Chapter Text
Rachel used to be a deep sleeper, more by habit and compliance than anything. She would always wear headphones at night, and she had fashioned a small cave within her bunk bed, all to keep out the goddamn noise coming from all the machinery always erratically dunking, buzzing or ticking at BBD.
"RACHEL!!!" Rachel wakes up to Efraim's face an inch from her own, his eyes barely open, but he has a vice grip on her shoulder. "I was just going to the toilet. I don't understand what's happening" He sounds panicked; "they have locked the hallways, and the staircase exits, opened the bunkers. I can't reach anyone on the call system, and it smells dead weird." his whispering is ridiculously loud, his forehead is sweaty, Rachel notices the abnormal heat encompassing them, and the aforementioned weird smell, that is somewhat burnt hair-ish.
Taking a moment to gather her thoughts, she wonders if she is prepared for an emergency tonight, why not in a couple of days, when she has come to terms with it. " Okey, Okey, I'm up" not one for comforting gestures she shoves Ephraim out of her space, reaches for the clothes she has pushed under her bed and gives him a small kick in the shin.
"Hey! Now that we are doing this" she eyes him ", and you woke me up" she gestures to herself before she kicks him again ", and we are going into emergency mode, you'll need to trust me yeah?" It is just to centre him; she already can tell he is freaking out only by the subservient static position he is standing in.
It works, he meets her gaze, and it is like the electricity is back on. "Ok then-commander, what is your emergency plan?" he squats and seems ready to draw up a map and some weapons for her disposal. She thinks him playing Fortnite 24/7 might be a good thing.
"Easy, get the kids into the bunker, close the bunker, stay there" she gestures with exaggerated width in her movements, as it might give the illusion it is a more extensive assignment she is giving him.
He blinks " And you?"
"I am calling in it in, but knowing the reception, I might need to reach the roof through the air-vents, before I can make the call. " Efraim looks at her sceptically before puffing out nervously; "Air-vents? Sounds like a dumb plan".
Rachel reaches under her pillow, unsure if she wants to make any call, might just leave it, and see what happens.