Amongst the shadows [INTRO]

Amongst the shadows [INTRO]

A young girl stood knee deep in fear, the sound of the other orphans screaming and being torn to pieces etching permanently into her eyes. Blood spray spattered across the floors, what looked like a flab of skin flew across the room, slapping against the wall and slumped down into a puddle of blood.
Her eyes trembled with anxiety, backing her self slowly up to a wall. She let out a screech as a shot of blood skimmed across her white night gown, stomach lurching. In the scene of murder and gore, black shadowed figures slashed and hacked away at the orphans and Nuns until no longer did any one individual breath the air of life.
The screams and cries of the others died down, the black shadows withdrawing from the piles. One turned and looked to her with a menacing smile, its teeth dripping fresh warm blood, yellow eyes burning. The girls’ heart sank and she attempted to back up farther but there was nowhere to run. The tallest shadow put a hand, or what ever he had, onto the shoulder of the smiling shadow and motioned to leave her alone.
Together they both turned and slithered away, disappearing into the darkest corner of the room.
Her heart rate was off the charts, as if she had just run 90 laps around Texas. The blood and flesh filled room began to spin and swivel, blurring, until she dropped unconscious to the floor.

“All I did was wish they would go away..
The shadows, they came out of nowhere.
They chased them down and killed them all.
No one was left alive..
But why?”

“TOMIKO! Wake up! Wake up this instant!” Tomiko gasped and sat up as the teachers’ ruler slapped the surface of her desk. Giggles and sneers were heard all around the room by her classmates. “This is the third time this week I have caught you sleeping during class. The fourth time I catch you; you’re out for good. Do I make myself clear, Ms. Bliss?” Her sleepy eyelids fluttered to awake with the rest of her body, the thick fog of dreamland departing from her ears, only catching the last few words of Mrs. Ashen’s quarrel. Too often did that memory reoccur in her dreams; too often did it fill her eyes with an emptiness no mortal could repair.
As she looked to her classmates, their faces were painted with disappointment in her. Lately, she hasn’t been her honor role student self. The crisp new overhead speakers echoed through the hallways and within every room.

“Tomiko Bliss, please report to the office. Tomiko Bliss, please report to the office.”

“Uh oh” some of the classmates teased. She rolled her eyes and smiled, standing up with the posture of a model and walking gracefully out of the room, long white sundress flickering from the open windows cool breeze. Tossing the silky black hair from her eyes, she fixed it up into a messy bun with a hello-puppy hair tie. The long hall way seemed to go on forever, room after room passing, person after person turning to look at her. As she walked, the small office door became larger, a huge sign reading “MR. BECKIN” followed by sinister comments left by his more rebellious students.
The door opened before she even reached it. A fat, round man in a black suit bowed and greeted her into his office. His forehead was drenched with sweat, yet his office was as cold as the North Pole, and he waddled like a penguin that spoke with marbles in his mouth. She giggled at the thought.
“What’s so funny?” She shyly shook her head, and her smile was ironed straight in embarrassment. “Well then, where was I. Oh yes, Ms. Bliss… We have noticed a slump in your behavior lately. The grades are still perfect, as always! Yet your behavior, well, it has been… Not the Tomiko I know.” Hesitating to answer, her throat yearned to reply but she didn’t know what to say. “Ah! You do not need to answer; you just need to get on the ball with your moods! Feel no pressure my girl, a happy student is a sparkling diamond in my old eyes.”
She smiled and nodded, taking his words into consideration, or, trying to. Mr. Beckin was an old family friend of the Bliss’. She owed her life to him after he found her running away the night of the massacre. Her eyes caught his, as if he was remembering the same exact memory. Quickly she turned, cheeks flushed, walking back to class.

