Hey, I will like to remain anonymous but let’s just say my name is Aaron. I need advice or help on how to tackle the situation because I am afraid for my life. I need to go to the start of summer to understand how this all happened. My friend and I were super close and we did everything together. We did homework, drove to work, ate lunch, watched movies, and played games together. His name is Tyler and he was my rock as if I needed help with anything he helped me and vice versa.
Well at the start of our jobs at summer school to help kids who struggle with learning. We heard a rumor from two freshman kids they were talking about an abandoned bunker that was built during the events of Y2K. I was more surprised they knew what Y2K was let alone a random bunker in the woods behind the school. They were saying how they are too scared to visit it. I heard Tyler whisper to them “Hey. I want to know where this is Aaron and I will go it sounds like fun” he looked at me and winked.
The kids who we were tutoring were named Rick and Sera. They were good kids but often goofed about often, which isn’t bad. Rick spoke up and said “I mean it’s spooky… I heard a kid went there and died because he got lost and couldn’t get out.” Rick said with a shudder in his voice. “Well, I heard an adult went there and never came out, and when police went to check it out all they found was the man’s severed hands and feet.” Sera’s face grew pale and clammy after imagining what the police saw.
“That just sounds like baseless rumors, to be honest. I don’t see how any of this can be true without national news hitting the whole town up” I laughed at how absurd this all sounded at the time. “Yea, it’s just a myth like a bloody Mary or a creepypasta like Zalgo.” Tyler shrugged and laughed too which broke the kids out of the funk they were in because of the stories they told. The students calmed and Tyler and I continued to finish our time at the school. When we got out Tyler and I went to our local burger joint which was just called “The Shack” which was directly across the road from the school.
The Shack was a place we used to eat at often and the prices weren’t too high. The food though was amazing. I always loved greasy spoon restaurants and this one was no exception. We sat there and ordered our food and waited by the stone wall that was in the middle of the restaurant. “Hey man, we should check this thing out. It could help break the never-ending monotony of this town. There’s nothing out here!” Tyler’s voice rose as he spoke and I can tell his passion for this project. “I mean yea it is quite boring here and it could be fun! Let’s do it, man!”
We came up with a plan and decided to use a drone I bought months ago to survey and find the bunker instead of walking there blind. We went to my home and grabbed the drone and brought bright orange rope so we can mark our way back. I’m not sure if you ever went walking in the woods but you can get lost fast so we wanted to cover our bases completely. After the drone raised over the tree line, we spotted a small clearing only 200 ft out. This was good news since we only had a 300 ft rope with us.
The view over the tree line was immaculate. The calm breeze was music to the trees as they danced peacefully. The air was cool despite the summer heat. A storm could be seen coming many miles beyond the tree line and rolling the Ozark mountains. Around the bunker was a small silo that was rusted beyond its days of use with vegetation taking over it and creating a new home. After we set up a plan we pulled our compasses out and started walking directly south in the direction of the bunker where we were standing making sure to tie the line to a tree branch every 10 feet.
Eventually, we arrived at the bunker which was covered in vines and leaves. The entrance is only 6ft tall and only about 15ft long. “Gonna be a cramped little place huh?” I joked seeing how small it was “Yea, what is this? A bunker for ants?” Tyler joked in his best Ben Stiller impression. We stood there laughing for a bit. When we keyed down we walked up to the door and it was just slightly open but unlocked and unchained so we just pulled it open and entered the dark, dusty room.
When we crossed the doorway we noticed it was pitch black and the air was stale and full of dust. Tyler and I nodded at each other and put on our face masks to filter the dust out as you could never be too safe. We flicked on our flashlights and we saw a stairway leading deep into the ground. The stairway is 10ft deep with a landing and then a 90-degree turn that goes deeper into the earth. The stairs were also concrete so we trusted the integrity. It was only 3 flights until we got to another door that looked to be the one that connects to a larger portion of the bunker.
This door was locked but luckily I like to be prepared and in the middle of nowhere Arkansas we don’t have much to do so I studied welding and brought my gas cutting torch in case I need to break into a lock. Fortunately, the only thing keeping us out was a chain and A security padlock. After about 3 minutes of cutting and the lock was broken and we could pull the chain out and open the door. It was rusty and creaked loud.
