Part 4
I HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS CHAOTER CAN GET KINDA LONG SO..SORRY!
Ryan led them deeper into the bunker. The narrow hallway was only big enough to fit one person. Jack was talking to his friend, and June was eager to see the baby, so that left Arthur in the back. It made him jumpy and he flinched at every noise. He had this feeling in his stomach that something was going to go wrong. That somehow that red smoke was going to seep through the walls and attack them. He shivered thinking about it. He saw June watching him and he mustered a smile and looked back where they had come from.
Turning back he noticed June's hair. He noticed how it glowed despite the only light being from a few candles that were scattered stuck in crevasses in the walls. Arthur remembered what June had told him while they were walking. That her hair was as fiery as she was. He smiled and wondered what her brother was like. Was he as strong as her, or was he…
Arthurs thoughts were interrupted as the hallway widened into a much bigger room.This room than the one they were in when they first came in. The room was also more decorated and better lit than the former. Arthur walked around the border scanning the space. There was a light blue carpet spread across the middle of the floor where June sat laughing with a toddler. He smiled and thought of his own little siblings. He noticed a couch against one wall and a small bed and a crib against another. He also saw a sleeping bag folded up in the corner. What fun sleeping he thought sourly. There was a small tv sitting on a black table. Another bigger black table was sitting in the middle of the room on the carpet.
Arthur stopped for a moment and watched June. Who was pretending to wrestle with the little boy. She was laughing as the boy landed on her and messed with her hair. Sitting up she messed with his own short blond hair. June turned to Arthur smiling her green eyes gleaming. Arthur raised his eyebrows then turned away and looked around for Jack and Ryan. They were talking to a woman, which Arthur assumed was Ryan's wife. There was a baby sleeping in her arms and Arthur laughed thinking of his little sister. Pain suddenly flooded his mind as he thought of how they would be freaking out about him.
Do they know about the smoke? Are they safe? Do they think he's dead? He was full on panicking by the third thought, and he could feel his hands shaking. June appeared at his side, her hand on his shoulder. He could see understanding in her eyes. He wondered for a moment if she could read his mind. He tried to shake the thought but with what he had already seen today it stubbornly remained.
"You're in my way," a voice said behind them making Arthur jump.
Arthur turned to see a girl that looked maybe ten glaring up at him. She had on a light pink skirt that almost hit the floor, and a white blouse that was too big for her small frame. June knet down to meet her eyes. She said nothing just searched her eyes. The girl never looked at her, she was just staring at Arthur. Arthur felt chills make their way up his spine. June stood up and turned to him. "Trouble" she mouthed smiling. Arthur nodded and made his way across the room Ryan.
"I hope this isn't too much trouble Linda," Jack said, smoothing down his goatee.
"Not at all Jack, we have room to spare," Ryan's wife said, shifting the baby in her arms. "We will enjoy the extra company." Ryan nodded in agreement.
"Yes stay Jack, plus your sister is good with Tyler," He said looking at Arthur.
Arhur said nothing for a second as he stared at Ryan. "We aren't siblings," He said looking back at June who was talking to the little girl. The girl had her hands in a large cupboard that appeared to be built into the wall, which Arthur hadn't noticed earlier.The three adults turned to him smiling with understanding. Arthur looked between them panicked. Jack doubled over laughing.
"Sorry Arthur but your reaction was priceless!" he howled, shaking from laughter. Ryan snickered next to him and his wife shot him an apologetic look. Arthur smiled at her and waited silently for Jack to finish.
June walked over and watched Jack with confusion. Arthur smiled and whispered what happened to her. She smiled and laughed a bit herself. Thankfully, by that time Jack was done making fun of Arthur.
"So dinner?" he asked as Linda rolled her eyes.
"Dinner's Jennifer's job," she replied shaking her head.
"This should be fun," Ryan muttered, casting a glance at his older daughter. Linda hit his arm lightly, but she was laughing as well.
After half an hour dinner was finally ready. They all sat in various spots around the bunker. June and Jack were sitting next to him on the couch, Jennifer and Tyler sat on the bed, and Ryan with his wife and the baby on the floor. They all had tomato soup and crudely cut pieces of bread sitting in front of them. The soup was bit watery and the bread a bit burnt, but Arthur knew it was better than nothing
"Do you think it's gone? The smoke I mean," Jack asked, placing his bowl on the table.
