Chapter 105
- Micah -
The street festival ended like a good dream for the most part after the masked demon left. They flew by one minute later, laughing and with music ringing throughout the city, and the next, we were packing up all the supplies in silence for the most part. I think everyone is feeling what I am feeling. It's been an emotional rollercoaster—the last of the vendor's roller carts rattling across the cracked edges of the concrete.
I should've felt victorious in our accomplishments. Instead, I felt that things were still unfinished.
James helped Uncle and Baby break down the booth that the Waymakers used to hand out resources in the area. Evan and Josh were quietly loading up boxes of leftover flyers and bottles of water into Uncle's old company van.
I wrapped up the sign we had painted two nights before—bright yellow letters reading "Joy Belongs Here"—and couldn't help but stare at the words. Joy had come. It had danced here. But it was leaving now. And something colder was settling in its place.
Kaysi stood near the curb, eyes closed, her palm pressed lightly against the nearest light post like she was listening for something no one else could hear.
The once early warm spring became cooler. Even the energy in the air itself changed.
We were all caught a bit off guard when a strong wind rippled, sending waves through the atmosphere, like static crawling up your spine.
We all turned at the same time.
At the end of the Avenue, where the last of the lanterns still swayed on the poles. The masked man returned. He looked the same, all in black, and his porcelain face cracked just slightly more than the last time we saw him. Then the same annoying smile—unchanged.
"You sure are bold to show up again now," I said, stepping out in front of the others and my uncle releasing my tensen war fans. "No crowds to hide behind anymore. No chaos to feed off of. It's just us.
"Exactly," he replied, voice slick as silk and amusement. His voice somehow didn't sound like the average demon. "It's so much more intimate this way. Just you... and me... and the end of your little illusion."
Kaysi stepped forward, but I held up a hand.
The masked man clapped mockingly. "Such leadership—you've come so far, Micah. You and your little Miracle club. But this ends tonight here."
Josh is tense behind me. Becky's eyes were wide and disturbed. James whispered, "He's baiting us." And Evan nodded.
"What do you want?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.
He tilted his head unnaturally, like a sadistic clown toying with his audience. "This city. Gone, out, cleaned! Take your cheap kindness and sermons of hope and leave! You have one hour. Evacuate whoever you can. One hour... or ha ha ha." He laughed. "It's lights out for good."
I stepped with firm steps closer. "You really think we're going to run? After all, what have we fought for?"
He stepped forward with theatrical flair. "No, no. I believe you'll try to save them. That's your job, right, to save people? This way is more fun. Seeing you scramble around in fear and panic. And in the end, the gates will still close before you even hope to finish. Ha ha ha." His wicked laugh sent a nauseating chill down your spine.
"SOAR CRANE"
Kaysi hurled a burst of light energy from her sword at him. I followed behind with a strike of wind—it shifted and slid around both of us like it was a dance he had already rehearsed.
"Why here?" Evan demanded. "Why this city? What do you want with it so badly?"
"Because this city is standing in our way," the demon hissed, and I can't have that."
James fired an arrow from his crossbow—but before it reached him, he vanished in a puff of smoke. Only the echo of his laughter remained in the air as it faded off.
The silence screamed the words of his warning in our minds.
We took this time as we split up.
Becky and Josh hit the west side. Evan and Kaysi ran north toward the school district to get Duke and Babies' help to cover the east. James, Uncle, and I stayed to manage the southern neighborhood grid. We didn't have time to explain—so we lied.
We told everyone the same thing as we knocked on each door that anyone would answer.
Construction hit a large pipe. There is a gas leak. The hazard teams are on the way. They say we need to be out just a day or two for repairs. Time is limited; it's spreading fast!"
It wasn't enough. We got quite a few out thanks to their trust in Uncle and me. But some didn't believe us.
The hour vanished more quickly than I had hoped.
At exactly 10:00 PM, the city died.
Streetlights blinked out, one by one. The electrical hum dropped into a hollow pit of stillness. Phone lines died. The newer cars on the road stopped mid-street. The much older one still worked. All the mechanical sounds still washed over everywhere—like the city had exhaled for the last time.
We gathered again at Uncle's apartment. It was the only place with candles and stored water. Here we were safe enough to gather.
James is pale but focused, more than likely calculating 20 different ways and scenarios of what's to come or how to solve our problems. Kaysi stayed staring out the window on full guard. Evan sat in a chair at the table, writing something down. Josh stood propped on the doorframe. Baby and Duke finally met up with us.
Uncle didn't say anything at first. He passed around mugs of hot water, steeped thankfully on our gas stove, with a ginger tea to calm our nerves. It smelled comforting. But it didn't taste the way I hoped. Probably from the sour stomach, I had been slowly growing.
"I think it's a dome," Kaysi finally said. "I sense it's spiritual but physical too. An electricity that is not normal. This dome isn't just cutting us off from everything. I feel like it is draining something within us and the people left here."
"What can we do now?" Josh asked.
"We confront the governor," Baby said. "He's still here. Rumors say he was trapped in the high-rise hotel during the blackout.
I hesitated. "It sounds dangerous to go out there right now. If the demons are looking to overthrow leadership, the governor might be the bait."
Uncle spoke up, clearing his throat, his voice quiet. "When my daughter died, I thought if I stayed quiet but stayed true to helping out from time to time, showing kindness, the world would just...let me be. I opened the bakery because it kept me close to the warmth of my daughter and the people. Without having to get too involved...I thought feeding them would be enough, putting a short-lasting smile on their face."
Everyone was quiet, meditating on his words.
"The boy I took in"—He looked over at his adopted son, who had now met us after finishing the cleaning. "That fire... the accident opened my eyes. People don't need just bread to fulfill them. They need someone to believe in them. Someone to show up when it's hardest. Someone to keep the lights of hope on, even if the one last fire is all that's left that's burning."
He turned to me. "If I want to be that beacon...Then I have to shine brighter now. When everyone else is dimming."
Uncle adopted son Ascher. Eyes glistened... "Pops...I..."
"You don't have to say anything. Your name says it all. Blessings from the ashes... And Micah," he said softly. "Your mama and I see the love that has grown within you. You have become everything your mother dreamed you would be. I see the holy light that shines in you. I've always believed in you. Even when I was too scared to say it to you. You never stopped letting your gifts guide you."
James walked up, head bowed apologetically.
"I am sorry, if I may interrupt for a second..."
We all turned and looked at him.
"I don't want to offer false hope," He said, "But um...Uncle, if you wouldn't mind—I noticed an old box TV in the back room. The analog one?
Uncle blinked. "Sorry, I meant to throw that out; I just never got to it. It hasn't worked in years."
James nodded. "I think I can modify it. If I strip the limiter and reinforce the internal tuner, it may boost the signal, and it may be strong enough to pick up a few basic channels. Maybe even something outside the dome. News emergency broadcasting anything. If I play with it enough, who knows, perhaps even military comms.
Evan's eyes lit up. "You can do all that?"
"It may be a long shot, but I believe I can, James admitted. I can at least try."
Uncle smiled, "Be my guest; take whatever tools you need."
James nodded once, and he quickly slipped into the back room.
"Hold on, if I am quiet, can I watch?" Evan asked, shouting back as he and Josh chased James down. "
More than likely going to have a geek man fest, I chuckled.
The time in the silence made the night stretch longer. Becky told me she was worried about our families, whom we could not connect with.
"Try not to worry about it and trust they have us in their prayers." I tried to reassure her.
We sat patiently around the candlelight, venting about the city world outside the dome we could no longer touch.
And somewhere inside that back room, James was preparing to break through.