Page 70 of Sixty Meters Under

Ryosuke shook his head. “Just finish picking your meal already. I need to sit. I don’t feel very well.”

“Okay, okay.” Ayame focused back on the food lined up on the table.

The clinking of the glass followed, and the canteen became a silent space. The residents turned their attention to Anna who stood and waited to start her speech.

“Good evening, fellow residents. I don’t want to keep you from your food. I just wanted to say a few words. I hope you won’t mind.” Anna smiled and looked at the crowd. “I wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas. Although I’m sure not all of you celebrate it, but to those who do, I wish you a pleasant Christmas Eve. To those who don’t celebrate, I wish you all to enjoy this evening equally. I hope that in the following years we’ll be able to celebrate outside with all the people we hold close. The situation outside for now hasn’t changed; the radiation is still high, but let’s be positive that it will get better soon. That’s it for now. Let’s dig in. Bon appetit!”

Anna finished her speech and sat back in her chair taking her fork and knife. “Bon appetit,” she repeated to her table before taking a bite.

“Bon appetit to you too,” Lennart, Hugo and the two sisters said in unison.

“I don’t see Björn. Which is kind of strange. I expected him to be present at least today,” Anna commented and looked around, trying to spot her other son in the crowd.

“No. I haven’t seen him,” Hugo said.

Lennart shook his head. “I haven’t seen him either.”

Lennart remembered that the last time he laid his eyes on his brother was on the monitor footage. He saw him walking to the pool and proceeding to the room where he used to spend his private time with Scarlett. “I’ll go to check on him after dinner,” he added and continued with his meal.

“Give me a call when you see him.”

“Of course.” Lennart nodded. He knew that his brother had taken the news of his lover’s death badly, but he didn’t want to worry his mother.

?

Lennart did as he promised.

He knew exactly where to look for Björn, and without checking the cameras went straight to the pool when he exited the canteen.

Concern buzzed through his mind.I hope Björn is okay. I should have checked on him earlier.

The pool was closed but Lennart had no problem getting in; he had access to all the doors in the bunker. With quick steps he approached the door that was hidden on the other side of the wall and saw from afar that it was closed.

He flung the door open but what he saw next made his blood freeze. Björn was lying sprawled on the floor motionless and facing the ceiling with his eyes closed. Lennart approached and with shaky hands and a racing heart he checked his breathing.

Björn was still alive. Lennart was immensely relieved and allowed himself to register his surroundings. His nostrils flooded with a reeking smell. He looked around to see empty bottles, shattered glass and a puddle of vomit under the table. He covered his nose with his forearm, but it was no help. He felt the sudden urge to throw up, so he got to his feet and walked out of the room to get some air.

“Fucking hell!” Lennart gasped as his lungs filled with fresh air and his stomach settled.How can he breathe in there? I better leave the door open.

Lennart coughed a few times and dialed doctor’s number.

“Hello?”

“Doctor Olsson, I’m sorry to bother you, but I’m going to need you in the medical room for a moment.”

“Sure, Lennart, no problem. Did something happen?”

“Björn is heavily intoxicated. And unconscious.”

“I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Don’t rush. I still need a few minutes to take him there.”

Lennart ended the call and sighed. He was hesitant to get back into the room, but he knew he had no choice.The cleaning lady will have it worse than me.

?

A muffled sob echoed through the dimly lit room. Ryosuke pushed himself into a sitting position, all drenched in sweat. He panted, and it took him a moment to realize that he was in bed.