When the door opened we saw the front living room. It had hardwood floors and a bright red couch and an old console tv facing across the couch. Hanging above the tv was a still working clock ticking away in the silent bunker. The kitchen was connected to the living room and there was another room separated by a wooden door and another doorway without a door which was the bedroom. The bedroom was quite large and had a single king-sized bed in it with another console tv facing the foot of the bed and against the wall.
Tyler jumped on the bed and started lying on it “Wow…. this bed is stiff as hell man… Come lay on it and experience the pain with me” I laughed and got to the other side and laid on the bed as well. “Yea this bed is trash man. What were they thinking?” We shared a good laugh. We talked for a bit about if we would live here and came up with “If we had to we would” Tyler then looked at me and said. “Would you run away with me if we got lucky? Like if we become rich and famous?” I looked at him and held his hand “yea man… I would” I spoke softly. Something I hinted at but never really spoke on is Tyler and I were in … a relationship and we never really came out because of where we lived it’s kind of taboo.
Funny enough we cuddled on that bed for some time before standing up and wanting to explore the room that had a door. We opened the door and it was a large bathroom with a shower, toilet, and sink. Under the sink was a floor safe. We tried to open it but it was locked and we couldn’t get in so I went back out to the main door to grab my torch. When I got back Tyler was looking in the mirror deep in thought. I lightly tapped his back and he jumped like he saw a ghost. “Whoa, what the hell man!” He said yelling and grabbing his chest. “Hey, my bad didn’t know what you were doing so maybe I should’ve said something instead haha.” I chuckled lightly but he looked at me and spoke in a frightened tone. “We… we should leave like now… I don’t want to be here.” I didn’t know what was wrong with him but I could sense he wasn’t ok and I didn’t want to spend an hour shooting the safe down if he was like this.
“Ok how about we look for the code for the safe while we are here since it could be in the bunker still.” He nodded his head and weakly said oh.. ok… I stood up and started searching everywhere. Almost 30 minutes pass when I heard Tyler saying “I found it I think..” I went to what he was talking about and it was a number carved into the top of the console tv in the bedroom. “13 11 13. Seems odd but has to be it man thanks!” I gave Tyler a light kiss and a hug before walking back to the safe. “Can I put the numbers in? I just want to feel like I did something” Tyler said jokingly but I can tell his mood is back. I moved aside and let him open the safe. After an audible click and him swinging it opened and revealed a box and a couple of stacks of cash.
We jumped in excitement because there was at least 20 grand in cash there and the box was sealed with wax so it could have something valuable inside it. I grabbed our backpacks and started to dump the money inside. As I was zipping the bags up Tyler opened the box and I could hear him say “What the fuck?” as I turned around he held a lock of hair. I looked in the box and there was a small stone tablet with some Hebrew writing on it, a pepper grinder-looking thing, and a small silver chalice. “I don’t know man that looks creepy… could be a family heirloom so we better put it back,” I told Tyler while gesturing for us to leave.
“I … have a feeling I should keep this… but you’re right we should go.” He put it all back and left the box on the floor. As we were walking out I heard Tyler trip and yell a curse word. I laughed and turned around thinking he should be more careful. I got to him about to help him up when he asked if he can have the money since his mother was sick I, of course, said he could since it was the adventure that was the fun part, not the money. We got in the car and drove home and he went to his mother’s.
When I went into work today to tutor those kids I saw him again with a grin on his face and the box we found in the bunker. I grew clammy and pale and went home. I… I’m not telling the whole story and this is all eating me inside… Tyler had a small scar on his head… because I killed him. He tried to take the money and I… something came over me so I grabbed the propane tank and hit his head… over and over… Each hit fueled the rage in my body. I… sat on his chest and grabbed his bloody head as he cried… I smashed his head into the floor over and over and with so much force I heard his head crack and cave in…
Blood splattered everywhere with bits of brain matter scattered in the mix. In the end, I was covered in blood and tears and couldn’t stand what I’d done. I left the bunker and locked the door behind me by wielding the chain to it. When I got home and counted the money it was just a bit over 20 thousand dollars and I was excited I could live a happier life and move out of this hick town. I prayed to god to forgive me as I don’t know what has gotten over me.
To be honest I am only confessing this because Tyler has been knocking at my door for almost an hour and he won’t leave. When I look through the peephole I see someone that isn’t Tyler… at least not mentally. I can smell the stench of rot and death through the door and he has that fucking box with him… What do I do?