Eira, a few meters away from the drama unfolding, stood with a curious stance. She watched the little display of leadership claims and high school bravado between Erin and Liam. Her lips pouted slightly and her head tilted in faint amusement, an expression that didn't match quite the quiet and reserved persona she often projected. Watching Jayden step in to diffuse the tension was almost entertaining to her.
To her, this was nothing but a petty argument over who should take charge and which direction they should go. But still, she watched. On the outside, she was silent but on the inside, her thoughts ran sharp
'I wonder what it feels like to be inside his head, so convinced he's always right, feeling on top of the world. Erin, as powerful as she is, can't get him to shut up. Does she even realize how much power she really holds? She doesn't, otherwise she'd end this with a single swing of her arm. But as strong as she is, she's still no match for the beasts that roam this wasteland. We need to reach the settlement soon, and they're wasting time squabbling like children. If only I could do something without raising suspicion… I've come too far to risk exposure now. If Liam keeps being a thorn in my plan, I may have to well… remove him.'
Her inner musings were cut short when the air shifted. It was subtle at first, then undeniable. Then came the low, rolling rumble beneath their feet. Dust kicking up into the air.
Eira's eyes narrowed. She already knew what this meant before it fully began and without hesitation, she started scanning the ground, moving quickly, her boots scraping through the purple dust as if she were searching for something she had always known was there. Her hands swept away sand and dust until her foot struck against a metal like object, with a dull clang. She paused, then knelt to inspect.
Her fingers traced the corroded edge of a circular hatch. The handle was already rusted like it hadn't been touched for years. Bracing herself, she pulled with all the strength she could muster. The hinges screeched before finally giving way as a heavy breath of stale, rusted air wafted to her nose.
Inside, it was a narrow shaft that disappeared into darkness, with an iron railing leading all the way down.
"Over here!" Eira called out, lacing her voice with the intended urgency needed for this kind of situation. "I found something!"
Jayden was the first to reach her, he skidded to a stop beside the open hatch, his chest rising and falling hard as he leaned over it. His eyes widened, a mixture of shock and suspicion painting his face.
"An underground bunker?" His voice came out strained, his gaze flicking between the darkness below and Eira's face. "How the hell did you find this?"
She didn't flinch. "I don't know," she said quickly, her tone clipped, "but hey, if you want to wait around for the giant crab to get here, be my guest."
Jayden's jaw tightened, the tremors in the in the ground were growing louder and closer. "Alright, everyone, get in!"
Erin, of course, had taken it upon herself to try and fight. She braced herself, trying to activate her powers to, but tapping into her abilities wasn't something she could summon at will. The mark on her arm stayed dim, only reacting to her emotions. For the first time since arriving here, she felt helpless.
Then she heard Eira's voice about the underground bunker. Relief washed over her like a breath of air after drowning. Erin stumbled back from her stance and rushed toward the open hatch.
"Are we sure it's safe?" she asked quickly, her voice tight with panic. "We don't know what's down there."
Liam shot her a glare, "Well, we know what's up here, I'm taking my chances down there. I'll go first, make sure it's safe."
Before anyone could argue, he swung his legs onto the railing ladder and began his descent. Erin blinked in surprise. Liam, selfless? She almost didn't recognize him. But she had little time to dwell on the shift in his attitude.
Because the screeches were back, and they were louder. The sound tore through the wasteland like metal grinding on stone, raising the hairs on her arms. Three massive shadows loomed over the horizon, their bodies moved unnaturally fast, compared to the last time. The mutated crabs slammed their claws into the ground, sending little shockwaves through the purple sand. Each strike left craters the size of cars, shaking the ground beneath the group's feet.
"Liam, hurry up!" Erin shouted, her throat itching with urgency.
"You're gonna rush me to death, Erin," Liam growled from below, his voice echoing up the steel shaft. His boots clanged loudly each time as he worked his way down, slower than Erin wanted. She clenched her fists, nails biting into her palms as she forced herself to wait.
At last, a heavy thud echoed from the bottom. Liam had reached the bottom. He looked around and paused. A thick, greasy substance clung to the soles of his boots, black and slimy. It coated the bunker floor, stretching out like tar. The smell hit him a second later, it was sour, rancid, and suffocating.
"What the hell is this shit? God!" he muttered, his stomach turning. He scraped his boot against the floor, but it clung stubbornly.
Ignoring the unease crawling up his neck, he scanned the small space quickly. The bunker was narrow, with pipes jutting along the walls. On the far left, he spotted what looked like a steel door.
"Nice. Please be nice," he whispered as relief sparked in his chest.
"Hurry up, Liam! Is it safe down there?" Erin's voice cut through from above.
Liam rushed toward the door, slipping a little on the greasy floor. He grabbed the handle, but it wouldn't budge.
Frustrated, he pressed harder, forcing all his strength into it. Still nothing. His eyes darted around until he spotted a small opening on the side of the door. Hooking his fingers inside, he pulled with everything he had.
"Come onnn," he groaned, sweat breaking across his brow. Finally, with a hiss of pressurized air, the door slid open. The metal clanged as it hit the wall.
"Okay we're good!" Liam called, waving them down.
One by one, they scrambled into the hatch. Jayden helped Eira lower herself down first, then Erin followed, her heart still pounding as the screeches above grew louder. Jayden came last, slamming the hatch shut just as another quake shook the ground.
The four of them stood together, surrounded by damp metal walls and the strange stink of oil and rot.
First, they had been stranded in a barren wasteland. Now, they were trapped in an underground bunker, with no idea what waited for them inside.
Only one thoughts ran through their minds. 'We survived the crabs. But what if we just walked into something worse?'