"War never changes..."
Meredith sucked in a deep breath as the people pushed in past her in a panic. Over the loudspeakers, the Overseer begged for order and told people to calm down, but it wasn't quite working as well as planned.
"It's overcrowded in here," She heard a woman saying to her husband. "Do we really have to stay?"
"Where's my dog?" A kid asked to no one in particular. "Where's Sparky?"
"I'm scared," Came from more than one person as she pushed past the various groups and families who were trying to stick together. She couldn't find her sister or her brother, and she was beginning to panic the longer it took to spot them.
"Please, one at a time, grab a suit and a Pipboy if you're old enough and proceed to the orientation room," The overhead speakers kept droning on. Meredith hoped there was enough for everybody because there were a lot more people in the Vault than she expected there to be.
"Welcome to Vault 113," Someone said in her ear. She craned her neck to see one of the many scientists scattered about the room. They seemed a bit too pleased to see all of these people coming in so suddenly. "I hope you'll find the conditions satisfactory."
"Women, girls, and infants to the left. Men and boys to the right," Another scientist droned. He wasn't as cheery as the others, but still it unnerved Meredith regardless of his demeanor. Finally, she felt a hand clasp over her shoulder and turn her around.
"Mere!" Her twin sister shouted. Although they looked infinitely different from one another, they were closer to one another than any other person on earth. She hugged her sister tightly as soon as she processed everything and the two began to cry a little while people moved around them.
"I was looking for you all over," Meredith said softly. "Where is Mom and Dad? And Steven?"
Her sister shrugged. "I lost track of them before we even descended into the tunnel. They could be ahead of us or behind us somewhere…."
"Maureen, what if they got stuck behind the Vault door after it closed?" Meredith said in a panic. "It looks like too many people were let in already. What if they didn't make it?"
"I don't know," Maureen said sadly. "I hope they're okay."
Just then, a hand pushed the pair forward, towards the women handing out suits and those odd arm devices. Meredith didn't have a choice; her new belongings were shoved into her arms and she was being lead to the left with her sister.
"We're just doing a medical exam," A woman scientist said as the twins were brought behind a curtain. "Are you two related?"
"Twins," Maureen responded for them. "Um, fraternal-"
"Yes, I got that," The scientist said rudely. She prepared two needles and explained to them that she needed to take some of their blood. Maureen looked like she was going to puke, so Meredith held her sister's hand while they did the drawing. Meredith wasn't as bothered, but still looked away nonetheless.
"We have other family members," Meredith said softly. "A brother, and our parents. Have you seen an older woman pass through with graying hair? Her name is Beth."
The scientist pursed her lips, paused for a moment, and then reluctantly looked through a clipboard of names. She checked down the list, and then paused again before speaking. "Yes, there's a Beth Crawford, if that's who you're looking for. The only 'Beth' on the list."
The girls sighed with relief. There mother had at least made it. Meredith opened her mouth to ask if they could find out about their father and brother, but they were already being pushed out of the room.
A few dressing rooms came next, and so they were forced to strip down and change into the ugly blue suits with yellow lettering. The twins came out simultaneously and silently shared their disapproval on how the suits looked on each of them.
Another scientist stood at the end of the hall looking down at a clipboard with a stern face. She looked up and narrowed her eyes. "You go to upstairs, and you go downstairs."
The girls panicked and looked to one another. Meredith opened her mouth to speak for them, but the woman interjected before they could say anything. "Do as I say," She told them. "You'll be together again soon enough."
The twins, unable to cope with separating, stood their ground. "We're staying together," Maureen replied. "We can't lose each other again."
Clearly not willing to argue with them, the woman rolled her eyes and told them both to go upstairs then. They ran up the steps quickly, afraid to be caught under her gaze for any longer. Meredith began to wonder if the end of the world made everyone that cold, or if it was just the way the Vault-tec employees had to be.
The room was overcrowded with a myriad of women, both young and old. Some were crying, especially the small children who had been separated from their mothers, and others were either scared or confused or even angry. Meredith silently prayed her mother would be on that deck too, and again, a flood of relief hit her as she spotted the familiar graying brown hair that was always pulled into a messy bun from across the room. She lead Maureen over and tapped her mother's shoulder anxiously.
Her mother turned and gasped, and then embraced the girls lovingly. "I was so afraid we'd be separated for good," She said softly. "So many women are up here who have children in the downstairs, and vice versa. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones."
A few scowls turned there way for a moment, and so Meredith pulled her mother somewhere a little more remote in the room. There was a corner that housed a plastic fern, so they stood near it and talked further.
"Did Dad and Steven make it?" Maureen asked cautiously. "Are they in with the men?"
"Yes," Their mother said breathlessly. She seemed to be trying her best not to hyperventilate. "They were with me, until we got separated. We were all worried about you two."
