Glyder

Glyder: Part One: Chapter 2: Vault 47

Glyder:

Part One:

Chapter Two: Vault 47

The vault was massive, and had two levels, not counting the entrance level. Pete and I, Max and Maryanne took charge. Our original leader never made it to the chamber in time.

We made a roster of all the survivors, and all our food supplies. There was enough to last at least 200 years down here. We had weapons and food, blankets, and an entire library.

All in all, there were 167 survivors in our vault, the youngest being 2 years old, the oldest being 67.

Pete and I finally found a suite. Since we were leaders, we got an entire suite, not just a single room. There was a bathroom, a small kitchenette, a large bed, and a table with some chairs. What shocked me the most was the tv! Seriously?

I sat on the edge of the bed and unpacked. I had only taken a few things with me, clothes, books, sentimental things  like the wedding photo. I placed it on the table next to the bed.

I don’t know what triggered it, maybe the ability to finally be alone and relax, maybe the fact that Pete and I had come so close to loosing each other. But I finally allowed myself to cry.

I felt Pete crawl onto the bed behind me, and I was vaguely aware of him holding me as I cried.

I was a new bride, only 23 years old. I never got to say good bye to my family or friends. I didn’t even know if they were alive.

I fell asleep in Pete’s arms, exhausted.

Nuclear devastation tends to wear you out, apparently.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, We had a ton of things to do. We found a manual to leading a vault in the dresser in our room, and read it with Max and Maryanne.

“Welcome to VAULT 47.  Here, you can survive the events of the outside world in comfort. For your satisfaction there is a library and entertainment center built into the vault. You can communicate with other vaults using the HISR, or the high intensity signal radio. It was specially designed for our vaults, and no other source can pick up the radio waves unless programmed to.”

“Wait!” I said. “So we can talk to other vaults and chambers? We can see if our families are alive?”

“I guess so! Where is it though?”

“Keep reading.”

“There is a main office located on the main floor. The HISR is located there, along with other leader equiptment.”

“Leader equipment? What does that mean?” I asked.

“No idea. But I guess we should check it out.”

We all left to find the main office. It was unlocked, thankfully.

We found the HISR behind the desk, built into the wall.

We also found the user manual and instructions, and learned how to use it.

They let me find my family first.

“Hello, vault 207? This is vault 47, can you hear me?”

Static.

“Hello 47! We can hear you. How many survivors?”

“167 total. You?”

“359.”

“Do you have a Leslie Marson there? From Dallas?”

“Um, let me check the roster, here.” There was silence while he searched for her name. I prayed, I begged, I hoped.

“Yep! We have a Leslie and Neal Marson here, with their son Patrick and daughter Melissa. One daughter missing, Lisa. Is that you?”

“Yes! Yes that’s me! Thank god, they’re alright.” I whispered to Pete. He smiled back reassuringly. “Can I talk to her?”

“Not at the moment, sorry. I don’t even know where she is at the moment. Plus we have to arrange call times for everyone. But I can give her a message if I see her.”

“Ok, please tell her that Lisa and Pete are safe in vault 47, and I’ll talk to her as soon as I can.”

“Alright, I’ll tell her,”

“Thank you!” We signed off. I leaned back in the chair and sighed with relief. They were alive.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ONE MONTH LATER~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Lisa! Lisa honey, wake up!”

“Hmmm? What is it?”

Pete shook my shoulder again. “That guy matt is sick. Very sick. You’re the best doctor we have, we need you.”

I sighed and sat up. “you know, I’m not a real doctor. I was only in school to become one.”

“Well, that’s closer that anyone else here.” He smiled.

I put on my clothes and went to the infirmary.

Matt, the young man we had let in after the first few bombs had fallen, was lying on one of the beds, shivering. The young woman stood up and came over to me.

“He’s had a fever since 7pm. I thought it was no big deal, but he just keeps getting worse! He says his back hurts, and he’s on fire but freezing at the same time.”

“I see. What’s your name?”

”Marsa.”

“And you are?”

“His girlfriend.”

“Ah. Ok, well Marsa, Let me take a look at Matt here.” I walked over to him and winced. His eyes were glazed and his face was bright red. His heart rate was through the roof, as was his temperature. No human can be at 130 degrees and be alive!!

“Pete! Get me some ice packs!”

I heard him rustling around in the freezers, and moments later he handed me a handful of them. I packed them around Matt’s head , neck, and wrists, near the main arteries to cool him off quickly.

But it made no difference.  His temperature kept climbing, eventually reaching 150, where it held steady.

Poor Marsa was a wreck. She refused to leave his side though.

Around 5am, she fell asleep. I woke her to send her to bed. She took three steps, then crumpled to the floor, whimpering in pain.

“Marsa? What is it?”

“My back! Oh god what happened?” I carefully lifted her onto the bed next to matt’s.

I felt her forehead. Burning. Damn! If we had an epidemic, it could be catastrophic to our survival here.

I did what I could, which wasn’t much. By noon the next day, another person had fallen ill with the mysterious disease, and Matt and Marsa were much, much worse.

In the middle of the afternoon, matt went into shock and started bucking. Before I could stable him out his body did the work for me, and he collapsed onto the bed, unconscious. Marsa did the same a few hours later. By that night Matt was awake, and his temperature was back to normal.

“This is the strangest thing.” I mused as I checked his iv.

“I know,” He agreed. “I mean the only thing left is this pain in my back, but the morphine is helping a bit.”

“I would hope so, that’s strong stuff!” I laughed. He sat up and groaned. “Can you look at it for me, now that I can move? Please?”

I nodded and went to look at him. What I saw made me gasp and drop the iv pack I had been holding.

“P-P-Pete?”

“Yes hun?”

”Can you…um….come over here please?”

He came over to me, saw where I was staring, and gasped.