The Light when all is Dark

Chapter 4

I was afraid of what I would see at first, so I took Emma and Jack with me. However, Emma said it would be best if Jack stayed behind to watch the house. I was quite happy about this decision, as it meant I'd have more time alone with Emma. I was pretty sure that was what she wanted as well. After Jack left, she leaned on me as we followed the trail of dead bodies. I was afraid the voice, whoever or whatever it may have been, would come back. And I didn't want to ruin my time alone with Emma. "Do you recognize any of them?" I asked. She shook her head.
"Never knew any of them," she replied. As she said that, we crossed a man who had been stabbed in the mouth using bamboo. This caused Emma to cling onto my arm a little more.

This would've been much scarier if it weren't for Emma. She seemed to take to me for comfort, but I was much more scared than her. However, although she looked scared, she never sounded it. She always comforted me, no matter what. I only wished we never had to deal with this messed up world. I wished this war never happened. Although that would be wishing I never met Emma, which would be entirely false. It was a shame that something amazing was a result of something so terrible.

There was a point where I thought I had gone crazy, and that there was no voice all along. However, there was a trail of human bodies, and they had to lead somewhere, so I decided to follow the endless trail that didn't seem to lead anywhere.

After quite a bit, the trail stopped. I assumed that was where we were meant to end up, as right when we got there the voice came back. "You followed the path," it said. "Well done." Just as I heard that, Emma shoved me over and leaped in the other direction. A beam of sunlight struck in between us, where I had just been standing. In the middle of it was a humanoid creature with red wings. After a split-second, it was gone. "We should get out of here," Emma said. I agreed.

On the way back, there were more beams. Each of them had a creature just like the humanoid. Each disappeared after a split-second, and I was starting to fear that the creature was invisible, and that it could only be seen through sun-beams. But one time the creature looked at me, and I saw words written on his forehead; 'bring me back.' I assumed that meant my fear was just me being an idiot. But a few questions still struck me; who, or what was that thing? What did it want with me? And most importantly, what did it mean by 'bring me back?'

When we got back, Jack was asleep. During the trip, we had used up all of our hours of daylight, and even seven hours of the evening. I went straight to my bed. Emma decided to spend the night alone. That was disappointing for me because I was going to get nightmares from that devilish creature.

As I predicted, I got nightmares. I first saw sun flares killing me. Then I saw Emma at the mercy of the red-winged guy. A sight I wish I had never needed to see. Then I saw the red-winged guy. "Bring me back," he said in some demonic voice. He said it again, and again, and again. It echoed through my head until I couldn't take it anymore. My eyes fluttered open.

I got off my bed. It was still night. Walking slowly and quietly, I looked through the house. After that dream nothing seemed real; it was hard to believe that this entire house was pulled out of a box, even though I was born after the fabrication box was made public. That was three years before all things went to hell.

I walked into Emma's room, and noticed she was wide awake too. She saw me and gestured for me to come closer. She then got up and hugged me as she whispered, "I can't last another event like that." I responded with a nod, as I hugged her tighter. Neither of us could last another scare like that, or at least without each other.

"Stay here, please," she said. It seemed like it was a lot the way she said it, but really I would've asked to do it myself  had the conversation gone any longer. I was careful to stay alert, though, as if Jack found out, I didn't know what he would've done.

After sleeping in Emma's bed, I changed mine through the fabrication box, as hers was much more comfortable. Jack seemed to be suspicious of that decision, but he dropped it after Emma said we swapped beds for the night. She seemed just as scared to tell him about us as I was. I wondered what would happen if he did find out, then realized I probably wouldn't want to.

While I was showering, it appeared that Jack had been filled in with all the details of our adventurous horror, because he threatened to murder me if I got her into any danger whatsoever. Emma was able to calm him down, though he still showed hints of anger. I decided I would never want to be alone with him.

We decided to go out of the house, when we realized the dead bodies were gone. The voice must have gotten rid of them. However, there was a man dressed like he was part of the army. He looked everywhere, then finally noticed us. He walked up to us and said, "I have been waiting for you." That caught us way off guard. He used our surprise and punched Jack in the face.

Emma used her laser on him, but it had no effect. However, the man didn't do anything to her. He focused on Jack. After a few punches to knock Jack out, he looked at me and said, "I did this for you." This made absolutely no sense whatsoever. I pulled out my gun and shot him, but it did nothing.

"Who are you?" I asked.
"Someone who cares deeply about you," he replied.
"How? I don't even know you!" I exclaimed, truly puzzled.
"You wouldn't understand," he said.

I punched him in the face. He didn't react. I punched him again, and Emma ran to my side to calm me down. She helped me up, then dragged Jack to us. As she treated him, I stared at the stranger. Who was he? How did he know me?

I was so focused on him and how he wouldn't leave us that I almost didn't notice Emma calling my name.

"Edward!" she yelled. My eyes shot straight to her, and I realized that Jack had regained consciousness. She stood up and tried to drag me out, but I wouldn't budge. My attention was on the stranger. "Edward, we need to go! The sun's gonna set!" I was so tempted to follow her, but I needed to ask one more question.

"Who are you?" I asked the stranger.
"My name is Kronos," the man said.

I ran with Emma and Jack after that, having gotten at least a name from the creep. I couldn't get Emma more angry with me than she already was. So I ran, with no trace of Kronos stalking me.