Apartment 905 by Sahin, Ned (readnow .TXT) 📕

said there are 100 beds in total, which means they can host 200 kids by having day and night schedules. It’s a great idea.

Apart from bedrooms and the cafeteria, they have a classroom, playroom, library, laundry room, and several storage rooms.

“You are welcome to sleep tonight in the playroom. Kids in the night schedule are older. They don’t use it,” he says.

The kids in the day schedule are running around and laughing in the playroom but they stop the moment we glance through the door and peer at us curiously. Most of them seem to be doing fine away from their parents, but I see one kid who is doing nothing except staring at empty walls. He leans against the wall with both hands behind his back. It’s hard to read his emotions from his still light blue eyes.

Logan catches me looking at the boy. “Some of them have more difficulty adapting here than others,” he explains.

“I can imagine,” I say. It must be difficult for them to absorb all the changes. They transitioned from ordinary life with their parents at their own house to a bunker with over a hundred other kids.

“Alright heroes! It’s reading time!” Logan says.

The kids cheer and run by us to the library. The one kid staring at the wall moves to the door after all the other kids had left. His lips tremble and eyes narrow as he looks at us. I am not familiar with children's psychology, but I feel like he is asking for help. I am not sure what he is going through.

“Ben, I need to talk to you,” Logan says to him.

The boy stops a few steps from us and rolls his eyes to the floor.

“Let me know if you need anything,” Logan adds as he walks away with Ben following him.

We enter the playroom with the blankets and pillows Logan gave us. We had eaten a nutritional dinner, and we have a roof above us to spend the night. I couldn’t ask for more. I am grateful, but I can’t stop thinking about Ben. He seemed overly depressed.

“We got lucky!” Kathleen says. Both she and Toshi look as grateful as I am for coming across this place.

I lie down on a blanket and stare at the roof of the container. Even though I am not claustrophobic, being twenty feet underground already starts bothering me. What if the air circulator malfunctions or there is a fire blocking the exit? I hope they have backup plans for worst-case scenarios.

I think about Murray and the purpose of this huge virus-free sanctuary again.

“What do you guys think about this place?” I ask.

“I think… they are angels! They spent a lot of time and money to build this shelter for kids,” Toshi says. He has a point, but something still doesn’t add up in my mind. Separating kids from their parents would probably cause permanent mental issues in their lives. Why didn’t they come up with a broader idea to involve parents in the plan?

“I am not sure…” I say.

“Come on, Matt…” Kathleen says. I know that smile. The same smile she had when I expressed my doubts about staying in Weldon Springs with the elderly.

“I guess we are not locked down in this room. I’m thinking about checking out the library. It’s too early to go to bed anyway,” I say. I would like to see the kids in the night schedule. Since they are older, they may know more about life here. It also wouldn’t hurt to make new friends.

“I’m in,” Kathleen says.

Toshi’s yawn signals that he wants to call it a day. I think the Oxyrica and antidepressant mix he is swallowing daily is affecting his stamina.

There are only a few of them in the library. Others must be still having breakfast and getting ready for their daily routine.

The library is bigger than the playroom. Probably three containers were merged to create this open space. There are shelves all around the walls filled with a rich collection of books. Artificial tall plants are placed at corners. Several tables in the center are well lit by the three high voltage bulbs on the ceiling with a TV and DVD player beneath it.

“Hi,” I say and wave my hand.

A girl lifts her head from her book at the sound of my voice. Two boys glance at us but they turn their attention back to their books.

“Hey. You must be our guests,” she says. She is probably thirteen or fourteen years old. She has hazel eyes with long eyelashes and curly brown hair tied as a ponytail behind her head.

“We are! I’m Kathleen,” she says with a joyful voice.

“And I’m Matt,” I say. I probably look concerned.

“Lily,” she says. She avoids eye contact while smiling and pushing a part of her hair behind her ear. She looks friendly but reserved. I am not sure if she would be fine with our company.

“Do you mind if we join you?” Kathleen asks, gesturing to the chairs around the table where the girl is sitting at. I hope this polite approach convinces her to spend a few minutes with us.

“Hm… Sure…” She shrugs in hesitation.

“We don’t feel like going to bed at this early time. We just wanted to walk around,” I say.

She smiles while avoiding eye contact.

“This place is well protected. You must be feeling safe here,” Kathleen says while looking around the container walls.

“Yes… I do,” Lily says. She doesn’t seem to be enthusiastic about telling more of her experience here. She is probably still in shock of how her life changed in the last few months. I can relate.

“Do you miss your family?” I ask. I know it’s a deep subject to bring up, but I want her to open up about her feelings.

She turns her head to me for a while, probably thinking about what to say next. “I will… see them again one day.” She moves her eyes back to the table.

Kathleen puts her hand on the girl’s shoulder. After making sure