—————

"Retinal scan complete. You may enter."

—————

A robotic voice greeted us as we proceed into the underground fortress.

—————

"Welcome to the Transport Museum Raid Shelter, TMRS."

—————

The inside was brimming with people. The dark red walls of the fortress stretched high and far from where we were standing. We looked around and saw buildings scattered everywhere except for the central path in front of us.

It looked more like an underground district than a raid shelter with a noticeably tall building. A display was hanging off it broadcasting something. I couldn't make out what was being displayed.

"Let's get a closer look," I said.

"Mhm," they both agreed.

We slowly walked towards the tallest building. Blood trails scattered everywhere as we treaded slowly towards the building. Injured citizens lying on the floor; medics giving them first aid.

The chaos inside was no different from the outside. People screaming in pain.

Children crying; parents frantically looking for their kids.

Medics running around like headless chickens trying to rescue as many patients as possible.

It was truly a bloody nightmare.

It reminded me of how cruel reality can be and what happened a moment earlier.

~~~~~

"Please! Please!"

"No means no."

In front of us, a couple was begging the soldier to let them through.

"Please! Kind soldier, please let us through!"

"Did you not hear what I've been saying? That 'boyfriend' next to you didn't pass the retinal scan. We cannot let him in."

"But you see! He still has one of his eyes! He can still do the retinal scan with just this eye!"

The young man had one of his arms over the woman's shoulder and one of his hands covering his eye. Fresh red blood was dripping from the gaps between his fingers as she continued to beg the soldier.

"Please! Please!"

"Either you come in yourself or both of you go to hell."

The young woman started to sob as she fell towards the ground still having her boyfriend's arm over her shoulders.

"Claire... it's fine... you go now..." the young man said.

"Nonono! I'm not going anywhere without you Hunter!"

"Claire listen..."

Hunter took his hand off his bleeding eye. He closed his bleeding eye and faced towards Claire as he took his arm off her shoulders. Slowly, he reached out and held both of her hands. He put her hands together with his hands encapsulating hers and squeezed them tightly.

The mother shielded her children's eyes from the tragedy in front.

"I'm bleeding too much, I'm going to hinder you."

"No Hunter! We need to survive together! *sniff* What's good if I survive alone!?"

"Do you feel it Claire?"

Claire's eyes clouded as she looks at Hunter in confusion.

"My hand Claire."

Hunter lifted their hands and she looked them; his hands were trembling restlessly.

"*Sniff* *sniff* Hunter... *sniff* *sniff* You..."

"Claire... even if I am here... even if I die..."

Claire hiccuped as tears fell down her face.

"You must survive."

Hunter wipes Claire's tears with his bloody hand leaving blood trails on her face.

"Take him away," the soldier said.

As I was about the step forward, Sam gripped harder on my hand.

"Don't," he said.

I looked at him and he was staring straight at the couple with a menacing look.

I could feel my anger taking over but thankfully Sam stopped me.

Sam... he is young, but his way of thinking is always logical and he always consider all if not most of the variables before making a judgement.

Once again he reminded me that he is a scary genius.

Two soldiers took and dragged him away leaving Claire dumbstruck on the ground.

A moment later Claire got up. "Hunter...? *Hiccup* Hunter! *Sniff* Where are you!?"

She turned her head fiercely as she continues to shout his name, "Hunter! Where are you!?"

We watched silently as her voice echoes throughout the entire place. It was as if she forgot what just happened.

In the end, no one was brave enough to step up, to step up and help the poor couple. Everyone was powerless in this situation. The people around were... in fear as well. What if they stepped up but then they got dragged out as well? That's what they're thinking now. I don't blame them; I just find the entire situation cruel.

We are inferior to them.

Guns have no eyes.

We cannot do anything.

We can only stand, watch and turning a blind eye.

"Hey take her away, she's too noisy," the same soldier said.

"Hey wait-" A middle aged man spoke up. "Didn't you say she can pass?"

"Hey you old fart. Mind your own damn business unless you want to follow them out?"

The man shrivelled himself and back off into the distance.

"That poor couple..." Rose's eyes water and she gripped my hand even harder than Sam. "I hope..." she whispered. "We don't end up like that..."

"It will be alright," I assured her. "I'm sure inside will be a lot better."

But I was wrong. Beyond the wall was not better in anyway. It was chaotic; it was even more chaotic than outside the wall.

~~~~~

We continued to slowly walk towards the tallest building.

Gradually, we were able to witness what was being shown on the screen. It was a live stream of what was going on in the outside world.

Paris.

—————

Similar to Coventry, the place was burning.

Flaming smoke hovered above Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral as it was engulfed by the roaring fire.

The Eiffel Tower collapsing towards the ground crushing the running citizens. People scream at the top of their lungs for help.

—————

London.

—————

Fire spread across the building as jets flew high above bombing the city.

Half of Big Ben's clock burned down as skyscrapers collapsed burying everything around it; it was like the twin towers all over again.

A missile hit the London Eye. It exploded and the wheel descended into the water, drowning for eternity.

—————

Corcovado mountain, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

—————

The 'Christ the Redeemer' statue, the overseer of Rio, the statue representing holiness and hope, collapsed under the grand earthquake. Its 28 metres long arms fell and destroying everything in its path indiscriminately. Wether it was trees or humans, nothing could escape from its grasp.

One of the seven wonders of the world, gone just like that.

—————

Dubai.

—————

Burj Khalifa, the worlds tallest man made structure piecing the blue sky. But one missile brought it down crumbling - closing the path to heaven, closing all hope.

Palm Jumeirah, the man made island caved into the ocean as hotels burn fiercely. The self proclaimed 8th wonder of the world was no longer in existence.

—————

We watched. And watched. And watched. Our eyes glued to the big broadcasting screen. It was happening. Everything, everything we ever knew, was destroyed right in front of our face.

Rose couldn't handle watching anymore and turned her head away closing her shaky eyes. She tightened her hand and I felt her nails slightly dug into the back of my hand. It hurts but I mustn't mention it now. Now is not the time for such nonsense.

Sam continued to stare at the screen. He was concentrating. It felt like he was up to something but I didn't ask. Maybe he's shocked as well, shocked at how the entire world has been demolished in mere hours.

It wasn't on the radio.

It wasn't on the news.

It wasn't on the internet.

It just happened; just happened all of a sudden.

Tick. Tock.

Tick. Tock.

Tick. Tock.

My watch vibrated, it was 12:30 pm.