Episode 19 - Between the Broadcasts

Friday evening rolled in soft and sweet.

The Vault stayed shut. The air in the building felt lighter, like whatever shadow had been following her had retreated—for now.

Bernard insisted she take the night off.

Miss LaDonna said it wasn’t a suggestion.

Charles handed her a key labeled “Bunker Lounge: Staff Only, No Exceptions (Even Bernard).” And then winked.

She found the door behind a supply closet that hadn’t existed yesterday.

It opened into a warm, cozy chamber glowing with string lights and paper lanterns. The floor was cluttered with squishy mismatched chairs, woven blankets, and odd furniture that looked like it had been dragged from seven different time periods. A Victrola played jazz badly. A projector screen showed old horror trailers without sound.

There was tea. There were snacks. And on a low table, a cake that read in delicate icing: “You Didn’t Die! (Well Done.)”

Olivia burst out laughing.

Bernard was already lounging in the corner—coiled like an eldritch beanbag, sipping from a mug labeled “Liquid Memory.”

Charles arrived wearing a party hat that appeared to be made from folded programming schedules.

Miss LaDonna set up a small phonograph and put on a record titled “For When the Air Is Too Heavy.”

No one made speeches. No one toasted. They just existed together.

Comfortably.

Olivia caught herself staring.

Not rudely. Just… thoughtfully.

Bernard’s glow wasn’t just light. It was memory—filmstrip flickers and rewound laughter. He wasn’t a person. He wasn’t pretending to be.

Charles didn’t cast a shadow.

Miss LaDonna’s cardigan moved on its own sometimes—just slightly, like something underneath it was breathing differently than she did.

None of them were human.

But none of them were trying to hide it, either.

She looked down at her own hand, fur-dusted and warm.

Then reached for a second slice of cake.

Later, when the lights dimmed and the jazz warped into something dreamlike, Olivia asked softly:

“So… what are you all?”

Charles smiled. “Old.”

Bernard murmured, “Necessary.”

LaDonna paused. Then said, “Present.”

They all looked at her.

She opened her mouth, then closed it.

Then finally said:

“Becoming.”

Miss LaDonna smiled.

“Exactly.”