After Darkness III

By J. F.Johns

THE FINAL INSTALMENT TO THE AFTER DARKNESS TRILOGY

It's the year 2160.
The Nation is divided between humans and cyborgs.
War has finally arrived.
If you want to survive, follow these simple rules.

Rule 1
Don't go out by yourself.

Rule 2
Don't get caught by Watchers.

Rule 3
Stay hidden.

Rule 4
If you break these rules, you'll die.

Welcome to the New Nation

• Language: English
• Publisher: J. F.Johns
• Release date: Sep 17, 2021

J. F.Johns

J.F.Johns is 25 years old and was born and raised in Spain. She studied English Literature and Creative Writing at ARU in Cambridge, UK.She's an animal lover, and spends her free time playing with her adopted dog, drinking too much coffee and posting book photos on her Instagram.She believes in the art of dramatic sighing and eye rolling. She works as a ninja, but has been told several times that she's not very good at her job.Eternal Darkness is her debut novel, and is the first book in the Eternal Darkness Trilogy.

Book preview

AFTER

DARKNESS

III

J.F.Johns

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Copyright © J.F.Johns 2021

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or stored in an information retrieval system (other than for purposes of review) without permission in writing from the author.

To Scarlet Lock and Eric Thorn.

Even though you are not real, you have been with me for thirteen years,

and that’s pretty magical.

Also by J.F.Johns:

Eternal Darkness

Eternal Darkness Oblivion

Eternal Darkness Revelations

Cyborg Tales

Sienna

After Darkness I

After Darkness II

‘You never know how strong you are,

until being strong is your only choice.’

Bob Marley

TIMELINE

2025- The cyborg experiments start.

2030- New Era; the cyborgs are introduced to society.

2040- X-Prototype experiments start.

2045- Government scandal creates riots and protests on the streets. The X-Prototypes escape the facility where they’re being held.

2050- The New Government officially takes control.

2060- Dark Era; the cyborg battle against the New Government is lost, and all cyborgs are banished to No Man’s Land.

2140- The cyborg community is reintroduced into the Nation.

2160- Present.

THE CAPITALS

Capital One

The epicentre of the capitals. It is where the New Government resides and most of the wealthiest humans. It is known for its outstanding futuristic designs, modern transportation and tight security.

Capital Two

This capital is located next to Capital One. It is the territory that produces everything for the capitals except food. Its sky is red from chemical pollution and the land is dry. The majority of the buildings are factories, but there are a few towns where workers reside close to the mines or factories.

Capital Three

Known as the agricultural capital. The centre of this capital is mainly composed of forests where the production of wood is high. On the outskirts, the land is used for agricultural purposes, and most of the food for the capitals is produced here. The land is green and fertile.

Capital Four

This capital is known for its commerce and temples. Nothing can be produced from the land as it has been over developed. The environment is densely populated and there is a lack of open spaces. It is the second richest capital after Capital One. It is famous for its silks, perfumes and the production of weaponry.

Capital Five

Also known as The Flatlands because of its terrain. It is one of the largest capitals, and one of the least populated. Many fields and pastures can be found in this territory, and it is mainly used for farming. It is the main manufacturer of meat and milk.

Capital Six

This capital is famous for its mountain ranges and the few towns that exist are built around them. Some of the smaller hamlets almost seem to be suspended from natural ledges in the sides of the mountains. The inhabitants are strong and tough. This is the poorest capital of the seven. The mines at the base of the mountains are famous for their gems and beautiful stones. Unfortunately, the New Government has power over these mines, and the profits are invested into Capital One.

Capital Seven

The jungle in this capital is used for the training of Watchers. It has extreme and harsh weather conditions. There are only a few small towns by the edge of the capital at the very border of No Mans Land, territory that no longer belongs to any capital.

PROLOGUE

Every night Terra Underwood dreamt of the same exact door.

It had pink lilies painted on it.

The person that had compelled her to suffer this dream could no longer harm her, but it didn’t seem to matter because each night when she fell asleep the door would appear. The dream always got darker. The door would creak open a little more with each passing night and Terra would grow braver in approaching what lay ahead.

On the other side there was a lake formed by crystalline water. The sand would get caught between her toes as she stepped forward, but the feeling was never entirely unpleasant.

Terra knew what awaited her, but no matter how many times she had the recurring dream, it never became easier. Her stomach would twist and turn, sending shivers up and down her body.

