He nodded and started to walk. "We should split up," he said.
"Again?" Lilly asked.
I quickly took her hand, and our eyes met. "I'll head back toward the flames. You stay close to your father."
"No," she said. "I won't do that. You'll get killed."
I kissed her cheek and let go. "Don't worry about me. He's injured."
Her eyes widened. "Be careful," she said.
"I'm always careful."
I ducked under and swam across the wetlands. When I got nearer to the fire, I felt my chest burn. I had been waiting for this moment all of my life. Sweet revenge.
Strangely, it didn't feel as liberating as I thought. I found a safe tree and used its roots to climb out of the water. I sat back on a piece of land and held my knife ready at my side.
"Father!" I screamed. "Father, come out and face me, once and for all."
I squinted away from the harsh, radiant orange and treaded through the mud and dying embers. Noises and cries of all kinds filled the terrible marsh. Death was everywhere. I felt him watching over my shoulder, threatening to take away the love I’d found.
"You won't take her from me," I grunted. "You can't damn me to the same life as you."
Above my head, a flock of birds jumped and flew from the trees. He had to be close. I spun and clumsily swung the knife. "I know you're here," I said. I caught my heel against a rock and nearly fell. "Face me like a man, Father."
I turned once more and saw him rise up from the water and pass through the flames. Liquid fell from his body as he climbed out of the marsh. I gripped the blade tightly. "What are you doing, Father? Let them pass."
He stepped closer to me, revealing a pistol. He cocked the hammer ready and aimed, wheezing with every step taken. "I… have… an obligation… to kill you all."
I looked down at the barrel and inched away from him. "You'd kill your own son?" I asked.
"You're a monster," he barked. "We all are. It's sin that turned us this way, and it's sin that will be judged."
"Get rid of all bitterness, carelessness, and rage. I will end you, Father."
I dove and swung the blade around, lodging it in his side. He fired his gun. Twice. I was too stunned to know if I got hit, but I knew I had him.
I dropped back and slid away from him, heart rocking inside my chest. My stomach shifted, forcing me to turn and vomit. I gazed down at my body, and I could barely see through the shock.
I was fine. I hadn't been shot. I patted my body until I could feel the sensation come back into my limbs. I steadied my breath and rolled to see my father. He was lying across the mud, staring into the night sky. A small pool of black blood crept out of him.
I stood up and walked over to him. "It didn't have to be like this," I said.
He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. "They will come for you. They will finish the job I failed to do."
I grabbed the pistol from the ground and put it in the back of my jeans. "There was a point in time where I believed your lies. I'd get so scared thinking about what might happen to us. I really looked up to you. Did you know that?" I asked.
He was silent.
"Guessing that you didn't. None of it matters now. I'm safe and you're at your end, old man," I said. "I don't hate you anymore. I don't give a fuck about you."
I held back all my tears as I walked away. I gritted my teeth and sucked it up. It wasn't worth hanging onto the bullshit.
I left my father near the burning embers and left to reclaim my love.
Lilly
Gunshots echoed in the distance. A bloody battle had taken me away from my lover, and nothing could calm my mind. I’d climbed a tree, but the fire was too bright, and I couldn't get a read on where they were.
When the sounds died out, I dropped my forehead against my hands. All of the creepy insect and bird calls of the bog seemed to disappear. We were alone.
We waited an entire hour before Lucian found us. When he showed up, he dropped his knife in the mud and ran his hands through his unkempt mess of hair. Blood stained the front of his shirt. He wasn't distressed. He was looking at me with complete assurance.
"God, I love you," he said.
Falling to his knees, he grabbed my chin and kissed me. When he pulled away, he moaned and gave a hearty laugh.
"I love you too, but what happened?"
He answered me with another chuckle and turned around. He grabbed my dad's head and kissed him, too. I was sure Dad would respond with a hit to Lucian's face.
"What the hell?" Dad cried out.
