Good Night: An Apocalypse Story

After securing the bunker, Harley took it upon herself to clear out the bodies of the raiders. She climbed up and down the ladder, carrying each body out of the bunker one by one. The task was physically demanding, but with her Nocturnis strength, she made quick work of it, dragging the lifeless forms out and leaving them a good distance away from the bunker. The area would likely attract Freaks, but that was exactly the point—better to let the creatures dispose of the bodies than to deal with them personally.

Meanwhile, Stephanie worked on hiding their bikes, stashing them behind thick foliage far from the bunker entrance to avoid detection by anyone passing by. Once that was done, she returned to the bunker and began moving their bags and backpacks down the hatch, organizing their gear as they settled in.

With the raiders disposed of and their supplies safely stored, the two women took a moment to look around the bunker. It was spacious, with several rooms and hallways branching out from the main chamber. Though worn and covered in dust, the place had potential. It just needed a little work to become a secure base for their stay in the area.

Stephanie focused on the power system next, examining the diesel generator the raiders had been using. It was old, but still functional. Despite its age, if properly maintained, a diesel generator like this could last over 20 years. Stephanie ran her hand over the worn metal, her mind already working on how to ensure its longevity.

“Not bad,” she muttered to herself, looking over the generator’s condition. The raiders had kept it in decent shape, which meant they wouldn’t need to scavenge for parts just yet. They had enough fuel to last for a while, but she knew they'd have to plan future trips to keep it running.

After some basic cleaning to clear the dust and grime, the bunker began to feel more like a proper base. The potential for long-term security was clear. The World War II structure was solid and built to last, giving them a safe place to regroup, plan, and prepare for the next phase of their journey—finding the Berlin facility.

“Looks like we’ve got ourselves a new home,” Harley said, dusting off her hands after the cleanup.

Stephanie nodded, her eyes scanning the bunker’s interior. “Yeah, and with a little more work, it’ll be the perfect base.”

The bunker consisted of two main rooms, both of which had clearly been used by the raiders before Stephanie and Harley took it over. The first room, directly connected to the hatch, had a utilitarian feel to it. There were a few worn chairs, a sturdy table, and some old rafts for storing supplies. It looked like the raiders had used this space as a storage and crafting area, and Stephanie quickly recognized its potential. With a little work, they could use this room for organizing their gear and possibly as a place to craft or repair weapons and equipment.

The second room was more personal, likely the sleeping quarters. There were four bunk beds, stacked two on each side of the room, taking up most of the space. Harley smirked as she glanced around, raising an eyebrow. “These raiders must’ve been sleeping real tight in here. Four beds in a space this small? They weren’t living the high life.”

Stephanie, inspecting the beds, shook her head in agreement. “Yeah, no kidding. We only need two beds—or maybe even just one,” she said with a grin, exchanging a playful look with Harley. “I can scrap the rest for materials. Might come in handy for future repairs or upgrades.”

The bunker felt rough and cramped, but it had potential. With some adjustments, they could turn it into a comfortable base. Stephanie made a mental note to look into crafting a door to separate the rooms and provide a little more security and privacy. Without a door, the bunker felt too exposed, and though the raiders had left plenty of materials lying around, she knew it would take time to make the improvements she envisioned.

For now, the main focus was settling in. With the extra beds ready to be scrapped, they could start customizing the bunker to suit their needs.

“We’ll make it work,” Stephanie said confidently, already mentally planning the improvements. “This is a good start.”

Harley nodded, sitting down on one of the bunk beds. “I like it. It’s secluded, we’ve got space, and best of all, it’s ours.”

As the evening settled in, Stephanie and Harley sat together, preparing and cooking meat from the game they had hunted earlier in the day. The rich, smoky scent of the food filled the bunker, adding a sense of warmth and normalcy to their new base. As the meat sizzled, Stephanie noticed Harley quietly laughing to herself, her attention absorbed in a book she was reading.

Curious, Stephanie leaned closer to see what Harley was so entertained by. The book was filled with drawings rather than the usual words on a page. “What’s that?” Stephanie asked, her brow furrowed.

Harley grinned, clearly in a good mood. “This? It’s a manga.”

Stephanie tilted her head. “Manga? What’s that?”

Harley raised an eyebrow, half-amused. “Seriously? You don’t know what manga is?”

Stephanie shot her a look, then replied with a smirk. “Do you know what Quantum Field Theory is?”

That shut Harley up for a moment. She blinked, processing Stephanie’s quick comeback, and then chuckled. “Okay, point taken.” She leaned back in her chair, holding the manga up for Stephanie to see.

“Alright, since you’ve got me on the science front, let me educate you on something fun.” Harley began to explain, her voice taking on an animated tone. “Manga is basically Japanese comics. They cover all kinds of stories—action, adventure, romance, fantasy. Anything you can think of, really. You read them from right to left instead of left to right, which is why they look different from regular books.”

