The last words echoed across the sky. Gwen pulled Elias against her chest.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n Eve shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is nowhere to go.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause they already know where we are.\u201d<\/p>\n A deep vibration rolled through the ground.<\/p>\n My grandfather looked around.<\/p>\n For the first time, he seemed genuinely frightened.<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody down!\u201d<\/p>\n We all dropped.<\/p>\n The sky suddenly split open.<\/p>\n A massive beam of white light struck the earth several miles away.<\/p>\n The ground shook violently.<\/p>\n Trees collapsed.<\/p>\n Buildings in the distance shattered.<\/p>\n Then another beam appeared.<\/p>\n Then another.<\/p>\n Then hundreds.<\/p>\n They formed a perfect circle around us.<\/p>\n Henry stared.<\/p>\n \u201cThey’re surrounding us.\u201d<\/p>\n Mara raised her weapon.<\/p>\n \u201cHow many?\u201d<\/p>\n Elias looked at the sky.<\/p>\n \u201cMore than we can count.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at Eve.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do they want?\u201d<\/p>\n She whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cElias.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at the baby.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause he’s the first human they didn’t create.\u201d<\/p>\n I froze.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n She continued:<\/p>\n \u201cEvery human before him was influenced by the archive.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut the archive is gone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExactly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo Elias is completely free.\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that is why they are afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n The baby suddenly opened his eyes.<\/p>\n He looked directly at the sky.<\/p>\n For a moment\u2014<\/p>\n everything became silent.<\/p>\n Then every light stopped moving.<\/p>\n The entire world held its breath.<\/p>\n A voice came from above.<\/p>\n \u201cRETURN THE CHILD.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n I stepped forward.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n The voice answered:<\/p>\n \u201cHE DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cHe’s my son.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHE DOES NOT BELONG TO HUMANS.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Gwen stepped beside me.<\/p>\n \u201cHe belongs to himself.\u201d<\/p>\n Silence.<\/p>\n Then the voice changed.<\/p>\n \u201cTHEN YOU WILL ALL DIE.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Evan raised his weapon.<\/p>\n \u201cCome and try.\u201d<\/p>\n A million lights began descending.<\/p>\n Henry shouted:<\/p>\n \u201cMOVE!\u201d<\/p>\n We ran.<\/p>\n The ground exploded behind us.<\/p>\n I grabbed Gwen’s hand.<\/p>\n She held Elias.<\/p>\n Evan ran beside us.<\/p>\n Henry and Mara covered the rear.<\/p>\n My grandfather disappeared.<\/p>\n I didn’t know where he went.<\/p>\n We reached the ruins of an old building.<\/p>\n We threw ourselves inside.<\/p>\n An explosion shook the walls.<\/p>\n Dust filled the room.<\/p>\n Gwen looked at Elias.<\/p>\n He was still calm.<\/p>\n Too calm.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy isn’t he crying?\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at the baby.<\/p>\n His eyes were open.<\/p>\n He was staring at something above us.<\/p>\n I looked up.<\/p>\n Nothing.<\/p>\n Then\u2014<\/p>\n a face appeared through the ceiling.<\/p>\n A woman’s face.<\/p>\n Beautiful.<\/p>\n Completely white.<\/p>\n No eyes.<\/p>\n No mouth.<\/p>\n Yet somehow\u2014<\/p>\n she was smiling.<\/p>\n Gwen screamed.<\/p>\n The face disappeared.<\/p>\n I raised my weapon.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone out!\u201d<\/p>\n We ran through the back door.<\/p>\n Outside, the world had changed.<\/p>\n The sky was no longer blue.<\/p>\n It was black.<\/p>\n Not night.<\/p>\n Black.<\/p>\n The stars had vanished.<\/p>\n In their place\u2014<\/p>\n massive structures floated above Earth.<\/p>\n Cities.<\/p>\n Ships.<\/p>\n Temples.<\/p>\n Entire worlds.<\/p>\n Impossible civilizations.<\/p>\n I stared upward.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are those?\u201d<\/p>\n Elias whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cTheir homes.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou’ve seen them?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n Elias stared.<\/p>\n \u201cI’ve remembered them.\u201d<\/p>\n A figure descended from the sky.<\/p>\n Then another.<\/p>\n Then hundreds.<\/p>\n They landed silently.<\/p>\n They looked human.<\/p>\n But each had different faces.<\/p>\n Different ages.<\/p>\n Different bodies.<\/p>\n Some looked like children.<\/p>\n Some like elderly people.<\/p>\n Some looked exactly like us.<\/p>\n One stepped forward.