The Bunker
I really want to go to the beach. You know, see the seagulls and everything, AND OH! THE CLAMS! Such cool creatures, with their green shells. It’s shiny and has these lines over their body. Did you know that I ate them before? I didn’t like it though. It tasted fishy and, I don’t know, sandy? And it’s chewy. It’s like you’re eating fishy, sandy, chewy candy. And yea. the
beach. It’s you know, the place with the blue sky, the sun, the wind that’s smelling like the sea. I could only see them in movies. But yeah, anyway, The Beach is a place that I would like to see. I’ve never been there, never had the chance. Cause, who would’ve thought that I would need to live in a bunker cause of the war? And I don’t know how many years has it been? Like 7, or 47, I don’t know?
Only my father knew time, and he lost track of time when his watch stopped. It was year 2037 when it stopped. There’s no time no more. Though we still know how long it takes to cook canned soup, time gets blurry after some time. We can’t see sun that’s why I, or rather we, couldn’t tell what time it was.
I only know that my father and mother, we, don’t go out because it’s too dangerous. We always get this radio message telling us that we shouldn’t go out, that it was really dangerous to go out, because they said the enemy are still walking around and you would be shot dead if they see you. My father is very strict on that. I’m not curious though. Our live here in the bunker is pretty fine. We still got many cans, mostly chickpeas, and dad said the cans’ll be good for at least 30 more years. Technology they said. But still, some of them came out smelling. But we are a family who don’t waste, and we ate it anyways, so whatever. But actually, I think we should stop doing that, because there was one time where my father puked all over the dining table cause the chickpeas turned out to be bad. Sooo bad. I mean the puke. And I know better now not to eat those dead-chick peas, get it? “Dead-chick” peas.
We were kinda rich back then, not the richest though. The richest was my friend Stev. He got this really great orange car, make loud sounds, but he kept it to himself. So no one wanted to be his friend. But I do. He’s a good guy, people just got the wrong idea. He’s a clean freak and that’s about it. He don’t like germs in his car. He only trusts his own germs. I guess he’s kinda weird, but I like weird people.
Another place I never went is the desert. It looks like this smooth silk, you know? Looks really smooth. I really want to sleep on it, and see if I will drown in it. My legs will probably be stuck first, AND THEN I’m gonna drown. I’m not sure if the thing I’m talking about exists there, you know? The kind of sand that can trap you and your legs and then drown you. And of course the SCORPIONS! And SNAKES! And I don’t know? Cactus? I wanna hug ’em, it’ll probably hurt, but I can handle them, I can handle pain. They’re just so fascinating. The world is sure full of interesting stuff that I never seen. I’m gonna look for a camera once we’re out and take pictures of them.
— -
Yeah, yesterday Dad died after eating those dead-chick peas. He puked and just stopped breathing, his head layed there on the table. We don’t know what to do. Of course burying him would be the proper thing, but our floor is made of concrete, and the toilet won’t flush if we put him in. Just keeping him on the table would be bad, cause he’s just gonna rot and we can’t stand the smell. At least mom can’t. I’m probably be good. So, we put him inside this trash furnace that we have. It took some time and gas but at least we won’t have to deal with the smell. He’s just gone now. I hope he’s happy. Is it weird that I don’t feel sad? Mom didn’t cry, or rather she couldn’t cry she said. She don’t say why, but maybe because she doesn’t love Dad anymore. I think we lived with each other too much. I asked her if she still loves me, and she said she does. I wonder if that’s the reason Dad died, because Mom doesn’t love him. I see people sometimes hurt each other cause they can’t love each other. Anyway, now that Dad isn’t here we can’t seem to remember what the rules are. I asked mom if we can go out. Maybe she just forgot. She didn’t say anything. I asked if she wants to go out, and she didn’t say anything.
I went out. opened up the bunker. I’m a bit scared though, but whatever. I just want to see cactuses and clams. Outside, I see trees, I remembered we went rode a car to the forest where our bunker is. Our car is still here, it looked rusty. Then it started raining. And you know what? IT HURTS! The rain hurts. I went to our car, stayed inside and waited for the rain to stop. I don’t remember the rain being this hurting.
It finally stopped, waited for like 2 hours. While waiting, I heard sounds of people. I walked to the sound and I saw like a camp or something. There were like 20 people there, I counted, maybe more. They saw me and just stared at me, it seems that I’m not welcome but then this one guy came to me and said,
“What are you doing here? We got no food for you.”
“I just came out of the bunker over there. Is war still there?”
“You know, the war has ended since like 5 years ago. You must be really wealthy to have such bunker.”
I don’t remember how 5 years felt like.
“Kinda,” I said. “And what about the radio? They still telling us to not go out sometimes, you know.”
“Oh yeah, the station is still radioactive, I don’t know what that means but no one comes there. One guy died the next day he went there. By the way, you got food there in your bunker?”
“Yea, we got dead-chick peas, you know the spoiled stuff, in cans.”
“Can I take it?”
“Ask my mom. Careful though, it might kill you.”
“Fine by me.”
“By the way, you got camera?”
END.
Rennes, 28–02–22
