Earth had been cleansed in atomic fire. Uninhabitable for two or more generations. Or so it was relayed to the underground survivors.

Bunker 6, a small group of tunnels built under the New York subway tunnels. Was now life to over seven hundred survivors. This is generation three in the Underworld. Where humanity hangs in the balance between fragile life and extinction.

“Nicky!” A young perky sounding voice called from behind her. Somewhere amongst the crowded food line.

Chow was served at three times during the day. Everyone lined up by age. The few pregnant women and ones with newborns were always first. Children followed in line by age. Then other elderly woman followed by all women, then lastly the men older first.

Of course her neighbors blonde curls and bright blue eyes came to mind. A groan escaped her lips as she thought about being called out for being part of a small group of kids that kinda formed a sort of gang.

So everyone else called them a gang. Except themselves. Which kinda sorta made them a gang. Either way, they had all started to explore further into the lower depths of the tunnels. Places blocked off long before their generation.

“Misfortunate’s” Most of the older crowd called their group of eight.

Well the older crowd and her neighbor girl. Who had been her best friend for a few years, till now.

“Nicky. I know you hear me!” She continued to push through the older teens behind her.

“What’s up?” Nicky took a deep breath and a big sigh before turning to meet her ex friend.

“You’ve been pretty M.I.A as of late?” Nicky could see the girls face drop a bit, her essence lowering a tad.

“Just doing Misfortune things” Nicky groaned again when two younger girls stepped ahead of them.

“We’ll we all miss you”

“Sorry. Just been down in the tunnels trying to make headway into the old ones” Quickly Kelsa’s face started to form a scowl.

“That’s off the grid. So out of bounds. I can’t believe you would let them drag you out there” Kelsa couldn’t believe her ears. “Your gonna get caught. Banished or worse killed”

She’d spoke up a bit loudly, causing a few people to turn and listen in.

“Hush. I’ll be fine”

“Till your not” She huffed.

“If you go. I’m going too”

“Everyone gather around” A familiar male voice called out from their right.

A makeshift stage was set up from many large rubble pieces. All pushed together with just enough space for the fairly large older man to stand.

“We have news” A few older people in the crowd rushed towards the fairly well dressed man.

Well dressed meaning not plastered with dirt and grime like the rest of the crowd.

“I have been told that a few people will be venturing up toward the city in hopes that better shelter and supplies might be possible” His voice called out joyfully.

“Last time that happened. Nearly everyone died” Another person spoke out.

“And nothing was found” Another added in.

“This is bogus. Exactly why we need to head down” Arrow grumbled, somehow having pushed ahead of the duo. “You still in Nicky?”

“Yeah I also got another body” Nicky pointed to Kelsa.

Hours later Kelsa was tagging along behind the ragtag group. Eight of them in all, Kelsa being the Ninth and closest to being left behind.

The tunnel had started to crumble a mile back. Creating walls of rubble and steel, all things the rest of them had already been over. Kelsa had not. So she struggled to keep pace with the rest of the group.

Arrow was front and center leading the pack. Black hair tied up in a ponytail just before his shoulders. Eyes focused on the flash badge attached to his jean jacket. Lighting the way for everyone else.

Bliss was at his heels, she’d have been still holding his hand had the climbing not already started. Instead of struggling with the rocks like she’d done the last two trips. Now she was ready, quickly maneuvering around the debris. Blonde hair falling down her back. Strung together by a multi colored cloth strip.

Max and Cone were neck and neck behind them. Max was a shorter more bulky looking boy. Cone nearly a foot over his height , skinny as a skeleton. Hair cut low like the old military men wore. Max had a moh-let. A new cross between an old style mullet and a mow hawk.

Stacy ; Quill , and Croc all kept pace together. Stacy was the tallest of their group. Just starting to fill out at her age. Reddish brown hair blocking her face with its loose bangs. While the rest had been messily tossed into a bun.

Quill was the mom of the group. Always stitching up their wounds due to whatever discomfort befell them. A tight bob hair cut accentuates her roundish face.

