Shared interests

Septa

"I thought this place was abandoned," Septa explained, keeping her voice as casual as possible. "I came to see if I could find anything useful."

The man stepped closer, his height making her tilt her head to meet his gaze.

"What kind of scraps are you looking for? This place is out of bounds. You're not supposed to be here, and it could be dangerous."

As he spoke, Septa's attention shifted past his shoulder. Several crates were stacked against the wall behind him, and she caught sight of what looked like bottled water, tools, and other supplies. The bunker was far from empty.

She tried to get a better look, but he moved sideways, blocking her view.

"Hey. You shouldn't be here. Leave."

A nervous laugh escaped her. "I can't."

His expression hardened. "What do you mean, you can't?"

"I mean, I don't have anywhere else to go." Septa glanced around the bunker, pretending to be more interested in its condition than the supplies inside. "The weather has been strange lately, and I have a feeling there's a storm coming. I thought I could find somewhere to stay until it passes."

It was a ridiculous lie, but she couldn't exactly tell him she needed the bunker to survive an apocalypse that hadn't happened yet.

He studied her for a moment, his eyes moving over her clothes before settling on her face.

"You expect me to believe that?"

"I'm only looking for somewhere safe."

He let out a short breath and rubbed his jaw. "I don't want anyone staying here, but I'll let you collect whatever scraps you came for. Once you're done, you leave. Understood?"

Septa nodded quickly. "Thank you. I won't take much."

Setting her bag down, she began picking through a pile of discarded materials near the wall. She kept her movements slow, occasionally glancing around whenever she thought he wasn't watching. Her real objective was to find a way into the main section of the bunker without drawing his attention.

Then she noticed what he was doing.

He had moved toward a heavy metal panel beside the entrance and was trying to force it shut. Each time he pushed, the panel shifted slightly before catching against the frame. He swore under his breath and tried again, but it refused to lock.

Septa knew that panel.

In her previous life, she had learned that most bunkers had a faulty locking mechanism. The problem wasn't the panel itself but a damaged release pin hidden behind the lower hinge. Unless the pin was realigned, the door would never seal properly.

The man stepped back and examined the mechanism, his jaw tightening with frustration.

Septa returned her attention to the scraps, pretending she hadn't noticed anything. But the more she watched him, the clearer it became that he wasn't simply passing through. He had already brought supplies inside and was trying to secure the entrance.

He wanted the bunker for himself.

A small smile tugged at her lips. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who had recognized its value.

"Hey," she called.

He looked over his shoulder. "What now?"

"You're starting to look suspicious."

His brows drew together. "Excuse me?"

"You've stocked this place with supplies, and now you're struggling to secure the entrance. It looks like you're trying to claim the entire bunker for yourself."

He stared at her, his expression turning cold.

"Watch what you say, weakling"

The insult stung, but Septa kept her face composed. In his eyes, she was nothing more than a powerless girl who had wandered into a place where she didn't belong.

He had no idea how much she knew about the bunker, or how badly she wanted to get inside.

"You look like you're preparing for something," she said. "If you don't tell me what's going on here, I'll raise an alarm. I'll go to the nearby settlements and tell everyone that someone is hoarding supplies in this bunker. Let's see how long you can keep this place to yourself when people come looking."

He shrugged. "You're so annoying. Why can't you just walk away?"

"I will, once you tell me what you're preparing for."

He stared at her for a moment before pointing toward the entrance. "Haven't you noticed the red line in the sky?"

Septa's expression changed slightly.

"I've been studying it for months," he continued. "Something is coming. I tried warning the people in my town, but none of them would listen. They think I'm wasting my time preparing for something that may never happen."

He glanced at the supplies stacked against the wall.

"So I stopped trying to convince them. If they want to ignore the warning signs, that's their problem. I'm going to secure my own future, and this bunker is part of that plan."

A smile spread across Septa's face. "Then we have something in common."

He looked at her sceptically.

"I noticed the red line, too. I've been paying attention to the changes in the environment, and I don't think it's anything ordinary. That's why I started gathering supplies." She gestured toward her bag. "I came here because I believe this place could offer protection when things get worse."

He folded his arms, clearly unconvinced.

"And you expect me to believe that you figured all this out on your own?"

"Believe whatever you want. It doesn't change the fact that I know how to fix that door you've been struggling with."

His eyes narrowed.

"The locking mechanism is damaged. I know what needs to be adjusted to get it working properly, and I can help you secure the entrance." She paused, letting the offer sink in. "But I'm not doing it for free."

"What do you want?"

"To share the bunker. We'll both contribute supplies, work on the repairs, and make this place secure before whatever is coming arrives."

He stared at her as though he was seeing her for the first time.

Septa held his gaze, waiting for his answer.