Emerald Twilight
Chapter 4
The sky was painted blood red as the feared night drew closer. Lightning lit up sections of the sky. A chilling breeze chilled the soldiers' bones, as if fear itself was blowing through them.
"Ready?" asked Robert, his throat blazing with fear and anxiousness.
"Ready as A'll ever be," answered Robbie, loading a shotgun.
The two watched the sky, their hearts pounding. Any second, the creatures that infest the most horrible nightmares were about to enter the city.
This is it, Robert thought to himself. This defines your entire life. Everyone's counting on you. You can't fail. The man gulped, and loaded his gun.
Suddenly, a violent flash of light tore through the sky like a knife through weak flesh. The soldiers watched the event, their hearts viciously pounding, knowing what was coming.
Gruesome roars and hollers sounded from the sky, and then, swarms of hideous creatures burst out of the abyss. Dozens had wings, some merely fell to the ground, killing the weaker beasts, others landed on buildings, swung on street lights, or did anything necessary to break their falls. The monsters harmonically let out a grizzly roar, celebrating their escape from their prison.
Robbie felt the blood freeze in his veins.
"Fire!" Robert screamed.
The two began to fire round after round of hot lead at the beasts. Several of the creatures were hit, splashing their blood into the air, and knocking them off the buildings. Others dodged or clawed at the bullets, deflecting them.
"I think we made 'em mad," declared Robbie.
The monsters charged and flew at the soldiers. Robert and Robbie quickly reloaded, and blasted into the army. Robert's fingers began to bleed. Robbie's shoulder ached as the gun recoiled again and again.
The beasts dropped like flies, but the numbers never seemed to diminish. A large werewolf-like creature lunged at Robbie, and slashed the weapon out of his hand, leaving a deep cut on his pointer finger and thumb. The man grunted in pain, and was knocked on his back by the creature.
The furry beast snarled, and raised his claw above Robbie's face, his eyes burning with hatred. Anticipating his death, Robbie closed his eyes.
However, before the monster could strike, a loud bang sound erupted from Robbie's left, and the beast's back exploded.
The cowboy turned to Robert, who was wielding a gun with a smoking barrel. "Thanks," Robbie said, still recovering from shock.
Robert nodded firmly, and tossed Robbie his shotgun.
Meanwhile, in a black realm coursing with green clouds of fog, Alex waved her hands over a crystal ball, her eyes glowing blue as she concentrated on her brother.
Teddy remained silent, staring at her friend. The entire situation was unfathomable for her. Alex had been her friend for years, but the two were separated for the longest time, now all of this was happening. This is too much, Teddy thought to herself, her head throbbing.
The blond teenager began to scream, unable to process what she was involved in, what was happening. This could not be happening. Life wasn't like this.
"Teddy!" Alex called, breaking her trance, and losing the glow in her eyes. The girl ran over to her hysteric friend, and grabbed her shoulders.
"I can't take this, Alex!" Teddy yelled. "I can't take it!"
Alex slapped her friend hard on her cheek, her face showing her frustration. "Stop it!" she screamed. "Just stop it! Okay?..."
Teddy began to calm herself.
"It's all I can do to force this on myself," Alex continued. "...Please...for Justin."
"...Alright," replied Teddy, her breath still heavy from her near-breakdown. "I-I'm sorry. This is just... a lot to take in. A part of me can't even accept that this is real."
"...I know," Alex replied, her voice grave. "I feel the same way."
The Latino picked up her crystal ball, and continued meditating.
Meanwhile, in San Francisco, California, the winds had been silenced for five hours. The city was ravaged, and the night was dragging.
The Tanner family's Victorian house had lost most of its siding, and the windows in Stephanie, and D.J.'s room had been shattered, but no one was injured.
"I'll check outside to see if it's safe," Danny volunteered.
"Danny, are you sure it's safe?" asked Joey, concerned.
"No," answered Danny. "But the girls are scared to death. They have to know that they're safe."
Joey thought a second, then nodded. "I'll be right behind you," he said.
"Thanks, buddy," replied Danny.
The two walked outside. Danny looked up, and saw calm skies clouded over.
Hearing the noises from their rooms, Donna and Stephanie, who were in very light, fear-laced dreams, awoke and walked downstairs. The generator had kicked on, but the lighting in the house was still dark, so the two took every step carefully.
"Dad, Joey!" D.J. called. "Whatter you doing?"
Suddenly, the wind picked up again, violently tearing through the city. Danny and Joey shielded their eyes from the small debris flying at them.
"Get inside!" Stephanie screamed. "Hurry!"
The two men struggled back towards the house. Before he could reach the porch, Danny heard a loud crack, and was then crushed by a large branch, which shattered his ribs.
"Dad!" D.J. and Stephanie screamed, their fear tearing through their throats like a knife.
"Danny!" Joey yelled, running back to his friend.
Jesse, Rebecca, Michelle, Nicky, and Alex came out of their rooms, and looked outside from the second floor walkway.
"No," Rebecca whispered, wanting to wake up from this nightmare.
Jesse held Rebecca and the kids, trying to hold back the tears welling up in his eyes.
"Look away, Jess," said Rebecca.
Michelle pulled away from her uncle, and ran towards her father, her eyes blurred over with tears.
"Michelle!" Jesse called, desperate to spare Michelle more emotional anguish.
The young girl ran up to Danny, Joey, D.J., and Stephanie. "Daddy!" she cried, her voice quivering.
"Girls," Danny said, his voice weak and hoarse as he suffered through every word. "...I love you...and I wouldn't have changed anything about any of you."
"Dad, no," Stephanie pleaded in a whisper, a painful lump forming in her throat.
"Daddy, please don't leave us," D.J. begged. The young woman saw her mother's death happening all over again. Donna's eyes began to fill with tears, and her throat began to throb.
"And Joey..." Danny continued, his eyes growing heavy as death grew closer. "Thank you for being a friend." The man's breath grew alittle heavier. "Tell Jesse and Rebecca... Thanks for the three of you helping raise my kids... For rebuilding our family."
Joey held back tears and nodded agreeingly. "Thank you for being a brother," he replied.
Danny smiled and nodded.
"We love you, Dad," said D.J., knowing her sisters were too upset to speak.
"...That means everything," replied Danny. "Tell Nicky and Alex I love them too."
"Sure thing, Dad," said Stephanie, her heart shattering.
"Your mother...would be so proud of all of you," Danny whispered. With that, Danny's eyes closed, he laid flat on ground, and the life left his body.
Stephanie began to openly cry, and buried her face in Joey's chest. Michelle closed her eyes, unable to take what she saw.
D.J. sniffled, and gently shut her father's eye lids, granting him one final honor.
"Please, no," Rebecca begged, her voice trembling.
The night, for the first time, truly fell on the Tanner household. Rain began to fall, and thunder crackled.