Croc was a black haired Sasquatch of a teen. Large tree limb arms, a thick chest, yet he was the most gentle person amongst the group. A brute of sheer strength and will.

Nicky let her shoulder length cement color grey black hair flowing behind her. Every once in a while it would be a bother. Nicky stayed behind, watching out for Kelsa. Who was panting and crying for a rest stop soon.

“Come on Kelsa keep up”

“I haven’t made this trip a hundred times before” She huffed out a large breath of air, slowly staggering toward a large beam jetting out the tunnel wall.

“Neither have we” Croc called looking back at Kelsa.

“I think you should just carry her. If not this will take weeks” Quill called back a sassy hint to her tone.

“Eww no. No boys gonna carry me. Especially not one named after a reptile “ She protested.

“No choice” In a whirlwind attempt, Croc turned and tossed Kelsa over his left shoulder.

Everyone else erupted with laughter as she kicked and screamed in anger. Only lasted maybe an hour, then she was talking to Nicky while resting on his shoulder.

“This is bull poopie”

“Who even says that” Quill questioned looking back as she stumbled into a beam that crumbled sending a shockwave through the tunnel ahead of them.

“Watch out!” Arrow shouted as a group of child size holes opened up in the tunnel wall. Very large rats snapping their teeth and hissing as they started to pile out.

These rats stood about the same height as an old world pit bull. They’d seen pictures from them in the before catalog.

Arrow was quick to draw the makeshift boy his father had fashioned out of wire and a hefty steel ground rod. Notching an arrow that sailed into the neck of a rat.

“Run!” Arrow shouted sticking another through its face.

Quill started to rush with the others, tripping and screaming as she was overwhelmed by the large rodent swarm.

Croc was grabbing a small beam and swinging around at them. While Arrow continued his assault, moving backwards.

Nicky and Bliss where now leading the charge. A large black building appearing out of the shaky light. Cone had also picked up a large stone. Heaving it at a group only a foot away from Kelsa.

Easily knocking two away he grabbed another as two rats jumped for his arms and neck. Down he fell in a rage filled furry. Max shouted out loudly and angrily. Cone’s body now getting swarmed by the beasts between him and the rest of the group.

Croc was fully swinging the cement ended beam, taking out handfuls at a time. The girls rushing ahead toward the door.

“This better be open” Bliss shouted looking back as Arrow started swinging his bow. Since his arrows had all run dry.

“Get over here Max!” Croc shouted tossing a handful into the air with a wide swing.

Giving the boy a few seconds to rejoin them.

“Croc take this!” Arrow tossed the boy his bow. Starting to use a sharp rock to fight them off as they circled him. “Keep Bliss safe”

As his words found her she turned only in time to see Nicky push her through the door. Arrow falling to a bunch of the rats. Kelsa was struggling with a small handful of stones as Croc grabbed her again. Tossing her up as a rat’s teeth made contact with her right leg.

Her screams echoed into the room as Croc slammed the door. Using his beam to hold it in place. Sweat running down his face and arms.

“That was close” He shook his head.

Max and Bliss had started to sob behind them. Croc sighed as Kelsa started a bunch of hissy labored breaths.

“That fucking thing bit me” Nicky laughed at the profanity and the doom approaching them like a basket case.

“Arrow is gone. Where do we go now?” Bliss had stood up, tears running down her face in anger and fear.

“Welp. Out there we get eaten by rats” Max shivered as he spoke.

“Quill’s gone to” Stacy groaned, tripping over a case that had been left nearly in the middle of the room.

The case was almost the same color as the floor tiles, metallic black. Yet as Nicky started to look around several skeletons littered the floor. Probably been years since they’d been picked clean of meat.

“That’s yucky”

“Good word choice” Bliss shook her head at Kelsa.

“What’s in the case?” Croc started towards it but Nicky got to the nearly invisible handle first.

Tossing it open only when Croc supported her with another hand.

In it say a large black bladed sword, sharp enough that it’s edge reflected their faces. Nicky quickly reached for it.

“Girl, that’s way to big for you” Bliss added in grabbing a small bat rolled in barbed wire.

