Where is he?! This isn't like him to be so late…I'm try to stay calm but these thoughts just keep taking over. As much as I don't want to think about it I know there is merit to these thoughts. I've been best friends with Sebastian since we were 7 years old. He's never later for anything. He practically has a heart attack if he's less than five minutes early. So what is going on?
It's so damp down here and I'm getting cold but I'll wait a few more minutes. I'm used to it now. It's comforting in some strange way. I've met Bash down here for years. It's our secret place. I remember the first time we found this room. Normally vault kids aren't free to wander about aimlessly. We have classes, chores, skills to learn, people to suck up to but every once in a while we have some free time. We were eight years old at the time, not really trusted but we were annoying enough to get away from adults without being missed. We were explorers and somehow got lost in the lower chambers of the vault. The halls in the lower levels are lit with green overhead lighting giving it an eerie feeling. They are mostly abandoned and run down now. When they build our vault they expected to house thousands, except that's not exactly what happened. Many of the early vault dwellers died from radiation sickness, they hadn't quite figured out how to medicate it efficiently.
Now the lower living chambers were over run with radroaches, storage and rust. We ran through a few halls looking for the door out but it was useless. We were scared and it seemed like we were down here for hours. In reality, we were probably only down here 10 minutes before we found a place to hide. Room L22. At first we were petrified of what we might find when we opened the door. To our surprise it was like a sealed tomb, untouched since its last occupants left or died. There were old pre-war books, clothes, a sitting room, bedroom, and small kitchen. It was wonderful. It became ours and we never spoke of it to anyone. To this day I still don't think anyone knows. Which brings me back to today. No one comes down here. Except us. I know he isn't lost. We've mapped these halls and tunnels. We know every nook and cranny. I suppose it could be the radroaches but we've handled them plenty of times. Oh please, please be here soon. I hate being here by myself. I start to fell uneasy standing outside our room by myself and turn to leave.
Before I can I feel a gentle touch on my shoulder. Finally, I can feel my whole body loosen and relax all at once. I turn to see him standing there with the same huge goofy grin I've seen almost everyday of my life. My face betrays me and I crack a smile even though I'm pissed he left me to wait so long.
"Dammit Bastian! What took you so long!" I yell trying my hardest to sound serious even though I can't stay mad at that face.
"Sorry Audball, I got stuck. Apparently I needed to be reprimanded for lacking focus. I did manage to steal a sweet roll though", he says as he pulls the roll out of his bag. It's perfect and I can smell the cinnamon coming from its wrapping.
"How the hell did you manage that?" This time I couldn't help it, I let out a grin. He knows sweets are my weakness, and it was cinnamon my favorite. We rarely get such a luxury except maybe birthdays.
"I stole it off that shithead Butch. He doesn't deserve it anyway. Besides, I knew you would be upset when I was late", he mutters. So true, he knows me better than I know myself sometimes.
"Lucky for you I'm in a forgiving mood. Hand over the roll or face the consequences of my rage." I make a quick lunge for the roll and he catches my arm and pulls me in trying to tickle wrestle me like always. I finally manage to escape his grasp and slow down my breathing from laughing so hard.
"You can never stay mad at me, I'm all that keeps you sane in here", he says as he smiles and goes to sit in the yellow dust covered chairs in the sitting room. He starts to unwrap the roll and split it between us on the little white coffee table. I take my seat next to him and grin. This is my happiness. This is what I look forward to every week.
He was right of course. I could never survive down here in the vault without him. I have my dad but he was always so busy. He is Dr. James to everyone here and I see him once a day if I'm lucky. Ever since my mother passed away giving birth to me he has drowned himself in his work. Don't get me wrong he loves me more than anything and he is an amazing father but he's no Bash.
"So what was the Sergeant on you for this time?" I ask but I was pretty sure I knew the answer.
"Oh, you know, I'm not focused enough and if I don't want to end up being a maintenance worker I better get my act together", he sighs and looks up at me, "what if that IS what I want. He will never listen anyway. He just wants me to follow in his footsteps and suck up so we remain in the Overseer's good graces."
"Bash he's your dad. He just wants what's best for you", I can't help but start laughing as I say, "and thank god you want to be maintenance! I can hear the toilets calling your name!"
"Ha ha very funny!" He looks me straight in the eyes and suddenly I can see warmth spread through every inch of his face. "I don't know what I would do without you Audrey. We both turn 19 this week and that means we have to take our placement test. What if we never see each other."
"We will. Don't be so dramatic."
"How can you be sure? Up until now we were just 'those annoying kids' now we are adults. We won't be able to slip through the cracks unnoticed anymore." Looking at him I actually realized the weight to his words. What if he is right? He usually is. I can't bare to not see him everyday or be able to run away to our hideout undetected for hours.
"I won't let that happen. I will be around to annoy you forever! You can't get away from me that easily." I say as I try to manage a laugh. Though it ends up sounding forced. I just want to lighten the mood a bit.
"Be serious Aud. It could happen", he snaps. Bash moves into the bedroom, throwing himself on the old makeshift bed.
I didn't realize how upset this was making him. Bash is one of the happiest people I have ever known. I guess I have been denying that we may indeed be separated. The thought alone makes me want to hide away here forever. I always just assumed we would both end up in the clinic together. Since we met my Dad has taken us under his wing. As we got older Bash was always around the clinic and excelled at it. I wasn't as inclined towards science but I've come into my own. Once we take the placement though that's it. What you get is where you are assigned for work and you are re-assigned to different quarters. Your free time is limited and we won't be able to sneak away nearly as often as we do. I can't lose him though. I won't. But how?