Would You Like Some Cake?

Five years. Nearly five years since they came down into this cellar that had been renovated into a bomb shelter. He spent a small fortune getting it ready. Shelves lined the walls, filled with every possible dehydrated and canned food one could imagine. A radio in the corner that only let out a hiss of static on every frequency. A small generator at the back kept the lights, air, and water filter running so that the group didn't die of suffocation or dehydration.

People called him crazy for building it. They said that there was no danger. They were wrong. When the bombs came down, only those inside of the shelter survived. They welded the lead doors shut to keep the radiation from seeping in over the years they would be forced to live underground. “Nearly five years we've been locked in here,” he said. He knew that because the bombs fell the day of his birthday, and with careful calculation it was his birthday again. “Listen guys,” he said to the small group of survivors. “I don't want anything big, like you did for me last year.”

“But last year was fun,” a middle-age blonde said from the floral print couch. She was dressed in a tight, low-cut top and a long skirt with a split that ran all the way up to her hip. “You nearly got lucky that night, Fred.”

Fred chuckled shaking his head, remembering her drunken offer to sleep with him for his birthday. “I couldn't take advantage of a friend when they were drunk,” Fred stated.

“So if I were a stranger then you would have?” she asked with a coy grin.

“Leave the poor man alone, Vanessa,” an elderly woman said. She had a motherly presence to her that made you think she would come in holding cookies or something. A plain dress and apron completed the vision of hometown innocence that she exuded. “You're always teasing him.”

“I can't help it, Martha. He's the kind of man that I'm attracted to,” Vanessa said, with a shrug.

“And what am I? Chopped liver?” a man asked coming from the back covered in grease and wiping down a wrench.

“No. Just not my type,” Vanessa said, flashing a gorgeous smile.

“Don't let her get under your skin, Henry,” Martha said, patting his arm gently.

“Besides, you're already spoken for.” A young woman, dressed in a Daisy Duke outfit came storming out and swatted Henry on the back side of his head. “You've got me, remember?”

“Of course I remember,” Henry said quickly, “but sometimes a man wants to know that there are other women that find him attractive.”

“What? I'm not good enough?” the young woman asked.

“Of course you are, Emily,” Henry responded. “It's just a guy thing. Tell her Fred.”

“I'm staying out of this one,” Fred said, holding up his hands in surrender.

“Sounds like you dug yourself a big hole there bud,” an older man said from the corner wearing a hillbilly hat on his head. He drank from a small bottle marked with three x's. “Good luck getting yourself out.”

“Thanks for your help, Jed,” Henry said, throwing a distasteful look at the older man, before quickly following Emily into the back where they continued their argument.

“Seriously, guys. I don't want a big party, and no gifts. Just you guys being here is the greatest gift I could ask for. At least I'm not alone.” It was Fred's only fear while he was building the shelter. He would make it and he would be the last person alive and all alone for the rest of his days. He could think of nothing more terrifying.

“Well, the important thing is that we're here together,” Martha said. “I guess I better get dinner started.”

Martha stood up and walked into the minuscule kitchen pulling down a few jars to cook their contents. Jed passed out, snoring happily in his wicker chair. Fred just sat down on the couch with Vanessa, laying his head back. “You know,” Vanessa said running her hand up Fred's chest. “I could always give you your present now.”

“Vanessa,” Fred chuckled. “I appreciate the offer. I really do and believe me there is nothing that I would love to do more; but, we don't have any kind of protection and we don't have the supplies to raise a baby here.”

“Come on, Fred. Lighten up. Have some fun every once in a while.” Vanessa gave him a playful shove. “It's my day to take a shower. I won't be too long.” She walked toward the back of the shelter with a definite sway in her hips and a seductive glance over her shoulder.

“You know,” Martha said, shaking the spatula she held at him. “The more you play hard to get, the more she is gonna try to get your attention. Here soon she'll be walking around her in her birthday suit.” Fred smiled and shook his head. “Dinner will be ready soon. How about you go get Emily and Henry.”

“Sure thing, Martha,” Fred said, standing up. He walked down the small hallway of doors and gently knocked on the one he could hear soft grunts and a squeaking bed. “Dinner will be ready soon. Hurry up so the food doesn't get cold.” Fred headed back out into the main room that became whatever they needed it to be, much like an RV. Setting up the table he pulled the chairs up and took his place at the head of it. Vanessa came from the back still drying her hair, Jed rested barely conscious with the jug in his lap, Emily and Henry came back tying on clothes with haste, and Martha arrived with the steaming plate of cooked spam, serving it out to everyone. Like every meal, it was quiet. Nothing new to talk about. Nothing happening at work to break the silence. Just the tapping of metal forks on porcelain plates and the quiet chewing.

Vanessa smiled as she was given the silent cue from Martha. She stood up and quickly snapped a bright red, cone shaped, party hat onto Fred's head. “Come on, guys,” Fred said. “I said nothing big.”

“It just isn't a birthday without a party,” Vanessa said patting his shoulder before putting on a pink party hat of her own. Looking around the room, Fred noticed that everyone had produced a party hat. Green for Jed, blue for Henry, yellow for Emily, and orange for Martha. “We've been saving this just for you, birthday boy.” Vanessa set a small cake down in the middle of the table before taking her seat. It was small, and it was obvious that it had been part of a larger cake at one point and was kept safe until now. A single candle burned bright and proud on top of a spiraled tower of purple and white wax.

Fred stared at the small cake with a wide smile and tears brimming in his eyes. “Thanks guys,” Fred said looking to each of the small group of survivors. “This is wonderful.”

“Well,” Henry said, “Make a wish.”

“Yeah,” Emily remarked laying her head on Henry's shoulder. “Can't blow out the candle without a wish.”

Fred chuckled. “I wish that even if we are the last people on earth, that we never lose our hope and friendship.” He took a big breath and quickly blew out the candle.

As if to answer him, a loud bang rang out from the heavy lead doors. Slowly everyone turned to them watching to see what would happen. The once sealed seam where the door came together glowed bright red and a small jet of fire cut through it. The doors suddenly opened and bright lights filled the room. Two people in HAZMAT suits came down the stairs searching the room with bright flashlights and illuminated the small party that had been interrupted.

The two men in the suits looked to one another before returning their gaze to the small table. A man, weary and emaciated from radiation poisoning sat at the head of the table with a bright red party hat on his head. Accompanying him around the table was a thin lamp with a large shade leaning against a chair with a jug of alcohol and a Green hat on top. Next to that was a vacuum cleaner with an orange hat hanging on its handle by its elastic string. A broken metal fan with a blue hat and an old computer monitor with a yellow hat were pushed close together. The last item at the table was the torso and head of an old mannequin with the picture of a blonde haired model taped to its face.

For a long moment, the three of them only stared at one another in shock of the two groups that had met rather abruptly. Fred blinked a few times before reaching down and picking up the small cake with the still smoking candle. “Would you like some cake?” he asked, quietly.