19 years later

Smoke. Hanging in the air, like an unbroken silence. Thoughts filled with his troubled past echoed the future he had ahead. His thirtieth birthday would be spent in a make-shift bar, filled with outcasts of society, drinking. Night in, night out, the empty glass, his enemy. The very air he breathed, diluted with the stench of a vagrant. He looked to the door, at it's crooked and broken stature. But no one came through that door, no shining light, no immediate answer. Hopeless. But he still had his cross. This twisted place had been what Rex called 'home' for the last nineteen years. Home. He pondered. Home was certainly not a word to use for such a place.

19 years ago

It was raining. Something which baffled him, as he had seen it, but not felt it. Not ever. At that moment, he remembered something that his father once told him.
"That dome, that 'Webb' over our city protects us. Don't ever forget that."
As his head was lifted, water filled his lips. Although, there seemed to be plenty of that around already.
"Are y'all right there brotha Rex?" Asked the man who stood over him, requesting an answer.
"I hope so." Replied Rex, as he tried to figure out where he was.
"Where am I?" Demanded Rex.
As he got up, he noticed something. He had a cross in his right hand, but before he could take a closer look at it, the man with the crooked teeth replied.
"The St Killjoy, home to the finest drunken boneheads the world has ever seen!" Exclaimed the man, who seemed to have gotten ahead of himself.
Rex became more and more bewildered with every moment that man opened his mouth, and with another effort, he attempted to ask another question.
"How did i get here?" Asked Rex, with a sense of confusion on his face.
The man with the crooked teeth could evidently see that this was not the conversation to be had when they had just run into a storm.
"You'd better follow me, boy." Instructed the man with the crooked teeth.
The man opened a hatch, which lead down some stairs, pointing the way down to young Rex. As they both limbered into the cabin, beaten and half frozen, the warm air around them wrapped it's arms around them, as they made their way further and further into the cabin. Metallic clanging and clashing from time to time echoed across the room, sometimes, more frequently than others.

Finally, they had reached the mess-hall. Glaring eyes seemed to snap at their every move, and a sense of isolation pulled towards them, with Rex at the center.
"Now boys, capin' says we'll be in Hickory Creek in just a week, so buckle up for the longest day of your lives!" Said the man with the crooked teeth, enthusiastically.
An ecstatic cheer pulsated across the mess-hall, and drinks were raised. And spilled.
"Who's the young'n?" Questioned one man, who looked just as crooked and in place as the rest of them.
"Sent in by two men, already with another boy." Answered the man with the crooked teeth.
Rex began to remember. Felix.
"Common, I'll show you to your quarters." Mumbled the man to Rex.
But Rex was still thinking about the previous... Day, night, week? Piecing together the events, at the end of which he had ended up here, he thought to himself. He didn't even say goodbye to the place that he had called home for his entire childhood. By then, they had reached a much darker side of the ship. Bulbs frantically flickering above, etched markings on the walls, probably from forgotten souls.

"This be your room ere" Revealed the man.
As he swung the door open, a crashing sound was heard from within the room.
"Should of really pinned that up better." Commented the man as he looked at the fallen painting, now in pieces on the floor.
"Well, if yer need me, I'll be three floors up. Well, on the other side of the ship, but, hey-ho." Noted the man with the crooked teeth.
Three floors, wondered Rex, as he looked, blankly at the room, in which he would be spending a week in. Before he had a chance to speak, the man with the crooked teeth was gone. For a final time, the light flickered, then blew.
"I could get used to this." Mumbled Rex.

7 days later

The light barely shone through his tiny, dysfunctional window, which was suspended underwater. As Rex got up, it was as silent as as the grave. Where had everyone gone? Rushing to the deck, up the stairs, and down the corridor, he found an assembly of people on the deck, all of them grinning. This was the day they were to arrive at harbor. As the ironclad drew closer and closer to the harbor, hands began to rise, like blades of grass in the wind. The man with the crooked teeth approached Rex, and with him, the joy on his face.
"Well boy, we're ere!" Emphasized the man with the crooked teeth, now more formally known as Logan.
The sun had evidently just hit Rex, and Logan had startled him. Looking up at Logan, squinting, he sensed the anxiety on his face. That cheered him up.



