THE ROAD HOME

CHAPTER FOUR : THE SACRIFICE

A loud crash echoed from above.

Ethan spun around just as the creatures tore through the wooden door at the top of the basement stairs. Their elongated limbs bent at unnatural angles, their grinning faces illuminated by the flickering portal light. The first one dropped down, landing with a sickening crunch, then another—and another.

“Noah! Get Felix through!” Ethan shouted.

Felix hesitated, looking between the portal and the advancing monsters. “I’m not leaving without you!”

“There’s no time!” Noah grabbed Felix’s arm and yanked him forward. With a final, desperate look, Felix stepped through the portal—and disappeared.

The creatures lurched forward, their hollow eyes locked onto the remaining two.

Ethan turned to Jonah. “We have to move!”

Jonah didn’t answer. He was staring at the glowing symbols on the archway, his hands clenched at his sides.

Ethan grabbed his arm. “Jonah, let’s go!”

Jonah shook his head slowly. “Someone has to stay.”

Ethan’s heart stopped. “No. No, we’ll figure something out—”

“The portal is unstable.” Jonah’s voice was eerily calm. “If we all go through, it’ll collapse.”

A deep growl rumbled behind them. Ethan turned just in time to see one of the creatures lunging. He shoved Jonah aside and raised his knife—but the creature barely flinched as it swiped at him, knocking him to the ground.

Jonah stepped forward.

A strange understanding filled his eyes.

“This is why I was brought here.”

Before Ethan could stop him, Jonah placed his hand on the final symbol, and the portal solidified, the rippling light turning smooth like glass.

The creatures screeched in rage, their heads snapping toward Jonah. They knew.

Ethan staggered to his feet, eyes wild. “No! Jonah—”

Jonah smiled. “Go.”

The creatures swarmed him, their clawed fingers sinking into his skin. He didn’t scream—didn’t fight back. As their shadows consumed him, his lips moved one last time.

Ethan didn’t hear the words.

Noah grabbed his arm. “We have to go—now!”

Ethan’s breath hitched, but he knew there was no time. Jonah was already gone.

With a final, painful glance back, he ran through the portal.

As soon as he crossed the threshold, the air behind him imploded, and the portal—along with Jonah—vanished into nothingness.