For a second nobody answered him. Deep down everyone had the same question in their head, dreading the time where they had to think about it. What were they supposed to do with a smoke that devoured everything? Unlike a new war or plague this has never happened.
"All we can do is hope," Arthur finally said, scanning the faces. "There is no way to know for sure. Sure we could check, but that would mean opening the door, and the last thing we need is that stuff getting in here." he continued looking at the kids. June nodded next to him as everyone else muttered agreement.
"That was the stupidest thing I have ever heard," Jennifer said biting off a chunk of bread. "'All we can do is hope'. Straight out of a movie. What's next? Do you have some stupid convienet super power, that's not useful until this very specific moment?"
Her parents gaped at her. Tyler was laughing like a maniac but no one seemed to care. Arhut just looked at June who was calmly sitting and finishing her meal. So much different than the girl who punched someone for mocking him earlier. Though they were highschool boys not a ten year old girl
"Sorry about her Arthur she's normally not so rude!" Linda gasped.
"It's fine I was just about to tell everybody about my uncanny ability to detect where red smoke is but I suppose now is a bad time." She said, sighing. Jennifer scowled at her but said nothing. Arthur glanced at the red head and saw the corner of her mouth twitch up, but Arthur could see the distress in her eyes. He knew she was trying to come up with some sort of plan. In the short time he knew her, she was always the one trying to save everybody. She punched Henry, attempted the metal doors, and when she failed he could see her guilt. And now, when she was going everything in her power to help everyone in this bunker. He wouldn't be surprised if she walked out of her to see it was safe despite the immense risk.
She finally looked at him and laughed. "You know it's a joke right?"
"Of course I did," Arthur snorted
"Sure you did," she teased pushing him with her elbow.
"I did!"
"Yep"
More laughter
"June!"
"Definitely"
Arthur sighed and turned away knowing this was not an argument he could win. Suddenly a loud scream echoed around the room, and everybody turned to Tyler who was standing by to the couch clutching June pants. Tears poured down his face as he watched the corner of the room. June picked him up and whispered something in his ear, as he buried his head in her hair. Arthur started over to her but lost his balance at what he saw. A perfect square, about the size of Arthur's hand, was missing from the floor. June knelt down and peered in. A gust of wind blew her hair back causing young Tyler to shriek. June hugged his tiny body closer and frowned. Arthur grabbed her white shirt trying to pull her back, but she shrugged him off and got closer.
"June what are you-?" His words trailed off as another perfect square broke away a couple inches away from June foot. Though somehow June didn't notice. "June getaway from there." Arthur growled when she stubbornly stayed put.
More and more squares were breaking away now causing her to shift backwards. Arthur grabbed her arm again and heaved her backwards. She fell back and grinned at Arthur. She stood up and handed Tyler to his mother who looked scared out of her mind. Though Arthur realized he was too. His heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest, his hands were overly sweaty, and he was starting to feel like standing wasn't the best for him. He sat and laid his aching head on the small table. He wished he would've just taken his car at this point. He regrets agreeing to let his father take it to work, so he wouldn't have to take the bus. He rubbed his eyes and looked at June who was curiously eying the hole.
"When you looked in what did you see?" Ryan asked his voice uneasy.
June shook her head. "I couldn't see anything. There was this fog I would've done more but I had Tyler."
"We aren't asking you to do more than you've already done. No one else in here is brave enough to get within five feet of the thing." June nodded, but Arthur could tell she was unhappy with Ryan's answer.
"She's not the only brave one!" Jennifer said, pulling away and crossing to the hole.
"Jen come back," Ryan ordered his tone hard
Jennifer stopped at the edge of the hole and smirked back at her family. She stepped back slowly as the hole grew, but she stayed on the edge smiling at said fog. Then Jennifer stopped moving back and she let the floor fall from her feet. Her skin was pale and she swayed back and forth slowly as if she was in a trance. She started to tilt in but Jack leaped up and grabbed her wrist pulling her back. She stared at him blankly, still swaying. She blinked once then fell into his arms. He picked her up in his arms and moved towards Ryan. Then the floor disappeared out from him and he fell to the floor Jennifer rolling out of his arms. Jack started to slide deeper and deeper as the fog poured out filling the room
"I'm being pulled in!" he yelled, scraping frantically at the floor. June launched forward and caught his hand. She grunted as she tugged on his arm. After a minute or two June was being pulled in with him.