The bell rang, every student racing out of the building and into the blazing afternoon sun. Tomiko took her time, placing things into her purse bit by bit. A few girls and boys said bye to her, hoping to catch her attention and make it seem as if they were good friends. She wondered what a few of their names were, waving back despite not knowing them.
Oak trees and dogwoods swayed gently in the cool breeze, the aroma of near by rose bushes spiraling around Tomiko as she walked down the busy sidewalk. The town was beautiful, her life was beautiful, her family was beautiful, her grades were perfection and she had ideal attendance in school.
Yet, a strange overcast of haunting memories and a sudden need to be isolated from her loving adoptive family had just begun to inject its venom into her life, already starting to feel the numbing effects.

Far off, dogs barked at passing neighbors, children howled while playing tag, birds chirped and ate away at feeders. Her home was only one more mile away. The clear blue skies were being painted gray as rain clouds moved in. Fastening her pace, she put her gym shirt over her bag so no papers would get wet. Droplet after droplet began falling; children, dogs and birds retreating to their homes.

I’m gonna get soaked! The shortcut makes the walk faster but its on bad grounds…

Huffing, she took a sharp turn down an alleyway into the backs of town. Arm over her head in an attempt to be a makeshift umbrella, the sky grew darker than before. As she ventured further from civilized terrain, her peaceful walk didn’t feel so peaceful anymore. Hypodermic needles and used condoms lay anonymously across the soil, the smell of weed and cigarette smoke digging into the fabric of her sundress. The only light she could use to guide her way through the drenching rain came from blinking street lamps.
Fear of her safety began to cultivate after all but one lamp burnt out as she passed. The shadows around her stretched across the ground, climbing up the walls of abandoned brick buildings. Her frost eyes scanned the horizon for any signs of movement. To her disliking, she caught a glimpse of a male. A stream of light cast over him rapidly, revealing spiked locks of platinum gold hair and pale complexion.
Her eyes widened, taking in quick breaths, eyes circling her surroundings. Her hair was already soaked along with her bag and dress, there was rain in her shoes and it made it uncomfortable to move in any way. All she needed now was for some creep to try and kidnap her. But was that the case or was it worse? She shook the thought away of anything “worse” happening to her.
“Tomiko” a strong, booming voice snapped. She jerked around, the boy from the shadows towering over her. She trembled, “Tomiko…” There was an awkward silence, her tension relaxing a bit seeing as he didn’t look too threatening. “Yes?” He sneered angrily, making gestures to hit her but stopped abruptly.

“So, you are the Dark Mistress… You seem rather…”

He paused, analyzing her appearance. “You were not what I was expecting.” She twitched, pouting defensively. “Excuse me?” She went to put her hands upon her hips as he spoke louder than before:

“Summon a Shade,” he demanded with full vocal force, a look of doubt on his face. Confused, she looked down as if one were going to just going to come out of nowhere. What’s a shade anyway?
“You do not know what a shade is?” He broke out in laughter, leaning on his knees. Did he just…? Standing back up, he straightened his back and put all his weight on one leg. “I suppose you’re serious?” She nodded, swiping at the bangs in her eyes.
“I guess you will be an easy kill after all…” Shifting backwards in shock, she felt embarrassed to have let her guard down. Dropping her purse, she turned to run, but he grabbed her wrist with a grip that could kill. Lips curling into a smirk, he pulled her backwards as she endlessly fought to free herself. “My Bright’s will take good care of you, Mistress of the Dark…” Globs of crystalline glowing creatures seeped from the drenched grounds, twitching and jerking into large human shapes without lower bodies, illuminating the area.
The sound of glass shattering made the man jump, and all of a sudden he seemed like just another timid boy. She admired the fear on his face, almost thinking he was attractive. He looked to her in awe, speaking softly, “You remember? Do you remember…?” She tilted her head. “Remember what?” she said slowly. He blinked, a feeling of sadness shrouding his face. He turned and ran, almost swearing she saw tears gathering in his eyes. It could have been the rain. As he disappeared, so did the Brights, dissolving slowly and leaving behind sparkling traces of dust.
She stood absent-mindedly in the heavy rain, arms dangling at her sides, eyes staring without a blink into the darkness. Why was he so timid? I wonder what his name is… I’ll probably never even see him again…