Lucian was excited. He grinned and howled into the night sky. "I have love for all of you," he said.
I stood, and he swung me into his arms. "Lucian!" I cried out. "What on earth are you doing?"
"We are free," he said, voice low and booming. "Free as humans ought to be. We can start a new life."
I kissed his neck as he lowered me down.
"It's not over, yet," my dad said. "We don't know what lies behind the wall.
He cooled down and lowered his grin. The looming threat had just dawned on him. "Will it ever end?"
The moon shined brightly above us. I grabbed my binoculars and focused my eyes on the wall. It was now visible.
Although the men were nervous, we didn't have a choice but to keep moving. I had to believe that, in less than twenty-four hours, we'd be on the other side of that barrier. We'd be free.
"I can see it," I muttered. "We're closer than I thought."
"Five miles at the max," Lucian said.
Dad jumped forward, into the mud. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's finish this, once and for all."
"Aye, aye captain," Lucian said, smiling.
As we walked together, I looked back and caught a glimpse of the knife he’d left behind. It was the weapon that had killed his father. The threat was gone.
A dark cloud rolled over the moon's guiding light. No matter how safe I felt, I still held the worry that everything could fall apart. I was probably being delusional. Yet, as I trudged through the muddy bog, I couldn't help but think of Micah and all the pain he’d inflicted on our families.
Would it ever truly end?
Covered in mud, scrapes, and sticks, we left the wetlands tired but ready.
The treacherous swamps slowly turned into a field of flat grass and sunflowers. "Look," I said.
No trees covered the beautiful moonlight anymore. Instead, rows of gorgeous sunflowers went as far as the eye could see. It was absolutely stunning.
I ran my hand through the soft petals and closed my eyes. For once, the air felt refreshing and light.
I took another deep breath and fell into heavy laughter. The clouds above threatened rain, but I didn't care. I felt her. My mother. We were so close.
"We're here," I said. "We've finally made it."
The wall stood about fifty meters away. My dad was worn down from the trip. He coughed and tried to catch his breath. "Let's sit for a moment," he murmured. "I need to rest."
We stopped when the flowers turned sparse. We sat and shared the little water my father had managed to purify on the way. "What do we do now?" Lucian asked.
"I'm guessing we enter," I said.
My father didn't like the sound of that. "Enter and get met with a quarantine crew?" he asked. "No thanks."
"Do you really believe that's why this wall is here? What makes you think you're so special?" I asked.
He sighed and looked up with major reluctance. "What if Micah was right?"
I held my breath and counted down from ten. Using my binoculars, I searched all sides of the field. There were no guards in sight. No government agents. It was empty. "Micah is lying. I'll be the one to prove it," I said.
Lucian grabbed my hand. "I'm not so sure about this," he said. "It's too quiet. Something is wrong."
I kept my eyes on the wall. The empty field stood in between us and our goal, but if something was wrong, we'd know it. The field was quiet because there was no one around an
ymore. We ended the last threat in the swamps.
"Guys, we can't back out now. Let's do this," I said.
My dad sat back and exhaled. "Lilly, maybe he's right. Maybe we should wait until the morning."
We were so close, and no one was going to tell me we were turning back. I ducked up and finished my counting.
I was calm. I was free. I was ready.
Three… two… one. Eliminate all thoughts. It's go time.
"Lilly, wait!"
Despite the men's cries for me to cease, I ran as fast as I could. There wasn't anything I couldn't take on.
I waited for the heavy blow of gunshots, or for the sound of air sirens. Anything to force me to stop. But as I got closer to that big cement slab, I knew there wasn't anybody left to hold me back.
The wall. It was abandoned.
I reached my hand out, and I slammed into the concrete with tears in my eyes. It was so smooth and cold. I got a better look at the tower in the center. This area had been deserted a long time ago. Something had happened here. Something big.
The men followed my lead. They came to a halt behind me. My father was the first one to break the silence. "Fear is the creator of all things terrible," he said.
