varian was dressing. “I can be very persuasive.”

  Varian moved her hand so he could button his shirt. “What did you have to promise them?”

  Esme shrugged. “Hardly anything. I told Blaine he could be your assistant. He’s such a pathetic, needy person,” she said, with no trace of irony. “He wants to be part of the team, any team that will have him. He’ll be eager to follow you because he doesn’t want to be left out.”

  Varian nodded. “Will we have enough for the vote?”

  Esme stared into his eyes again. “You know you can count on me. I’d do anything for you.”

  Varian smiled. “Yes, I know.” He pulled up his boots and turned to leave Esme’s quarters. As an afterthought, Varian returned to her and kissed her.

  “I’ll get dressed and meet you in the social area,” she said as Varian headed out the door.

  Destine arched her brow. “You look unusually agitated this morning,” she said, joining Covid in the social area.

  Covid frowned. “Corona wasn’t in her room this morning. Her bed hadn’t been slept in. I spent the last couple of hours searching the entire bunker. She’s not here.”

  “That’s impossible. You were just looking in the wrong places. There’s nowhere else she could be.”

  Covid glanced across the bunker at the imposing metal door. “There’s only one place I haven’t looked.”

  Destine followed his glance. She frowned. “That’s absurd. Corona would never go outside. It’s against the code. If there are people left out there, they’re probably asymptomatic carriers or infected themselves. She’d have to have a death wish.”

  “Or a wanderlust. I should have seen this coming. We’ll have to go after her.”

  Destine cocked her head. “Madness must run in your genes. No one else must violate the code. We shouldn’t even let her back in.”

  Covid looked at her in shock. “What are you talking about?”

  “Corona will be breathing unfiltered air and coming into contact with potentially contaminated surfaces if not other people. This is a sterile environment. She could expose us all to the virus.”

  “You’re talking about my sister.”

  “I’m talking about our lives. She should have known the risks… And the consequences.”

  Covid shook his head. “We have to look out for each other now more than ever. If she shows any sign of infection then obviously we can’t let her back into the bunker but there may not even be any traces of the virus left. It’s been twelve years.”

  “You’re probably right. Of course, we don’t know what's happened while we’ve been inside. The pandemic may have spread to every human on the planet. Worst case scenario, it may have killed them all. Or on the bright side, there may be survivors with antibodies making them immune. But your sister doesn’t have any immunity and neither do we.”

  Covid grimaced and turned away.

  “You know it’s the only logical thing to do.”

  “She’s my sister; relationships aren’t based on logic. You’d realize that if you spent more time with people than books.”

  “You’re torn, aren’t you? I can see it on your face. You’re tempted to go after her despite knowing how much you’re needed here and that doing so goes against the very core of the code. Which will it be, Covid? Will you pursue the stray sheep or remain and tend to your flock?”

  “You read too many books, Destine. We’re people, not sheep.”

  “Some might argue otherwise. Varian sent his little lovesick butterfly flittering about last night to drum up support for his bid to lead us.”

  “What’s a butterfly?”

  Destine sighed. “Something that exists in books.” She glanced at the door. “Or maybe out there. Never mind. The death of the last adult has created a power vacuum and Varian means to fill it.”

  “You realize I don’t understand half of what you say.”

  “Then, maybe you should have spent more time in the library. I’ve used my time to learn as much as I can about every subject we have books on — science, history, politics, medicine — and I’m telling you, Varian is making a classic power play. This sort of thing has happened throughout history. Why, back in the Roman empire —”

  “I don’t have time for a history lesson. Corona is missing and every minute takes her farther away.”

  Dozens of teenagers crowded into the social area. Fiona accompanied Nessa, holding the young girl’s hand reassuringly. The brawny Ian stood against the wall to make room for the smaller children. Dax ambled over to Covid and Destine. As more teens wandered in, Coralie stepped from her room following the crowd while not becoming part of it.

  “Why so glum?” Tristan asked Dax. He wore a perpetual grin that looked as if it had been painted on his face.

  “It’s not normal to be cheerful when someone’s died and the world’s rapidly changing all around you.”

  Tristan gave a wide smile. “We’re young and we’re alive. How many others in the entire world can say that? There’s no reason to
mope about. You should seize the moment and enjoy every second of life. If you spend all your time worrying about what might happen you’ll miss what is happening around you.”

