On the thread of extinction

Extincion

In 2038, the world went to war and nuclear bombs blew every spot on earth. The earth
became extremely radioactive and all of earth's fresh water was contaminated, only bottled water remained, but of course it was limited and rare. The air was polluted and the human race started to migrate under the surface in bunkers. 4 years later machines were created by scientists to duplicate water molecules. This invention created water for what was left, earth's population became 2.6 billion after the war. It is now 2046 May 27, my parents died of cancer in 2040. They left me behind the only child,Ray. Everyone in this bunker, number 36, wore white jumpsuits and people of high authorities wore blue. Scientists eventually made food from nutrients in the ground and genetically made slop, it tasted like air. The water generator created water fast enough for everyone to have a shower, only a couple hundred people lived in this bunker so space isn't a problem either. No currency is generated, everyone is given what they need, it was kinda communism but you could always do what you want. The council, or the government of our bunker wore lighter blue and gave orders to the men in black suits who were basically the police. It may seem like it, but everything isn't fine. People are always complaining about what's going to happen or when we will live normally. I asked my friend about it once, Dani, she's very optimistic and I asked her. she just told me to not worry and smile. Dani has always had that happy go lucky attitude with everyone, she lost her entire family in the explosions of the bombs, she was evacuated in time. I thought she was mad, or what if I was mad? I constantly have to question myself because it all just felt like a fever dream. 2040 an education system was created for those who still wanted one, in the bunker it isn't mandatory, me and dani have been taking the same courses together, eventually to continue to college levels the council needed Dani to take a special test to apply, she failed horribly, she went at it for 3 months. She eventually passed,
"Where did you get the patience to do it." i asked her, her reply was surprising
" I heard when you take the research course they take you to the surface, its crazy but i'd give anything to see home again"
I tried to see if she was joking, maybe she just wanted to get a laugh. She's not crazy right?
I looked at Dani, and this was the first time I had ever seen her with a serious face. She was my best friend and it would be stupid if i let her go by herself.
"Ray, please help me." I knew she was mad. 3 weeks later I was infected with the madness and started studying for the research course test, when I had applied, Dani had helped me all along. It was time to take it. The test consisted of strange questions, 1. Have you ever believed in extraterrestrial life, 2. What year was America discovered, 3. Calculate the circumference of mars with the given data. It was a cluster of random things. I turned in my test to the grading machine, I passed. Later I asked Dani about the questions on her test, she said it was just math and science equations. I avoided telling her about my test, maybe I was being monitored me and Dani went to study in her room, she wanted to show me something.
" close your eyes!" Dani blindfolded me. I could barely see the ground through the bottom. When she had removed the blindfold my eyes were shocked, it was a plant, a tiny tulip with purple leaves.
"Why haven't you shown anyone!?" I asked Dani, she didn't reply for a second. She walked around the room once then picked up the flower.
" they would take it from me..." she looked up at me, she made a frown.
" But I want you to take care of it, a man in a blue coat may have found out about it and i need you to hide it, and when we find flowers on the surface we can water them together." a smile returned to her face. Very soon the exploration course would be started, and within the next couple of months we completed the course.
We were ready for the surface.
The exploration unit consisted of 3 ranks, exploration, life, and research units, I was in exploration with Dani. Dani was holding one of the special masks we used to breathe on the surface, no suits were required, she waved at me with her other free hand. Another man was standing next to her, he looked like he was in his middle 20s. As I approached Dani the man offered me a mask, of course it was for me.
"Hey" the man said as he lifted his hand out for a shake
"Thanks" I took the mask out of his hand and greeted myself.
"Im ray,nice to meet you." I smiled at the man.
"Im Onyx,I'm your unit leader when we reach the surface." I put on the mask, it looked like a regular gas mask but it had some special features and gizmos that looked a little too complicated to me. Onyx explained everything about the masks and its features, one of the knobs on the left side of the mask filters different types of radioactive wave levels. When Onyx was done explaining to Dani and I We lined up When units were roll called, we made our way to the surface, we were almost 50,000 feet underground and the way up would take a while so we had to squeeze in one elevator.
It was a wide elevator with many screws and bolts, some in unnecessary places. When the shafts opened we got a look at a rusty iron interior with green spots and dents on the walls.it didn't even look like it would hold,It was going to be a long way up.
Onyx told a little about himself on the way up, he was 26 and used to be in the military, when the war happened he was evacuated to bunker 16 and was later moved to bunker 36 due to spacing issues. But this was kinda strange to me because I have never seen him before, there were only so many survivors in our bunker.
"Did you know about the bombs?" out of curiosity I asked him.
"I was told they were just a backup plan, something like a super weapon capable of killing hundreds of millions." when he told me this i figured i was asking a little too much, he looked a little worried about it when I asked him about the last one.The elevator beeped, we reached the surface, we were in there for about half an hour. And when the doors opened what happened changed me forever.It, this thing, what am i supposed to call it. It was more than a wreck and more horrid and grim
The sky was jet black with red clouds, and the sun was dim in the sky. My face was in shock.
I saw no grass, glass and broken ground covering the earth, you could see wrecked buildings in the distance. I have seen nothing like it. Not even the best of horror writers could match the feeling of this.
"What did you expect to see?" Onyx looked at me with a straight face
"Were not up here to smell flowers ray, we're here to find what's left of what we never deserved"
Onyx picked up a piece of glass off the floor, there were no buildings around, the bomb must've left off a huge shockwave.
When I went to check on Dani, she was crying. I have never seen dani cry, she has always been a happy girl to me.
I tried to console her but she pushed me off.
" I wanna go back" she said softly behind her tears
"What  why? you've waited all this time to come here."
Before she could speak again a shadow snuck over us, it wasn't a cloud. A bright light came from this object I could make out what it was, and when I realised, it was too late.
A UFO had flown directly  over us, Dani screamed
"What is that!" the objects light began to land, the ground shook as we watched, just a couple feet away what we have never thought existed was standing in front of us.
A latch on the UFO opened and a silver looking man had walked out, he looked shiny and tall, his face was undefined, no eyes, and certainly no mouth.
We had tried to run, but Dani tripped.
"Help!" she screamed, I looked for Onyx but he was already gone
And by the time I looked back the silver man had Dani in his hands.
That was the last time I saw her. I blacked out.
I woke up inside the bunker Onyx was speaking to a man with a light blue robe, Onyx looked pale and scared.
" I swear that's what h-" Onyx saw that i had woken up and left the room. The man in light blue came over to the bed.
" Ray, I'm glad you're awake, you bonked your head on the elavator" I wanted to believe him but then he said this.
" Where's the flower Ray"
I ran, men in black suits started to chase me, I knew Dani was gone, I had tears pouring down my eyes, I spotted Onyx. he ran with me, and helped me lose them.
"Ray i dont know whats happening but i'm here to help you." knowing my luck at this moment, it was time to trust him, we made a run for it. Looking to my side I see Onyx with a handgun, it was going to be dangerous. We ran to the elevator, Onyx grabbed the masks, the men were just down the hall.
"Hurry!" Onyx grabbed me and shoved us into the rusty elevator, it was done. We had a break of silence as we tried to catch our breaths.
"I can't believe I let myself save you....."  he stopped, trying to catch his breath before his next sentence.
"Ray I owe this to you. We're going to find your friend, I ran off without thinking about you."
He was guilty, I felt that his attitude would not let me talk him out of just letting me take the consequence.
"Your friend is gone because of me" he started out calmly, the yelled                                                              "but im gonna help you Ray!" Onyx put on his gasmask and threw mine over, when putting it on the elevator beeped, the adventure began.
I will find Dani.