19 years later

A god-awful smell had just hit him, the funk of forty thousand years. Behind where Rex was sitting, was a couple, babbling. The woman held a cigarette, suspended, arrested in a metal cigarette holder; the likes of which Rex had never seen before. He spun his head, as he became uninterested in the discussion the couple were having. Why should he interfere? An advert, displaying 'Muscle Build,' 'the newest, most splendiferous remedy for men, primed to be the best.' Not for him, Rex thought to himself. The items that were for sale at the bar were far more interesting. He began to question his presence in this place, for, it was eleven o'clock. That's a first. As Rex lumbered out of the bar, the sheer gloominess of the street seemed to elude him, as he carried on, trudging through the snow that blanketed the streets. Meandering his way through the town, he saw two priests, probably talking about something just as dull as their faces, look up at him, and speak, probably about him, but he didn't care. He began to notice more and more lights were suspended from buildings, even with no one around. In a trice, the cross, which was hanging from his neck, began to glow. As he reached out to it, the cross began to vibrate. Rex stood still against the crisp air that blew at him, staring at his cross, that now portrayed a message. 'Webb City.'
"That ain't no normal cross." He mumbled to himself as he scanned the cross in front of him.
Another message appeared, glowing. In red. 'Deliver Peter.'
That name. Peter. It struck him, like a baseball bat to the head. But he had left that man, along with Felix, a long time ago, and he was never going back. That was for sure.

This wasn't supposed to happen. Not yet. Racing through Felix's mind were the thoughts of his now lost father, Peter. The essence of the church, felt entirely different from the moment when he first walked in, to the sorry state it was in now. The stained glass windows, seemed to fade darker, and darker colors. Black as coal. The few people who attended the funeral, stared at the coffin, hungry for the tension to break loose. By now, the sun had been blotted out of the sky, and the church lay evermore silent. Felix was sat, opposite another priest, who had kindly opted to help Felix with the ceremony. This was no ceremony.
"Father Felix, do you want to say any words?" Asked the priest, hesitantly.
Still crestfallen, his anger grew, but in himself. He knew that he had nothing to live for, and the fact that he was being made to speak for his father, only spread the fire in his heart.

19 years ago

"Hurry up now, we've got to get going." Called Peter, as he anxiously tried to lure Felix away from Rex, who had fallen unconscious on the floor in front of him.
"NOW FELIX." Bellowed his father, growing ever more impatient with him.
"Should I take care of this, sir?" Questioned the man, who seemed loyal to Peter.
"Good idea, we should head to the dock." Stated Peter, as he took the arm of the now distraught Felix. The man, dressed in robe and overcoat, scooped up Rex, and began walking briskly behind Peter, who had now sped ahead of him. As they made their way through the evil infested city, Felix, who had been separated from his new friend, scouted the way ahead, and the countless number of bodies which scarred the ground. Buildings, which were once almost as tall as the dome itself, were now scattered across the city, with nothing but ash and blood left to tell their story with. As they reached the gate, once heavily fortified by government soldiers, who were ordered to 'not let the slightest of evil' in, they realized that they have since failed their job. Their corpses everywhere, littering the ground. A mass grave.
"Shouldn't be too far now." Suggested Peter, who seemed the most desperate to get to their destination.
"In fact, isn't it that it over there?" Questioned the man in robe and overcoat.
No response. They were exhausted, clambering for more ground to be covered as they had no time left.

As they approached the dock, only a fraction of the workers remained. All of them, scrambling for the next ship to leave. As the man in robe and overcoat dashed to catch the next ship, he stumbled into a curious looking man, almost questioning his presence with a single look.
"What yer be doin' here?" Questioned Logan.
"Um, we're just looking for spaces on that ship of yours, four to be precise." Requested the man in robe and overcoat, and he made it evidently clear that he had Rex in his arms. But, Logan had already seen that.
"My ship? Bah! The cap'n says..." Dictated Logan, but before he could finish his sentence, the boat had blown it's whistle. It was ready to leave. Felix was too discomforted to let go of the hand of his father, as they waited quite a distance away from the man in robe and overcoat.
"Alright, we're leaving. You be coming or not?" Asked Logan, as he hurried his speech.
"No, jus- just take the boy, I'm traveling with them, over there." Pointed out the man in robe and overcoat.
Suddenly, Felix leapt out of his father's hand, as he had seen Rex being handed over to Logan. He sprinted, hoping he would make it. As he approached Rex, who lay in the arms of Logan, he placed a cross necklace in Rex's hand, then slowly pressing it inside, locking it into place. As Felix hopelessly watched as Rex was taken onboard the Ironclad, he felt a piece of his life, tear itself away from him, uncontrollably.

