All Things in the Shadows

by B. D. Messick

  “I thought you said we were going to do something fun,” I say.

  “Yeah. We did.”

  “That was fun?”

  “I thought it was,” she replies.

  I shake my head and chuckle. “We obviously have different ideas about fun.”

  “I hope that’s not true,” she says, tilting her head to the side and grinning wickedly at me.

  I know I blush, but I can’t help it.

  “Shut up,” I say, laughing.

  Kateri smiles at me and my heart skips a few beats.

  “Hey. Can we just stay out here for a little while?” I ask as she’s turning to head back inside.

  “Sure. You wanna hang in the truck?”

  “Yeah.”

  She reaches out and takes my hand and we walk over to the rusted-out hunk. We climb up inside, moving into the back through the narrow doorway between the cab and storage area. We spruced it up a bit a few days ago, adding an old rug and a couple of couch pillows. Kateri sets her pack on the floor and we sit down directly across from one another. I just stare at her as she sorts through her take from the warehouse. I love the way the sun bounces off her hair, and the way it tumbles just so off her shoulders. Suddenly, she looks up at me, her eyes sparkling.

  “What?”

  “Nothing,” I reply, although I’m sure she probably picked up on some of my thoughts.

  “Uh-huh.”

  She grins at me and I smile back, loving the way she makes me feel when we’re alone … or when we’re around other people … and every single moment of every day. I watch as she lifts two brand new Mac-books out of the bag, handing one to me.

  “I got something for you,” she says.

  “Thanks,” I say as I take the box, setting it down on the floor beside me.

  “I’ve been wanting one of the these for a while,” she says. “It has a great sketch pad program,”

  “Do you ever feel bad about stealing from people?” I ask.

  She looks up at me and sighs, her head tilted slightly to the side.

  “Not really. I mean, when I first became a Shayd, I used to steal all the time. I loved how it made me feel. I could go anywhere and take anything I wanted, but after a year or so I started to feel bad about taking things, especially from little stores. I would watch these people struggling to get by, and it didn’t feel right to me …so I decided to stop, but that didn’t last long.”

  “Why? What happened?”

  “I lost people. I lost friends, and I decided that this was the least that they could pay for the pain, the blood and the loss that we endure to keep them safe. So now I take what I want, but not from little mom and pop stores. Wal-Mart can afford it.”

  I nod slowly. It makes sense. I suppose the world should pay for what we go through to protect them, even if they don’t know about us. We sit for a while in silence until the sound of raindrops hitting the metal roof fills the truck.

  “We should probably head in,” Kateri says.

  “Yeah, just one thing though,” I reply, suddenly leaning over, slipping my hand behind her head and pulling her to me.

  Our lips press together and everything around us fades away. The feeling, the scent, the taste of her sends my mind into overdrive. It only lasts for a few seconds, but the sensation lingers long after. When I pull back, she smiles at me.

  “Wow,” she mutters. “What was that for?”

  “I just wanted you to know how much you mean to me, and if this…mission doesn’t turn out the way we’re hoping, I don’t want to die knowing I never told you I love you.”

  Her mouth drops open and then she smiles.

  “Eve.”

  “It’s okay, you don’t have to say it back. I just needed to.”

  She takes my hand and kisses it softly. “I love you too, more than you know.”

  We spend three more hours holding, kissing, and touching each other as the tempest rages all around us; rain falling, lightning flashing and thunder rolling across the city, matching the storm raging within us.

  It's nearly two days later when Clay bursts into the mess hall, his eyes frantically searching the tables for us. I look up as he's approaching, and Kateri reads my face.

  “It's time,” he says, a worried expression on his face.

  “Let's go,” I say to Kateri.

  She nods in response and we dash down the hall to the library, where we have our equipment stacked neatly by the door. Since we have no idea what we're going to encounter when we get to the Abyss, our three backpacks are filled with pretty much anything we might need for an extended stay.

  “Where's Reeva?” I ask Clay.

  “She's on the way.”

  A few seconds later, the elevator doors open and Reeva sprints down the hall to us. After a lot of discussion, we agreed with Father that it might be a good idea to bring an extra person along, although we're still not sure that I'll be able to take both Reeva and Kateri through the rift, let alone, just one of them. I lift my bag up onto my shoulders, slipping my arms through the straps as Kateri does the same. It's heavier than I thought, and for a second, I feel like I'm going to tip over backwards. Reeva picks her backpack up, slinging it over her right shoulder.

  My crossbow is hanging by a strap from the left side of my bag, while a sword dangles on my right. Kateri is armed with her usual sword and knife, while Reeva has a compound long bow in her right hand and a set of throwing knives draped across her chest.

  “We ready?” I ask.

  “Yeah, except for where the hell we're going,” Reeva says, grinning.

  “Clay?”

  “Oh yeah, sorry. Point State Park,” he says, looking at the three of us.

  I know he had wanted to go along as well, but Father thought he was too young. I guess I agree, but we're all young, aren't we?

  “Isn't Father coming to see us off?” I ask.

  “He's dealing with a crisis. He said to wish you luck,” Clay replies.