To the right of us was a single wooden door. It would be easy to shoot the lock and force our way in, but as I got close to it, I saw that there was no locking mechanism. This wasn't how I expected it to be. It was too easy. I swallowed and suddenly felt sick.
"Dad, where are we? What is this place?" I asked.
Lucian stepped forward and knelt against the dirt. The ground had started to shake. The clouds that had solidified over our heads rumbled. "Why do I feel as if we’re about to enter the gates of hell?"
The ground twisted and turned around us, tearing up the sharp green blades of grass. A great sound erupted from below our feet. Lucian picked me up and pulled me back toward the sunflowers. "We need to get to safety," he said.
Small whirlpools opened up in the ground. Large metallic coils shot out of their centers, growing tall and menacing against the darkness. Thunder cracked the sky, and a lightning bolt hit the rod in the center. Blue and white embers shot everywhere. More lightning was drawn to the coils.
We ducked to the ground and took cover. "What the fuck is happening?" I cried out.
Dad glanced up and searched for an answer. The electricity was going wild. "We must have activated some kind of defense system."
Suddenly, the sound died out. The coils powered down, and a heavy rainfall sprayed across the field. I put out my hands and felt the cool water fall against my face.
"Did they turn off?" Lucian asked.
A gunshot rang out from behind us. The bullet nearly missed Lucian's head.
The voice that accompanied the threat was grim. "I warned you. Turn back or die."
Lucian turned, surprised by the ambush. It was Micah, his father. The bright sun revealed his hideously scarred face but that was not what gave him his evil. Behind that physical pain was something even more sinister. The inability to move on. We’d all gone through that together, but we chose to search for the truth.
We chose goodness.
His twisted desires defined him. He wasn't going to give up without seeing to our end.
"I should have made sure you were dead," Lucian said.
Micah had the hunting rifle aimed at Lucian. He was steady in his aim but he was badly injured. "Funny. I've heard you say that before."
"Try me a second time. See how far you get," Lucian said.
"I can't let you go through that door," he said. "I'm under strict orders from the U.S. government."
My dad went for his weapon, but Lucian put his hand against his and shook his head. "No more violence. I'll deal with this, myself."
Lucian put his hands in front of him and began walking forward. He laid out the terms for peace. "The world is coming to an end, just as you said it would. Only, there are no government agents to take us away. Your stories were a lie. It’s clear you’ve always hated being alive. Yet, you lack the courage to die. Leave here, and you will never have to see us again."
His father started to shake. "We aren't permitted to cross the border zone."
"Under whose law?" Lucian asked.
"God's law," he shouted.
Lucian met him in the center, and the rain picked up with intensity. The night sky burned with the glow of the moon. I feared the worst.
"Tell me, Father. What does God want from humanity? Does he crave punishment? You’ve beaten and broken me. You’ve done everything you can to ruin our best memories. Kahn is dead because of you. I have to think about that loss every single day," he said. "I just want to know one thing."
"Boy, ask it quick."
Lucian's muscles flexed against his shirt. This was emotional for all of us. "What are we really walking into? What is on the other side of that wall?"
For a moment, Micah seemed incapable of a response. He took a step back and nearly stumbled to the ground. His leg was a bloody mess, and the color in his face was starting to fade. "Get back," he stammered. "I won't ask again."
Lucian took another step forward. Then, another. "Answer me. What is this place?"
Micah pulled the trigger, but he was so flustered that he missed. The bullet went flying above the tower. Anxiously, he tried to reload another bullet into the chamber, but he was too shaken.
"Tell me," Lucian roared.
His father acted like a coward and tried to shoot again. This time, the bullet jammed inside the carrier. Rapidly, he tapped the stuck trigger, but fate was not on his side, and he knew his time was up. "I can't let you in. I won't," he sneered.