19 years later

"So tell me, how did you get out of the dock?" Questioned the priest sitting next to him.
"That part, i don't know. And as I think back, it seems more unsettling the more it becomes clearer. So I don't tend to think about it." Explained Felix, as he pretended not to notice that the large majority of the people had left the church. Felix got up, as his thoughts tried to hold him down, to tell the rest of his story. Still sitting, the priest looked up at Felix as he paced towards his father's coffin.
"Shall i leave, father?" Asked the priest, as he could notice Felix's hand, resting on the coffin. Felix basked in silence for a moment, then replied.
"No, no, you're welcome to stay. Who knows, maybe you can cheer up that lackluster sitting in that box." Laughed Felix, as he instructed the priest to sit down. Grinning, the priest was still keen to ask more questions.
"So, what did you do when you got off the boat? For, surely you had nothing when you had arrived." Questioned the priest, still with a sense of interest in his eye.
"My father was a religious man, so, what else could we have turned to?" Replied Felix. The priest nodded his head, in agreement as Felix began to explain indeed exactly what they had done in those nineteen years.

"Charlie, who was the man, loyal to my father, had some family in Hickory Creek. They didn't seem too pleased to see us. Especially not Charlie. A woman, who I think was his mother, demanded that they speak in private. So, they argued, and argued, something about money and you know, family issues. You see, Charlie was a fairly wealthy man, and we had just arrived in a a place not even a pig would call home." Stated Felix, as even his facial expressions dwelled on the past.
"What happened then?" Demanded the priest, who was still sitting in complete awe of Felix's story.
"My father excused us, and we left, never to see that man again. The next place we headed, was a place that my father had been anxiously awaiting to go to ever since we left the ship. The local church. We were there all night, for, we had not had the best week of our lives." Explained Felix, his eyes, becoming deep into his story.
"I suppose things got tough after that." Pointed out the priest, ever more engaged.
"It is only when we are in need, that we turn to God. So, that's what i did the most, and there, i truly found God. My father, however, had already found God. Me and my father didn't have the best relationship; something about that man changed the night we set sail. Something that he left behind. God became the only thing we shared, and most nights we barely even spoke. I often find myself thinking, have i become another person?" Questioned Felix, his eyes widening, like the window he saw into his past.

"Should we leave? You know, it's getting late." Asked the priest.
"Sure, just give me some time, will you Jacob?" Requested Felix, as he navigated his way over to his father's coffin.
"Ok father, I'll just be waiting outside, when you're ready." Reassured Jacob.
Felix studied the coffin which sat in front of him. Placing his hand on the coffin, a rush, a wave of thoughts pulsated through his mind.
"I'm sorry." Murmured Felix, as he crunched up his hands on the coffin. A tear flowed from his cheek, and pounded onto the coffin. He took off his beloved cross, but before he could place it down onto the coffin's surface, the cross began to glow, then beam with spectacles of immense light. An inscription began to appear before Felix's very eyes. 'Webb City.' He couldn't believe it. He had found the answer. Before he could wonder any more, another imprint into the cross had appeared. 'Deliver Peter.' Perplexed, Felix stood in a state of complete mental trauma. He snapped at the cross, taking a deeper look at it. Peter Anderson, his father? The very same man who was lying in that coffin? This could not be, he thought. What did these people want with his father? He continued to ponder, did God want his father?

Exiting the church, he found Jacob, who had been patiently waiting for his arrival.
"Are you alright?" Asked Jacob, insisting that he give an answer.
Only Felix knew the answer to that. Of course he wasn't, but he wasn't going to say that.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Assured Felix, still with the look of distraction on his face, still trying to piece together what had just happened to him.
As they proceeded down the street, a glum looking fellow passed by them, and the stench of alcohol radiated the air around him.
"The devil's drink." Complained Jacob as they passed the stranger.
As they neared Felix's home, Felix frequently glanced at his cross, seeing if he could catch sight of this mystical light again. But it didn't.
"Well, I'll see you at tomorrow's gathering. I hear it will be quite the spectacle." Boasted Jacob as joy filled his heart, just thinking of the very next day.
"I'll see you there, brother Jacob." Who was already advancing towards his house.
As Felix sat on his bed, countless thoughts rushed through his head, but only one seemed to make sense at that moment.

He must go back to Webb City.

A cold sensation struck Rex, as he realized would have to spend another day in this god-forsaken place. A metallic rattling was heard, just down the corridor. Where the other prisoners were still asleep. A ferocious cry came from many of the inmates, who had just been woken up, back to hell.
"Here are your uniforms, you have ten minutes to get your sorry selves into the laundry room, there, you will resume your duties. I'm looking at you Laurence!" Commanded the prison officer, as he waltzed through the prison block.
"Another day." Expressed Rex, as he put on his battered uniform.
The officer had now heard Rex's comment, and was inspecting the blocks, scouring for the voice from which it came.
"What was that? I wonder, someone in here, thinks I'm going to have everyone's day ruined, by having negative comments like that in my block!" Echoed the prison officer, who was now swiftly approaching Rex.
"Where are you from, son?" Demanded the prison officer, his eyes, burning red with fury.
"What?" Questioned Rex, in total and complete fear.
"Do they speak English in what?" Roared the officer, as he was now clearly drawing attention to himself, and Rex.
"Um, no sir." Replied Rex, deadlocked.
"Well someone better give me an answer, or that 'another day' of yours will be-" Scolded the officer, as he was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. The footsteps of a higher authority.



