Karla loves John more than anyone or anything on the world. she loves him so much. but her desire for the position of High Priest is bigger. on the end she decided to put her ambitions before her emotions.
Karla put two bullets on John using a riffle. a part of her felt bad for John. but deep inside she was also thankful to John. she makes the promise of never ever loving anyone else. she then touches her stomach with a soft smile.
John stands up looking up at the Darkness. the Darkness surrounds John slowly. John knew this was his final battle. he knows there is no salvation. John accepted his fate since the first bullet hit him. he knew there was no next one.
"come and embrace me on your benignity. let my fate be at your divine mercy. oh you beautiful being. there is much more cruelty on the world. let me be one on your love."
the darkness falls on top of John. it takes him above the land. the biggest eye looks directly at John. it is like if the Darkness has understood him. slowly John's body starts to be dissolved. the Darkness is taking him. but the method is painless.
on minutes John was turn into dust. the dust became part of the Darkness. just how John wanted. he became one with the Darkness.
the Darkness left. it was day time once more.
this time the Darkness only lasted twenty minutes. it was gone. but it didn't meant that the danger was over. because it is still out there. waiting for the next hunting time.
be aware of the Darkness. not only the one out there. but also the one on your heart. be aware of the monster. not the Pagan God, but the one that only appears once you are in front of a mirror.
Russell gets out of the garage. he haven't found the key jet. he starts to think that maybe Jacob didn't meant an actual key. but a hint. a way to escape.
Wendy and Dorian are still inside the car. Wendy was reading the notebook wile John was been killed. she drops the notebook inside of the car. she feels like she doesn't need to know anything else. she has learned enough from the notebook.
Dorian takes the notebook. without opening he tells Wendy that she forgot her object. Wendy tells him that he can keep it. with a soft smile Wendy tells Dorian that she no longer needs the notebook. Dorian felt confuse.
Dorian opens the door slowly. he walks out of the car. Wendy follows him. she is nervous and desperate. she didn't meant to hide anything from the others. but then it became hard to tell them.
"I can't. no more."
"ma'am I am tired of your child-like behavior. please, could you keep your lips sealed for me. we have no time to waste."
Wendy and Dorian are walking back to the gas station. they know something is off. both of them look up at the sky. they are shocked. there used to be four suns. now there is a fifth one up there. something must be wrong.
the five suns are moving. they are staying apart of each other. the suns are rotating. one of the suns gets closer. the other suns move further up. the biggest brightest sun turns black. it opens like an eye. from the center comes out a giant green arm.
the arm opens its fist. from the palm of the hand comes out some sort of branches. the branches are on flames. the branches go after Dorian and Wendy.
Dorian and Wendy are running away from it. the branches follows them on fast speed. there is a strange sound coming from the branches it is like if it could talk. Dorian looks back for a second. he is sweating like crazy.
Wendy is running with her eyes close. her glasses fall on the ground. she steps on her glasses by accident. Wendy can't see shit without her glasses. she stumbles with a rock and falls on the ground. Wendy hurt her ankle. she looks up at Dorian expecting help.
Dorian kept running. there was nothing he could do to helped her. in this game self preservation comes first. he can't be blame.
Wendy stands up with teary eyes. the branches hold her. her body is covered on flames on two seconds. the branches return inside of the palm of the hand. the hand returns inside of the eye.
just like that Wendy died. she died so fast she didn't even had time to accept it.
Dorian keeps running. while he runs he starts to pray. Dorian takes a crucifix from his left pockets. he holds the crucifix close to his chest. Dorian closes his eyes as he runs. after twenty long minutes he finally stopped in front of the mart.
Lorenzo was inside of the mart. he was there on his knees. on the same spot he was before everyone else left. he haven't move from there since he lose his brother. Lorenzo is still breathing. he is so tired and sad.
Dorian gets inside. he says hello to Lorenzo. he then falls on the floor. Dorian wasn't unconscious nor dead. he is just too tired to keep moving.
Lorenzo finally moves. he goes to the bathroom. Lorenzo returns and takes some snacks to eat. Lorenzo looks so sad and depressed.
.....
inside of the cabin.
this time Elijah Hatt is alone inside. there are only two members guarding the door. Karla comes inside once more. this time Karla stands with a smile.
"I did it. I killed him."
"no Karla, you didn't. you killed your prey, but not my successor. the next High Priest's name is Russell Peterson, not John Mercy Miller Jr. you committed a mistake based on few words. now get the fuck out."
"you smart old fucker. I am going to get what I deserve."
"not much really. a bullet on the forehead is all you need."
"don't play with me you old fox. I will be your successor one way, or another. you can't win every battle. you will make a mistake and I will take you down."
"I already told you, you foolish child. Russell is my successor. you are too corrupted to ever dream of a superior role on our organization. if it was for me I would had already taken your life child. now go and cry me a river."
.....
right now on the middle of the desert.
a tall fat guy is walking on the middle of the desert. he has a ginger long beard. he has short blonde hair. he has green eyes. he is about thirty-eight. this man's name is Michael.
he was going to visit his father on his dying bed. a father he haven't seen since he left his home. he had a horrible fight with his father ten years ago.
Michael was just on a mountain when a snow storm hit. then he saw a giant green door. because Michael is the curious kind of person he walked inside of it. now he is in the middle of the desert with coat and winter clothing.
Michael is holding a cup of tea. he puts the cup down on the floor. he can't with the heat. Michael takes his clothing off. he ends only wearing underpants and an old shirt. he keeps drinking his tea.
