ERIC: God is our enemy.
A shimmer of red radiates off and on Eric's eyes, by the seconds that pass. Silas, his older brother, clutches a dagger in his hand, as he stares down his brother.
SILAS: I won't let the devil have you.
Silas rushes his brother, with Eric not even moving to avoid the attack. A flash erupts, showing neither of the two.
***
One Year Earlier…
Eric speeds down the Alaska highway, in a pickup truck. Silas clutches his seatbelt, strapped across his chest. Eric makes a joke out of the situation, his hands barely holding on to the wheel.
ERIC: Man, you weren't lying about the handling on this thing. It's wild.
SILAS: I told you this wasn't one of your god damn toys, Eric. This isn't a fast car, it's a truck. Why the fuck are you speeding again?
Eric points to the empty country road in front of them.
ERIC: Because there's no one to watch out for. Might as well have a little fun.
Eric continues speeding for a moment longer, eventually slowing down. Silas slowly shows a gesture of relief, his hands coming down.
ERIC: You're going to love it out here bro.
Silas speaks in an uninterested tone.
SILAS: Oh really?
ERIC: Yeah bro. It's quiet, cold, quiet. And cold again. But you can still go to things like the beach in between.
SILAS: Go to the-
Silas cut himself off.
SILAS: You guys have beaches out here? I always thought Alaska to be one big ice land.
ERIC: I did too before I moved out here. And believe me, the winters are rough. But overall, as long as you obtain some wheels out here, you should be ok.
The ride is quiet for a moment.
ERIC: Man, it doesn't feel like it, but it's been three years since the last time I saw you.
Silas pushes out a fake smile.
SILAS: Yeah.
Silas takes a quick glance at his brother.
SILAS: And you've seem to take on a massive growth spurt. Doesn't mean I still can't kick your ass if I need to.
Eric laughs.
ERIC: Won't be any need for that, big bro.
Silas shows a real smile this time, the evening sun hitting his face as he looks back out the window.
Eric is twenty-two years of age, as of now, while Silas is twenty-nine.
ERIC: I can't wait for you to meet my old lady.
Silas raises an eyebrow, with a smirk.
SILAS: Twenty-one is old to you now?
Eric gives Silas a few glances of irritation.
ERIC: You know what I mean. (Short pause) You're going to love her bro. She cooks, she cleans, she works at her family's restaurant as a server, she's the whole package bro.
SILAS: You sound sprung.
A massive dream smile sweeps over Eric's face.
ERIC: That's because I am.
Another pause comes about in the car, with Silas appearing uninterested.
ERIC: You're not going to ask how we met?
SILAS: How did you meet?
ERIC: Online bro. It was fantastic. See, she was-
Silas tunes Eric out, his mind thinking about his own love interest, a twenty-nine year old woman by the name of Mary. He is supposed to meet her in Alaska as well, arriving a day earlier than expected. She is older than Silas, by four months. He wondered, looking at the evening sun, if Mary would enjoy the sunset in Alaska, with him.
Silas looked down at his phone, a single message notification appeared at the top of his screen. Silas opened the message.
MARY
5:46PM
Tomorrow? (smiley face emoji)
----
SILAS
5:46PM
Tomorrow. (Smiley face emoji)
----
A real smile came over Silas' face.