19 days ago


"The courtroom shall now hear the statement, from the victim. You can come forward, and take the stand." Announced Judge Kirst, as he seemed eager to take the first hearing of the day. A tall man, looking as pale as death itself took the stand. His lips, trembling as he was obviously not looking forward to the trial ahead.
"On the evening of 19th March 1919, Lloyd Kennet, was brutally assaulted by Rex Harlow, in a bar, south of the docks." Declared Judge Kirst, scrolling through documents, witness statements, arrest warrants, the whole lot was there.
"Is this true, Mr Lloyd?" Asked Judge Kirst.
"It is true." Replied Lloyd, hesitantly.
The courtroom, itself, was composed of journalists, lawyers, and relatives of the victim. Tears flowed, notes were taken, and the audience fell silent, as the victim gave his heart-breaking testimony.
"I'd like to object, miss. Rex here, only wanted back his item, i believe it was a cross. This vial man attempted to steal it off of Mr Rex here. I greatly suggest that this man is put into custody!." Demanded Rex's lawyer, as he stood up, swiftly.
The interruption had soon not prompted anything but a denial by the Judge, and the glancing stare of everyone in the courtroom.
"Denied." Called the Judge, as he then proceeded to ask more questions from the victim.
As Lloyd expressed his story, the atmosphere inside the courtroom fell caliginous, and faint. Obscured by the painful words echoing from Lloyd's mouth. The testimony followed on for five hours, five traumatic hours of endurance and bitterness. The now pale faces of everyone who witnessed this man's words were surely shattered and despairing.
"We will now take Rex Harlow on the stand." Dictated the Judge, as it was clear that Lloyd had given the winning statement.
Rex cautiously took his place at the stand, as his face displayed nothing but regret, and grief. Before Rex could speak, the cross, still clinging onto his neck, gleamed, bringing light to the morbid room. Obscuring it, he held it in his hands. With one final look, the incomprehensive glow faded away, and with it, hope. More and more thoughts rushed through his mind, but he could only think of one answer.

He must go back to Webb City.

19 days later

"You have someone to see you, Rex." Stated the prison officer, giving a look of disgust to Rex.
But who could possibly want to speak to Rex? He knew that he had lost everyone that he knew, and loved. This must be his answer. As Rex took his seat, he glanced at this mysterious man who seemed keen to speak with him. The man looked back at him, with a look of recognition on his face. Had he seen this man before? Before Rex could utter a word, the man reached into his own pocket, and strung out what looked like a large sum of cash. Next, he got up, and strode away, much to the disappointment, and relief of Rex, who still sat in the visitor's room. Hours had now passed, and he wasn't any closer to meeting this mysterious man. An officer approached him, surveilling his every move, until he caught him.
"Congratulations, Mr Rex, you're free to go. If you would kindly step into your cell, pack up your things, and you can go." Exclaimed the officer.
Rex was astounded. He couldn't believe his luck, or the man that had just possibly freed him from his own living nightmare. The man, in suit and tie, looked very familiar to Rex, as if his exact image had never changed, or been altered by time itself, but Rex wasn't going anywhere without first seeing this man. As he raced towards the man, the mysterious man vanished. Gone.

April 19th 1919

Rex had made it. Webb city. Though, it was still the same desolate place that he had left, many years ago. As he staggered through the rubble, it was a marvel to see that there was no dome, looming over the city; he felt an essence of freedom in this place, even though he had felt it since. Unlike his childhood. The paint, which had once lined the city, was now cowering under the ash and blood that tormented the forsaken city. Shards of glass peppered the streets, tearing any daring would-be visitors to shreds. The stage, no longer held the luminosity that it once had, and the curtains, as red as blood. Banners, which had now fallen onto the ground, lead astray by the afflicting winds that blew across the city.