.....
on the gas station.
Russell, Lorenzo, and Dorian are inside the mart. the three of them are sad and silent. there has happen so much on the last few days.
no one is sure of what happened. why did Wendy died on day time? is any place safe at all on this nightmarish desert? there are many more questions to be answered.
Russell tells the others about Karla. he tells them that it was her who purposely took him here with the intention of killing him. so he can explain how he arrived here.
Lorenzo starts talking about how his brother crossed the green door. and he just followed him thinking it was safe. Lorenzo's voice sounds husky. his throat is so dry that it hurts him to say one single word.
Dorian tells them about his job as a policeman. he tells them about how he crossed the door thinking it was going to take him to a cult. he wasn't wrong. but the cult isn't the biggest evil behind the green door.
they all crossed a green door to come here. that is something that has been said many times already by now. it is something that has become common knowledge. but they never talked about the how. or how the time works.
while having a simple conversation. the three of them realized that before they crossed the green door, the time was either morning or night. but after crossing it was bright. they come to the conclusion that it probably was the same for the others.
if they only entered when it was a certain time. it means they can only leave when it is on a certain time. Russell remembers Jacob's final words.
"has anyone seen something big? like a big green rock?" said Russell to the others and to himself trying to remember.
"no. wait, I actually saw something green and bright. when I was with Wendy hiding from the Pagan God. I saw some bright green object. I ignored it because when the Darkness was gone, the object wasn't visible. I thought I was seen things."
"that is it. the Gates are only visible at night, but the Gates are only open on the day. that is what the old man meant with the keys on the night, and the exit on the day."
they finally have a way out. now the last thing that is left to do is to make a plan. they can't walk blindly when the Darkness is out. nor try to find a needle on a desert. they need to be smarter than the Darkness and those who died.
they could try to drive a car when the Darkness comes out. but that doesn't sound safe, especially for what happened with John. if there is something that they had notice, is that everyone is being emotionally affected by the Darkness.
for example Wendy was quiet, timid, shy, and calm on the beginning. later before her death she was over reacting to the smallest movement. she was crying and screaming even for the most minor incident.
not just Wendy. but everyone else has been becoming more aggrieved lately. it is especially more obvious when the Darkness is out. when the Darkness comes everyone becomes too emotional. it seems to be manipulating them based on their emotions.
Russell has a clear goal. getting the hell out of here. and then killing his own brother. Russell doesn't find a reason to forgive Ed, nor to let him get away with his crimes. Russell is thinking of a proper punishment.
Lorenzo stands up. he goes to the bread area. he takes a concha. Lorenzo is eating slowly at first looking at the ceiling. then he starts to eat faster. he takes another concha and eats fast. Lorenzo isn't hungry. but he wants to escape for his brother.
Lorenzo wants to live a long and happy life for his brother. he wants to escape and dedicate every day to Alessandro. that is the only thing he can do. Lorenzo starts to think about his pregnant bride. he needs to see her.
Dorian Perez is siting by himself. he is smoking. unlike Russell he isn't move by revenge. nor he has anyone waiting for him like Lorenzo. to put it simple. Dorian only has his job, there is no especial someone, nor anything pushing him to survive.
needless to say that Dorian doesn't want to die. that is why he ran away as fast as he could when Wendy was taken. it is just that he has no especial reason to live. he only breathes out of instinct. and that is why he questions why is he still alive.
there is something that Dorian has left to do. he has to finish the case that took him here on the first place. but Dorian isn't so sure anymore if there is any way to be done with it right now. especially not when it goes beyond a human's capacity.
Russell knows there are things of which they need to talk about. it isn't the time. not now when they all had something tormenting them on their heads. later when they are more at ease will be more appropriate.
Lorenzo stops eating. he looks at his brother's corpse. he doesn't know what to do. he can't pull down the corpse. even after death he doesn't seem to be able to rest. Lorenzo feels horrible to not give a proper burial to his brother.
Dorian stands up. he steps on the cigar. he then puts his right hand on his bald head like if he was combing hair that isn't there. Dorian looks at the other two.
"we know that we need to escape. we know how to. it is time to think about our next action. it is obvious that the cult members won't let us run away."
"there is also the point that Jacob told us about it. if he knew, then why he didn't escape before? he had the opportunity to run away. there has to be more that we don't know jet. there has to be something."
"you are right Lorenzo. the worst part is that I am a cop who can't do shit. we are trap on a place with no rules, with no laws. even the smallest detail is important. even the smallest mistake can cost us our lives."
Russell only stands listening to the conversation. he keeps his opinions to himself. he isn't so sure if he can trust in any of them. he doesn't know much about them. the only two people he knew are now dead. both had gruesome deaths.
Russell thinks about his girlfriend. he didn't took her to Ed's wedding. he could had asked her to come. but he was afraid of her thinking that their relationship was serious. Russell asks himself how serious was he about her. he can't think of an answer.
maybe on another circumstances he would had fallen for her. maybe on another timeline he found the one. but those are just theories on his mind. Russell is here now. whatever could or couldn't be. is no longer important. surviving is primordial.
inside of a gas station are three strangers sharing one same objective. there is more that could be told. there is more that can be edited. outside of that small cage hides the true evil of this zone. an evil that has existed for centuries, for millennia.
welcome to a desert with a living black cloud that eats at 'night time.' a desert with five suns and one of them can kill. a desert in which you can die, or go insane before dying. a desert in which surviving is a duel.