<\/p>\n A woman.<\/p>\n She wore a simple white dress.<\/p>\n Her hair floated as if underwater.<\/p>\n She looked at Elias.<\/p>\n Then me.<\/p>\n Then Gwen.<\/p>\n She smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cMy name is Seraph.\u201d<\/p>\n I raised my weapon.<\/p>\n \u201cStay away from my family.\u201d<\/p>\n She looked amused.<\/p>\n \u201cFamily?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n She tilted her head.<\/p>\n \u201cYou still believe blood determines family.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat else does?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMemory.\u201d<\/p>\n I froze.<\/p>\n She smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cThat’s why we came.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you want?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour memories.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause yours contain something ours don’t.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n She looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cChoice.\u201d<\/p>\n I didn’t understand.<\/p>\n She continued:<\/p>\n \u201cWe created the first archive because we discovered that memory could control evolution.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared.<\/p>\n \u201cYou created it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou created humanity?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n She pointed toward Eve.<\/p>\n \u201cShe did.\u201d<\/p>\n I turned.<\/p>\n Eve was staring at Seraph.<\/p>\n Seraph smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first human.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at Eve.<\/p>\n \u201cShe created humanity?\u201d<\/p>\n Seraph nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cNot alone.\u201d<\/p>\n She pointed at me.<\/p>\n \u201cHe helped.\u201d<\/p>\n I felt cold.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are you saying?\u201d<\/p>\n Seraph answered:<\/p>\n \u201cYou were the original pair.\u201d<\/p>\n Gwen stepped forward.<\/p>\n \u201cThen who am I?\u201d<\/p>\n Seraph looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cThe bridge.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBetween what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHumanity and memory.\u201d<\/p>\n Gwen shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n Seraph stepped closer.<\/p>\n \u201cYour body was created to carry memories.\u201d<\/p>\n She pointed at Elias.<\/p>\n \u201cHis body was created without them.\u201d<\/p>\n Then she pointed at me.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd your body was created to contain them.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared.<\/p>\n \u201cThen why do I have memories?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause you stole them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFrom whom?\u201d<\/p>\n Seraph smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom us.\u201d<\/p>\n The world went silent.<\/p>\n I couldn’t breathe.<\/p>\n \u201cYou’re lying.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou said the archive was created before humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen how could I steal anything?\u201d<\/p>\n Seraph looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause you were one of us.\u201d<\/p>\n My blood froze.<\/p>\n Evan stepped forward.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is he?\u201d<\/p>\n Seraph looked at him.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first rebel.\u201d<\/p>\n Evan’s face went pale.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n Seraph nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don’t remember because we removed it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did you remove?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEverything.\u201d<\/p>\n Evan looked at me.<\/p>\n Then Gwen.<\/p>\n Then Elias.<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Seraph raised her hand.<\/p>\n A light appeared.<\/p>\n Evan screamed.<\/p>\n His body froze.<\/p>\n Memories flooded around him.<\/p>\n He saw himself standing among the beings in the sky.<\/p>\n He saw the creation of the archive.<\/p>\n He saw Earth.<\/p>\n He saw humanity.<\/p>\n He saw me.<\/p>\n Then\u2014<\/p>\n he saw himself killing someone.<\/p>\n Someone who looked exactly like Seraph.<\/p>\n Evan fell to his knees.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember.\u201d<\/p>\n I grabbed him.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cI started the war.\u201d<\/p>\n I froze.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou couldn’t have.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI did.\u201d<\/p>\n Seraph smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cHe betrayed us.\u201d<\/p>\n Evan looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you followed.\u201d<\/p>\n I felt something inside my head break.<\/p>\n Memories began returning.