Using both his hands, Lucian grabbed the hunting rifle from him and snapped it in two. He tossed it to the ground and looked down at his dad. "Everything is connected," Lucian said. "Kneel before me, Father. It's time for a prayer."
Micah fell to the floor in shock, and Lucian elevated his hands into the sky. "Son, please,” said Micah. “We are a family."
He pleaded to his son for forgiveness, but his words seemed to have little effect on any of us. He was to be judged for keeping us here. This place needed to end with oblivion.
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Lucian opened his eyes and smiled. "Can you see the light, Father? Death is swallowed by longstanding victory."
"There is no victory in death," he cried. "There is only darkness."
Lucian nodded and grabbed his shirt. He pulled him up. "That may be so. If you can somehow find a way to fix your wounds, I will let you live with what you've done."
Lucian let go, and Micah collapsed before his son's feet, weeping. "Oh, thank God."
Scoffing, Lucian took hold of his hair. He pulled his head back and said, "Thank no one but yourself. You will not come with us to the other side. You will stay here and carve out your own life, alone. By yourself. Is all of this clear to you, Father?"
As he let go, his dad appeared to misunderstand him. He shook his head and wept. "But I can't stay here. My cabin is destroyed. Everything I own is gone."
"So, now you know what it's like to have your home destroyed. You will understand what it feels like to have your choices dealt to you by someone you thought you could trust," Lucian said.
"I never trusted you," he sneered.
"We trusted you. Your sons," he roared. "You never trusted Kahn or me. You only trusted yourself. We were your children. We were Mother's pride and joy. How could you act in such a way? How could you let my brother die?"
Micah showed his true colors. He looked up in defiance, face shaking with rage. Thunder rang out above our heads. "I inherited this future because of you. All of this was your fault."
He dropped his arm back and reached into his sock. I screamed as I saw the blade reflect against the moonlight. "Lucian, watch out!"
Lucian barely had time to react.
I ran wit
h all my strength and urgency, but I was too far away. Everything seemed to slow down. My vision went blurry, and my hearing seemed to muffle. But as I watched the blade swing at Lucian's chest, I heard another gunshot. This time, it came from inside the forest.
Everything stopped.
Crack. Crack. Crack.
A flock of birds flew into the sky. My ears rang. I dropped to the ground. Death was calling.
"Lucian…"
There was blood all over him, dripping down his shirt. He stumbled back, eyes wide and glazed. Rain poured against his body. He looked at me and then his hands.
He started to laugh.
His father fell face first to the ground, flinging mud onto Lucian's boots. "He's dead. The bastard is dead," he said in disbelief.
"What… how… who?"
All three of us looked back at the marshes. Ducking out from behind a tree was Lucian's brother. He limped forward and swung the rifle around his shoulder. "I found you, brother," he said, face grinning. "This time, I'm the one who came to help."
Lucian's face lit up. "Well, I'll be damned, little brother. You survived," he said.
Kahn laughed and threw his arms around Lucian. "Guess I'm stronger than I thought."
"You've always been strong, brother. You're a fucking hero," he said.
I shared a glance with my dad. His forehead creased with concern. "That's the fucker who came after you, right?"
I grinned and lowered my dad's weapon. "He's one of the good guys, Dad."
"But—"
"Just trust me on this, okay?" I asked.
Dad sighed. "It's getting a little hard to keep track of the bad ones."
I snorted. "Isn't it always?"
I jogged over to Kahn and hugged him lightly. I felt guilty for what happened. "I'm sorry we didn't come back. He attacked us in the wetlands."
"No worries. I didn't expect to stay alive," he said. "Check out my sweet battle scars."
He lifted his shirt and showed us the healing wounds. It was a miracle he didn't get another infection. "You need a safe place to take a shower and lay down," I said.
Another lightning bolt fell from sky, crashing miles away from us. I walked back over to the coils that rose from below the dirt. They were silent and still.
Temptation: A Dark Sci-Fi Romance (Alpha Unknown Book 3) Page 11