Kid

My stomach growled and I got up to look at the time.

4 PM?!?

Had we really just made out ALL day long?

I felt my face go hot as I grinned, then hurried down to the botanical room to take care of things.

I liked it down there, and I was sure it was because of the sun lamps and the plants and fresher air.

I got lost in my work until Temple appeared at the door, looking me over in a proprietary way.

"C'mon," he called, catching my hand to pull me back upstairs.

He almost seemed like a different person. He wasn't quite smiling, but his eyes were shining as he held a chair for me, then set a plate in front of me.

He'd cooked?!?

He also sat down next to me at the table instead of across on the other end.

When I came out of the shower, he was sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting for me with that shine still in his eyes.

I blushed and went to him, a little nervous about what I knew was about to happen.

Temple pulled me close and wrapped his arms around me, then rolled and laid down with his arms around me. Sighing happily, he pulled the blankets up and squeezed me closer, then nuzzled into my hair with another sleepy sigh.

That was it? Nothing... else? Just snuggling to sleep like always?

Was I reading too much into the kissing?

He kissed me again in the morning, his eyes shining as he went to the shower.

He had the same pleased, proprietary look when he sat down to breakfast, sitting next to me as I put his plate in front of him.

At lunch time, he came down and got me and we made lunch together, then he made dinner, and I decided I liked this dynamic. We shared this chore. Testing it more, I did my own laundry and not his the next morning and he said nothing when I sat folding my own clothes at the couch in front of him.

The next day, he did his own laundry while I read more about the bunker and how things worked.

Every night he held me to sleep and he kissed me every opportunity he got, but he never laid a hand on me otherwise.

There were deliveries all week and he was really stockpiling, which confused me. They already had so much down here?

It got to a point where he was storing things in the main room and in the bay with the bunk beds. The library was packed full of thousands of books, as many as he could get his hands on, it seemed. I spent my time shelving books when I wasn't in the botanical gardens.

The day he unsealed another floor and started bringing in live animals, I was floored. I hadn't known there WAS another subfloor! I did enjoy taking care of the chickens, goats and rabbits, though. Even if that floor was a bit stinky.

Temple gave me a stack of books about caring for those animals and breeding them, as well as the difference between all of them. It was actually enlightening to know there were chickens that were only meant to lay eggs and others that were only meant to cook, as well as the differences in the goats and rabbits.

Every day, he spent most of his time on his laptop and I was either working or hiding while there were deliveries being brought into the bunker.

12 days later, an alarm sounded in the middle of the night and Temple jumped up, surprised and stressed.

I watched him run around, opening panels and screens behind his desk as he typed frantically.

Running to me after an hour, he kissed me quickly, then pushed me into the security room with my blanket.

"What's happening?" I asked, holding the door open.

"Kid, you need to stay in here for a while and stay quiet, ok? I'll bring you out once it's all sealed and..."

"If something's happening, I need to talk to my mom! I need to see her! PLEASE, Temple? I need to see my mom!?!"

Temple growled in frustration, then gently pushed me back and shut the door.

He went right back to his frantic typing and doing things on the panels.

In half an hour, people were pouring into the bunker.

Not just the family who'd been there, but more, including kids. Everyone who had been at the party the night of graduation, and more, I was sure.

Temple pulled a handgun out of his drawer and holstered it on his hip, then started going through everyone's things as they stood in line. After he cleared each person, he sent them on to one of the rooms, or to the bay.

When his father arrived, Temple hesitated, then spoke up over all the murmurs and cries of all the scared people. "I need to step out," he told him.

Jerid, who was right behind his dad with Lottie, immediately spoke up. "She's not here?" he asked almost fearfully.

"And go where?" his father demanded. "There's not much time!"

"He has time!" Jerid told his father quickly. "I'll help dad, you go! Hurry up! Get her back here before the doors seal shut!" he told Temple quickly.

Temple shot out the door, pushing past people coming in as Jerid and his father took over checking everyone in.

"What was that?" his father demanded of Jerid.

"He has to get someone," Jerid told him, motioning Lottie to take their things to his room.

"A girl?"

"I think so."

"He has a plus one?"

"I guess... it... she might not be for him, though."

"Not for him? Who then? Jerid, if you and him worked some deal to bring a man in here for you..."

