Page 35 of Sixty Meters Under

Anna dropped her hands into her lap. “What if it goes on and on and doesn’t stop?”

Lennart wanted to tell her something comforting, but he lacked the words. “We can’t know for sure, but let’s hope that it’s the first and last one.”

Anna sighed and massaged her forehead. The moment she found out about this attack, she was even more dejected. Being there in the bunker should have given her some comfort, butinstead she felt even worse. Lennart hated to see her devastated. To be aware that so many people died, it was too much for her faint heart.

Anna wanted to reach for another pill, but Lennart reminded her that she already had taken one. He decided to stay by her side until the medicine started working, but it was taking longer than usual. Her eyes were already blood-shot and she looked like she was going to fall asleep at any moment.

“Try to rest, Mom.”

Anna lay down this time, and Lennart covered her with a comforter. “I know it’s still early for you to sleep but try to relax and forget. At least for a few hours.”

“I’ll try.” She gave him a weak smile, took his hand in hers and squeezed.

Lennart placed a kiss on her smooth hair and left the room. As he walked down the hall to his room, his cell phone rang.

“Yeah?”

“There was another attack.”He heard Hugo’s shaken voice. He stopped in his tracks. “Where are you, Hugo?”

“Still in the canteen. People are panicking. The meeting–”

Of course, the meeting. It had slipped his mind with the worry about his mother. “Okay, alright. Are the psychologists there?”

“Just one. I think. Should I call the others?”

Lennart inhaled, considering. “That might help. Send a message to everyone. All the residents. Have them report to the canteen.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“We’ll monitor the situation more closely. We have to stop any panic starting, or it will become contagious.”

“I’ll be on it,”Hugo said without further questioning.

Lennart walked towards his room his phone still pressed to his ear. “And tell Clara to help you; mother won’t be available for a few hours. I’m going to monitor the bunker from my room.”

?

“Okay, we’re here,” Liam said and looked around the canteen. He turned to Ryosuke and added, “You can go now.” Liam spotted who he was looking for and walked towards a group sitting at a table. Ryosuke looked for his family too and pushed through to the other end of the canteen.

Ayame, Aki, his parents, and Ayame’s parents were sitting together at the table. Ayame noticed him first.

“Love!” She waved at him.

When Ryosuke approached the table Ayame added, “This is terrible!” She got to her feet and wrapped her arms around him, enveloping him into a hug.

Ryosuke returned the gesture, confirming, “Yeah. It’s horrible…”

“I’m happy we’re safe! Who knows what comes next. I have heard there was a second attack.”

Ryosuke still couldn’t believe that all of this was really happening. He stood there witnessing it all, and yet, his mind rejected the cruel reality. The world as they know it may be coming to an end. His reason for existence was based around his architectural projects and surpassing himself with each new one, and what would he be doing if that were taken away? He’d be able to endure it temporarily, but his whole life?

“Love?”

Hearing Ayame’s voice snapped him back from his musings. Ryosuke felt like he was holding his breath until now. He exhaled. “Yeah?”

“You saw the news.”

Ryosuke nodded. “I saw the news.”