“I’m sorry,” I said, “But you are wrong about this.”
Donald took a step beyond my dad and held his hands up as if I was dangerous and required calming down. “It is alright, Noah. We don’t blame you. This was a risk, having you on the outside for so long. But you know the truth, everything we have taught you is the truth. Deep down you still know that.”
I shook my head. “No. You’re just going to kill her. Nothing will happen, she will be dead.”
“That isn’t true, Noah. Everything they are told is a lie, one to make them conform and fit perfectly into society. I used to be there, too, until I realised the truth. Until I had my mind unlocked. You’re making a huge mistake here, Noah, but it’s not too late to rectify it. None of us are angry with you; we can help.”
I gripped my hair, closing my eyes. No, he was lying. I thought about Scarlett, her smile, her soft musical voice, the way her hair naturally curled just a little bit, her bright eyes. Opening my eyes again, I said, “But she’ll be dead.”
“Only in this life, Noah. There is so much beyond this,” Donald replied.
“Why now? Why not when she’s sixty or sixty-four?”
Donald tilted his head. “If we want our community as it is now it has to be now. You know that if we waited that long I, Fiona, your parents, the rest of the elders will be dead, and it’ll be over for us.”
Selfish. That was all this was. He was willing to sacrifice his daughter so he could live in eternal happiness while he was still fit and healthy. Never mind Scarlett wanting to grow up and have a family of her own.
“What about what Scarlett wants?” I asked. “Does it not matter that she has things she wants to achieve?”
“This life won’t matter in the next,” Dad said. “We’ll be reunited, we’ll see Scarlett again, for eternity. Now, stop this, Noah, you know what is true.”
I stood taller. He was right. I did know the truth. “I won’t give her up.”
Dad took a step closer. “You either step aside right now so we can find her, and you can return home or this is it. Either way, we’ll get her back, but this the only chance you’ll get to make the right choice.”
“I won’t give her up,” I repeated.
Dad’s face sobered. “Alright. Remember that you have made your choice, Noah. There is nothing we can do for you now.”
Fear clawed its way up my throat. His eyes hollowed. There was nothing that looked at me like I was his son, his blood. He was choosing Eternal Light. He pulled a blade out of his pocket.
I looked between him and the knife, too shocked that my dad had pulled a knife on me.
“Dad, what’re you doing?”
“Shh,” he said, moving closer. Donald stood behind him, watching. The order would have come from Donald but the fact that my own father could go ahead with stabbing his child made me sick.
“Dad, don’t.” I backed up again, taking a sweeping look around the room to see if there was anything I could use to fight him off. An umbrella and an old, wooden walking stick that looked like it would break if I picked it up. “You’ll regret this for the rest of your life. I’m your son. Think about it for a second. How can you believe in Eternal Light and everything Donald’s told you if he’s asking you to kill? Love, peace, respect and harmony. Does that sound like what’s happening right now?” I said desperately.
My heart thumped against my chest, beating too fast and too hard.
“Dad, please. You know this isn’t right.”
“Stop talking, Noah. You made your choice, and you have to live with the consequences. You are a loose cannon now, a risk to us all and one we are not willing to leave.”
I lurched forwards, grabbing the arm that held the blade and shoving it away from me. Dad cried out and spun around, trying to shake me off. I held on, fighting for my life, knowing that if I gave him the chance it could be all over for me.
He stopped being my dad at that moment. When I knew I had to fight against my father to stop him murdering me, he became nothing but an enemy.
He flung us forward and my back cracked against the concrete wall, knocking the air from my lungs. Gritting my teeth, I tightened my grip of his wrist and tried to turn the knife back on him.
Donald did nothing but stand and watch. I expected him to dart after Scarlett.
He must have other people out there looking for her.
Shit. Run, baby.
The muscles in my arms ached from the struggle, and I didn’t know how much longer I could hold him off. My head swam, dazed from hitting the wall. I kicked my leg, and Dad grunted as it came in contact with his shin.
“What will Mum think?” I said. “Or Finn?”