“How long have you been a Guardian, Jeremiah?” For the last four days Cassidy had spent her afternoons with him. He had hoped to meet her mother, but so far she had still been too busy to stop by.

“I joined after my father, who was also a Guardian, died. I wanted so much to be like him.”

“When was that?”

“Forty-seven years ago. I was only fifteen.”

“You must be awfully old now.”

“I certainly feel old.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you sad.” Cassidy got up and approached him, laying her head in his lap. Jeremiah lightly stroked her hair.

He’d grown to love this little girl like his own, truly enjoying the hours they spent together. She was an intelligent child and an attentive listener who always seemed to be studying the lines in his face. Sometimes it felt as if she were peering into his soul.

“No, it’s not you, Cassidy. I’m just tired.”

“Why don’t you take a nap? I’ll watch everything for you.”

Jeremiah patted her on the cheek.

“That’s sweet, child. But at my age, I’m afraid there’s only one kind of sleep that’ll ease my weariness.”

“Oh, you mean Death.” She uttered the last word with quiet reverence.

“You seem to know a lot about death.”

“Yeah. My daddy died before I was born.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize...”

“It’s okay. Mommy said he died for a noble cause.”

“Noble cause?” Jeremiah leaned forward.

Cassidy bit her lip.

“Mommy said we shouldn’t talk about it, that it’s a secret.”

“Cassidy, I’m your friend. I promise I won’t tell your secret to anyone. Please, won’t you trust me?”

She twisted the hem of her dress as she thought. Finally she looked up at him with a mischievous grin on her face.

“You promise you won’t tell?”

“I promise.”

“Well...okay. Mommy said that Daddy was the leader of a secret group called...the Dum-sares?”

“The Doomsayers?”

“Yeah, that’s it!”

The Doomsayers were a fanatical religious order from the outside world. They traveled the land spreading their doctrines of death, declaring that the world would one day be destroyed, signaling the dawn of a new day. And they were forever seeking the means to bring about their own brand of Armageddon.

Before the Donovan Colony had ended their contact with the world above, their scouts had encountered the Doomsayers. Some of the scouts returned spouting the cultists’ fatalistic beliefs. They proclaimed that the device they guarded was in fact a gift from God, given to them to bring about the cleansing of the Earth. They demanded that the Apocalypse Project be launched immediately. Violence erupted, and several people were killed. The fanatics were eventually subdued and imprisoned, and it was thought that over time their radical ideals died along with them.

Then about seven years ago, a new order of the Doomsayers had arisen. They planned to take over the control room and launch the Apocalypse Project, with the help of Jeremiah. But he betrayed them and his best friend Michael. After their execution, it was believed that the taint of the cultists had finally been removed once and for all.

“Cassidy, does your mother ever talk about what your father’s noble cause was?”

“No. But she’s always reading this old book she said belonged to him. She says it came from the outside world, and talks about the new day to come, whatever that means.”

Jeremiah was torn. Although he knew that any sign of the Doomsayers existence should be reported to the Council immediately, he was hesitant to do so. What if Ariana was the only cultist left? What harm would it do to let her brood alone in her fanatical musings? Was it really necessary to take this child’s mother away from her for such a potentially minor thing?

“Cassidy, I think you better run along. It’s getting late and your mother will be worried.”

“Okay.” She came up to him and hugged his neck, then kissed him.

“Goodnight, Jeremiah.”

“Goodnight, child.”

“Jeremiah?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

Cassidy left. Jeremiah stared after her for a long while before burying his face in his hands.

~~~~~~~~~~
A tear ran down Ariana’s cheek as she finished the last stitch. She held it up, and the light seemed to bounce off the black silk like pebbles off a stone wall. She rubbed the material against her skin, reveling in its cold sleekness. It had taken her an eternity of stolen moments to complete the garment. She had worked on it secretly for months, waiting each night until her daughter had gone to bed. She decided long ago not to expose Cassidy to her beliefs for fear of her being discovered and ostracized by the rest of the Colony. Besides, she knew there would be plenty of time to indoctrinate her into the Faith later, when the dawn finally came.

Ariana began making the robe not knowing when, or if, she would ever have need of it. But as luck, or rather fate, would have it, she had finished it on the very night she would finally fulfill her destiny.

She slipped into it, then put on matching black boots and tied a band around her head. She reached into a drawer and pulled out the ritualistic dagger her husband had carried. Its dark, twisted blade had a sinuous grace that sent chills of exhilaration down her spine. Engraved on its handle was the image of the rising sun.

Ariana glanced at the clock. She picked up her husband’s picture and kissed it, hugging it close as she spun lightly on her toes.

“It’s time, Michael,” she whispered.

~~~~~~~~~~
Donovan’s Hall was bathed in the shadows of the colony’s Night-cycle as Jeremiah strolled next to the River of Wanderers, watching the fish dance just beneath its clear surface. He always empathized with the blind creatures. Like him, they would never know what it was like to truly be free, to taste unfettered air and bask in the glory of the rising sun. He often pictured himself standing beneath the heavens, exposed to the vast kingdom of God.