Usually the nightmare contained dead crows floating within the water and a boy, a boy with hair as dark as the night, crying on the other side of the shore. But now the dream had changed. The boy on his knees, crying from a pain she couldn’t quite comprehend, had vanished. The dead crows floating across the surface of the lake had gone. She was alone.

The moonless sky became a shade darker and Terra lunged forward in frustration, screaming at the top of her lungs.

‘I hate you!’

She wasn’t entirely sure who those words were meant for. But she cried out anyway. She kicked at the sand, sending it all over the place, even into her eyes. Falling to her knees, Terra sobbed. Why was she still dreaming such a dream? And why couldn’t she save the boy from her nightmares?

‘Terra.’

The softness of the voice made her body shake. That voice was always rough with an edge of harshness attached to it. Hearing it like that, like the echo of a bird’s song, made her tremble. It wasn’t right.

The water remained still. Nothing appeared from its surface, ready to attack her. But Terra couldn’t help but notice the stillness of the trees’ branches. The ruffling had suddenly stopped as soon as the voice had slithered through the air.

Glancing over her shoulder, Terra’s eyes bulged at the sight of the door. It had opened wider. Darkness like a palpitating heart could be seen on the other side. A darkness so rich and thick it was impossible to see anything at all within it. Terra felt heavily tempted to reach into it, to see what might happen. But she had dreamt this very dream every single night and knew what to expect. It scared her anyway.

Eyes as red as blood shone from within the darkness. The voice, a whisper, cruel and perverse, beckoned at her to walk through the threshold. ‘Join me,’ the voice whispered, a hint of amusement in its tone.

‘Come closer,’ she replied, her chest rising.

The voice took shape. The shape of a boy with a lean frame, hair dark like night and beautiful almond shaped eyes. It hurt to look at him, at what he had become. His eyes had been the colour of the moon once upon a time. Now they were red, inhabited by a monster that was slowly rotting his soul.

‘Kalem,’ Terra muttered, almost pleading. Her hand reached out, eager for him to grab it. ‘Let me save you.’

The boy, who no longer was a boy but something so much more, stopped a few paces away from her. A smirk appeared across his features. A cruel one.

‘I told you,’ he said, his voice cold and distant. ‘You were never meant to save me.’

Terra screamed as the darkness behind him engulfed everything, including her.

CHAPTER ONE

Terra Underwood awoke, startled. The sheets that covered her were drenched in sweat, her dark brown hair stuck to her sweaty forehead. It was always the same. Each night she would dream and each morning she would awake fearful that her dreams had come true.

Rolling over, she glanced down at the boy sleeping on the floor by her cot. They took it in turns to share the discomfort of the cold ground, but lately he refused more and more the comfort of the warm bed. Terra concentrated on his chest, making sure it rose and fell in a natural manner. She lived every single second of the day in constant worry over the boy with hair as dark as night. He was known by everyone as Kalem Akuma, the boy with beautiful Asian eyes the colour of steel. The lone wolf.

Now, however, he was no longer that boy but something no one -including herself- could quite decipher. Gone were those beautiful silver eyes, replaced by the colour of blood. His skin had turned a ghostly white and his veins resembled the colour of ink. He spent most of the time hidden away in dark corners, whispering to himself about things no one could understand. The Destroyer, which had been safely shared and secured within Terra’s and Scarlet’s bodies, was now living within Kalem. And clearly it was taking over.

Sighing, Terra climbed off the small cot, careful as to not awaken the sleeping boy. Her attention landed on Ten, the little girl sleeping on the only other cot in the cramped room. She did not stir. But her twin brother, Rife, was watching her from beneath the bed.

Terra placed her finger against her lips to make sure he didn’t make a noise. He wouldn’t. She’d never heard him speak, but the gesture brought a smile to his face, his eyes brightening. They shared a secret no one else knew.

It was harder and harder for Terra to sleep lately. The nightmares grew longer and scarier, so each night she would sneak out unbeknownst to the rest of the inhabitants. She needed to move, to keep her mind occupied with something other than her worries. Her stomach lived with a constant knot inside of it and her hands shook so bad it was impossible to hold a spoon.

‘Going somewhere?’ a voice said.

Terra froze, the hairs on the back of her neck rising. The little home that belonged to Zacchary was too cramped and small to keep creatures like Scarlet unaware of the movements within its four walls.

