That Which Lies Within

Chapter One

Look, he is coming with the clouds,

and every eye will see him,

even those who pierced him;

and all peoples on earth will mourn because of him.

So shall it be! Amen.

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."

The end of the world, who would have thought? A light so bright that covered the expanse of the sky, bringing tears to his eyes with a searing sensation deep within Willow's soul. Just his luck, an atheist would witness the second coming of the same deity he had rejected. One he had hated and scorned with all of his being. He wasn't of exceptional character, tending to cause trouble wherever he went. Having grown up in a Catholic home, his morals ran deep, though he could never bring himself to worship a God who hadn't done him any favors. Willow's childhood wasn't awful, it simply lacked the support of family. Most of his adolescence was spent with his grandmother. A tragic accident brought the death of his mother and younger sister during his early teens. Willow was forced to grow up fast. Despite his grandmother's attempts to mold him into a fine Catholic man, Willow broke away from religion soon after he lost his family. He reasoned that if God is good, then why would he allow his mother and sister to die for no good reason? His loss of faith had broken his grandmother's heart, but she tried her hardest to respect his decisions. To him, there was no God, until that day. How ironic, the anniversary of his mother's and sister's death would also become known as the day the world ended. He could remember it clearly as if it had happened right at that moment. How harshly the ground had shaken and the sky was aflame. Frightened people running all over the place, screaming that the world was ending. Then the sound of trumpets, the sky overflowing with angelic creatures with white robes and feathered wings. There was no dark, only the brightest light that couldn't be looked upon. And past that was the city. Made of gold in the ultimate elegance and beauty, resting on the clouds as if the city itself was an illusion. The citizens of the world who had been deemed worthy began to rise to meet him in the clouds, just as the Bible had said they would. Willow knew at that very second, as his life flashed before his eyes and all his crucial faults became painfully clear, that he would not be joining them. A transparent, fortress-like wall that surrounded the city, just clear enough to see through, revealed the absolute glory that was called the Garden of Eden. Just before the city rose back up, Willow caught a glimpse of his dearest mother and beloved sister, adorned in white robes, watching him through the wall. Tears streamed down his face when the city left his sight, then he fell to the Earth in agony and screamed.

Survival is key, and Willow never understood how good he had it before the second coming of Christ. Surviving is much easier when the world isn't in anarchy. The Earth was, for lack of better words, trashed. Stores were empty of products and all the windows had been broken. Unusable cars were scattered through the streets, stripped of any valuable parts. Not a soul occupied the sidewalks or buildings. Everyone was in hiding. Ever since the apocalypse, evil has completely taken over. Gangs and warlords controlled the lives of the lessers. Yet, the gangs weren't the only thing that the people had to fear. Satan had made himself known, the lack of God's presence giving him free rein. And with him, came all of his followers, specifically demons. They swept through the streets, terrorizing any living soul who dared venture out of hiding. So the humans had no choice but to creep about in the dead of night, searching for food and resources in order to survive. God have mercy on their souls should they be caught. Willow walked silently through the abandoned corner store, his senses on high alert as he scoured the floors and shelves for something to satisfy his hunger. He couldn't remember the last time he had eaten an actual meal. The kind that leaves you with a sense of contentment. He felt his stomach quiver at the thought. Running his fingertips over the edge of the empty shelves, Willow quietly made his way through each aisle. Just as he had expected, no food was left to find. With low spirits, he began his long walk back to the bunker. The sun was almost up, and if he waited any longer, he would no longer have the cover of darkness to protect him. Weaving through alleys and sewer tunnels, Willow had almost reached what he called home at the edge of the city. He was just about to duck inside the bunker before the terrified screams of a small child met his ears. Definitely a girl, maybe 12 or 13. Willow hesitated, quickly thinking over the pros and cons of attempted rescue. It only took a few seconds before he made up his mind. Willow pushed the makeshift door of his bunker and stepped inside with guilt weighing heavy on his heart. Replacing the door behind him, he couldn't help but cover his ears to block out the terror in the poor thing's voice. He knew he would never be able to save the girl. And even if he did, taking care of himself was already difficult, adding a dependent would make survival impossible. As the muffled screams died out, Willow sent up a small request that the child's life was ended swiftly. His home wasn't actually a bunker, more like a hole in the ground made of rock and compact soil. He didn't have anything better to call it. He had never been bothered there as the bunker was well hidden and far enough away from most living (and non-living) creatures. Normally, that is. The "door" was a well-placed slab of metal. The drop-down into the bunker was about 6 feet, small foot holes had been carved into the dirt as a ladder. Barely 10 by 10 feet, the bunker only contained a few blankets, minimal medical supplies, wood and a few weapons and trinkets Willow had stumbled upon during his outings. He had nothing of true value. Taking in his living space, he began to notice the tremble of his hands and the slight trickle of snot coming from his nose. Walking over to the tiny fire pit he had carved into the sidewall, he made a small fire. It wasn't enough to heat up the small space, but it would keep him from freezing, and that was all he could ask for. The numbness in his fingers slowly went away, leaving a painful tingling feeling behind. Willow settled down for another quiet and lonely day. In a state of exhaustion, he couldn't hear the demons lurking outside.