It's the End of the World as We Know it (Silent Moments Series: Book 4)

Chapter 17

 The room was a battleground of moral dilemmas and desperate choices. Murphy's anguished cries reverberated through the chamber as he strained against his handcuffs. He was pleading for understanding, his desperation palpable.

"Now you're gonna lock us up?" Murphy's voice rang out, a mixture of anger and despair. "For what? She was just trying to save her own life! We're not gonna touch your stupid machine, alright?"

His eyes turned to me, a desperate plea in them. "Please, Kegan! You can't do this to us. Raven! Please!"

Raven, standing by the closing doors to the launch pad, looked torn, her eyes reflecting uncertainty and distress.

"Please tell me you're not actually considering putting Emori in that chamber," Raven implored, her voice laden with anxiety.

I felt the weight of Raven's gaze, her unspoken judgment hanging heavy in the room. My voice, barely above a whisper, revealed my inner turmoil. "I don't know what else to do."

Roan's voice cut through the tension, his tone firm and unyielding. "There is nothing else to do," he declared with unwavering conviction.

Abby, her voice gentle but resolute, added a somber note. "Jackson and I have examined every possibility, and the only thing we know for sure is that if we do nothing, we die."

A heavy silence settled in the room, a collective recognition of the gravity of our impending decision. Abby moved to take action, instructing Jackson to prepare Luna for the next extraction.

Luna, undeterred and defiant, refused adamantly. "I won't allow my blood to kill any more innocent people."

Desperation laced my words as I pleaded with Luna, fully aware of the dire consequences. "Your blood is the one thing that can save us."

But Luna remained steadfast in her convictions, responding with unwavering determination. "My blood is a curse. It will, however, keep you from following me into the rain."

Roan stepped forward, blocking Luna's path, and spoke sternly, revealing his commitment to our collective survival. "We can't let you leave, Luna."

"We need you, Luna," I implored, our desperation mirrored in my words.

Luna questioned with a pointed gaze, challenging the morality of our actions. "Is there no line you wouldn't cross in order to survive?"

Roan, maintaining his principled stance, delivered a sobering perspective. "Survival requires sacrifice. If she dies saving the world," he began, "that is a good death."

Raven interjected sharply, objecting to Roan's choice of words. "Don't call her that."

In the midst of this charged exchange, Roan acknowledged Luna's physical condition, revealing his compassion. "You're wounded," he observed, "And I don't want to fight you."

Luna, however, remained resolute and defiant, retorting with a hint of snark. "You have no choice, remember."

The room became an arena of clashing values, beliefs, and desperation, vividly portraying the characters' internal conflicts and the agonizing choices they were compelled to make in the face of impending doom. As Luna and Roan engaged in their intense and emotionally charged fight, the room became a battleground of conflicting emotions and physical prowess. Luna's fighting style was marked by its agility and fluidity. Despite her injuries, she moved with remarkable speed and precision. Her kicks were powerful, and she displayed impressive combat skills. However, her unsteady stance and occasional grimaces of pain revealed the toll her injuries were taking on her. Roan, although smaller in stature compared to me, was a force to be reckoned with. He demonstrated quick reflexes and unwavering determination. After being sent flying into a cart by Luna's forceful kick, he quickly recovered and returned to the fight.