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.