  My shoulders slump forward slightly knowing I won't get a chance to say goodbye, but it is what it is.

  “Come on. We should get going,” Reeva says.

  “Bye, Clay. Take care of things while we're gone,” I say, pulling him in a hug, which I think surprises him.

  “I will. You guys be careful. Make sure you come back.”

  Kateri slaps him on the shoulder before turning and opening the door. I follow her out, glancing back to see Reeva and Clay in an embrace which says maybe they're more than just friends. The sun is high in the sky, throwing long shadows all around us.

  “I'll see you there,” Reeva says before streaming away.

  “Promise me you'll be careful,” Kateri says.

  “I'll do my best, but that's why I'm bringing you along,” I say, with a smile.

  “Uh huh. I'm coming along to keep an eye on your ass.”

  “Fair enough. All right, let's get going.”

  Just as we're about to step into the shadows, the Factory door opens, and Father rushes out. I can see the relief on his face that he wasn't too late. Before I know it, I'm the one running across the parking lot to him. Kateri is just behind me, although she walks rather than runs. He opens his arms wide and I literally throw myself against him, hugging him fiercely.

  “I'm glad you're not gone yet.”

  “Me too, Father,” I say as I try and keep the tears from coming.

  He pushes me away gently, holding me at arms-length, so he can look into my eyes. Kateri walks up to us, and when I glance over at her, I can see she's struggling not to cry as much as I am.

  “You two ... you've been a pain in my butt, cursed me out, and disobeyed my wishes, but you need to do as I say now. Come back safe.”

  “We will, Father. We promise,” I say.

  Kateri steps up and for a moment I think she's going to say something, but instead she wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him into a tight hug. I take a small step back, as a few tears trickle down my cheeks.

  “I love you girls,
” he says, and that breaks Kateri's dam.

  “We love you too, Father,” I manage to say before we're both crying.

  A few seconds later, I wipe my eyes and take Kateri's arm. “We gotta go,” I say, somewhat reluctantly.

  She nods her head and steps away from him, moving to my side.

  “Bye, Father. We'll be back,” I say, taking Kateri's hand.

  “You better,” he says, and I swear a tear slips down his face.

  I drag Kateri into the shadows and the next second, we're streaming across the city toward Point State Park in downtown Pittsburgh. We link about a dozen times before the waterfront comes into view in the distance. I pick a landing point a few yards from the fountain. We hit the ground running, weapons at the ready, but I can't see any demons in the area.

  “Where the hell have you two been?” I hear Reeva ask from behind us.

  I turn to see her reclining on a park bench under a large shady tree.

  “Saying goodbye to Father. Where's the demon?”

  “Dead,” she says with a chuckle.

  “And the rift? Is it still open?”

  “Yep, at least for now,” she answers, gesturing toward a short, squat, stone building set behind the fountain.

  I can see a sort of shimmering ‘hole’ floating in midair about five feet in front of the old Block House. Its borders are undefined, like if you took a piece of paper and punched through it with your fist.

  “Well, what are we waiting for?” I ask, heading across the crowded area around the fountain, dodging people as I walk.

  Kateri and Reeva follow close behind. All three of us stop in front of the rift.

  “If we get separated, try and stay out of sight until we can find each other,” I say.

  “If we can find each other,” Kateri says.

  “Not helpful.”

  “Sorry.”

  I look at her and shake my head.

  E ~ Are you ready for this?

  K ~ If you are.

  E ~ Don’t let go.

  K ~ I won’t.

  I stand between Reeva and Kateri, taking hold of their hands.

  “Ready?”

  Kateri just nods and squeezes my fingers.

  “Let's get it on,” Reeva says with a smirk.

  We move forward, and step into the rift. For a second, it doesn't seem like anything is happening, and then everything happens at once. A flash of light so intense it makes my head hurt, explodes in front of me. I look over at Kateri, but I can't see anything except spots. I flex my fingers, and I can still feel both of their hands, or at least I think I can. Suddenly, everything goes black and I feel myself falling, like the ground's been pulled out from under me. The sensation only lasts for a moment, and then I stumble forward a few steps as I try to regain my footing. As soon as my head stops spinning, I look around and my mouth drops open.

  “Holy shit.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  The Abyss.

  This is not at all what I expected. It doesn't look that much different from the human world, except the whole area is bathed in an eerie red hue.

  It still looks like Point State Park; the fountain, the trees, the Block House, the Fort Pitt Museum, but everything looks worn out, or maybe frayed along the edges might be a better description. There are people all around; some enjoying the day by the waterfront, others just passing through on their way to someplace else. Just like the buildings, they seem ‘fuzzy’ too, almost like I'm looking at them through a piece of dirty plexiglass. None of them are paying any attention to me, which isn't odd, but it doesn't feel the same as it does back in the Umbra. What's worse is, I can't see any demons. That worries me more than anything.

  The silhouette of the city in the distance looks familiar, but it's not exactly the same as in the world of light. All the major buildings are here, but some are taller than back home, soaring hundreds of feet higher into the dark, red sky, including a particularly ominous looking tower that dominates the skyline. I think it may be the PPG Bank building, which was always rather gothic and intimidating looking with its array of spike-like spires.