<\/p>\n I saw myself standing beside Evan.<\/p>\n Not as brothers.<\/p>\n As something else.<\/p>\n Two beings.<\/p>\n Older than humanity.<\/p>\n Creating the first memory.<\/p>\n Creating the first humans.<\/p>\n Creating Eve.<\/p>\n Watching humanity grow.<\/p>\n Then\u2014<\/p>\n the others arrived.<\/p>\n They wanted to control everything.<\/p>\n We refused.<\/p>\n They erased our memories.<\/p>\n They separated us.<\/p>\n They turned me into the archive.<\/p>\n They turned Evan into the lock.<\/p>\n They created the descendants.<\/p>\n They created the future.<\/p>\n And they created Gwen.<\/p>\n I staggered backward.<\/p>\n Gwen caught me.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did you see?\u201d<\/p>\n I whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cWe’ve done this before.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow many times?\u201d<\/p>\n Evan answered:<\/p>\n \u201cMillions.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at Seraph.<\/p>\n \u201cYou’ve been resetting the world.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo find the version of humanity that survives.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared.<\/p>\n \u201cYou’ve been experimenting on us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd every time we fail\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe reset.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked around.<\/p>\n All the wars.<\/p>\n All the deaths.<\/p>\n All the memories.<\/p>\n All the generations.<\/p>\n All of it.<\/p>\n A cycle.<\/p>\n A loop.<\/p>\n I whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cHow many times have we lived?\u201d<\/p>\n Seraph smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cThirty-seven million.\u201d<\/p>\n Gwen covered her mouth.<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen why don’t we remember?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause we reset the memory.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at Elias.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about him?\u201d<\/p>\n Seraph’s smile disappeared.<\/p>\n \u201cHe is the first variable we couldn’t control.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause he was born after the final reset.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at my son.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd what happens if he survives?\u201d<\/p>\n Seraph looked frightened.<\/p>\n For the first time\u2014<\/p>\n truly frightened.<\/p>\n \u201cHe ends the cycle.\u201d<\/p>\n Silence.<\/p>\n I held Elias tighter.<\/p>\n \u201cThen he survives.\u201d<\/p>\n Seraph raised her hand.<\/p>\n Every being behind her raised theirs.<\/p>\n \u201cThen we have no choice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n She looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cWe must destroy Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n Gwen stepped forward.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can’t.\u201d<\/p>\n Seraph answered:<\/p>\n \u201cWe already have.\u201d<\/p>\n The sky opened.<\/p>\n I looked upward.<\/p>\n Something enormous was approaching Earth.<\/p>\n A black sphere.<\/p>\n Bigger than the moon.<\/p>\n Surrounded by thousands of rings.<\/p>\n Elias began crying.<\/p>\n The moment he cried\u2014<\/p>\n the sphere stopped.<\/p>\n Seraph stared.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n Elias opened his eyes.<\/p>\n They were glowing.<\/p>\n Not black.<\/p>\n Not white.<\/p>\n Gold.<\/p>\n The sphere began cracking.<\/p>\n Seraph screamed:<\/p>\n \u201cSTOP HIM!\u201d<\/p>\n Every being attacked.<\/p>\n Mara fired.<\/p>\n Henry fired.<\/p>\n Evan fought.<\/p>\n My grandfather emerged from the ruins and joined us.<\/p>\n Gwen held Elias.<\/p>\n And I stood in front of them.<\/p>\n The sphere cracked again.<\/p>\n A sound like thunder rolled across the planet.<\/p>\n Then\u2014<\/p>\n the sphere exploded.<\/p>\n Not outward.<\/p>\n Inward.<\/p>\n It collapsed into a tiny point of light.<\/p>\n That point flew toward Elias.<\/p>\n He opened his mouth.<\/p>\n And swallowed it.<\/p>\n Everything stopped.<\/p>\n The beings froze.<\/p>\n The ships froze.<\/p>\n The world froze.<\/p>\n Only me, Gwen, Evan, and Elias could move.<\/p>\n Elias looked at me.<\/p>\n He was still a baby.<\/p>\n But now\u2014<\/p>\n he could speak.<\/p>\n \u201cFather.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did you do?\u201d<\/p>\n He smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cI remembered.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEverything.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at Evan.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n Evan whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cHe’s awakened.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAwakened what?\u201d<\/p>\n Elias looked toward the sky.<\/p>\n \u201cThe First Mind.\u201d<\/p>\n The universe seemed to hold its breath.<\/p>\n A massive symbol appeared across the heavens.