The Revelation; A Path

He shoved the book back in the drawer and closed it, rushing to his father's side. His hands trembled.

"Bella!" he yelled. "Bella!"

"Vincent... I'm... fine..." Grandpa wheezed, his voice strained and laboured. Then, thudding footsteps echoed through the hut as Isabella arrived at the closed door.

"Vinny!? Open the door!" she shouted.

Frantically, Vincent scrambled to unlock the door, as Isabella and Lily rushed inside once open.

"What's wrong, father!?" Isabella exclaimed.

Grandpa coughed weakly, his face contorted. "Just… a cough." he managed to gasp out between breaths.

"Vinny, help me get him to sit up." Isabella instructed.

He nodded. Together, they carefully lifted the old man, easing him into a more comfortable position. Lily stood by, her face pale with fear as she watched her grandpa struggle.

"Wha… what's… what…" she stammered.

"It's okay, Lily." Vincent said softly. "Grandpa just had a little coughing fit, but he'll be alright. We're going to make sure he gets some rest, okay?"

Lily nodded as she tried to hold back her tears. "O-okay." she whispered. Grandpa's breathing gradually steadied, and his eyelids drooped with exhaustion as he settled back against the pillows. For a moment, the room fell into a heavy silence, broken only by the soft sounds of Grandpa's breathing. 

"We should let him rest." Isabella murmured.

Vincent nodded. "Yeah." he agreed. "Let's just… leave him be."

They moved away from the bed, leaving the room with the door slightly ajar. As they did so, Isabella gently squeezed Vincent's hand, offering him a small smile. "He'll be okay, darling." she whispered.

"Yeah..." Vincent hesitated. "I think I'll stay with him for now, alright?" he murmured.

Isabella nodded. "Of course. Take your time, Vinny." she said, as she and Lily made their way to the small kitchen area, where Lily sat huddled in a corner, her eyes wide with fear. Isabella knelt down beside her, wrapping her arms around her daughter.

"We're all here together." Isabella said softly, pressing a kiss to Lily's forehead. "We'll get through this, I promise."

Vincent closed the door with a click of the handle. Sighing at his sleeping father, he slid open the drawer again. He held the book again in his hands, gripping it tightly. Opening it again, he continued Entry Two.

[ENTRY TWO]

I'm trying to keep it together. For our kids. They're terrified, but won't say a word. I can't even remember the last time I slept properly. My hands are shaking as I write this. We've barricaded ourselves in. Each day feels like eternity. I can't focus. I'm praying. We all are. No wait, who am I praying to? God? Not anymore. Bullshit. What's this, his mercy? I don't want it. Nobody does. Madness. Madness and more madness!

"What the…" Vincent gasped.

Suddenly then, grandpa called out for Vincent in a soft voice. "Vincent…"

"Dad? Are you okay?" he said, turning to him.

"Skip to Entry Six…" the old man wheezed.

"What? Why?"

"Just do it… when I die… read the previous…"

"Don't say that."

"You act like I'm immortal… heh." he chuckled.

"Okay, fine. Do you need anything though, dad?"

"Just… read it a bit louder."

"Alright." Vincent agreed, skimming through the worn pages to Entry Six.

[ENTRY SIX]

November 3, 2154

The gunfire stopped too. But all we see is a wasteland. There's some survivors, like us. I miss my wife. My kids miss their mother too. There's no sun outside because of the clouds covering the sky, and now it's cold. Goddamn it. Ash and smoke's literally everywhere. We let a weird lady in here a week ago. She's been helping my kids not feel lonely. But thing is, she isn't hu—

"Stop!" grandpa commanded.

"Wha— huh?" Vincent looked at his father.

"Stop reading… skip to seven… I made a mistake… sorry…" grandpa said. 

"Fine." Vincent replied, skipping to Entry Seven.

[ENTRY SEVEN]

November 8, 2154

It's another tough day in this endless nightmare. We're running low on everything, and the cold is relentless. The lady vanished today. When I woke up, she was gone, and the barricades were removed from the door. I stepped outside for the first time since the war began. It was quiet. Everything was in ruins, with rubble and ash everywhere. It's much calmer now, but the cold is getting colder. I searched for the lady but couldn't find her. It's strange how she disappeared like that. The trees were horrific, and I felt like puking from the stench. I saw a path though (made of gravel, near the riverside). It stretched to the horizon, the river's actually kind of long. I might go there in the morning. But I don't want to leave my kids alone. Should I take them? I'm scared. What if something happens? But we're basically out of food. Fuck it. I'm going next day, and I'll write everything I see immediately. Remember this. Okay. Remember this Elias. Please. Don't forget to take this journal, me. Don't.

"Vincent…" Grandpa murmured.

"Yes, dad?" replied Vincent.

"When I die you will tell Isabella and Lily about this… journal." 

"Why not now?"

"Because of Entry Three to Five…"

"Just let me read it."

"No!" grandpa tried shouting, but coughed harshly.

"Calm down, dad."

"You will not read before I say so."

"Fine. I won't read it." Vincent sighed. "Do I read the next one?"

"No… not yet…"

"Then when?"

"After you read the previous ones…"

"Dad, why?"

"Don't question me… that is how I read it too…"

"Alright."