June huffed a low grunt of satisfaction as he sat in a rickety lawn chair, one of several, on Elias's cabin porch. His feet still ached from the hike he'd completed this morning with his and Elias's family. It grated on his pride that his body gave in to the pain. But that was to be expected. Years of military service had taken their toll. Still, it was a price he'd pay all over again for the peace he currently enjoyed.
Just as he settled into his seat to enjoy his serenity, screams mixed with laughter echoed from inside the cabin. A smile crossed his face as the noise grew louder and approached. Suddenly, the storm door to his right swung open. It slammed against the wall as Sasha and Kia ran out.
They had both changed out of their hiking clothes and now wore cowgirl outfits, from the cowboy hats down to the brown leather boots. In their hands, they held small silver Colt revolver toy guns with orange tips at the ends of their barrels. In their rush of excitement, they didn't see June as they ran past him. With quick steps, they hurried down the wooden steps of the porch onto the gravel path that led from the cabin to the dirt road.
Both girls spun around with their toy revolvers raised and aimed at the open doorway. A comical howl bellowed out from within the cabin before Elias leaped onto the porch. He wore a furry, over-the-head brown wolf mask along with a blue plaid shirt tucked into blue jeans and brown hiking boots. He held his head high and howled once more before turning to the girls. With his hands raised high, fingers curled into claws, he took a menacing step forward, snarling.
"Stop right there, Mr. Werewolf," Sasha shouted.
"Yeah," Kia said, stepping forward, voice trembling, "where's my daddy?"
Elias kept snarling and stalking toward them as a smile grew on June's face, who watched amused. They were so caught up in their game that none of them saw him, not even the girls facing him. He took advantage of this, and as slow as a sloth, he rose from his chair. His movements finally caught someone's attention when Sasha's hazel eyes, mirroring his own, fluttered over to him.
"No, Daddy, don't!" Sasha shouted.
Even with the early warning, June still had plenty of time to run up behind Elias. He wrapped his arms around Elias, pulling him into a big bear hug. Although he was a full head taller than Elias, Elias's broad, muscular build made it hard for June to hold him properly.
June's failed attempt to subdue Elias backfired as Elias spun around on him. He pivoted to evade as Elias lunged, but he wasn't quick enough—Elias's hands grabbed his shoulders. June retaliated, and they both acted as if they were struggling for their daughters.
"Now, Pumpkin, while I've got him," June said.
A beat of silence passed before Sasha cried out. "Let's get him, Kia!"
Kia nodded in agreement before they both raised their revolvers and both shouted, "Bang!"
Elias stiffened at the sound of them. He sputtered and gurgled as if someone had shot him, took a stumbling step back, then slumped to his knees. As he did, he grabbed the mask, pulled it off, and threw it aside. Sasha and Kia hurried up the steps, their faces full of worry.
"Daddy, no," Kia yelled, dropping her toy revolver and hugging Elias tightly.
Sasha stepped up next to June, observing her friend's supposed grief. "Is Uncle Elias going to be okay, Daddy?"
"I don't know, Pumpkin."
Elias gasped for a ragged breath before speaking softly. "It's okay, baby girl. I'm okay now. You… you stopped the wolf-man."
Kia let him go and looked at him with a worried expression. "Really?"
"Yeah," Elias said, a cheeky grin spreading across his face. "But now the tickle monster is here." He wrapped Kia in an arm and tickled her with the other.
A scream of joy escaped Kia's lips as she struggled to free herself from Elias's grasp.
"Unhand her, you monster!" Sasha shouted as she pointed her toy revolver at Elias.
But before she could say anything else, June's voice halted her. "Always be aware of your surroundings, Pumpkin."
Sasha turned to look at June, an inquisitive look on her face. "For there are two tickle monsters!"
Before she could say or do anything, June grabbed her and started tickling her too. She yelped in surprise as she tried to get away. But unfortunately, it was of no use.
Before long, Sasha succumbed to her laughter, her legs giving way, and she collapsed onto the floorboards. "No! Daddy…stop!"
"Okay, Pumpkin," June said, releasing her.