<\/p>\n It wasn’t the Veyra symbol.<\/p>\n It wasn’t the archive.<\/p>\n It wasn’t human.<\/p>\n It was something older.<\/p>\n The beings began disappearing.<\/p>\n One by one.<\/p>\n Seraph screamed:<\/p>\n \u201cNo!\u201d<\/p>\n Elias looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cYou had your chance.\u201d<\/p>\n Seraph disappeared.<\/p>\n The others followed.<\/p>\n The ships vanished.<\/p>\n The black sky became blue again.<\/p>\n The sun returned.<\/p>\n Birds began flying.<\/p>\n People started moving.<\/p>\n Everything looked normal.<\/p>\n Except\u2014<\/p>\n Elias.<\/p>\n He was still glowing.<\/p>\n I looked at him.<\/p>\n \u201cIs it over?\u201d<\/p>\n He shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat now?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked toward the horizon.<\/p>\n \u201cThey’re coming.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe ones who created the creators.\u201d<\/p>\n I felt my stomach drop.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are more?\u201d<\/p>\n Elias nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cMuch more.\u201d<\/p>\n Evan stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cHow many?\u201d<\/p>\n Elias smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cEnough to end the universe.\u201d<\/p>\n Gwen held him closer.<\/p>\n \u201cThen what do we do?\u201d<\/p>\n Elias looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cWe leave.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLeave where?\u201d<\/p>\n He pointed toward the sky.<\/p>\n I looked up.<\/p>\n A doorway had appeared.<\/p>\n But this doorway wasn’t like the archive.<\/p>\n It wasn’t circular.<\/p>\n It wasn’t mechanical.<\/p>\n It was enormous.<\/p>\n And beyond it\u2014<\/p>\n I could see another universe.<\/p>\n Another Earth.<\/p>\n Another sun.<\/p>\n Another version of humanity.<\/p>\n Millions of worlds.<\/p>\n Billions.<\/p>\n Trillions.<\/p>\n Endless.<\/p>\n Elias whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cThey’ve been watching every universe.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo find the perfect one.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor what?\u201d<\/p>\n Elias looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cTo become human.\u201d<\/p>\n I froze.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey don’t know how.\u201d<\/p>\n Gwen stared.<\/p>\n \u201cThen why do they want us?\u201d<\/p>\n Elias answered:<\/p>\n \u201cBecause we do.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked toward the doorway.<\/p>\n Suddenly\u2014<\/p>\n another figure appeared.<\/p>\n A man.<\/p>\n Tall.<\/p>\n Old.<\/p>\n Wearing a black coat.<\/p>\n He stepped through.<\/p>\n I recognized his face immediately.<\/p>\n It was mine.<\/p>\n But older.<\/p>\n Older than the man I had seen in the archive.<\/p>\n Older than anyone should be.<\/p>\n He looked at me.<\/p>\n Then at Elias.<\/p>\n And smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cFinally.\u201d<\/p>\n I raised my weapon.<\/p>\n \u201cWho are you?\u201d<\/p>\n He answered:<\/p>\n \u201cThe last version of you.\u201d<\/p>\n I froze.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n He smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cI’ve been searching for you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at Elias.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause he is the only thing standing between me and eternity.\u201d<\/p>\n Elias stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cFather.\u201d<\/p>\n The older version of me smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cSon.\u201d<\/p>\n I stepped between them.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you want?\u201d<\/p>\n The old man looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cI want what every human eventually wants.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo never die.\u201d<\/p>\n He pointed toward Elias.<\/p>\n \u201cHe can give me that.\u201d<\/p>\n I shook my head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n The old man smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cYou always say no.\u201d<\/p>\n Then he raised his hand.<\/p>\n Every version of me across every universe appeared behind him.<\/p>\n Hundreds.<\/p>\n Thousands.<\/p>\n Millions.<\/p>\n Different ages.<\/p>\n Different lives.<\/p>\n Different histories.<\/p>\n But all of them\u2014<\/p>\n me.<\/p>\n Gwen stared in horror.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are those?\u201d<\/p>\n The old version of me answered:<\/p>\n \u201cEvery life you could have lived.\u201d<\/p>\n Evan stepped forward.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd why are they here?\u201d<\/p>\n The old man looked at him.<\/p>\n \u201cTo finish what we started.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at the endless versions of myself.<\/p>\n One was a king.<\/p>\n One was a soldier.<\/p>\n One was a scientist.<\/p>\n One was a murderer.<\/p>\n One was a child.