~Venus~
Damarcus and Amina led me to a space on the ground that was covered in grass and moss. Amina moved all of it to the side and revealed a steel door. Damarcus then pulled the door open and some stairs were leading to darkness at the bottem.
"What is this?" I asked them, feeling skeptical about going down there.
"Your only chance at survival. Less questions and more moving." Amina said.
"You think I trust you both just like that?
"You followed us didn't you ?" Amina snapped.
"Quit bickering and move!" Damarcus yelled at us both.
I took a deep breath and followed Amina down the stairs. I tried my best to not miss a step but I couldn't see in total darkness once Damarcus closed the door. All I could hear was the rumbling of bombs hitting the ground. At least I couldn't hear the blood curdling screams from people anymore.
Amina flicked a switch and revealed a room.
It had a kitchen, living room and a place to sleep. I looked around in awe. I never knew there were underground bunkers around this area. I knew about them but never thought the day would come that I would have to reside in one.
"Make yourself comfortable." Damarcus insisted.
I just nodded and sat on the couch. My whole body sank when I did. I felt like I could finally relax.
"Are you hungry? I know I interrupted your dinner."
"Yes. I only ate a few bites of it. All that running has gotten me hungry again."
"I make some mean ramen noodles." He said jokingly.
"TUH! Yeah if you like them burnt..." Amina retorted. "I suggest you stick with a bowel of cereal." She threw me a box of frosted flakes.
I caught it and opened it. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I started pouring handfuls of cereal into my hands and eating them in one bite. I could feel both of them staring at me.
"For a girl your size, I would've never thought you had a big appetite." Damarcus laughed.
"I get told that a lot." I said with a shrug while eating some more.
"I'm off to bed. I wasn't able to go to sleep, not since I got off work." She yawned and went over to one of the bunk beds.
"You really going to sleep at a time like this?" Damarcus asked concerned.
"Brother...I know I haven't told you this yet but I'm pregnant." She pointed at her stomach. It was poking out a little bit.
Damarcus went silent for longer than expected. "You really got knocked up by....that guy?" He grumbled.
"I know you don't like him but he is my babie's father." She said with a sigh.
"Whatever." He walked over to the kitchen stove, trying to figure out what to prepare.
I just sat in silence. This was rather awkward but I didn't want to say anything. This was none of my business to begin with. I just dug into my pocket and pulled out the crystal stone.
I didn't realize how truly coloful it was until now. The beauty of it was magnificent. I wish I knew why it was so important for me to get rid of it. I examined every feature of the stone. "So pretty" I whispered to myself. But then it began to heat up in my hand and I dropped it onto the side of the couch. It ended up burning a hole through it.
"Venus what the hell?" Damarcus said as he saw smoke starting to form.
"I'm sorry....the stone it just-"
"That thing seems dangerous." He grabbed a pair of tongs and used them to pick the stone up. He placed it inside of a steel box. "I don't know why you even have this or what it's for but it's staying in this box." He placed it inside then closed the box.
"But I-" Damarcus stopped me from talking. He placed his finger on my lips. I just looked at him. His eyes, I got lost in them for a moment.
A banging sound from the door we came through startled me. Damarcus reassured that it was nothing to be afraid about. He went back down the small hallway that led to the stairs. He was gone for a good couple of minutes.
I heard the chatter of some other voices coming back towards the room. Damarcus had four people behind him. Two looked like his parents and one I assumed Amina knew. The last person was another guy, I guess was his friend or something.
"Mom and Dad, meet Venus." I got up and smiled a little bit.
"How come it took for the world to be taken over for you to finally find a girlfriend???" His mother asked him.
"Mom what the hell? She's only a friend."
"Mhm. That's what you say about them all. It's nice to meet you sweetie." His mother shook my hand then went over to where Amina was laying.
"Don't mind her. She's a crazy woman. "His father replied. I laughed a little.
"This is Joel....Amina's-"
"Boyfriend and father of her child." The guy cut in. He grinned at me, looking me up and down. "Nice to meet you beautiful." Joel grabbed my hand and shook it...for awhile. Damarcus noticed and took a stand between us. "Check on my sister why don't you." He said with a glare. Joel laughed and went over to where their parents were.
"This is my co-worker Coolie." I looked at him but something was off about him. He just waved at me and went to go sit at the lone chair that was in the room.
"How long have you known him?" I asked in a hush tone.
"5 years. We've been working at the same company together for a minute. We were both going to work for the government until all this shit happened.
I looked back at Coolie who was staring at me. His eyes didn't leave my gaze. I felt like he could see right through me.
"He's just quiet. Nothing to be afraid about." Damarcus put a hand on my shoulder to reassure me.
"We should all get some sleep." His father annouced. "At least try even if there is a war going on outside."
"Yes. We will think of a plan of action tomorrow." The mom added in.
Everyone nodded in agreement except for me. I couldn't sleep at a time like this.
~~~
I was the only one awake. The lights were out and I laid at the bottem of the bunk, staring at the top one. I could still hear the sounds of bombs shaking the ground as they landed. What I couldn't stop thinking about was that guy or alien that sparked something in me.
My neck began to ache, I felt around again and there was a tiny lump in it. I quickly scooted out from under the bottem bed. I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a small knife. When I turned around, Damarcus was standing up. I freaked out and dropped the knife. It clamored against the wooden floor.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
"Um I..." I couldn't even get my words out correctly.
"Venus what's going on?"
I sighed. I guess I could trust him by now. "There's something in my neck. Earlier when I tried to remember something, a surge of pain sparked throughout my body."
Damarcus raised an eyebrow and walked towards me. He gently traced his fingers across my neck. "There is something." He said in shock.
"I was going to try and get it out."
"Not by yourself. That's dangerous. You can't even see back there."
"Then help me...please. My memories are blocked. I can't remember anything from yesterday. My step mom claims I was sleeping since then but I have a feeling I wasn't."
"Have you been in contact with something or someone that you shouldn't have been in contact with?" Damarcus asked suspiciously.
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying...no one just gets a random implant like this."
"I do nothing but go to school and live on my own. My foster parents are never there. I'm a regular girl. I don't know what you are trying to get at. That stone, I found it while I was taking a walk in my neighborhood."
"Sorry...It just seems like there's more to you than meets the eye" He said with a sigh. "Let's see what this thing is." He gestured for me to walk into the bathroom.
I nodded and opened the door to the small bathroom. Damarcus closed the door and turned the light on. "Not sure what I'm doing. My mom's a nurse so she can stitch the spot up when I'm done."
My stomach turned so bad. I wasn't sure if this was a good idea but I wanted my memories back. Something about that grey dreaded alien guy got me thinking that I knew him.
"Just hurry up please." I braced myself by holding onto the sides of the sink. Damarcus nodded and slowly but surely stabbed the knife into the back of neck. I wanted to scream but kept my mouth closed.
He cut an opening around the area where the device was placed. "I need some tweezers but I see something." I slowly opened the medicine cabinet and found a pair of tweezers sitting on the bottem shelf. I took them and handed then to him.
He began pulling at the device and I could feel it. Every time he yanked at it, I winced. My eyes began to water from the pain. I was about to lose it after he harshly yanked it again.
The device came out and so did some blood. He quickly placed a cloth over my neck.
"What the hell?" He examined the small device that glowed and made sounds. Before we knew it, the device disinigrated automatically.
I could feel myself drifting in and out of conciousness. When I could no longer see the sink in front of me, I fell. Damarcus caught me before I could hit the ground. I was surrounded but instant darkness.
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