  Dax sneered at the boy. “Sorry, I haven’t had my happy juice this morning and I don’t feel like taking philosophy lessons from a fourteen year old.”

  Tristan shrugged indifferently. He looked up and saw Varian and Esme enter, followed by Blaine.

  Varian gazed out at the prepubescent faces, some as young as thirteen years old, and the countenances of the more mature adolescents, some like himself entering adulthood. “I see everyone got the message to meet this morning.”

  “Why did you call this meeting, Varian?” Keiana asked. She was a beautiful young woman, nineteen like Varian, but as knowledgeable as Destine. She shared Destine’s thirst for knowledge and Varian’s hunger for power.

  “Yesterday was a painful day for all of us,” Varian said. “Now that we’re on our own, difficult days lay ahead. Our survival depends on what we do next. We must choose a leader.”

  Keiana smiled. “Very well; I accept the position.”

  Varian laughed uncomfortably. “I meant, we must choose the right leader. Someone capable of making the difficult decisions, the tough calls. As smart as you are, intelligence isn’t enough. You’re bright, you’re beautiful, and you’re well-liked; but this election isn’t a popularity contest. It’s about choosing the person who can keep every one of us alive.”

  Esme leaned into Varian. “You know he’s right. When there are hard choices to make do you want someone making them based on how it affects her popularity? Or do you want someone more interested in making the best decisions even if you don’t like him? The most important thing now is survival.”

  Blaine stepped forward. “I agree. Varian will keep us safe. We’ll all have a part to play but Varian’s the only one who can lead us when a crisis arises.”

  “Nice speech, Blaine,” Keiana said. “What did Varian promise you in return for it?”

  “We already have a crisis,” Covid said. “Corona’s missing. I think she’s gone outside the bunker.”

  Corbin, a fifteen-year-old, looked around the crowded social area as he pondered how he might turn the situation to his advantage. This was the point where he expected someone besides Keiana to challenge Varian. If not Covid, who seemed preoccupied with his sister’s disappearance, then the rebellious Kai who could always be counted on to object to rules and those who made them. Yet, he noticed, Kai was nowhere to be seen. “She’s not the only one who seems to be missing. Has anyone seen Kai?”

  Heads turned as four dozen pairs of eyes scanned the social area. “Two missing people,” Keiana said. “It appears you have your first crisis, assuming you’re elected leader.”

  “Varian’s no leader,” Covid said. “We can choose one later. Right now, we need to find Corona… And Kai.”

  “It’ll only take a few minutes to vote,” Varian said. “After all, the welfare of our entire community is more important than any single individual. Esme will pass out a slip of paper to everyone. Write the name of your chosen leader and place it in the box Blaine’s holding.” Esme stepped forward and handed out pencils and paper.

  Covid grimaced but said nothing. After a few moments of reflection, the papers were scribbled on and placed inside the box. When the last teen had voted, Esme nervously took the box from Blaine. She knew how important the outcome was to Varian and she hoped her efforts the previous evening had paid off. She separated the papers and piles, plucking out one sheet. “One vote for Fiona.” She glanced at thirteen-year-old Nessa. “How sweet!” She crumpled the paper and tossed it to the floor. “Fifteen votes for Keiana,” she said, placing one pile aside and starting on the second. “Fifteen votes for Covid.” Esme picked up the next pile and counted. “The rest are all marked for Varian – all seventeen of them.” She beamed at Varian, gesturing toward him. “Our new leader, Varian.”

  “Fine,” Covid said impatiently. “Now what are we going to do about Corona and Kai?”

  Varian mused. “They violated the code. If they were here, they’d have to be punished but they’re not here. So there’s nothing we can do.”

  “You call that leadership?” Covid asked angrily. “We can look for them.”

  “And violate the code ourselves?” Varian asked. “Expose all of us to the virus?”

  Covid sighed. “A search party, then. Six volunteers.”

  “So had you been elected leader, you’d have us violate the sacred code and expose an eighth of our population to potential infection, all to save a troublemaker and your sister? I promised to keep us safe; I won’t send anyone outside the bunker.”

  “He’s right,” Blaine said. “If it were anyone besides your sister, you’d be saying the same thing.”

  “How long do you think they can survive out there?” Varian asked Covid. “Who knows what conditions are like outside the bunker? If they’re not already dead, they soon will be.”

  Covid grew angrier. “My sister’s a survivor.”