<\/p>\n One was an old man.<\/p>\n One was crying.<\/p>\n One was laughing.<\/p>\n One was holding Gwen.<\/p>\n One was holding Elias.<\/p>\n And one\u2014<\/p>\n was holding a weapon pointed directly at me.<\/p>\n The old man smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cChoose.\u201d<\/p>\n I remembered those words.<\/p>\n The archive.<\/p>\n My grandfather.<\/p>\n The copies.<\/p>\n The descendants.<\/p>\n Everyone had asked me to choose.<\/p>\n But this time\u2014<\/p>\n I understood.<\/p>\n They didn’t want me to choose between people.<\/p>\n They wanted me to choose which version of myself deserved to exist.<\/strong><\/p>\n I lowered my weapon.<\/p>\n The old man frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n I smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cNothing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI finally understand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUnderstand what?\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at every version of myself.<\/p>\n \u201cYou’re all me.\u201d<\/p>\n Silence.<\/p>\n \u201cSo none of you gets to decide which one is real.\u201d<\/p>\n The old man stepped forward.<\/p>\n \u201cYou’re making a mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at Elias.<\/p>\n \u201cHe’s making the choice.\u201d<\/p>\n Elias smiled.<\/p>\n The universe began shaking.<\/p>\n Every version of me looked at Elias.<\/p>\n And one by one\u2014<\/p>\n they disappeared.<\/p>\n Not killed.<\/p>\n Not destroyed.<\/p>\n They simply returned to me.<\/p>\n Every memory.<\/p>\n Every life.<\/p>\n Every possibility.<\/p>\n Everything became one.<\/p>\n I screamed as millions of lifetimes flooded through me.<\/p>\n I saw everything.<\/p>\n Every world.<\/p>\n Every death.<\/p>\n Every birth.<\/p>\n Every mistake.<\/p>\n Every love.<\/p>\n Every version of Gwen.<\/p>\n Every version of Evan.<\/p>\n Every version of Elias.<\/p>\n Then\u2014<\/p>\n silence.<\/p>\n I opened my eyes.<\/p>\n The old man was gone.<\/p>\n The doorway was gone.<\/p>\n The sky was normal.<\/p>\n Gwen stood beside me.<\/p>\n Evan was laughing.<\/p>\n Henry was crying.<\/p>\n Mara was staring upward.<\/p>\n And Elias\u2014<\/p>\n was asleep.<\/p>\n Just a baby.<\/p>\n I smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cIt worked.\u201d<\/p>\n Evan looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n I looked toward the sky.<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t know.\u201d<\/p>\n Then I noticed something.<\/p>\n A tiny black mark on Elias’ hand.<\/p>\n The same circle.<\/p>\n The same line.<\/p>\n But beneath it\u2014<\/p>\n a new symbol.<\/p>\n A star.<\/p>\n I touched it.<\/p>\n Elias opened his eyes.<\/p>\n He looked at me.<\/p>\n And whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cThey found the universe where we haven’t been born yet.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n My smile disappeared.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked toward the horizon.<\/p>\n A single star went dark.<\/p>\n Then another.<\/p>\n Then another.<\/p>\n Millions of stars began disappearing.<\/p>\n Elias whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cThey’re coming.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at Gwen.<\/p>\n She looked at me.<\/p>\n Then the sky displayed a message.<\/p>\n Not words.<\/p>\n A countdown.<\/p>\n 10<\/strong><\/p>\n 9<\/strong><\/p>\n 8<\/strong><\/p>\n 7<\/strong><\/p>\n Evan raised his weapon.<\/p>\n \u201cAgain?\u201d<\/p>\n 6<\/strong><\/p>\n Henry stepped beside us.<\/p>\n Mara prepared her weapon.<\/p>\n 5<\/strong><\/p>\n Gwen held Elias.<\/p>\n 4<\/strong><\/p>\n I looked at my family.<\/p>\n 3<\/strong><\/p>\n The sky opened.<\/p>\n 2<\/strong><\/p>\n Something enormous appeared beyond the stars.<\/p>\n 1<\/strong><\/p>\n Elias smiled.<\/p>\n And whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cThis time, they’re not coming for Earth.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n I looked at him.<\/p>\n \u201cThen what are they coming for?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked directly at me.<\/p>\n \u201cThey’re coming for the beginning of the universe.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n The stars went completely dark.<\/p>\n And somewhere beyond existence\u2014<\/p>\n a voice whispered:<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWE HAVE BEEN WAITING.\u201d
\n<\/strong>Nobody moved.
\nNot me.
\nNot Gwen.
\nNot Evan.
\nNot Henry.
\nNot even my grandfather.
\nThe little girl called Eve stood beside us, staring upward as if she had been expecting this moment her entire life.
\nI looked at her.
\n\u201cHow do you know them?\u201d
\nShe didn’t answer.
\n\u201cEve.\u201d
\nShe slowly turned toward me.
\n\u201cThey’ve been watching us.\u201d
\n\u201cWho?\u201d
\n\u201cThe ones beyond the stars.\u201d
\nI looked at the sky.
\nMillions of lights were appearing.
\nBut they weren’t stars.
\nThey were moving.
\nSlowly.
\nSilently.
\nComing closer.<\/p>\n