The Day The World Ended | ONC 2024 LONGLISTER

13| bloodbath

The gun felt heavy in Mellie's hands. Lilah had sprung into action the moment they saw the live on TV and she had pushed Mellie, Kailyn and the other man whose name turned out to be Lance something towards the stack of guns they had. Novah had shown them how to handle a weapon and now they were standing near the trapdoor, waiting for either Simon and Chris or an attack.

Lilah had told the woman and the child to hide. The little girl was scared—Mellie could tell from the faraway look in her eyes and the trembling in her hands. She didn't have to witness this too.

"How the hell did they find us?" Lilah hissed. "Do you two have trackers?"

"No, we broke them. What if they are not after us? What if they somehow found out there are people in this bunker and after whoever that might be?" Novah asked.

"Or maybe they are not particularly targeting anyone," Mellie said. "That's possible, right?"

"But why would they be patrolling all of a sudden?" Jordan leaned against the wall across from her.

"I don't know," She said. "There's a first time for everything. Who knows whether they just felt like doing it?"

"How the hell do you stay so optimistic now out of all the time?" Lilah asked a look of bafflement on her face. The cheerfulness that had started to freak Mellie out had completely disappeared the moment she saw the news. This was who Lilah really was.

Mellie shrugged, adjusting her grip on the rifle. "What else can I do?"

"Guys, listen." Novah held out a finger, slowly inching up the stairs towards the trapdoor. "Do you hear that?"

Kailyn frowned. "Hear what?"

Mellie tilted her head in confusion, trying to hear whatever Novah was hearing and Jordan seemed to be hearing too. First, all she could hear was their heavy breathing but then she heard it. It wasn't loud. It didn't seem to be near them, but she could clearly hear it like a roar in the distance.

Screaming. And the sound of a helicopter.

"Are they killing people?" Mellie gasped out. "Is that what they wanted?"

"Sounds like it," There was a look of concentration on Novah's face like she was trying to figure out something. Then she looked up at the trapdoor. "Where is Simon and your friend?"

"His name is Chris. Also, they should be here by now." Lilah straightened, aiming the gun at the entrance. 

"Maybe we should go outside," Mellie suggested. 

"No!" Lilah and Kailyn both said at the same time. 

Lilah closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "If we go out we die."

"If we stay here we die too." Novah grabbed Lilah's arm, forcing her to open her eyes and look at her. "If they bomb this place and the bunker comes down on us, we die down here. So grab that kid and her mother and let's get out."

Lilah took a shaky breath, biting her lip. She looked at her other friend—Lance. 

"She has a point, Lilah." He said.

"Fine," Lilah shook her head. "Okay, fine then. Lance, go get them. We are going aboveground."

The sound of screaming and explosions became louder the moment they set foot outside. There was smoke curling towards the sky in the distance, an orange glow illuminating the night. Mellie felt cold dread claw at her chest the moment she realised what was going on.

"They are bombing this place," Jordan muttered, staring at the helicopters that were circling the sky.

"But why?" Mellie asked, clutching the gun tightly.