Chapter 1 - The Bunker| "Olha, this is gonna sound crazy, but... you're not on Earth anymore."

  She paused, giving the girl, who looked more like a lost puppy, time to let the words sink in. But it probably wouldn't have mattered how much time she gave her. Because it did sound crazy.

  Two more blinks followed as she was still trying to process it.

  "What...? I mean... w-what do you mean, not on Earth anymore!?" she finally blurted out, her voice thick with confusion and disbelief. "Th-that's impossible! Stop messing with me!"

  Of course, it would've all been easier if this were just some kind of sick joke, or dream after all. If she could just pinch herself one more time and unexpectedly wake up this time around, everything would’ve been fine. But the way Camil looked at her, with a serious, yet concerned expression, was enough to tell her that she wasn't joking.

  "Rexa linda[ Rex gorgeous], I know how this sounds, but..." She sighed, raising her left arm and showing her the same metallic object embedded in the underside of her wrist, only fully healed, unlike Hannah's.

  "See? We all have one of these. I'm not trying to mess with you, I promise. Okay?" Her voice had softened slightly before she took another step closer.

  Hannah just shook her head in confusion. "W-Wait... we? So there are more people like us!?"

  "Mhm," Camil nodded. "Everyone who ends up here has one of these, although... they're usually wearing a little more when they get here, linda."

  "Everyone who... w-wait, hold on—why do you keep calling me Linda? My name's Hannah, not Linda." She somehow sounded more confused than before- if that was even possible.

  "Hm?" Camil herself looked confused for a moment, as if the question made no sense. "Ohhh, that's probably the chip. It transtes everything for you, so you can understand what I'm saying, né? But it's not perfect. Some words or phrases... uhh... como eu falo?1"How do I say it?" They slip through. But it seems random. No one really understands how it works."

  "I... I see..." she said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, as much as that was possible in a situation like this anyway. It was all a bit too overwhelming. Too much to process. Then, she could feel Camil's hands on her shoulders.

  "Calma amor...2"Calm down, love..." let's get you to the Bunker, hm? I'll introduce you to the others- or, well... the one other person. We'll expin everything to you when it's safe, okay?"

  "When it's safe? What do you mean? Is it not safe out here?"

  "Ehhhh... let's just say that the isnd has a few... quirks, okay? And the sun is already starting to set, so it's really not a good idea to keep standing around like this," she said, grabbing Hannah's wrist and beginning to pull her along the shoreline.

  "H-Hey wait, where are we-" she tried to protest, but the Brazilian beauty had a firm, yet also surprisingly gentle grip that didn’t leave any room for protest. It was like someone guiding a lost child to safety.

  "Don't worry, it's not far gata. We're almost there already. See that rock formation over there?" Camil asked, pointing to a particurly distinct formation along the cliffside, maybe a few hundred meters ahead. "That's where our bunker is."

  Despite still having more questions than answers, Hannah didn’t have much of a choice, except trusting this stranger who had at least been kind enough to give her something to cover up… even if it wasn’t much and arguably made her feel even more exposed.

  As they walked, Hannah couldn't help but admire the scenery around her, despite the overwhelming confusion and fear that should've made something like that impossible. She almost felt bad for enjoying it and tried to force herself to look elsewhere. But that wasn't a good idea either, because now her eyes were practically glued to the woman leading her along the beach, watching the gentle sway of her hips with every step she took. The small, bck bikini top and thong left almost nothing to the imagination. Almost.

  Though, on the other hand, Hannah was in a simir situation, wasn’t she? The tight yellow crop top did nothing to hide her rge breasts; if anything, the soaked fabric only made her hard nipples stand out even more, like two tiny, pointed pebbles, impossible to ignore. At least the shorts fit her somewhat, though that didn't make much of a difference in this kind of situation.

  After a short walk, they had finally arrived in front of the jagged rock formation. Right there, in the middle of it, was a heavy-looking, rusty steel door—the kind you would expect to see in a military bunker or old fallout shelter. It was embedded right into the cliffside, and the brownish, orange rust even gave it some good camoufge. Someone scanning the area might just miss it.

  "S-so... um... this is… where you live?" Hannah nervously asked as they approached the sturdy-looking door. Perhaps she sounded a little more skeptical than she intended, but that was a fair question to ask, wasn’t it?

  "Sim,3"Yes," pretty much," Camil said, letting go of her wrist and taking a step closer to the door. She made a fist and knocked in a very deliberate pattern. Three quick knocks, a pause, and then two slow knocks. A secret code, no question about it. Then she turned around and leaned against the rusty steel, crossing her arms.

  "Give her a moment, she's always a bit slow to open up."