As Rex roamed the forgotten streets, he found himself in almost the same situation that had made him leave this place. Now, he was running, searching for an answer, something that would show up; revealing it was indeed them who had wrote those inscriptions on his treasured cross. He began to remember, also how luminous and cheerful that night had been, and how how safe he felt. None of those characteristics still appeared on the face of this city, not anymore. The city seemed almost unrecognizable, as time itself had weathered this place; civilization seemed to had forgotten this place, but then, so had God. In the far distance, Rex could see a man, dressed in robe and overcoat, approaching the church. Then, another, followed by a woman. As Rex observed the couple, he could make out their familiar appearances. They seemed to hold the same figures as his parents. He drew even closer, but in a flash, they had disappeared, although he felt it rather strange that they were all heading towards the church. What attracted them there? All of a sudden, a blinding light beamed from within the church, scattering all over the city. As the city lit up, Rex found himself drawn to this light, and he came closer...

As Rex entered the church, the light dimmed, and his path became clearer, and the very same red carpet that had enticed him once before, was now there to do the same. A booming voice was heard from the end of the church.
"Welcome." Roared the familiar voice as the man behind the voice came into view.
That voice, he wondered; he had heard it before, somewhere. Kneeling at the altar, was Felix, his hands, once again positioned in prayer. Rex, still walking down the isle, observed the banners, bleeding from the walls, for, even this place had been inflicted with the evil that had flourished outside. Then it occurred to him, he was being brought back to the city to relive his past; that meant the man standing at the altar, was indeed Felix, and the man standing next to him, Peter. This idea still ticked in his mind, although it still didn't make sense. Who wanted him? What for?
"Hello, I'm Felix." Exclaimed Felix, anticipating an answer.
"I know." Replied Rex, as he stood next to Felix.
"You're here! In good shape I presume." Announced Peter.
Rex, who was shocked to see Peter, started to stare angrily into Peter's eyes.
"Why have we been brought here?" Asked Rex, as both him and Felix tuned in for an answer.
"That can only be explained in one place, or near a certain object. So if you would like to follow me, gentlemen." Dictated Peter, as he lead them to the end of the church.
At the back end of the church, stood an enormous gate, which had been placed at the back; it's lack of colour, and sheer power stunned Felix upon entering. The gate seemed to lead into nothingness, for behind it, was darkness.

As Peter approached the gate, Felix stood in complete awe of what he was seeing, while Rex, hardly seemed to acknowledge it.
"Now, where were we?" Questioned Peter, readily.
"Why have you brought us here?" Asked Rex, as he seemed to be ahead of Felix already.
"I have brought you here, because you are wearing something of great importance around your neck, and that something is what brought you here." Replied Peter.
"The cross?" Claimed Felix as he was still absorbed by the gate behind Peter.
"Yes, but you have to remember, what's more important is you, as you had to venture out here to get to where you're standing right now." Exclaimed Peter.
"What do you mean by, we're more important?" Questioned Rex, in a state of confusion.
"Two opposites will be brought here, when the Webb has fallen, to decide the fate of the city." Replied Peter, with the look of fulfillness on his face.
"So we were brought here, because we're opposites? But how are we opposites?" Demanded Rex, pleadingly.
"One is good, the other evil. The gate will open, and the victor shall determine the course of history." Explained Peter.
"Our crosses are the key to that gate, and whoever opens it will unleash good or evil into the world?" Questioned Felix as he pieced together what Peter was telling them.
"Yes." Replied Peter.
"You, Felix, are a man of God, a shining light on the city, a man of good deeds. And you, Rex, will bring evil and torment to this city, and with it, destruction and chaos." Uttered Peter.
"Who are you?" Asked Rex, disorientated.
"The man, Peter, left me a long time ago. The day of his death. The Great Evil that lurked outside the city, for many years needed someone, in which it could harbour itself. When your people felt isolated by the dome, and cast a rebellion against it, and your government, an opportunity struck, and 'The Webb' fell. Through the ash, it had found someone. Me. Although it could only hide itself in the fallen. So I waited." Explained The Great Evil.
"So you're not Peter?" Questioned Felix, heart broken.
"Peter will always remain in a coffin, in Hickory Creek, resting, waiting for his son to bring light into this world." Exclaimed The Great Evil.
"Now, one of you must acquire both keys to the gate; where destiny awaits..." Commented The Great Evil.
Rex had already seen a blade, already resting on the table. He did not have to think once before using it. In an instant, he plunged the blade, deep into Felix's heart. As he fell, Rex tore out the blade from Felix's lifeless body, and made no attempt to drop his dagger.
"The one with the most desire in their heart, shall tear open the gate, and bring it's hunger into the world." Vowed The Great Evil, as he stood in admiration of Rex's actions. Picking up Felix's blood stained cross from the ground, he approached the gate; placing the two crosses into their allocated slots, and with it, the gate opened...