"No! No, it's not like that... there's a girl and... it's complicated. I thought she was here already."

"How far away is she?"

"Not far! And he can call and have her be ready, too. He'll be back long before the doors seal shut! Lot, did you put our things away?"

"I will later, what can I do to help?" she asked quickly, looking around in fear. "This... doesn't feel like a drill, Jer Bear, everyone's so afraid!"

"Just go put our things away, Lot, ok? That's what you can do to help, it's crowded in here. Doctor Wayneright, it's good to see you and your wife. Who's this?"

"Her daughter is visiting from college, we couldn't leave her at home while we came to safety."

"Of course not, but we have a capacity," his father spoke up. "Keep her over there and if we have openings, she can fill in an empty spot."

That happened two more times, people bringing other people who weren't on the list.

When Temple came pushing back in, I stood up, grinning at the screen.

MOM!

He had my mother!

"Who the hell is this?" his father demanded as Temple led my mom to a couch. She looked terrified!

"Doesn't matter, consider her my plus one," Temple scowled, looking around.

"Her MOM? So she IS here! Where is she?" Jerid demanded, looking around.

"Get lost," Temple demanded of Jerid, shouldering him aside to start taking over again.

Turning, I tried to open the door, but it was locked and sealed.

I looked back to the screen and watched my mom hug herself in fear and look around.

Jerid fled to his room, then brought Lottie out, setting her next to my mom. Lottie hugged her and knew enough sign language to tell my mom everything was ok. No one would hurt her, she was safe.

I watched, heartbroken, as Lottie consoled her and Jerid watched worriedly.

Temple kept looking back at them, but he remained focused on his task for the next few hours.

People had come in quickly at first, but now they were coming in slowly and Temple was watching his phone constantly for some countdown. I knew it was a countdown, it was displayed on every single screen in the little room I was trapped in.

17 minutes.

12 minutes.

9.

When there was three minutes left, Temple turned to his dad who was talking to the three families with extra people.

"Seems we have openings for all of you," his dad smiled at them.

"All but two," Temple spoke up.

"Two? Did I mis-count?" his dad asked, confused.

Temple glanced at my mom and his dad rolled his shoulders. "Still that's one and..."

"Two," Temple reiterated. "Mr and Mrs Blaylock, I would actually ask that you both leave and leave your nephew here. He's able to procreate, neither of you are of an age anymore to do that. He's..."

"We were told we had a place here!" the older man blustered.

"And I am asking you politely to step aside for the good of the younger people here. The people who can propagate humankind. To be honest, we don't need a lawyer or someone to organize fundraisers, what we will need are strong, young backs. This isn't a debate, actually. You can leave gracefully and your nephew will have a place here, or I will shoot all three of you and use you for fertilizer."

The man puffed up, but Temple was unphased as he led the two older people out the door. The teenage boy said nothing, staring at Temple in awe.

The door sealed moments after the couple was out and Temple hung his head.

"Who is that woman and why did you just refuse entry to one of our biggest supporters for her?" his father asked in a hiss, gesturing to my mother.

"Where's Kinzey?" Jerid demanded, hurrying up to Temple as others began asking questions.

"All of this can be dealt with later," Temple sighed. "All of the rest of you, go through there. Look at the assignment chart and find a place you set up. We'll meet out here in the morning and I'll go over all the rules and what's happening. For now, this room is off limits to everyone unless your last name is Blankenship. We need to have a family meeting. Them too, Jerid, take them both to your room for now."

"Where's Kinzey?" Jerid demanded again.

"She's here?" Lottie asked, confused. "Where? When? Why?!?"

"Take her mom in there," Jerid told Lottie. "We're having a family meeting."

"I AM family!" Lottie insisted.

"Get the fuck out of this room before I turn YOU into fertilizer," Temple yelled at Lottie.

She flinched back, then fled with my mom.

The room slowly filled with his family as John called others back in. Only close family, no one else.

"Where are the servants?" Carl demanded. I remembered him from the weekend stay.

"Servants didn't make the cut," Temple scowled. "You're going to have to learn to do for yourself."

"Bullshit," Carl snorted with a sneer. "I saw plenty of others that'll work well enough. I say we..."