He knelt, dangling his fingers in the cold water as he looked around. A rainbow of dark, earthy colors was always on display like abstract paintings left behind by some subterranean artisan. Even now, the hall’s stone majesty filled him with awe, and he wondered what awaited him at the surface that could surpass such beauty.

“Jeremiah!”

He turned to see Cassidy running toward him. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek.

“Hi, Jeremiah. I missed you. I just came from the control room. I took you your supper, but you weren’t there. The nice man said you stayed in your apartment today. I left your food with him, but you better hurry ‘cause he was tasting it when I left.” She laughed.

“That’s all right. I’m not very hungry anyway. How are you?”

“Fine.”

“And your mother?”

“She’s fine too, I guess.”

“Is something wrong?”

“Well, she’s been crying a lot lately. But she says not to worry, that it’s only because she’s so happy.”

“Did she say why?”

“I heard her talking to herself this morning, and she said something about a new day coming. Do you know what she means?”

Fear knotted his stomach. He had to find out what Ariana was up to. Now.

“Um, I’m not sure. Listen, I need to go see Warren. Run along home, and if you see your mother, tell her I’d like to talk to her right away, all right?”

“But why?”

“Cassidy, please just do what I say!”

“Yes sir,” she said, dropping her head. She turned to hurry away. Jeremiah’s hand strayed to the pendant dangling underneath his shirt.

“Cassidy! Wait!”

The girl stopped and looked over her shoulder at him. He walked up to her, lifting the chain from around his neck and slipping it over her head. He held the tiny crystal eagle in front of her face.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you, Cassidy, and to make it up to you, I want you to have this.”

“What is it?” she asked, her eyes glowing in the dimness.

“My father gave it to me when I was about your age. He carved it himself after looking at images of a creature called an eagle. I don’t have time to tell you all about it now, but it represents the promise that one day our people will return to the surface.”

“It’s beautiful. Thank you!” They hugged. Cassidy then headed for the entrance to one of the living areas on the near side of the river, while Jeremiah turned and headed in the opposite direction.

He crossed the bridge near the falls, pausing to stare at the river as it entered the gaping tunnel in the distance. There were many times in his life when he had been tempted to simply walk away, traversing the long abandoned trails leading to the surface. He yearned to see the sky just once before he died.

He entered the passage leading to the complex’s control rooms. He strode down the corridor, nodding his head at the few workers he passed along the way. The low rumblings of the complex’s hydroelectric generators pulsated all around like the very heartbeat of the Earth. It was late, so most of the workers had gone home, leaving only a skeleton crew on duty. Jeremiah had spent the whole day alone in his quarters thinking about Cassidy and her mother. He was grateful to Warren for taking his Watch, and it was time for him to relieve the young man.

He still hadn’t decided what to do about his discovery, but it was obvious from his talks with Cassidy that she knew nothing about the Doomsayers and their beliefs. Perhaps Ariana only held on to the book as a memento of Michael, and never intended to pursue the activities of the cult. Maybe she had no intentions of polluting the child’s mind with her doctrines. Jeremiah wished he’d known she was pregnant at the time of Michael’s execution. Maybe he would’ve done things differently.

He walked into the control room. Warren’s lifeless form lay sprawled on the floor, his left hand clutching at his throat. The shattered remains of a bowl lay next to him, and Jeremiah recognized it as the one Cassidy had brought his stew in every day. He rushed to Warren’s side and checked for a pulse.