  Varian smiled. “Then, you have nothing to worry about.”

  Covid clenched his fist. “I’m going to find them. Don’t try to stop me.”

  Varian suppressed a grin at the thought of his rival banishing himself from the compound. “I wouldn’t think of it.”

  “Covid!” Destine called out. “None of us has ever been outside but from everything I’ve read it’s bigger than anything you can imagine. You may not be able to find them.”

  “I have to try.”

  “Let me grab my bag. I’m going with you.”

  Covid arched an eyebrow but didn’t object. Likewise, Varian was too surprised by Destine’s outburst to object either. A few minutes later, Ian tightened the hand wheel on the door after closing it behind them. Esme embraced Varian as a contented grin filled his face. The other teens chattered amongst themselves while Keiana contemplated what was to come.

  Chapter Three

  It was dark. Darker than anything either Corona or Kai had ever seen. The only light visible came from a large, white object hovering in the sky set against a black backdrop punctuated by tiny flashing yellow specks. Corona looked up at it. “I think that’s called the moon.”

  Kai stared at it. “What does it do?”

  “Don’t you remember when we studied astronomy? It’s like a planet but not exactly. It comes out at night. It’s really far away.”

  “Then, those speckling dots must be stars.” He cocked his head and squinted. “I always thought they’d be bigger.”

  Corona dug into her sack and took out her flashlight. “I don’t know how long the batteries will last.”

  “I’m surprised they work at all. They must be older than us. But I guess the scientists knew the best way to store them. Still, sooner or later they’ll stop working.”

  “We won’t need it when the sun comes out in the morning. I wonder what that will look like.”

  “I remember learning it was a star.” Kai glanced up at the twinkling stars. “It had better be bigger than any of those up there or we won’t be able to see much.”

  Corona adjusted her facemask. “Do you think these will protect us?”

  Kai shrugged. “We’ll find out.” He glanced at the ground. “Shine the light over here.” He kicked the illuminated spot of sand amidst the grass. “Look at it scatter. This sand stuff is fun. In the pictures it was always clumped together. That green stuff must be grass.”

  “Don’t touch it,” Corona said. “It might be contaminated.”

  Kai nodded. “Let’s pick a direction and start walking.”

  Corona glanced back for one last look at the outside hatch leading to the bunker. Then, she hefted her sack over her shoulder and followed Kai.

  Dawn was breaking. “It’s getting lighter,” Corona said. “We should see our first sunrise soon.”

  “I hope so. Maybe we should stop and rest.” Kai sat down and took off his shoes. “My feet are killing me; I’v
e never walked this far before.”

  Corona joined him. “No one has. We’ve been walking for hours. I doubt we’ll be able to still see the bunker once the sun rises.”

  “It’s so quiet. I thought there were supposed to be animals roaming about. The books are filled with pictures of all different kinds: lions, tigers, elephants.”

  “Maybe somewhere else. It’s a big planet; we’ve only walked a little ways considering how large it is.”

  “My feet might disagree.” Kai mused. “Suppose… Suppose there are no animals… Or other people left?”

  Corona chuckled. “If you’re suggesting we become the next Adam and Eve and repopulate the world, then you’re out of luck. Even if you turn out to be the last man on Earth, I’m not sleeping with you.”

  Kai shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. I’ve never heard… Silence before. You know how voices carry in the bunker. Even the generators have a soft hum. There’s always some sound in the background, even if you’re not conscious of it. You never feel alone when there are dozens of people nearby, chattering away. But look out there: nothing. Sand and grass and nothing but the sound of our own footsteps.”

  “I can see the sun rising. It’s as beautiful as all the books said it was. The pictures didn’t do it justice. It’s like a huge orange ball of fire slowly rising in the sky. I can’t wait to see all of it.”

  Kai stood. “All right, let’s keep walking. Now that we can see where we’re going, maybe we’ll stumble across someone else — if there are other people out here.” Corona nodded and the two explorers set forth.

  The oppressive sun approached high noon. Kai wiped the perspiration from his brow. It did little good as it was almost immediately replaced by more. “I’ve never sweated like this before; not even when I was exercising.”

  “The bunker is climate controlled. It’s different outside.”

  “But why is it so hot?”

  Corona gazed upward. “That’s why. It’s so bright I can’t even look at it. It’s awful. My clothes are drenched with sweat.”