She lay there, breathing heavily. June sat on the porch steps beside her and looked at the twilight sky. The bright colors of pink and orange, blending with the blue sky that darkened into night, created a mesmerizing view. The hair on his arms stood up as a cool breeze from the north blew in, signaling the arrival of fall.
After catching her breath, Sasha sat up and scooted to the edge of the step, sitting beside him and gazing up at the sky. "Wow."
He turned to her, and a smile spread across his face. Her jet-black hair blew in the wind, and her awe was evident on her face.
"It's so beautiful, Daddy."
"Yes, it is Pumpkin," June said, wrapping his arms around her to pull her in for a hug, "just like you."
Sasha flashed him a wide-toothed grin before they went back to watching the setting sun. Kia and Elias joined them, and the four of them sat there, watching the sun dip below the horizon.
The last remnants of sunlight cloaked the nearby woods in an eerie darkness. The porch light flickered on, illuminating everything around it, and a chorus of crickets sounded as night fell.
Sasha and Kia babbled on about various topics as June closed his eyes and enjoyed the peace that this moment brought. A weekend cabin trip with his loved ones was exactly what he needed after the stressful months he'd had at work. He and Elias were co-founders of a company called Iron Sentinel Systems and Defense, and they had just signed a joint venture agreement with Raytheon Technologies for their groundbreaking weapons system.
Sasha's voice rang out excitedly as she pointed to the sky, snapping him out of his reverie. "Daddy, look!"
June's gaze shifted and followed Sasha's little finger up to the sky, curious about what had her so excited. The twilight sky had darkened to night, its glittering stars filling the sky. For a moment, everything was still, nothing unusual. Then it appeared. A meteor shot across the sky as happy yips burst from Sasha and Kia. They jumped to their feet.
"There, Daddy. Did you see that?" both Sasha and Kia exclaimed as they bounced in place, unable to contain their excitement.
"Whoa there, little lady," Elias said, reaching out and catching Kia with a hand, "careful or you could fall and hurt yourself."
June followed suit and pulled Sasha closer to him, giving her a stern look. "Uncle Elias is right. You wouldn't want to fall and hurt yourself, now would you?"
"No, Daddy," Sasha said with a crestfallen face.
June's scowl then shifted to a smile. "Now, what do you do when you see a shooting star?"
Sasha's face lit up. "You make a wish!"
June nodded his head and turned her around to face the sky again as another meteor streaked across it. "Go on. Make a wish."
Sasha lowered her head and closed her eyes before clasping her hands together. Out of June's peripheral vision, he could see Kia mimicking Sasha's gesture as she made a wish as well. The two girls stayed like that for a few seconds longer before bursting into glee at the same time.
"What did you wish for?" June asked.
"Can't tell you or it won't come true," Sasha said with a cheeky grin.
June returned her grin before glancing back at the sky. The number of shooting stars had grown, turning into a full-fledged meteor shower.
"Look, Sasha," June said, forgetting to use his nickname for her, lost in disbelief.
Sasha spun around and followed June's gaze. Her sharp gasp snapped his eyes away from the sky. Her jaw dropped, and her eyes widened—almost to the point of bulging out of their sockets. It was a look that was priceless.
However, something changed as her brows furrowed, and her lips tightened into a frown. A pit opened up inside June, and his stomach sank. Something was wrong. He could feel it in the air.
Time slowed as it always did before a firefight, and his senses sharpened. June's gaze drifted upward as the sky grew brighter with each passing second. His heart hammered like war drums announcing an approaching army, while dread clenched at his neck. The shower of meteors had intensified into a downpour, with hundreds—no, thousands—racing across the sky. It showed no signs of slowing. In seconds, the meteors erupted into a raging inferno that lit up the sky like a detonating nuke.
June closed his eyes, bent down, pulled Sasha to his chest, and turned to shield her from the blast. But it never came. One second, two seconds, then three passed, but nothing happened. June opened his eyes slightly and saw that the blinding light was still there. He turned to Elias and found him in the same position, covering Kia.