  "Her? You mean... the other... girl in there?" Hannah asked, her gaze shifting between the door and Camil's confident posture, her social anxiety starting to kick in. Another girl...? So she'd have to talk to her, too... but she definitely wasn't ready for another confrontation, especially not looking the way she currently did! Though, did she have a choice? If what Camil told her was true, the isnd was dangerous, apparently even more so at night.

  But before her brain could continue spiraling down that path any further, a loud creak announced that the heavy steel door was opening. Camil calmly pushed herself off it and stepped aside, giving Hannah a clear view as the door swung open inward.

  "Finally, what took you so fucking long? The sun's already-..." a girl's voice started, a bit of annoyance and arrogance in her tone, though it quickly faded into silence when her red eyes met Hannah's, who tried to avert her gaze to hide her blush and avoid confrontation with yet another stranger.

  The girl in the doorway looked completely different from Camil in almost every way—not that she wasn't cute or attractive, just the complete opposite. Short, petite, dark red hair cut into a shoulder-length bob, definitely giving off... gremlin vibes. Definitely someone you don't wanna mess with if you value your sanity. And in a pce like this, that seems like a very valuable thing to have.

  "Who the shit are you? And why are you wearing half of Camil's clothes?" she asked, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms in front of her rather ft chest.

  "Ai, pestinha,4"Ugh, (you) little pest," stop being so rude for once! She's new, and I found her—naked."

  "Aaand?" the short girl deadpanned.

  Camil's eyes twitched, and her head shot forward a bit, as if she was in disbelief and losing her patience. "Sério!?5"Really!?" I'm not an asshole, like you! Ent?o, tipo...6"So, like..." I'm not just gonna stand there and make her feel like a vulnerable piece of shit for something she can't control, né!?" She was clearly annoyed with her friend—if you could even call her that.

  Hannah just stood there awkwardly, clutching her own arm, looking at her own feet, while Camil pushed past the 'pestinha' as she had called her. The little redhead didn't seem to care all that much. After a moment of standing there in silence and staring at Hannah, she finally spoke up again.

  "So, you coming or what? Don't just stand there like a dumbass, new girl. Unless you wanna get brutally torn apart by monsters. In that case, feel free to throw your life away. I'm closing the door now," she said, her tone ft and unenthusiastic, and not at all helpful or welcoming. The way she acted was almost... snobby? As if she thought she was better than everyone else.

  Still, as Hannah heard the mention of monsters, a fresh wave of dread washed over her, almost making her stumble over her own feet as she hurried inside, past the mean gremlin and into the unknown of this dark, secluded bunker. She could hear the heavy steel door close behind her with a loud thud that echoed deep into the corridor. A series of unpleasant, squeaky metal screeches followed as the little girl turned a heavy-looking wheel to lock the door from the inside. Then, she passed Hannah as if she wasn't even there and just walked down the narrow, dimly lit corridor, heading deeper inside.

  "I'm not gonna tell you again, new girl," she said, her voice echoing through the hallway, almost like a dare, or at least some kind of final warning before she'd leave her behind. Not that she seemed to care either way.

  Hannah swallowed hard and quickly followed her, the borrowed shorts uncomfortably rubbing between her thighs with every step. The air inside was cool and damp, smelling of earth and rusty iron. The corridor that led deeper into the bunker was tight and custrophobic, almost making her feel like she was being led to her doom.

  But when they finally stepped through a smaller, still heavy-looking, iron door, the space that opened up in front of her was... not what she expected. But what did she expect? Probably something like cold, sterile grey walls, narrow corridors leading to small, empty rooms with low ceilings. A pragmatic shelter, built for survival. Instead, the pce had a cozy, lived-in feel. The main room they had just entered was spacious, with a surprisingly high ceiling, a kitchen in the corner, and living room furniture; an old but comfortable-looking couch and a couple of mismatched armchairs, clustered around a small, wooden coffee table. Lamps, powered by an unknown source, cast a warm, honey-glow over the space, creating a surprisingly welcoming atmosphere.

  "Alright, listen up, new girl," the mean redhead said, groaning as she plopped down onto the red couch, making herself comfortable, while Camil moved to the kitchen to do... something. "I'm the boss here, so I'll expin the rules to you."

  "Eh? You? The boss? Are you trying to be funny again, pestinha?" Camil said from the kitchen, not even turning around to look at her, a clear sign that this was probably not the first time the two of them had had a conversation like this.

  The little girl looked over her shoulder, as if she'd been offended. "Well, what would you call the person who earns most of the credits and puts all the food on the table? When's the st time you contributed anything useful, huh?"

  Camil dropped something metal into the kitchen sink with a loud cng. "Ey, we're not having this discussion again! That's not fair, and you know it! Especially not in front of the new girl!"

  While they were bickering like an old married couple, Hannah stood there awkwardly in the doorway, not daring to move a muscle, let alone interrupt their argument. She was once again a lost puppy in a world she didn't understand, and this whole dispy only amplified her anxiety.