Terra twisted around, inches away from the main door, her shoes still in her hands. ‘For a walk.’

Scarlet Lock stood at the end of the dark hallway, her arms crossed against her chest. She was beautiful to look at. A long time ago, Terra would’ve shied away from someone like Scarlet, feeling less beautiful, less important. Too much had happened for such thoughts to settle in her mind now.

Scarlet stared at the wall, biting her lip. She did that a lot Terra realised. ‘It’s just a walk.’

‘Every night?’

‘I need to clear my mind.’

‘There’s a curfew.’

‘There has always been a curfew.’

It was pretty obvious that Scarlet wanted to say something else but decided against it. Terra was too tired to find out what it was. Turning towards the door, she said, ‘I’ll stick to the shadows. I’ll be safe.’ She didn’t wait for a response before vanishing outside. In this part of the city there were no lights on the streets after curfew. The sky was too polluted for the moon to shimmer through. Terra didn’t really mind. She’d grown used to these streets in the last few months, learning their twists and turns. Besides, she didn’t stay on them for too long.

If one knew where to look, they could easily discover the new routes people were using to move through the city unknown to Watchers. Terra rushed down an alley and lifted the manhole cover to the sewer, dropping down into it. It was pitch black at first until she continued forward, revealing lights further ahead. People had attached lamps to the walls, allowing citizens to walk safely through the different tunnels.

Terra stopped by one of the many lights and dropped the backpack she’d been carrying along with her. The laser-can she kept inside was almost out of battery by now, but surely she’d find another. Making sure no one was around, she began to spray.

It had started as an outlet for her anger after the loss of her father and Hooky. Now, now it was a symbol that gave hope to people. She couldn’t stop. She wouldn’t. It was perhaps just a drawing, but when others walked by and saw it, they remembered who the enemy was and what they needed to fight for.

Terra stood back to admire her work. An orange eye glared back at her. A black X had been sprayed across it. Everyone knew what it meant, who it represented. The eye that belonged to Hooky, shot down by the government itself. The X which was now branded on most citizens, allowing Watchers to capture and hunt them down.

Terra heard footsteps. Grabbing her things, she vanished back up into the real world. Only a few roads away from home, bright blue flashing lights appeared ahead. Watchers! She kept to the shadows, making sure to hide from view. Crouching down low, she watched the Watchers in their white uniforms strolling up ahead.

The smell of brandy flared up her nostrils. Terra swung her backpack backwards against the person sneaking up behind her. It was too late. The Watcher snatched her arms and pinned her against the wall. ‘What do we have here?’

‘Let me go!’

‘Out after curfew.’ The man tsked. ‘Let’s see the wrist.’

‘Bite me!’

The Watcher’s gloved hand twisted her around and snatched her arm out forward, pulling at the sleeve of her jumper. Terra glanced down at the X imprinted on her skin. ‘You ought to be in one of the camps, missy.’

‘You know where you ought to be?’ Terra spat. Luckily for the Watcher, his face was protected by his helmet and the saliva slowly dripped down, down, down. Terra watched in silence, her hands curling into fists.

‘What’s in the bag?’ the Watcher asked.

‘None of your business.’

Terra spotted a few more Watchers approaching. If she didn’t act soon it would be impossible to escape. With all her strength, she slammed her head against the Watcher’s shoulder, causing him to falter just enough for her to yank her arms out of his grip. Kicking, she managed to hit him in the stomach. The other two Watchers lunged, but she was prepared. They used their truncheons against her, but she managed to miss each blow. Using her backpack as a shield, she slammed her full weight into the nearest Watcher and quickly lifted herself up a pipe, climbing up to the roof of the building. Their screams echoed against the walls of the alleyway, but Terra didn’t stop as she threw herself over the next roof.

A drone appeared in her sight of vision.

Terra ran, zigzagging across buildings, trying to lose the damn thing. She whacked it with her bag, but the drone managed to fly away from the blows only to return its persecution across the rooftops. From up high Terra could see the home where she’d been living for the past six months. She couldn’t run back there or the drone would follow her and discover where she was hiding. Twisting to the right, Terra leapt across another rooftop, slamming her knees against the floor.

Going back home was no longer an option and disappearing underground wasn’t one either. Hesitating, Terra quickly tried calculating an escape route which wouldn’t give away any major hiding spots.

Just as she was about to continue, Terra heard a loud crash behind her. Twisting around, she spotted the drone on the ground, broken.