Then the loudest clap of thunder echoed, shaking the porch they stood on. Knocked off balance, June fell forward, but, being prepared, he extended an arm to catch himself while the other held Sasha. It sounded like the sky had just split open. Loud clattering noises came from inside the cabin, and the porch light's bulb exploded, but June had more pressing concerns.
As suddenly as it had appeared, the light disappeared, plunging them into the darkness of the night. Everything grew still and silent, except for the muffled cries of Sasha and Kia. June pushed himself upright before trying to free himself from Sasha, but she refused to let go. Her tiny body trembled in fear as she continued to cry into his chest.
"It's okay, Pumpkin. Daddy's got you," June said, hugging her before turning to look at the sky.
It had returned to normal, as if nothing had happened, but that was far from the truth, and he knew it. Something stirred deep inside him. Something was seriously wrong.
With his right hand, June drew his MR-35 Ion Bolt, his own creation that led to their partnership with Raytheon, from its holster on his hip. Next to him, Elias drew his own MR-35. A look of recognition passed between them before they grabbed their daughters, cradling them in one arm while the other held their guns at the ready.
"Daddy's going to need you to be quiet now, okay, Pumpkin?" June said to Sasha as his gaze continuously panned the area.
"O…okay," Sasha said in between hiccups and sobs.
Elias delivered the same speech to Kia, and soon, both girls quieted into small whimpers and sobs. A nod from June prompted Elias to act. He stepped back from the edge of the porch and headed toward the cabin's doorway, keeping his sights and gun aimed to cover their right flank. June held his position, covering their left and scanning for any signs of threats.
However, June could barely see. Granted, the full moon's light illuminated the night. But even then, he couldn't see clearly past five yards.
Fear gripped his heart. He wasn't afraid for himself, but for his family. He had to get Sasha inside and check on Natalie and Zach.
"Elias!" Christine yelled from inside the cabin as he entered the building. "Kia! What happ–"
However, Natalie's frantic voice interrupted her. "Where's June and–"
Before she could finish her question, Elias's harsh shush silenced her. A small commotion rustled behind June, and he could only guess that Elias had handed Kia over to Christine.
A second later, Elias called out in a low whisper, "June."
That was his cue to move. With steady steps, he backed up until Elias' hand patted his shoulder. He stopped, and Elias moved onto the porch, covering him and Sasha as he made his way into the cabin.
Inside, the cabin was dark except for the faint moonlight streaming through the windows. June lowered his gun and turned around. He caught a glimpse of blonde hair before a figure rushed toward him. Before he could react, they embraced him and Sasha, and he relaxed, realizing who it was.
"Thank God you two are okay," Natalie said, her voice trembling with fear, before kissing Sasha's forehead.
June holstered his gun before pulling Natalie into a tight embrace, relishing the moment with his wife and daughter. The feeling that they were safe washed over him with some relief, but not completely. Now, he just needed to find Zach. He guided them to the side as Elias stepped in, closing and locking the door behind him.
"Here," June said, passing Sasha to Natalie, who took her without hesitation. "I'm going to go get Zach."
Darkness covered her face, but June could see the silhouette of her head nodding in agreement. He leaned down and quickly kissed her on the cheek before heading to the stairs on the far right of the room.
As he did, Christine's anxious voice piped up as he passed by her. "What's going on, June? What was that bright flash?"
June wanted to stop and explain what little he understood, but a larger part of him needed to get Zach. "Sorry, Christine. Ask Elias. I've gotta get Zach."
An understanding smile crossed her face as she nodded before turning to Elias, who walked up beside her. Their hushed conversation followed him as he went toward the stairs. But June hadn't needed to. Zach came rushing down the stairs, calling for June and Natalie. Before Zach could run into him, June reached out and caught him.
"Whoa there, tiger," June said, steadying his sixteen-year-old son.
Zach's scrawny frame looked like a gentle breeze could knock him over, but he possessed the grit and strength to surpass any opponent he faced. He resembled his father more than he realized, especially in the looks department. His Asian features were visible but less pronounced than June's. After all, Zach was only a quarter Korean.
"Dad!" Zach said before hugging him.
