They say we can't leave

Chapter seven

Emma and I are helping my parents pack their belongings from their apartment, our stuff is in the hallway while we move things. It doesn't take us long to have everything packed up. My parents asked me to finish the rest of the packing while Emma helps them carry boxes down the hall. I'm looking under there bed to make sure everything is moved. I see a long metal scare in the way back of the corner under the bed. I lay flat on my belly to see if I can reach it, stretching my arm out as far as possible I can just brush it with my fingers, the metal is cold to touch. I squeeze under the bed more until I can reach it and pull it towards me. I look it over not exactly sure what I'm looking at, it's a metal box with multiple different knobs on what I am guessing is the front, there is a stringy cord with device the size of my hand attached and a button on the side and a power cord on the back of the box. I stare at it until it clicks in my head. It's a radio that they used to use back before the scruff. There is a new model in the communication room that hasn't been used since loosing contact with the mainland. I haven't been in the room in years. It's been locked up for sometime now.

I hear foot steps approaching the bedroom door and I quickly hide the radio back under the bed. "Finding anything else son?" My dad asks looking down at me on the floor. I get up and wipe my  sweaty hands of my pants. "Nope looks like that is all" I speak with a calm easy tone. He looks at me warily but doesn't say anything else.

Emma and I begin to unpack in our new home. When you walk in there is a small living area with a grey couch, grey chair and a bookshelf in it. The floor is metal just like the walls this is what every wall and floor looks like here. It's all full grey metal. The bookshelf contains the card games and board games we have collected from the older population over the years. To the right is the bedroom and bathroom. The bed is big and has gray sheets with a gray comforter. Each apartment has 2 sets of everything. This includes bed linens, towels, and wash clothes. We no longer have toilet paper to distribute so we use rags from old clothes that can no longer be worn that we wash in laundry facilities. The bathroom is bigger than my old one, it has a tub, toilet and sink. There is no kitchen since we all eat in the cafeteria. Emma is putting away her few belongings and I pull the radio out from under the bed, there is a small stand next to the bed I set it on. Emma sees me and looks at me curiously. "What is that?"

I plug the radio into the wall "I think it's a radio, I seen a newer one the in the communication room one time when I was snooping before they locked it up. I found it under the bed my parents must have brought it with them when they came and forgot about it." I start twisting the knobs but nothing happens. I click the talk button and say hello but nothing happens. I keep twisting the knobs but it doesn't turn on. "Must not work" Emma says with a shrug. I sigh in defeat "Yeah must not I didn't figure it would since our communications doesn't either. There is no one to communicate with anymore. The world has been overtaken by the scruff. I was just hoping I guess." I say trailing off and sit on the side of the bed. Emma comes around and sits next to me pulling me in a hug. "We have each other Ace and we are safe here for now." I nod and hug her back tight. She pulls me in for a long slow kiss. "I love you Ace." My heart twists "I love you too Emma" I pull her in and kiss her passionately. We make love and then fall asleep wrapped in each other's arms for the first time in our new home together.