“I bet you can’t even pick it up” Croc laughed but was cut short when a hammer caught his eye next to the sword. “Mine”

To everyone’s astonishment, Nicky picked up the blade with ease.

“It’s so light” She smiled, swinging it away from her group.

“What’s that?” Max grabbed a small black box, a few buttons on the top of it.

With a click it started to speak. “Lt. Burrow of seventh company. To anyone who finds this. I am part of the New Liberty community. Me and my squad came down into the chasm with hopes of finding survivors who fled the bombs. Project Bubble was a success. New York still stands on the surface, nearly untouched. Keep going down a hatch under this case. And keep right and follow the stream. Hopefully these weapons will help you fight off anything that gets in your way. My company hopes you make it”

Static filled the room as it cut out. Max tossed it at the wall. Breaking it the moment it hit.

“The city still stands” Bliss’s mouth hung open as Croc grabbed the case and tossed it. A door hatch of metal appears in its absence.

“We can save the whole group” Max jumped up and Croc pulled the hatch. A breeze quickly filling the room. The smell of water hung faintly in the breeze.

“Let’s move” Croc secured the hammer on his belt and started backwards down the metal ladder.

“You sure it’s safe?” Kelsa questioned watching Max and Bliss follow suit.

“Better then eaten by rats” Nicky said pulling a piece of strap off a man’s rusted gun and securing it to the hilt in two spots.

Nicky waited till Kelsa was a few feet down before filling and closing the hatch. It was hardly roomy enough to make the next step down. At the bottom it filled out into a single tunnel, nearly a person and a half wide. A small stream of water stretched off into the darkness.

“That way” Croc pointed after the stream.

They walked for what felt like forever. Max and Bliss had started to complain about their feet. Kelsa was leaning for at least the last half hour on the wall. Stacy stayed right behind Croc and Nicky brought up the rear. Hearing footfalls behind them every so often.

“I think the rats are following us” Nicky spoke out as low as possible.

“How?” Bliss questioned.

“I have no idea. I just keep hearing steps behind me.” Nicky looked back but seen nothing in the darkness.

“It’s to narrow to swing that blade. Let’s push it. We should be close” Croc turned and then started a faster pace.

A groan echoed behind them and everyone else fell in line with him. Nearly a half hour of running and the rushing of water started to get louder.

“Let’s go” Croc shouted, pushing harder.

Once the tunnel opened into a huge basin hole. The sky above brightly colored in a purple shade. Everyone looking at it with awe. Six of them had made it down a floor. Only to realize that a chasm had formed. The air was crisp, a small breeze blowing down through the few hundred feet depths.

Water flowed off the right side of the hole, landing in a lagoon area below them. It was heavenly compared to the tunnels they had struggled in since birth.

“I can’t believe it…. This should still be deadly” Kelsa was limping still due to the rat attack.

Still she hung to the boy they called Croc. Nicky still holding the fairly large black bladed weapon they’d stolen from an outpost outside the grid.

“Now all we have to do is climb” Nicky’s smile was ear to ear looking back at there little band of Misfortunate’s.

Everyone froze as a whipping sound started to echo into the whole. Nearly causing them all to cup their ears. Till a black colored double bladed helicopter came into the view crossing the chasms edge.

“Help!! Help!!” They all called out in unison.

Then the groan started to rise behind them. Everyone quickly turned weapons at the ready, as a bloodied and battered Quill stumbled out into the open. Bite marks and claw marks tore through skin and clothes. Blood started to drive in what remained of her dirty cami, and destroyed jean pants. Bliss started to whimper as she recognized the jean jacket wrapped around her midsection.

“Help!!!” Croc shouted waving his hammer as a loud crackle rolled over the entire ridge. Causing them all to fall to the floor covering their ears.

Nicky looked over to see Bliss brandishing a handgun in the air as it went off again. The sound causing the poor girl to drop on the ground. The sound of the chopper got louder as darkness overtook her.

*Authors note*

So thanks to prompts I have now started a second project tied to the Neon Hustlers universe. Please leave a like and let me know if you enjoyed it. I’ll be sure to do the same for you.

Have a great writing day.