June hugged his son, relieved that he was safe. With his family secure, he could now focus on the main problem. He gently pulled away from the hug and guided Zach to the living room.
"Was that a nuke, Dad?" Zach asked as they got closer to the group.
June sighed. How was he supposed to explain to them what had happened? Even he didn't know what truly occurred.
Well, his bachelor's degree in Physics was really paying dividends now, huh?
He could explain quantum mechanics to the layman, but that doesn't help him understand what he saw. He had theories, but none of them followed the laws of physics. At least, the laws he knew of.
He ran a hand through his hair as he turned to Zach. "Go join your mother and sister on the couch, and I'll do my best to explain."
Zach nodded and stepped away as June motioned for Elias to come over.
"Did you explain everything to Christine?" June asked.
Elias snorted in derision. "To the best of my ability. What the fuck was that?"
June huffed as well. "I've got a few ideas. None of them good. Grab our rifles and gear. I have a feeling we're gonna need them before the night is over."
Elias ran his hands through his wavy black hair, scratching the back of his head. It was a nervous tic of his. He took a deep breath through his nose and then exhaled through his mouth, a calming technique his therapist taught him to control his anger better. But there was a reason he was still in therapy as his anger boiled over.
"Fuck!" Elias said as he violently swung his hands down to his side. "Something just had to go wrong on our vacation, huh?"
"Rhykker!" June barked in anger, sliding right back into military mode with ease.
Elias turned to him, rage blazing in his eyes. "WHAT!"
June said nothing, only gesturing to their families.
The anger evaporated from Elias' face the moment his gaze locked onto Kia and Sasha's frightened faces.
"Shit…I'm sorry," Elias said to them.
June gestured with his head toward the stairs. "Go."
"Yes, sir," Elias said in a whisper, defeat in his voice, before he left.
Another heavy sigh escaped June's lips before he turned to his audience. "Sorry about that, everyone."
"Is Uncle Elias okay?" Zach asked, his gaze following Elias up the stairs.
"He will be," June said before reaching into his pocket to retrieve his phone.
He tried turning it on, but nothing happened. He pushed the power button a few more times before holding it down, but the phone stayed dead.
June frowned as he looked at Natalie. "Babe, can I see your phone?"
"Sure," she said, pulling it out of her back pocket.
June's frown deepened as he repeated the process with her phone, but again, nothing happened. That was strange. Did the blazing sky release an EMP?
Everyone's heads turned to watch him as he moved toward the light switch. He flipped it, but no lights came on. Then, he went to the fridge and opened it. Dead. Shit. No electronics for the foreseeable future. That's going to be a problem.
June couldn't help but shake his head as he went into the pantry and pulled out two vintage oil lamps and a lighter. He returned to the group with his items and set them on the coffee table.
As he knelt to light an oil lamp, Sasha's voice piped up. "Why are you using those, Daddy? What's wrong with the lights?"
The lighter in June's hand clicked, and a small flame flickered to life. With it, he lit the wick inside the oil lamp. A warm orange glow bathed the room as he adjusted the light before turning to give Sasha a warm smile. "All the lights are dead." He paused as she, and now Kia, gave him quizzical looks. "It's like a blackout."
"Oh," Sasha said, scrunching up her button nose. "What about your phone? And Mommy's?"
"It's also dead, Pumpkin," June said while lighting up the second lamp.
"Why?" Kia asked, joining in.
After lighting the second lamp, June put the lighter in his pocket. He paused to gather himself before speaking. "It's because of something known as an Electromagnetic Pulse or EMP for short."
"What's that?" Sasha asked.
The others leaned in, their curiosity piqued as June explained. "Well, it's a pulse of energy. Electromagnetic energy. Which would be like electricity or lightning, except you can't see it. Now, when that energy is released, anything that uses electricity, like the lightbulbs or our phones, would be disrupted and stop working."
"Uh-huh," Sasha said, nodding her head slowly in understanding. However, the glossy look in her eyes told a different story. The concept was a little too much for an eight-year-old to comprehend.
June cleared his throat before addressing the whole group. "Now. Christine, you're all up to speed, I presume?"
