The Revelation; Finding the Journal

Vincent scowled at himself. "What can we—"

"Do? That I don't know." grandpa interrupted. 

"Have you never experienced this before, dad?"

"No." grandpa confessed. " I haven't. But what is happening in the village?"

Vincent sighed. "Some people are going crazy. They noticed the clouds being darker too, but I thought it was nothing. So I came to ask you, dad." said he.

"I wish…" grandpa's voice trailed off as he struggled to speak. He coughed hoarsely.

"Your condition is worsening." Vincent said, his voice was choking. Grandpa took deep, ragged breaths. 

"Don't speak. It's alright, dad."

"I'll be fine." grandpa murmured.

"Please."

"My boy… I'll be… argh…" grandpa struggled again.

"Listen to him, father." Isabella added. "You need to conserve your strength… hopefully you can be… helped." she said, looking away to hide her watery eyes.

Vincent's hands trembled as he reached out to his father's chair. He let it rock a bit. "We'll help you dad. I promise." he said.

Grandpa managed to chuckle. "My boy. You've done that. I'm proud of you." he coughed. "But I can't be helped. You are lucky Vincent. Lucky to not have inherited my condition." said he, as he slowly got up from his chair.

Vincent helped the old man, slowly taking him back inside. Isabella tried to speak, but she couldn't without crying. With wide eyes and a frown, Lily nudged her mother. "Mama… what's wrong with grandpa?" she asked.

"Nothing…" Isabella replied, her voice heavy. "Your grandpa is just— old. Don't worry, he'll be okay."

"But… he said things like um— 'I can't be helped.'"

"Ah, um… your grandpa is just messing around. Didn't you see how he chuckled?" she reassured Lily.

Lily slowly nodded as she watched her grandpa being led back inside the hut. She took one more glance at the sky, before holding her mother's hand and following them inside. Vincent slowly helped his father lay on his bed, sitting beside him.

"Dad, what can I do for you?" he asked.

"Lock… the door… I must tell you something." 

"Lock? Why?"

"Just… do it."

Reluctantly nodding, Vincent got up and went to lock the door, where his gaze met his wife's and daughter's. "Dad said to lock the door. He said he wanted to tell me something." he said. "I don't know what it is that he won't tell you, Bella."

"It's okay, maybe it's important." she forced a smile, gripping Lily's hand tightly. "I'll see you after then darling." she said, giving her husband a soft kiss on the cheek. Vincent closed the door with a creak and locked it, then he sat beside his father.

"Tell me now, dad." he inquired.

"The river, Vincent." the old man said.

"The river?"

"Yes, across it. There is… life. Some."

Vincent gasped. "Life? You mean—?"

"Yes. There… may be humans left alive, somewhere. But it's dangerous out there."

"How?"

"Unlock my drawer. There is a book in there."

Vincent did so, he spun the key and slid open the drawer. Inside, lay a single, dusty book. The title read 'The Darkening'.

"What's this?" 

"Read it… my son. It's time for you."

Vincent blew on the cover, and dusted off the book with his hands. The pages were stuck together, so he carefully peeled away the first page.

[ENTRY ONE]

October 12; 2154

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. The war's crazy. News is going crazy. We're writing this down because things are getting bad. Used to be that the sky was blue, now it's just dark and scary from all the debris and ash. People talk about a war called 'The Darkening'. Lived in Willowbrook all our lives. Used to be nice, with crops and folks bustling about. Now, it's empty, crops are gone, and fighting's everywhere. Thought it was just talk at first. Then the bombs fell, and we lost everyone. Can barely hold out here. Massive skyscrapers around us fell. Our relatives are dead. Damn this. Curse this. We've gathered what supplies we could and fortified our home as best we can. But we don't know how long we can hold out. Food is scarce, and we're constantly on edge, waiting for the next attack. We pray for better days, but it seems like the darkness is only growing stronger. Governments around the world broadcast sporadic messages, but they offer little comfort or guidance. Some say we're headed for a nuclear winter, others say it's hogwash. We're left in the dark, literally and figuratively, as the power goes out more than it stays on. It's grim. Lost friends, lost hope. Can't see a way out of this mess. But we hold on, hoping for a glimmer of light in this darkness. For now, we endure. Endure the pain, the fear, the uncertainty. Maybe one day, things will get better. But for now, all we can do is hang on. 

"What the hell…?" Vincent exclaimed, his teeth gritted and his breaths came in deep, eyes were wide. Quickly then, he licked his finger, and flipped to Entry Two.

[ENTRY TWO]

October 18; 2154

Six fucking days later. Goddamn. The situation's getting worse by the day. Thought we could hide out, but the war's found us. Bombs and missiles have wiped out whole buildings, leaving nothing behind. Supplies are running low, and we're probably running out of time. Nightmares fill the air, screams and gunfire pierce the silence. Eliza cries, and I can't make it stop. I can't help; she doesn't want to stop. I feel like bursting into tears too. I want to bang my head, from the screams we hear. It's been a while since I've seen electricity. Not even the damn generators were spared. It's hot. Crazy hot. Nighttime is the worst. No wind, nothing. It's sweaty, and our heads hurt from not sleeping. I feel a sharp pain in my head, and my heart. I—

But before Vincent could read further, a sudden choking sound filled the room. 

"Dad!" Vincent cried.