He heard footsteps quickly approaching. Before he could turn, something struck the back of his head and the room spun out of focus. He fell. Everything went dark.

~~~~~~~~~~
Jeremiah awoke. Ariana knelt beside him. She rolled him onto his back. Through the haze before his eyes he saw that she wore a silky black robe and matching headband---the Doomsayers ceremonial garb for welcoming the Apocalypse.

“Ariana, what are you doing?” he whispered.

“I’m putting an end to the suffering. In a few moments, I’ll bring about the dawn of a new day.”

“Why did you poison Warren?”

She laughed, and a chill swept through him.

“I was trying to kill you, you old fool. I had no idea he would be here instead. But it doesn’t matter. He was a nuisance anyway. Do you know he actually wanted to marry me? Of course, he only knew me by my middle name, Tricia.”

“Why?”

“Because I needed an insider to keep me abreast of what was going on. And I had to get the activation codes from someone.”

“You can’t do this! What about Cassidy?”

“What about her? Is it merciful to allow my daughter to grow up living in these rat holes, cut off from God’s light?”

Jeremiah tried to rise. Nausea and dizziness swept over him.

“I won’t let you do this.”

“Won’t let me?” she cackled. “This is preordained, mankind’s destiny, my destiny.” She stood and began pacing near the control panel. He realized that the system had already been initialized, and was in standby mode waiting to be activated.

“Michael knew what had to be done, and he gave his life for it. He was a visionary who saw things for what they are, and what they shall be.”

“He was a demented fool.”

“Shut up!” She approached and slapped Jeremiah across the mouth. He tasted blood.

“Ariana, your husband was arrogant, delusional. He didn’t give a damn about mankind, or the cause. He only craved power, and would do anything to achieve it, even if it meant destroying the world.”

“You lie! He was noble and strong--”

“He was a madman!”

Ariana drove the tip of her boot into his ribs. The crack of bone was accompanied by immediate pain. She reached inside her sleeve and pulled out her dagger, crouching and pressing its razor-sharp blade to his throat.

“Mommy!” Jeremiah looked behind him. Cassidy stood in the doorway.

“Cassidy, go back to bed.”

“What are you doing?”

“It’s okay, Baby. I know you’re too young to understand right now, but I promise everything’s fine. Please, just go back to bed.”

Jeremiah grabbed Ariana’s wrist, turned his body, and pulled her off balance. She fell, and he tried to get on top of her before she could react. Another wave of nausea washed over him, and he collapsed. Ariana struggled to her knees and grasped the dagger in both hands. She raised it over her head.

“Mommy, no!”

Cassidy threw herself on top of Jeremiah as Ariana drove the knife toward his chest. He heard the blade slither into flesh. Ariana screamed.

She picked up Cassidy and clutched her to her chest. A red stain was quickly enveloping the child’s pristine white clothes. The bloody dagger lay discarded at Jeremiah’s side.

“Cassidy? Baby, can you hear me?”

“Mommy...”

“Oh God, no!”

Ariana laid her daughter down, then turned to Jeremiah. She glared at him, her body trembling. She grabbed him, and began clawing at his face. Jeremiah brought his hand up beneath her, driving the knife into her belly. She gasped. Crimson fluid appeared on her lips. She looked toward the control panel across the room, swaying as she tried to stand. Jeremiah pulled out the blade and stabbed her once more. She staggered. She tried to speak, then fell. Her lifeless eyes peered at him. He could barely see her through his tears.

Jeremiah crawled over to Cassidy. He heard the sound of many footsteps coming up the hallway. The room grew darker. He felt the girl’s neck. There was a faint pulse.

“Cassidy?”

Her eyelids fluttered open. She tried to speak, but he put a finger to her lips.

“It’s all right, Cassidy. I know. And I love you too...”

~~~~~~~~~~
They were the last to leave. The others had left the Lost Caverns hours ago. After hundreds of years of isolation, the Donovan Colony was abandoning their underground home for good. They had ventured above two years earlier to discover that the world had drastically changed. Most of the scars of the Global War had been wiped away by the hands of time. Where desolation once resided, lush forests and grand cities now stood. The good people of the world had risen up to overthrow the corrupt dictatorships, and new governments had slowly formed. The Doomsayers had eventually died out as civilization arose again.

Society had also rediscovered some of the old technologies. Automobiles roamed the highways, and electric power filled homes with light. Scientists had resumed their study and research, and with their help the Donovan Colony was able to safely dismantle the Apocalypse Project, ridding the world of its threat forever.

“Mother, are you ready?”

“Yes, Jeremy. I’ll be there in a minute.”

She looked around. The room seemed as if it had been violated somehow, with loose wires hanging from barren walls where banks of computers once stood. The place had always felt cold to her, ever since that night 34 years ago. But now the cold was more intense and less familiar. She no longer sensed the bond that had drawn her here and compelled her to serve as a Guardian for over 25 years. The spirits of her mother and Jeremiah were free, and now, so was she.

Cassidy left the room and strode quickly down the corridor. The silence was deafening. The earth no longer had a heartbeat, the beings that had brought the semblance of life to this lifeless realm had gone. Although her entire world--the only life she had ever known--was dead, Cassidy looked forward to her rebirth above.

She entered Donovan’s Hall, climbing into the all-terrain vehicle next to her son. He started the engine, and they drove off, following the river into the dark passage leading to the surface.

As they wove upward through the maze of long, ancient tunnels, the low roar of the engine reverberated off the stone walls, giving voice to the quiet menace of the darkness. Towering pinnacles of rock protruded from the ground and hung down from above like jagged teeth, as if they were emerging from the bowels of a stone beast.

Hours later, Cassidy and her son saw light ahead. A warm breeze brushed their faces as they drew closer, and a smile touched their lips. She reached over and squeezed her son’s hand. They donned protective eyewear as they left the familiar shadows of the caverns and confronted the brilliant spectacle of the morning. Momentary fear assailed them as they took in the enormity of the sky.

They stopped and climbed out of the car, basking in the beauty and wonder of a world unbound by the confines of rock. They tasted the sweetness of freedom hovering in the air. A spectrum of vibrant colors shone before them, a veritable rainbow of life which dazzled their eyes. Hand in hand they strolled through a meadow. They were captivated by the beautiful smells and sounds of Nature as it thrived all around them, reveling in another day of liberty and joy.

There was a cry overhead. They looked up in time to see a great bird soaring by, spreading its wings as it glided upon the wind. Cassidy absently reached beneath her tunic to touch her pendant. She briefly closed her eyes.

It’s even more wonderful than we imagined, Jeremiah.

The sun climbed higher, painting the sky with brilliant oranges and reds which were quickly fading into an endless dome of blue. Cassidy put her arms around her son.

They bowed their heads, saying a prayer of thanks as they watched the coming of the dawn.