  I scramble to my feet and dash over to a large tree, pressing my back against the trunk. I scan the area, my eyes darting here and there as I frantically search for Kateri or Reeva. There's no sign of either one. Did they even come through with me?

  E ~ Where are you?

  K ~ Where are you?

  E ~ Thank God, you made it!

  My heart is beating a million times a minute, but just hearing Kateri's thoughts help to ground me.

  K ~ I thought I lost you.

  E ~ Never! Have you seen Reeva?

  K ~ No.

  E ~ Crap.

  K ~ We have to find her.

  E ~ We need to find each other first. Are you at the park?

  K ~ I think so, but the place looks weird.

  E ~ Yeah, I know. Where are you exactly?

  K ~ I'm by the Block House.

  I look over at the little brick structure, but I can't see her.

  E ~ What side are you on?

  K ~ East.

  E ~ Shit. I can't see you.

  K ~ What? Where are you?

  E ~ By one of the big trees in front of the museum.

  A few seconds later, Kateri's thought pops into my mind.

  K ~ I don't see you either.

  E ~ This is not good.

  K ~ Ya' think?

  E ~ Listen, make your way over here, toward the museum. Just be careful.

  K ~ Okay. On my way.

  So far, it's been quiet. I haven't seen any demons at all, but that doesn't mean they can't see us. I stare off in the direction of the Block House. I still can't see her, but then something starts to come into view. At first, it's little more than a blurry spot that grows larger at it gets closer and then it begins to take on a more definitive shape, and finally Kateri appears, almost like how we melt into and out of the shadows.

  “Kateri,” I say, rushing to her and throwing my arms around her shoulders.

  She returns the gesture, pulling me against her before suddenly kissing my neck several times. Her lips on my skin sends a cascade of goose-bumps flowing down my arms, and I step back, unable to come up with any words, the thrill of the contact still muddling my brain.

  “Okay, this place is freaky,” she says, as she releases me.

  “You got that right,” I reply, finally able to speak again.

  I take her hand and we retreat to the tree.

  “When could you see me?” she asks.

  “When you were about ten feet away.”

  “I didn't see you until you were almost touching me.”

  I shake my head and frown. “What is going on?”

  “It's you,” Kateri says, smiling at me. “You affect everything around you. You're so different that the world doesn't even know how to react. You're like an AOE.”

  For those of you not into ‘geek-speak’, AOE stands for Area-Of-Effect. It's a video game term that refers to an ability or action that affects a large space, or ‘area’ around the player. For more information, please consult a nerdy friend.

  Kateri takes my hand and squeezes it firmly. Without thinking, I lean forward and kiss her on the cheek, relishing in the sensation.

  “What was that for?”

  “Just paying you back,” I say, grinning at her.

  She chuckles, but the laughter fades quickly.

  “This is not good for Reeva,” she says.

  “I know.”

  “So, what do we do?”

  I look around again, hoping to spot Reeva, but I know it's a futile effort.

  “We have to search the park. If she's here, we have to find her. If we can't,” I say, sighing quietly, “we'll come up with something else. Stay close, I don't want to lose you too.”

  Kateri smiles at me and it boosts my sour mood. We head down to the water's edge, past the fountain. Dozens of people are milling about, but as usual, they don't pay us any attention. We s
till haven't seen a single demon. The best I can hope for, is that they can't see us either. We simply start walking back and forth, from one side of the park to the other, sort of in a grid pattern, moving closer to the city with each pass. It takes us most of the afternoon to finish, since we have to keep stopping every now and then to make sure no demons are watching us.

  Late in the day, we sit down on the short wall by the pedestrian bridge that leads into the park, both of us exhausted, physically and mentally.

  “Where are all the demons?” Kateri asks.

  I shake my head. “I don't know, but I'm just glad they're not here. Hopefully they can't see Reeva either,” I say, although I barely believe the words even as I utter them.

  “Yeah. Hope so. Now where the hell is she at?”

  “Wish I knew. Maybe she didn't make it through.”

  I think about it for a moment.

  “I could feel her hand in mine as we were passing through the barrier, but then everything went black.”

  Kateri looks up at the sky. “It looks like it's getting late. Maybe we should find a place to stay for the night. We can start fresh tomorrow.”

  “Probably a good idea.”

  We’re making our way through a dark alley between two old, brick buildings. The ground is wet with water, the small puddles shimmering in the strange red light. Suddenly, a demon leaps down from above, crashing into me and sending me sprawling onto the ground. As I scramble back to my feet, I watch as Kateri charges at a second beast. My assailant raises his sword and swings it hard at me. The blade slices deep into my arm, and I stumble back as my opponent advances. He's one of those 'human looking' monsters. Dark hair done up in small spikes, tan skin, and muscles rippling beneath his shirt. If not for the creepy yellow eyes, the fact that he's a demon, and that he's trying to kill me, he could pass for any other male model, with a sword.