Alexis's Journal:Part One

Today was probably the most confusing day of my life. After school today, I came home and my parents had this really sad and worried look on their faces. They have had this look a lot lately. They told me to sit down at the table, and to just listen to them. They began with telling me that they loved me very much and stuff like that. I really wish I had told them I loved them back, because I have a feeling I won't see them for a very long time. Maybe even never again. And then they could die without knowing that I loved them... but enough of that. I can't let myself think too much about what ifs. It will just drive me crazy. So, anyway, after they told me they loved me, they said they were sending me away. I thought they meant to boarding school, but they said no, not to a school. They said to just let them talk, then ask questions later. So I listened. My mom said that they couldn't explain much, but they would tell me as much as they could. At that point she started crying, so my dad continued. He said something bad was coming and that they were sending me to a place where I would be safe. He called it a bunker. He also said that they weren't coming with me, because they had to stay for their jobs. I was wondering why I couldn't stay because of school, but I didn't say anything. He said it was extremely important that I didn't tell anyone where I was going, or why I was leaving, or that I was even leaving at all. That I couldn't even tell my best friends, Evie and Melanie. I couldn't say goodbye to them. Dad explained that it was for my own safety that they were sending me away, and I had to swear to stay there until they came and got me or until food ran out. My parents know I always keep my promises, so even though I didn't really know what they were talking about, I swore I would stay. Now though, I wish I hadn't. So, we got in the car and drove and drove and drove. I think we drove for about 8 hours, only stopping for bathroom breaks and food. When we finally got wherever it was we were, my parents and I got out of the car. I thought it was a bit strange that we hadn't even packed anything, if I WAS going away I would need clothes and a toothbrush and shampoo and soap. When we got out of the car, I looked around. We seemed to be in the middle of the desert, with no civilization in sight. I was extremely confused, but my parents had said no questions so I didn't ask any, although it was extremely hard. My mom walked about 500 yards and stopped and what seemed like just another sand dune. Suprisingly though, she bent down and lifted the sand dune up. It was a door. The next few minutes were a blur. I remember going into the dune/room, and climbing down several flights of stairs. Then we arrived at an elevator, and took that down even further. I estimated we were at least 2 miles underground, though the air was strangely breathable and clean, and it wasn't cold. I suspected that the room had been built by the government, and that my parents knew of it because of their jobs. My mom and dad work for the government, but that is pretty much all I know. Their jobs are top secret, so I can't know what they do. My friends think they are just buisness people. Anyway, I was assuming this was the bunker my dad had mentioned. I knew a little bit about bunkers from school, but as far as I knew they usually weren't this far underground. After taking the elevator, we walked down some more stairs. Everyone was silent, lost in their own thoughts. We descended further and further, taking elevators and stairs, until after one elevator we arrived not to a modern interior and a staircase but a sloping cave. My mom turned to me and gave me a hug. "We love you very much, and remember, we are doing this for YOU. For your own good," she said. I wondered how leaving me underground was for my own good, but I didn't say anything. "This is as far as we can take you," said my dad. "You'll find everything you need down there, including a note that might explain things a little bit further. And remember your promise!" My dad turned and gave me a hug too, and I swear I saw him tearing up a little. My dad, who never ever ever cries, even when his own mom died, was crying. I must've been seeing things. They turned and walked away, and I was too confused to say anything. I should've said "I love you guys too! Don't leave me, or come with me!" But I didn't. I was just so confused, I was frozen. I watched my mom and my dad, the two best people in the whole entire world, get in the elevator holding hands. The doors closed, and I watched my parents leave me in a world alone.
I probably just stood there, still as a statue for an hour. Maybe more. Time was meaningless underground, where there was no people, no sunlight, no animals. Just dead. Dead rocks, dead life, dead world, dead me. Eventually, I shook myself awake and walked down into the cave. It went on for a while, leading me deeper underground. For the first time, it really struck me what was happening. My parents had left me alone. In a cave. Underground. With no information as to what was going on. Eventually the cave stopped sloping down, and I was in a room the size of my house. What really struck me was how much like my own house it was. It gave me some compensation to know that my parents had decorated it with our house in mind. In fact, if I sniffed real close, I could smell the faint scent of lavender, my mom's favorite perfume. I guess all her buisiness trips lately had been down here. A small smile spread over my face as I looked around. It was as big as my house, but not divided into rooms or floors. The ceiling was easily 30 or 40 feet up, but there was no dripping stalactites like I expected there would be in a cave. It also wasn't wet and cold, but instead it felt like a normal house. I walked over to the bed. It was a double mattress with a white headboard and footboard, similar to the one I had at home. But instead of sheets there was an orange sleeping bag. It was the caterpillar kind, where when you got in it you could only see your face. I touched it, and the fabric was soft and light but at the same time felt like it could keep you warm. It was probably specially made by the government. I had a feeling lots of things down here were, including the bunker itself. I also had a feeling that none of this stuff, or I, should be here.
I knew there would be plenty of time to inventory and check out the cave in... the next however long I was here. I didn't want to think about that. It had been a really long day, and I decided to just lie down on top of the inviting orange sleeping bag and go to sleep.
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A few hours later, or what I thought was a few hours, I blinked my eyes open. For a second I was disoriented; I wasn't in my bed at home. Then I remembered where I was. The bunker. Sighing, I stood up. Nothing more to do than look around.
Category:Notes