"Sit down and shut up before I relegate you to the bay," Temple told the man loudly. "All of you, sit down and listen. You've known for at least two decades now that an event was coming. It's here, it's happening. Now. This isn't a drill, it all got put into motion a while back and as we speak, things are happening on the outside. It started with the collapse of all the major currencies, a collapse of infrastructure is next, along with inciting riots. EMP to take out the grid. During the riots, the airborne event will start. Drones will disperse a contagion that will wipe out anyone left above in a matter of days. It's virulent, deadly and very fast acting. Anyone left out there after this happens, is dead. ALL that will be left are other bunkers like ours and the larger facilities the Dragons set up. One thing you'll all need to understand is that they're in charge. We don't need to believe their rhetoric, or follow their ways, but once the doors open in four years, they WILL be in charge. In here for the next four years, I am in charge. I know the ins and outs of this place and I was tasked with the keeping of it and..."

"That was just to get you down here," Carl sneered. "Now that it's done, Harding is in charge and he and I will..."

"Shut your mouth," Temple's father spat angrily. "We swore an oath, Carl. An oath that if he gave over his life to the bunker after he came back from over there, he would be in charge of everything and we would defer to him when the time came. You deviate from your oath and I will help him bury you down here."

"Don't be ridiculous, Harding! He has a basic military education and he isn't even..."

"I won't tell you again to sit down and shut up," Temple told the older man. "You're useless down here, worse than useless, a burden. You will sit down and be quiet or I will sit you down. Show you exactly how the military trained me. Don't even think about opening your mouth either, Sheila, you're as useless as he is. No more of that bullshit! You will listen to me and do as you're told, or you will be removed. We won't drain resources by detaining you, you will just be killed outright. There's no room for your bullshit down here, we're on a very strict guideline that you will ALL follow. We are the examples now and we have to stand together and lead the others, show a united front. If you can't do that, then you can go ahead and let me know now so I can see to getting it taken care of. Is it going to be an issue or do you all want to know the rules now?"

There was silence for a moment, then Jerid spoke up. "Where is she?"

"Let it go," Temple scowled. "That can wait till morning. The rules," he went on, then started listing the rules in the bunker, including strict diet and exercise and energy usage.

I'd read through the rules, so I switched over to the audio in Jerid's room.

Lottie was trying to listen at the door while my mother paced worriedly, looking around and wringing her hands.

Finally, Temple wound down and asked for questions. Everyone looked exhausted but stressed, no one asking questions as husbands held wives or comforted each other.

"Alright," Temple sighed, taking a deep breath. "Then there's one other thing you all need to know," he told them, turning and going to his room. He locked his door before coming to the armoir and opening it, pulling me out. Pulling a flannel off of a hanger, he put it on my shoulders before leading me back out to the front room.

"Kinzey!" Jerid smiled excitedly, standing up.

I shied back, then tried to pull away to go to the room my mom was in.

Temple held my shoulders tightly, stopping in front of everyone.

"Meet Kinzey... my wife," he announced, sounding half afraid.

"Your WHAT?" Jerid demanded.

"When did this happen?" Harding asked, standing up.

"You married... her?" his mother asked, confused.

"You didn't marry her!" Jerid went on. "You CAN'T marry her, she doesn't even like you! She's in love with me! She's ALWAYS been in love with me and like I told her and you both, I'M going to marry her!" he yelled angrily, moving closer.

"She's my wife," Temple reiterated. "She's a Blankenship. That's why I was allowed a plus one that wasn't her, she was already family and we have no children yet. I brought her mother."

"You never married her! You KIDNAPPED her and held her down here! She doesn't like you, she's in love with me!" Jerid yelled again, looking half frantic.

"Enough!" Harding yelled. "Mackenzie, how about you clear this up and tell us..."

"It's Kinzey," I interrupted softly.

He sighed in irritation. "Are you married to Temple? And Jerid, you brought your fiance here, why are you trying to claim this girl now?"

"Because I love her and she loves me! We've been in love for years, but... it's complicated. Temple, you HATE girls like her! Tell him, Kinzey! Tell him how much you love me!"

I looked away from Jerid, my face turning red, then stepped into Temple to press against him.

"She's my wife," Temple told Harding again, ignoring Jerid.

"So you say," Harding sighed. "This is going to be a fucking issue. Eliese, not right now," he warned his wife as she started towards me.

