Beep! Beep! Beep!
Ugh just a few more minutes…
Beep! Beep!
Ok, I'm up this time. What time is it anyway?
I slowly start to open my eyes to look at my alarm clock. Shit. I snoozed ten minutes and now I was going to be late. I sat up, rubbing my eyes and knowing I was going to have to haul ass if I wanted to get to the hideout for six. The only problem was I was still sore and groggy. I start to search for my shoes and bag. I figure it will be a good idea to bring along some food since we are missing dinner. This isn't the first time we have snuck down before curfew but it might be the last. We usually don't take the risk at night. After curfew if you're caught outside your quarters it's bad news. This doesn't happen very frequently seeing most people follow the rules; unlike us. The only time I have ever heard of someone getting caught was when I was younger. I overheard Dad talking about it to Jonas. He said one of the kitchen guys had been caught and the guards had beaten the crap out of him and he was isolated for three days. That story should have prevented us from trying to break the rules and it did somewhat. We have only chanced it on a handful of occasions. Tonight the risk was worth it though.
I finally found my sneaks and race into the kitchen to grab some food. We didn't keep much in here because we mainly eat in the dining hall. All I could scrounge up was a bag of chips and two waters. Oh well, it will have to do for now.
5:45 pm. Now I'm really going to be late.
The halls were dead silent as I creaked open the door. The overhead lights had been turned to night mode and lit the halls with green light like the tunnels. Only the main halls stayed fully lit at night. I quietly make my way past the Lab and through to the stairwell that leads into the main hall. All I have to do is sneak my way past the kitchen and down one more hall to reach the stairway door to the lower levels. It would be a lot easier if there weren't officers patrolling. Here goes nothing.
I carefully try to sprint down the hallway until I reach the kitchen doorway. I could hear faint chatter in the dining hall. I try to peer inside the door to see if I can make it without being noticed. Suddenly out of the corner of my eye I see movement down the hall. I dodge inside the kitchen. I didn't have a choice. A few seconds later Officer O'Brian passes the doorway and stops. I was try to slow my breathing down. I got lucky. No one was actually in the dining area. Someone had forgotten to turn off the jukebox. I keep waiting for him to move but he just stands there in the doorway only a foot away from where I'm hiding. What is he doing?
I hear him take a step towards me and then he is interrupted. Phew, this is getting too close for comfort. I hear footsteps coming from the other end of the hall towards him. As they come closer I can hear O'Brian mumble something about getting back quickly. I can't make out what the other person is mumbling back to him. It isn't exactly curfew yet so maybe he is just warning someone. Finally, they start to walk back down the hall. I quietly make my way back to the door and look to make sure the coast is clear. I see them turn the corner and notice who that is with Officer O'Brian. Butch. What the hell is he doing out. He doesn't live near this side of the Vault. For once I am happy he was here though. If Officer O'Brian had caught me, it… well let's just say he isn't very pleasant. I really dodged a bullet.
I quickly make my way down the rest of the hallway, down the last hallway and around the corner to the door. I try opening it as quietly as I can. Unfortunately, it isn't used much so it squeaks a lot. I check my Pip-Boy for the time. Damn. 6:01 pm. I rush down the green halls. When I finally reach the hallway to our room the green lighting was out. This was beyond strange. In all the years we have been coming down here this has never happened. I turn on my flashlight and notice the lighting had been smashed. What the hell?! Now I am nervous. Wait…Bash!
I ran to the door and stop. It was open. We never went in without one another. Someone has been down here. I want to call out to Bash but I am too scared. I push open the door a little more and turn on the lights inside. Everything was thrown around. All the books were ripped, there were old pages everywhere. Our yellow chairs were on their sides; one was broken beyond repair. The little white coffee table was flipped over covered in spoiled food from the kitchenette. Our little world is destroyed.
I hear a gasp behind me and turn to see Bash standing there with his mouth wide open. I can feel little hot tears trying to escape. He looks at me and frowns.
"Why didn't you wait for me. It could have been dangerous", he says shakily.
"I- I don't know. I thought maybe you were in here but then…", I couldn't finish my sentence. I can't stop my tears from flowing now. I grab Bash and push my face against his chest. I was so scared and now that he is here I am safe to unwind.
"Who could have done this? More importantly why? I didn't think anyone even remembered the lower levels existed." Bash was right. Most people aren't even aware of this place and would never come down here even if they were.
"This is horrible, Bash! Our special place is gone." This would be the last time I would ever see it. We have spent so many years playing, laughing, growing up right here in this little place. Now it's be forever tainted. It's killing me inside.
"Did you notice anyone follow you here? Can you think of anyone who would do this, Aud?" He looks me dead in the eyes while he says it. I can't think though.
"No-I mean I don't think…", but right then I remember something, "Actually, I had a strange encounter with Butch earlier an just now he was in the main hall near the kitchen. It didn't make any sense till right now."
"Wait, Butch? I'm gonna kill that- "
"It's ok, I'm fine. I promise. He's not worth it", I say hoping to ease the tension. I could see Bash wasn't buying it for a second. He gave me a once over and noticed my arm right away. He grabs it and looks at the bandaged gash.
"What the hell happened, Aud. You don't look fine", he snaps.
"He may have pushed me down after we got into a little tiff. Nothing major. The strange thing was he brought up the G.O.A.T and said our hiding would be over soon. At first I thought it was Butch being the bastard he is. Now though… maybe it was an actual threat." I wouldn't put it past him. The only thing I couldn't wrap my head around was how he knew where this place was. Butch may be an ass but he's not smart or sly. I would have noticed if he was following me. He isn't known for being light on his feet.
"Sounds like a threat to me all right. This doesn't add up. Why after all these years would he choose now to wreck this place." Bash starts pacing. He always did this when he was thinking. One of his many traits I always adored.
"Maybe he just found out? I'm more interested in the how and why."
"I guess you're right. The why could be as simple as he's just a deeply immoral person, but the how… now that is troubling." He sighs and starts moving around the room, taking in all the damage. He slowly walks towards the bedroom where we had just spent most of the afternoon and says, "I'm going to miss this place."
"Me, too." I walk over to him and lean on him. He grabs my hand and hold it. We just stand there, staring at the mess that was once our sanctuary. Neither of us says anything but we know. We know this was the last moment we will have together completely alone before the test.
After a few minutes Bash lets go of my hand and stands in front of me. He looks so sad and it's eating away at me to see him this way. He was always the strong one but this hurt. He starts to open his mouth to talk but nothing comes out. There is nothing to say. I understand the hurt, anger and sadness swirling around inside. I pull him close to me and slowly move towards his face. I stop just inches away from his mouth taking this moment in and then gently kiss him. His lips feel so warm and wonderful. I can feel him kiss me back and its bliss. I have been waiting for this moment for so long and now as everything is falling apart it's happening. It only lasts a minute but it's enough. He moves away just enough to look at me and smile.
"Aud, we should go now. It isn't safe here."
"I know. Let me just grab something first." I pick up my bag and go over to the bookcase. Luckily, it was too heavy for whoever did this to lift. I slide my hand behind and feel it. I pull it out of its hiding place and smile. Still perfect. We had taken this picture on my 10th birthday. Dad, Bash, and me all making goofy faces. I kept it here all these years. I bring it over to Bash and he just chuckles. We make our way out and close to door for the last time. We walk in silence once again. Mourning the loss of our home. Things will never be the same.