Standing beside it with a bat in his hands was Eric Thorn.

…

Eric slammed the main door to the home shut with the heel of his boot as soon as it was all clear outside. He dragged Terra down the dark hallway and shoved her into a chair in the little kitchen. Noticing the backpack in her arms, cradled against her chest like a newborn baby, he grabbed it and threw it onto the table.

Morgana looked up from where she sat, giving them a stare that could cut through ice. ‘Must you make so much noise?’

‘Guess who I just saved from a damn drone and Watchers?’ Eric growled, leaning against a counter.

Morgana’s cold glare turned to Terra.

‘It was just a drone,’ Terra muttered in annoyance. ‘I got rid of the Watchers. Would’ve destroyed the drone myself, too.’

‘Terra.’ Morgana’s voice was just a whisper, but it was enough to make the human girl recoil. It didn’t surprise Eric. Even though Morgana didn’t look much older than eighteen, she could be scary. An X-Prototype, created by the Old Government to serve as a killing machine. Her body had been modified to resemble a deity, indestructible as well as beautiful.

‘What’s in the bag?’ Eric asked, brushing through his blonde hair. Terra huffed, clearly trying to pretend there was nothing inside. Eric quickly snatched the backpack away from the table before Terra could reach for it. ‘Laser cans?’ Eric wasn’t sure whether to be disappointed or not at what he had found. He had hoped for a knife at least.

‘What did you expect? A grenade?’ Terra snarled.

Eric scoffed. ‘With the times we’re living in, kid, I’d definitely expect something more than a stupid laser can. What you planning to do with those? Spray paint Watchers’ helmets so they can’t see when they fight?’

Terra bit her lip, looking away.

‘Jesus, seriously? That was your plan?’

‘Not exactly.’

Eric dropped the bag back on the table and returned to his spot by the counter, rubbing at his tired eyes in shock. ‘Morgana, do you make sense of any of this?’ He turned his attention to the X-Prototype who had remained too quiet. Very unlike her.

Morgana’s blonde curls bounced to one side as she cocked her head. ‘I’ve been seeing a few paintings throughout the city and I wonder…’ She smiled, a smile that made Eric freeze for a moment. It reminded him so much of Scarlet that his heart warmed immediately. They had this way, X-Prototypes, of brightening a room with their presence and especially with their smiles.

‘I have no idea what you’re talking about,’ Terra replied, eyeing Eric carefully. He gently slapped the back of her neck as soon as she stopped looking at him. ‘Hey!’

‘Don’t lie,’ he growled.

‘Fine.’ Terra sighed, clearly irritated at being caught. ‘I’ve been painting across the city. The citizens need to know that we need to stand up against the government and fight. They’ll give up! When they see the paintings, it brings hope back into their lives.’

Eric chuckled. ‘Boy, those paintings must be really good for people to…’ He shut up at the icy looks both Morgana and Terra gave him. ‘Never mind,’ he added, lifting his hands up in surrender.

‘At least I’m doing something!’ Terra remarked, crossing her arms against her chest.

Eric scoffed, but was quickly quieted by Morgana. ‘She’s right. People need to be reminded. People need hope.’

‘And a few spray paints across the city is going to provide such a thing?’ Eric sighed. ‘Look, kid, I know you’re just trying to help but I think we need to approach this in a different way.’

‘Don’t call me kid.’ Terra’s eyes narrowed. ‘And I’m open to suggestions, but until you come up with a better plan, I’m going to continue to paint.’

Eric couldn’t help but smile at her feistiness. He exchanged an amused look with Morgana, which Terra noticed. ‘We need to gather everyone and start putting a plan into motion.’

Terra stood, invigorated with a new found energy.

Eric pushed her gently back down onto the chair. ‘But not now. It’s the middle of the night. You need to get upstairs and rest. We’ll start tomorrow.’

‘But-’

‘Terra, wars are not won with plans made at night when everyone is tired and exhausted. Trust me on this. Go to bed.’

He could tell she wanted to say something by the way her eyes shone and her mouth tightened. She didn’t. Instead, Terra nodded and walked out, her shoulders tense with worry.

‘She has spirit,’ Morgana said, leaning her elbows on the table.

‘Spirit doesn’t win wars either, Morgana.’

‘Then what does?’

Eric lit himself a cigarette and shrugged. ‘I’ll let you know when I win one.’