I pulled away from Temple again and this time he let me go. Hurrying to Jerid's room, I shoved the door opened and barrelled into my mother with a hug. Her arms, her familiar hug and smell, I broke down hard, both of us going to our knees as we cried.

"Kin! Kin, you're here! Oh GOD, I've missed you, where've you been?" Lottie cried, hugging me from behind.

"Lottie, step out, take her mom with you, I need to talk to her," Jerid called from the door, hurrying in and trying to pull me out of my mothers arms.

"Take your hands OFF of her!" Temple growled, following him in.

"What's happening?" Lottie demanded, hugging me to my mother as I held my mother tighter. "Jer Bear, don't hurt her! You can't make her leave! She..."

"Mind your own business!" Jerid snapped, making Lottie flinch back.

"Jerid! You DON'T talk to me that way!" she shot back angrily. "I know your family are all assholes, but you swore to me you weren't like them! I'm not going to let you start treating me like they do just because we're trapped down here with them!"

"You don't know what you're talking about! Just stay out of this!" Jerid told her, trying to pull her off of me.

"Kid!" Temple yelled loudly. "Come here."

Immediately, I shrugged off Lottie and let my mom go, ducking away from Jerid as I darted over to Temple.

He put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently. "Invite your mother to come with us," he told me softly.

'Follow me,' I signed to her, then let Temple lead us to his room.

He sat on the bed and pulled me to sit next to him as my mom followed, watching him in terror.

"Can you translate for me?" he asked me softly, not looking at my mother.

"Sure."

"Tell her I'm sorry I was rough with her, but I didn't know how else to get her to come quickly. I'm sorry I threatened her with a gun. I don't know sign language and I just needed to get her here as fast as I could. We're in an underground bunker and the world above is basically over, but I needed to save her... I needed you to have your mom with you. Tell her I'm not a bad guy, I just didn't know how else to get her here in time."

I stared at him in shock as I told my mother, who still looked afraid of him as she squeezed my hand.

The door opened and Harding came in, followed by Eliese and Jerid.

Temple glared as he stood up quickly. "Get out," he demanded.

"Tem, we need to talk," Harding told Temple sternly. "Seems to me, the girl has a choice if what Jerid says is true. Did you take that girl from his graduation party and hide her away down here from him? Hide her after he told you that he would leave Lottie for her? That they were in love and wanted to get married?"

"That's NOT how it happened!" Temple snarled. "Tell the truth, dispshit! You RAPED her! You came down here looking for me, found her and raped her! She doesn't love you, she's MY wife!"

"Tem, that's a horrible thing to say about your brother if it's not true!" Eliese cried. "If that little troll accused him of something so heinous without proof, then..."

"I walked in on it! I walked in on it and it was recorded, mom! BOTH times! He did it twice!"

"Well I can hardly believe that," Harding snorted, lifting his chin, but his cheeks were red. "Why would he have to do that? This girl has little on his fiance, so why would he lower himself to that level? To rape? I think she probably tried to coerce him and he said no, that's what you walked in on."

"Would you like to watch it?" Temple asked darkly. "Both times? Listen to her beg him not to, to stop? I've watched them both. He deserved a lot more than a broken nose and a fat lip! And she's worth a thousand of that bitch he calls a fiance!"

"This can be settled easily enough!" Eliese spoke up primly, looking put off. "Girl, you have a choice to make. You can..."

"She's my WIFE. Tell them, Kid," Temple demanded.

"You can choose," Eliese went on. "Jerid or Temple. Jerid says you're in love with him and he has proof? That you two made plans and Tem abducted you to stop you two from being happy? If it's true, now's the time to speak up, you can be with Jerid. We'll make it so you never have to see Temple again, you..."

Turning from all of them, I faced Temple and pressed my cheek to his forearm, closing my eyes as I held my mothers hand.

"You've had her choice," Temple spoke, but he sounded sad and resigned.

"Can she speak?" Eliese demanded.

"She doesn't have to, she wants nothing to do with him! Go back to your fiance, Jerid, and leave her alone. She's my wife and..."

"Stop saying that! You never married her! You aren't married and she loves ME! I have proof! Kinzey, tell them! We can start over down here, we can be happy!"