Outpost
A cold wind blew in off the desert. The
walls of the bunker vibrated in sympathy, producing a low moaning at
the limit of audibility. The wind never varied. Chalmers played the
radio constantly to drown out the ghostly sound, but he could feel
the vibration every time he touched anything that was anchored to the
floor or walls.
Easy money, he'd thought, when he saw
the job listing. Staff the outpost for a year. If anything needed to
be replaced, like a battery or a memory block, replace it. There
would be plenty of consumables and an almost infinite library of
films and videos. He had never particularly needed company anyway.
Discharged from the Guard and having no other prospects, he couldn't
say no.
Chalmers made coffee as hot as he could
stand. He stood by the small circular window and stared at the
blowing sand. The wind seemed to be whipping the sand past the window
faster and faster, but the instruments consistently reported no
change in wind velocity, no change in temperature. Chalmers shivered.
He reheated the coffee and took a cautious sip. The trembling walls
formed words. “We will blow you away, you cannot stay,” repeated
again and again.
Chalmers woke with a start. He was at
the hatch, fumbling with the controls. He had undone two of the 12
latches. And he had been, still was, whispering. “We will blow you
away, you cannot stay.”
Chalmers put the table and chairs in
front of the hatch and returned to bed, huddling under the blankets.
It was hours until dawn, but he didn't sleep at all.
One month. Chalmers had been in the
outpost one month.. Under the relentless pressure of the wind the
entire station was moaning. He had woken up again fumbling with the
hatch, and had since rigged metal cables to seal it shut. There was
no way he could undo them in his sleep.
–
The outpost was abandoned. The hatch
was open and a meter of sand covered the floor of the facility.
Chalmers had missed his weekly checkin and had not responded to
queries over the radio, so a team had been sent.
They finally shoveled enough sand out
to close and seal the hatch. Tegmen pulled off her helmet and rubbed
her scalp vigorously.
“Oh God, that feels good!” She
looked around. “This place is cozy. Killer video system. It would
be a nice gig.”
Lambert cocked his head, listening.
“The walls are shaking. Almost sounds like words.”
Publ Daily Cabal 2010
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