Stephanie looked at the drawings on the page, still curious. The art was intricate, filled with exaggerated expressions and dynamic movements that leaped off the page.

Harley continued, flipping through the pages. “I used to read them before the apocalypse hit, back when everything was normal. They were an escape, you know? You could get lost in these wild, crazy worlds. And sometimes, they’re just plain funny.”

Stephanie, still intrigued, nodded along. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Harley smirked. “Well, now you’ve got something new to learn about. It’s not as mind-bending as Quantum Field Theory, but trust me—it’s worth the read.”

Stephanie couldn’t help but smile, her curiosity piqued.

The next morning, Harley lay in one of the bunk beds, completely exhausted from the night before. Beside her, Stephanie seemed to glow with energy, clearly having recovered more quickly. As Stephanie got up, she couldn't resist teasing Harley, running her hands over her own body before playfully caressing Harley’s member.

“Want some head?” Stephanie asked with a mischievous grin.

Harley groaned, barely opening her eyes. “I’m exhausted... you milked me dry last night. I just want some food.”

Laughing softly, Stephanie got up, grabbed some of the leftover food from the night before, and handed it to Harley. After eating, Harley gradually recovered her strength, and the two of them prepared to head to Hans's camp on Pfaueninsel to do some trading and pick up combustible for their generator.

After a few hours of riding, they arrived at Pfaueninsel. The island was much larger than they had anticipated, and it was clearly well-fortified. The entrance was guarded by a massive gate, flanked by towers where armed guards kept watch. Beyond the gate, the island was surrounded by walls made of logs, a clear sign of how serious the camp was about its defenses.

As they approached the gate, the guards stopped them, looking them over briefly before asking, “Who are you?”

“Pilgrims,” Harley responded casually.

The guards, seemingly uninterested, waved them through without further questioning. Once inside, Stephanie and Harley rode slowly through the camp, eventually stopping at a place that looked like a vendor’s stall.

The vendor was a short, fat man with a gruff demeanor, but when they approached, he looked at them with curiosity. “So, what do you have?” he asked, his tone transactional.

Stephanie got off her bike and pulled out some guns, pelts, and various other items they no longer needed. The vendor inspected the goods, nodding thoughtfully. “I can give you some good credits for this,” he said, his eyes gleaming at the quality of what they were offering.

After a bit of bartering, they reached a deal, and Stephanie pocketed the credits. But before they left, she had another question. “Do you have combustible around here?”

The vendor leaned back, rubbing his chin. “Yeah, we’ve got it.”

“Where does it come from?” Stephanie asked, curious about the source.

“Comes from Mittelplate Camp,” the vendor explained. “It’s a big camp up north, and they control Mittelplate rig and two refineries. They’re in a war with another group for control of one of the refineries, though. If you need combustible, head east on the island—there’s a mechanic there who sells it.”

Stephanie nodded in appreciation for the information, exchanging a quick glance with Harley.

“Thanks,” Stephanie said, handing over the last of the goods they had bartered.

As Stephanie and Harley approached the mechanic’s shop, they noticed another bike pulling away from it. Riding the bike was a girl with long, black hair, wearing an outfit that immediately caught both their attention. Her clothes had a distinct look, resembling the schoolgirl uniforms Harley had seen in her mangas, but it was clearly modified to suit the harsh realities of the apocalypse—reinforced and practical, yet oddly familiar.

Both women exchanged glances, a strange sense of déjà vu washing over them. They couldn’t quite place where they’d seen something like that before, but before they could get a closer look, the girl sped off, disappearing down the path.

Shaking off the odd moment, they turned their attention back to the mechanic, a rugged-looking woman who greeted them with a nod as they approached.

“What do you need?” the mechanic asked, her hands already greasy from whatever project she’d been working on.

“We need some diesel,” Harley replied.

The mechanic sized them up and nodded. “How much are we talking?”

“A few canisters,” Stephanie added. “We need enough for our generator and our bikes.”

The woman gave them a calculating look, then shrugged. “It’ll cost you, but I’ve got what you need. You’ve got credits, right?”

“Yeah, we’ve got credits,” Harley said, giving a nod of confirmation.

“Good,” the mechanic replied. “Wait here for a bit. I’ll get it ready for you.”

The two women stood by as the mechanic went to gather the diesel. Stephanie couldn't help but think back to the strange girl they had seen just moments earlier. The modified schoolgirl uniform felt out of place, almost like a remnant of the world before everything went to hell.

Harley, noticing the thoughtful look on Stephanie's face, nudged her. “Still thinking about that girl?”

“Yeah... it was just weird. It felt familiar, but I don’t know why,” Stephanie replied, her mind still puzzling over the strange sight.

“Maybe she’s one of those types who clings to the past,” Harley mused. “You know, some people like to hold onto pieces of the old world. Could be her way of doing that.”