Christine was still processing everything June had said before his question snapped her back to the present. A scowl crept across her face as if he'd just slapped her. He flinched inwardly when her glare settled on him.
"If by up to speed, you mean the sky turning into the literal definition of hell, then, yeah, I am. Got any theories as to what that was?"
Her southern accent slipped through—one she picked up from her grandma in New Orleans—which usually only happened when she was feeling particularly emotional. Her caramel skin glistened in the firelight as her long, wavy hair bobbed with her head.
"Now hold on just a minute," Natalie interjected. "What is this about the sky?"
June recounted what happened. By the end, Natalie's face was as pale as a ghost.
"Do you know what caused it?" Natalie asked in a shaky voice, clutching Sasha closer to her.
"It's only conjecture, but…" June paused as Elias came back down the stairs carrying a long, black, rectangular gun case in each hand, plus a green gear bag slung across his back.
"What did I miss?" Elias asked as he placed the items on the kitchen table before joining them.
"You're just in time for my theory," June said. Elias gestured with his hands, giving him the floor as he sat on an armrest next to Christine and Kia. "The initial meteor shower seemed natural enough, but the amount that appeared and the rate at which it did suggested otherwise."
"What does that mean?" Zach asked, speaking up for the first time since hearing about everything.
"It means that–" June started saying, but Elias cut him off, his voice full of venom.
"It means that someone caused it."
"Or something," June added, drawing a curious look from Elias, before he continued. "I don't think anyone on Earth has the capability to do what we just witnessed."
"Whoa! Hold on," Elias said, standing up with his palm extended toward June. Skepticism and false levity filled his tone. "Are you talking about aliens?"
June could only shrug. "It's the only logical explanation."
"Oh, come on, man!" Elias said as he paced. "You can't possibly think that it's aliens. I mean, you're a man of science. Can't any of that explain what we saw?"
Maybe, if it comes down to fringe sciences and theories, but most, if not all, don't follow the fundamental laws of physics we know. And those are the keywords. That we know. That leads us back to beings who would know more.
"So aliens?" Elias said with a defeated shrug.
"Or God. I don't know, Elias," June said, a little annoyed with Elias's combative and closed-minded attitude. "All I know is that something bad is coming, and we have to be ready for it.
Elias's face fell as he understood June's position. "Right. Sorry—"
However, before Elias could say anything else, a loud, piercing ding sounded. June covered his ears, but the ringing persisted inside his head. Everyone else around him, except Sasha and Kia, also had their hands over their ears. Then a robotic yet feminine voice spoke—not aloud, but inside his mind.
Integration of Planet 655,369,732,239 is complete. The System of Cultivation welcomesyou, humans of Earth.
His head was nearly splitting after the voice spoke, as a tingling sensation traveled from the top of his head down to the tips of his toes. It was an experience he hoped never to endure again.
Then, out of nowhere, pain struck him, knocking him to his knees as what felt like thousands of tiny needles stabbed into every one of his pain receptors. His skin crawled and burned at the same time as his bones snapped and reattached, and this all happened at the same time. Unable to withstand the agony, he fell face-first onto the hardwood floor as his body seized up.
Sasha and Kia's panicked screams were the only thing that kept him conscious as terror gripped his heart. All he could do was endure. He had to stay conscious for his family. For Sasha. Luckily for him, he didn't have to wait long. A few seconds later, the pain disappeared as if it had never been there.
He pushed himself up, on shaky hands, shaking his head to clear the fog that clouded his mind. Sasha and Kia both bawled their eyes out, trying to wake their mothers. Natalie, Christine, and Zach were unconscious on the couches, while Elias lay unmoving where he once stood a few feet away.
June took a step toward the girls but fell to his knees once again as the cabin shook. Sasha and Kia's screams grew louder before a loud whirring sound drowned them out. From above, a white light seeped down into the room, enveloping everything in its path. June tried to move, but his body wouldn't listen. An invisible pressure weighed him down. He pushed with all his might, but he could only tilt his head slightly. Before his very eyes, the light swallowed his family. He roared in defiant anger before it too enveloped him, bathing him in nothing but darkness.