The Heatwave Apocalypse: My Secret Bunker Chapter 1

When the heatwave apocalypse hit, I got into a huge fight with my roommate because I wouldn't let her open the window.

While I was out on the balcony collecting laundry, she locked me out.

Outside, it was 122°F (50°C). Inside, my roommate blasted the AC and laughed at me through the glass. "Bitch! That's what you get for not letting me open the window!"

I pounded on the door, begging, but she ignored me.

I died of heatstroke on that balcony, never making it back inside.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back. And this time, I decided to build a secret bunker and survive this apocalypse alone!

* * *

"Why won't you let me open the window? Do you know how stuffy it's been in here for days? How am I supposed to live?" My roommate, Lisa, stood with her hands on her hips, looking at me with pure venom.

"It's scorching outside. If you open the window, the inside temperature will match the outside in minutes. Our dorm will turn into a sauna," I tried to reason with her, keeping my voice calm.

"Why is no one else saying anything? Why are you always the one with a problem?"

"What if we get sick from the bacteria in here because we don't ventilate?"

"If something happens to us, are you taking responsibility?"

"Or do you just want us to die in this dusty room? You got your grad school acceptance, so why care if we live or die, right?"

"If you hate being here so much, why don't you just go die?"

Why don't you just go die? That sentence shattered my last line of defense.

My heart went cold. I looked around at my other roommates. They sat at their desks, glued to their phones, pretending not to hear a thing.

I was used to this. Ever since I told them I got accepted into grad school with a full ride, their attitude did a 180.

At first, I thought I was being sensitive. Now I knew—they really wanted me dead.

Tears rolled down my face. Lisa just sneered. "Crying again? What, gonna go tattle to the RA? Not like you haven't done that before."

"Let's see if she believes us or you this time."

I didn't have the energy to fight Lisa anymore. The weather was getting hotter by the day. Clothes hung on the balcony dried in less than thirty minutes.

This temperature spike wasn't normal. The dorm AC was blasting at 64°F (18°C) 24/7, but it still didn't feel cool enough.

I looked at the laundry I'd washed an hour ago on the balcony and decided to bring it in.

In this weather, you didn't even need to leave the building to be drenched in sweat; just a few steps would do it.

Lisa had followed me. The moment I stepped onto the balcony, I heard the click of the lock.

She stood behind the glass door, staring at me coldly. The sheer malice in her eyes gave me goosebumps.

"Lisa, open the door! Let me in!"

The heat outside was unbearable. Just standing there, the sunlight felt like it was burning my skin.

My forehead was already dripping with sweat.

Because of the extreme heat and the enclosed nature of the balcony, I quickly found it hard to breathe.

But Lisa wasn't listening.

She crossed her arms and smirked. "Don't think you're so special just because you got into grad school. Who gave you the right to order me around?"

"Think about that while you cool off out there!"