"Well at least we're all here, even if some of us are separated," Meredith murmured. "I hope Dad and Steve are okay. I hope they're together like we are."
"Me too," her mother said softly. "I don't know what they're doing this for, but it must be for a good reason. I can't see why-"
Just then, a loud noise of feedback came over on the microphone that was attached to the loudspeakers. Everyone winced and covered their ears for a moment as the noise subsided. Silence followed for a moment before the Overseer spoke again, this time to the small crowd of women who were packed into the tiny room like sardines.
"Welcome to Vault 113, everybody." The speaker said. "I am Overseer Greene, and I will be briefly explaining what's happening next. Unfortunately as most of you know, this is not a drill. Our country is under attack by enemy forces, and has had multiple atom bombs dropped on our soil. The list of death tolls is astronomical and absolutely the most overwhelming tragedy the world has ever seen."
"Most of you are here because you've seeked refuge and haven't given up hope for a future for yourselves and your families, and you are commended for that. That is why this next bit is hard for me to tell you all, but it has to be done regardless. Those of you who are in this room are radiation-free, and therefore allowed to live on in the Vault. Those who are not present are unfortunately too exposed to the radiation, and therefore have to live apart from the rest of you."
An audible gasp came over the room, and Meredith's heart sank as she heard some people burst into tears. A little girl next to her asked if she would ever see her mommy ever again, to which an elderly lady just held her close and shushed her.
"They will live for however long their lives last as the radiation takes over their bodies. It is tragic, but at least they do not have to live on the surface like countless others who've unfortunately survived the initial blast and have to survive under those treacherous conditions."
"Full cooperation is to be expected out of all of you. You need to be strong after all. You'll be reunited with the men who are also radiation free in just a short while, once everyone is officially settled in. For now, please stay calm and stick together. We can only lean on each other in these distressing times."
The speaker cut off abruptly, and the silence in the room erupted into chaos.
"My mother and my sisters are all downstairs!" A woman shouted. "Am I really the only one who's not sick?"
"My children! They're so young! Who is going to take care of them? I'd rather be with the dying than up here!"
Others just wept. Meredith stared at her mother and her sister, who seemed to be in shock like the rest of the people in the room. After what felt like an eternity, the door at the far end of the room shuffled open, revealing an atrium of sorts. Everyone stepped in hesitantly, trying to quell each other's sobs as they observed their new surroundings. More employees stood around, some holding extra Vault suits and others offering assistance to those with the most needs.
A man stood on the second level balcony and looked down. Across the room, all of the other men and boys who were deemed 'healthy' stepped through. They seemed visibly upset as well, and likely got the exact same message as the women had.
The man who Meredith noticed up on the balcony whistled loudly, which got everyone's immediate attention.
"Listen up! I am the Overseer's Commander in Chief, Officer Brown! She has entrusted me to carry out all of the guardianship business, so here's how that's going to go. All able-bodied and interested persons will meet me near my office in the south wing of the Vault, and we'll start training immediately."
"Now, before we start anything else, I'll explain where everything is located. Housing will be dealt with as soon as I'm finished talking, but the main apartments are also kept in the south wing. The atrium here is the center of everything you'll need. There's a general store, a diner, a small entertainment room, a multilevel classroom for the children, public bathrooms, seating and dining spaces, a library, and a computer room. You'll be able to explore that later. The job office is next to the security room, for anyone who is old enough to be placed in a career path suited for them."
"The doctor's office, the door to the Core room and maintenance, and several other jobs is in the north wing of the Vault. Again, you'll find out more after you're all housed. Overseer Greene will be greeting everyone tonight when you're all here for dinner, and she expects to see all faces present so she can answer any and all questions you may have."
As quickly as he had appeared to them, Officer Brown turned and entered a door that was labeled 'Overseer' and left the mass alone for a while. Meredith began searching for her brother and father, hoping to God they made it into the healthy group.
"George!" She heard her mother shouting. "George, where are you?" It seemed like an endless stream of boys and men were coming through but neither Steven nor Meredith's father seemed to be apart of the group. When everyone was present and reunited, the three women stood hopelessly in front of the door where the boys had come from and tried their best not to cry.
"It can't be," Meredith's mother said quietly. "They were next to me the whole time. How did they get sick and I didn't?"
Meredith tensed up a little as her twin clasped a hand around her arm. Maureen leaned in to Meredith's ear and said shakily, "You were the one who had to go downstairs, but they let you up here anyway. Does that mean you're sick?"
Meredith hadn't even considered that thought. Her heart dropped and she turned to face the other people in the room. Those who were still missing family members, which was the majority of them, were happy to see who they were with but were still upset that not everyone had made it upstairs. She wondered what the sick were doing, and whether they were given the same living conditions or if they were being treated any differently.