CHAPTER TWO

Terra sneaked back into the room she shared with Kalem and the twins. It was a small space with a mixture of smells she had grown accustomed to. The window above her bed was tightly sealed, but between the cracks where the light filtered through, Terra spent her time peeking out, watching the world pass by as she waited. Everyone she had once loved was gone, and now all she had left were the people in this house. She needed to protect them.

Glancing down at the sleeping form on the floor, Terra trembled. Kalem held a monster inside of him, a monster that was slowly consuming him. And it was all her fault.

Kalem stirred and Terra turned to leave, scared she’d wake him.

‘Don’t go,’ he whispered so softly she was pretty sure she had imagined his voice. But she hadn’t. Those red eyes were watching her. It was so hard to tell whether it was Kalem or the monster that stared through them.

‘Did I wake you up?’

Kalem shook his head. ‘I had a nightmare.’

Slowly, she made her way towards him. ‘Come, get on the bed with me.’ He did as she said and they lay on the small cot, holding onto each other. She had wrapped her arms around him many times as he convulsed, fighting the monster that was slowly taking over.

‘You’re shaking,’ he muttered.

‘I’m just cold,’ she lied.

Kalem brushed his nose against her neck. She allowed him the gesture. She would never be afraid of him. The monster terrified her, but not Kalem. She wouldn’t allow it to take control of him. She would protect him no matter what.

‘Where do you go every night?’ he asked suddenly, her body tensing against him.

‘Nowhere.’

Kalem leaned away, those red eyes searching for something in her own. Those thin lips of his curled slightly. It was a haunting image in the dark. ‘Don’t lie to me, Terra.’

‘I would never.’

Kalem reached forward again, his mouth against her neck. She stilled, waiting for something to happen. His lips moved upwards until reaching her ear. ‘I know what you do at night, Terra.’

Terra remained quiet, her heart beating against her chest like drums. She waited for him to say something else, to accuse her of something, but he didn’t.

Time passed and Terra thought she had fallen asleep. It was only when Kalem spoke again that she realised she hadn’t slept at all, but rather she had stayed frozen on the bed, waiting without breathing.

‘I know everything,’ he whispered against her ear. ‘I see everything.’

Shoving him away, she stared at him in horror. ‘Kalem?’

The boy in front smiled. ‘Not Kalem.’

Hands shaking, Terra gripped the sheets of the tiny cot. She kept her eyes focused on Kalem, afraid he might vanish into the darkness of the room. ‘Tell me what you want, Destroyer. Tell me.’

The boy’s wicked grin spread, expanding, showing teeth. ‘I want just one very simple thing.’

‘What is it?’

‘To destroy.’

…

Scarlet sat on the double bed normally shared by Camille and Malcolm, biting the skin around her nails as her stomach tightened with worry. So much was going wrong in their little world and there was still so much to do. It was hard to tell where to start.

Petra had created camps in the last few months where she sent citizens who had ‘committed a crime’ or gone against the rules. It was beyond ridiculous. Petra wouldn’t have anyone left if she kept it up. They needed to find a way to destroy these camps. And they needed a way to destroy Petra.

‘Don’t hover by the door,’ Scarlet said, glancing up.

Eric’s bright blonde hair was the first thing to appear. It needed a cut, it was becoming wild, almost as wild as him. He made his way to her side, climbing on the bed and kissing her cheek. ‘Couldn’t sleep?’ he joked, knowing full well that a creature like her didn’t require such basic necessities.

‘You shouldn’t have been so harsh on Terra,’ Scarlet replied, ignoring his tease.

‘Hate it when you eavesdrop.’

‘I don’t eavesdrop. This house is very small, it’s impossible for me not to hear what goes on inside these four walls. And don’t change the subject.’

‘Doesn’t her safety worry you?’

‘Of course!’

‘Well then.’

‘But you could’ve been kinder. She’s lost so many loved ones.’ Eric sighed, then kissed her neck.

‘You’re right. I’m sorry.’

Six months ago, Petra had murdered Terra’s father in Square Park, along with Hooky. The blow had devastated Terra. Now she spent her time down sewers painting on walls and fretting over Kalem and the monster that lived within him.

Too many problems and not enough solutions, Scarlet thought.

What Petra had done to them, to Terra, was unforgivable. She had to be stopped. But how? She was well protected now, it would be so much more difficult to reach her. Their home had been raided by