  "Yeah, yeah, the world isn't fair, so suck it up. I'm the boss here, whether you like it or not," the redhead said, which was the st straw.

  Camil visibly held back a much more explosive reaction, biting her lip with a closed mouth. "Fine. Fine! You're the boss, sua metidinha."7“you little arrogant one/miss full-of-yourself” With that, she stormed off and disappeared into a hallway, probably leading to more rooms.

  The girl on the couch rolled her eyes and finally turned her attention back to Hannah, who was trying her best to become one with the doorframe.

  "Anyway... as I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted," she began, her tone once again ft and unenthusiastic, "My name's Piper, but you might as well just call me boss."

  Hannah didn't even know how to respond to someone so brazenly arrogant and self-absorbed. She just stood there, her hands covered with a film of nervous sweat, trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t get her on the bad side of this little devil in disguise.

  "S-Sorry, I... um... I'm Hannah," she finally managed to whisper, her eyes darting back and forth between the redhead and whatever interesting spot on the floor she could find.

  Piper raised an eyebrow and leaned back against the couch cushions, putting her feet up on the coffee table and her arms on the backrest.

  "Hannah. Mhm. Okay. Well, listen up, Hannah. There’s rules here, and I'm only gonna expin them once, so you better pay attention. Because uhhh... your survival kinda depends on them." Her gaze, for the first time since Hannah had entered the bunker, sharpened, and the zy, almost bored look was repced by one of... seriousness. That caught her off guard and made her even more anxious.

  "First rule: you touch my stuff, you're dead."

  Hannah breathed a sigh of relief. She expected some actually important rules, but this girl... did she take anything seriously?

  "Second rule: you earn your own credits, or you can go back out there and look for your own shelter, got it?" she continued, her tone still serious. "This isn't a charity. You take food from the fridge? You better restock it, or at least repce the credits it's worth. Understand?"

  Hannah finally managed to move again, stepping closer to the couch, still clutching her own arm. "Uh... t-those credits... what exactly... are.. those?"

  For some reason, this question seemed to annoy Piper, who let out an exasperated sigh, her patience already running thin. "Ohhhh my god, didn't Camil tell you anything before bringing you here?" She suddenly popped forward, pointing a finger at Hannah. "Hey! New girl! You better not be one of those good-for-nothings that needs to be babysat twenty-four-seven, because I will not hesitate to throw you back out there!"

  "N-No! I- I can work! I..." she started, her cheeks burning with embarrassment at being put on the spot so suddenly and accused of being... useless.

  "Yeah, you better!" Piper replied, leaning back again. "You'll figure out soon enough what credits are and how to earn them. You got one of these too, don't you?" she asked, raising her left arm and pulling the sleeve of her oversized bck jacket back—and sure enough, there it was. The same metallic object, embedded in her wrist.

  Nodding, Hannah turned over her own left arm to show her an identical version, which she had completely forgotten about for a brief, comforting moment. Seeing it again was like a spsh of cold water to the face, a stark reminder that this wasn't some eborate prank or dream.

  "Right, so... where was I?... Oh yeah. Last but not least, rule three: you pull your own weight. We all have a job here—and you better pick carefully. I don't need another Camil, who just picks a 'job that sounds fun' and then compins when she can't change it for ninety days, because she didn't care to read the warnings." Piper expined, her arms now crossed in front of her chest again.

  They definitely had some beef to work through, that much was evident, and the way this little girl talked about Camil made it clear that she wasn't very... fond of her. At this point, Hannah wasn't even sure if they actually liked each other, or if they were just stuck with each other, forced to co-exist. But, then again, if Camil wasn't pulling her own weight and Piper kept addressing it, wouldn't that already mean they're breaking rule three? Not that Hannah would ever dare to ask that.

  "A-A job? I... I don't..."

  "Ah-ah-ah—" Piper interrupted, raising her hand. "I know what you're gonna ask, and I'm already tired of pying Google for you today. Go py with your little wrist-thingy, and you'll figure it out. I mean, you don't look... entirely stupid."

  "O-Oh... okay... um... sorry," she stammered, shrinking back a little, even though the girl wasn't even physically intimidating. It was just that the aura of dominance she exuded was a little… overwhelming, to say the least. Definitely not something Hannah wanted to challenge.

  Piper let out a sigh of relief and dismissively waved her hand. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Go on, you can have one of the empty rooms; we got enough of those," she said, pointing towards the hallway Camil had disappeared into just moments ago.

  Hannah breathed an equal sigh of relief, feeling like she'd just had an audience with a queen. She bowed her head slightly and quietly excused herself, but just as she was making her way towards the hallway in question, she was suddenly stopped by Piper's voice, which cut through the silence of the bunker like a freshly sharpened bde. "Oh, but where are my manners? Hey, new girl..."

  "Welcome to the Bunker."