Most of all, she wondered what difference it would make if she lived among the healthy instead of those who were sick. Was she a liability? Would they find her out and force her to separate? Why was she let upstairs anyway if all of the Vault-tec people knew what was happening? So many questions flooded her mind, she needed something to distract her from it all. A few Vault-tec people entered the room and approached different people in the crowds.
One of them approached her mother, and Meredith's heart began to race as the man opened his mouth to speak. "A mother and daughter?"
"Two daughters," She corrected. "Both of these girls are my daughters."
"My mistake. Must be an error on the page. Anyway, you'll be given a two-room apartment, unless your daughters prefere the dorms since they're technically old enough to live apart from you."
"No, we want to stay together," Maureen said quickly. She looked toward Meredith and then towards their mother. Everyone seemed to agree with her, and the employee continued.
"Very well. We have a room with a bunk in one room and a queen in the other. Will that suit you all well enough?"
"Anything is fine," their mother said. "Thank you."
"No, thank you," He said with a smile. "Here's the key I have for you guys. The room number is on it, it's on the second floor in the south wing. Get settled, and come back in a few hours for dinner."
He left without another word, and the trio silently moved towards the door that all the other families with keys were walking towards.
Meredith noticed that all of the girls missing their mothers had at least their fathers or other male relatives to claim them. She was happy that it worked out well enough, because she couldn't imagine what they would do if any children had been orphaned in the whole ordeal.
She put her worries on the back burner for a little bit as they made their way down the long hallway and went upstairs to find their room. The layout of the Vault was simple and easy to follow, and there were maps on some of the walls to help anyone who happened to lose themselves in the halls.
"Here it is," Maureen stated. Their mother unlocked the door, and it slid open for them. There was a small living area and three other doors, one on each wall.
"I guess that's the bathroom," Maureen said, and opened the door to confirm her thoughts. It had a shower, a toilet, and a sink. A stack of fresh white towels sat on the closed toilet lid. There were only two.
"We'll get an extra one," Maureen assured her sister. "I… uh, I'm sure it's an oversight, like the man said."
"I hope so," Meredith whispered. "I… really hope so." At least she had a bed to sleep in, for now. Maureen claimed the top bunk, so Meredith sat down on the bottom and stared down at her old shoes. They were the only things she really owned that weren't from the vault. An old pair of converse that had lasted her all through high school. She'd been about to ditch them to get a new pair when the news announced the attacks and forced her to find the nearest vault with her family.
"I miss Dad and Steve," Maureen said, draping half of her body off of the bunk. They had a bunk bed at home too, so she always did this. She looked at Meredith upside down, but even when she was acting silly, she still couldn't hide her sadness.
"I know," Meredith said. "I hope they're okay down there."
"Me too." Maureen sat back up and then jumped down from the bunk. "It's a pretty big room. We have two desks, and our own dressers."
"Not like we need to keep much clothes," Meredith muttered. "What are these things, anyway? They couldn't afford to stock us with normal stuff?"
"I don't know," She said softly. She opened the drawers, and they were mostly bare except for an extra suit and some under cloths. "And look! The pajamas are at least okay looking."
She pulled out a white t-shirt with grey sweatpants. The Vault number was plastered on them like everything else, but at least it wasn't the ugly blue color they were forced to wear. "Makes me look fat," Maureen frowned when she looked in the mirror. She pulled her dark brown hair into a ponytail and searched through other drawers, revealing some basic necessities they'd been left with.
"Maury?" Meredith asked. "Why would they give us only two towels, but stock this room like three or more people would live here?"
She shrugged softly. "Maybe they forgot?"
"Maybe," She mumbled a reply. Meredith got up and walked across the room next to her sister. Maureen had always been the better twin deep down, although it was weighed out by how humble and inclusive she was to share the spotlight with Meredith. Meredith was average size, a few inches shorter than her sister, and had a much plainer shade of brown hair, which fell a bit unevenly on her shoulders because her last hair cut had been messed up.
Maureen placed her arm around her sister's shoulder and squeezed tight. "Whatever happens, we'll stick together, right?"
"Of course," Meredith replied. "Together forever. Hopefully life down here won't be as dull as it seems it'll be."
Just then, there was a knock at their metallic door. It opened a second later, and their mother appeared. She seemed like she'd been crying and was trying to cover it up, but her cheeks were still red and her eyes were a bit puffy. She smiled at her daughters as she entered the room and crossed her arms as she observed the surroundings. "Not too shabby."
"It is what it is," Meredith replied. "At least we have a place to stay."
They all nodded softly, and an overwhelming silence came over the room. Trying to ignore the reality of their situation was becoming increasingly difficult as they finally began to truly process what had happened. Their mother was the first to start crying, and then shortly after, Maureen burst into sobs, and Meredith felt her own tears pooling down her cheeks as they all embraced one another and cried on each other's shoulders. Life had truly changed, and whether it was for better or worse, they would have to deal with it. The only solace they had now was in each other.