The Shadow: The Poisonwood Shadows Book One

by Christina Crook

  “Letty, how amazing was last night? I just got up and couldn’t wait to come and see you. I had so much fun!”

  Scarlett stared, a puzzled expression on her face, as Rebecca bounced onto the bed.

  “What?”

  “Seriously? You actually need to ask what? I don’t believe you.”

  “What?” Rebecca repeated, clearly confused. “What did I do?”

  “You left me! You left and everyone else left. All the cars had gone and I had to walk home! Beccy, I was attacked!” Scarlett said angrily, barely able to get the words out.

  “No…no, Letty, you…you went in another car. The one ahead of us, the…the man with the moustache said so. I didn’t know why, but I guessed you had gotten mixed up or something.”

  “Mixed up? Are you kidding me? I got pushed to the back of the club and couldn’t find our car. And then all the others left and every single person who had been in there was gone and I was on my own with no way of getting back other than walking.”

  “No, you had already gone up to bed when I came in. You’re joking, Letty. You’re playing a trick on me.”

  “On Winnie’s life, I’m not joking,” Scarlett said, more livid than ever.

  Knowing that she would never joke on her adopted mother’s life, Rebecca’s eyes filled with tears. “Letty. I promise. There was a man, he was…he had a moustache and a top hat."

  “That could have been anyone.”

  “We were looking for you and he asked if we were looking for our friend and he said that he had seen us in the club and knew who we were missing and that you’d gone off in the car in front of us,” Rebecca said desperately.

  “Well, I didn’t! Did you not think to wait and check that I wasn’t still there? I had to fight off two men, Beccy - two strong men! They would have kidnapped me. Look at my knees and ankle.” Scarlett drew up her skirts to show Rebecca her scabbed over knees and swollen red ankle.

  “I don’t understand. Why would that man say you had gone when you hadn’t?”

  “Well, he must have been confused. Do you really think I’d just go off in another car, minutes after saying I’d meet you outside? You know me, Beccy. You know I wouldn’t do that.”

  “I feel sick, Letty. I’m so sorry. What happened? On your first evening downtown and everything.” Rebecca put her head into her hands and sobbed.

  Scarlett knew though, that in spite of everything bad that happened, good things had come out of it too and she couldn’t help but wonder if it had all happened for a reason.

  “Calm down, Beccy.” She sat beside her. “I’m alright really.”

  “But how did you do it? You fought off two men and walked all the way back home? How? I can’t imagine it! It’s so far away.”

  Scarlett then gave her an abbreviated version of the story, including only her attackers and the long journey home. She neglected to mention anything about the appearance of the Shadow and his unconventional method of travel.

  “Did you tell anyone? Winnie or Betty or my mother?”

  “No. How could I? Then I’d have to explain how I got there and then we’d all get into trouble, so don’t say anything to anyone. Not even Izzy or Viv.”

  “I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.” Rebecca pleaded. “We were just drunk and silly, you know?”

  “It’s okay, Beccy. Don’t worry, I forgive you. It was a mistake.”

  “Of course it was. You need to get some rest! Will you be okay for chores tomorrow? Because I can do them if you want?”

  “Thanks, but I’ll be alright. A good night's sleep and I’m sure I’ll be fine. Plus I think your mother would be more than a bit suspicious if you started helping out around the house.”

  As Scarlett prepared for bed later on, she could still feel the grime of the streets all over. She scrubbed at her face again, desperate to feel clean and untouched. Her mind kept jumping back to her attackers and what might have happened. But nothing had happened. Not really. She fought them off. Scarlett was strong and that meant more than anything else. Yes, the Shadow had helped and the men may have caught up if he hadn’t come along, but that’s not what happened.

  ‘I didn’t even know his name.’

  Scarlett wondered if she would see him again and walked out onto her balcony. Rather than looking at the lights of downtown, she instead found that she was looking across and around at the surrounding darkness of the rooftops.

  On her next day off work, Scarlett decided to pay a visit to her favourite bookshop. This was tucked away beyond the bustling market that stretched across the up and downtown border. The store was run by Elyas Evermead, an elderly man, seen as irritable and unreceptive by most people, but Scarlett had swiftly become a favourite of his from her very first visit at five years old.

  The shop was as much of an old friend to her as Elyas was. Musty and dusty, some of his overloaded shelves had gone untouched for years. Who knew what adventures, anecdotes and long lost facts lay in those thick, yellowing pages?

  “Morning, Elyas,” Scarlett greeted the old man.

  “Morning,” he replied gruffly. “You alright, Scar? What have you been up to?”

  She nodded, barely able to contain her excitement. “I met a Shadow.”

  “No! What have you been getting yourself into?”

  “Nothing. I…took a few wrong turns and got lost. It was only just getting dark though.” She chose not to mention her encounter with the second Shadow. It would surely send Elyas into a panic and she didn’t want to worry him, but she was excited to tell him about the first. “Anyway, he said he’d run away from the Academy because he was bored. He said he was leaving on a mission, so he didn’t care about talking to me. Even though they’re not supposed to, right?”

  “Right,” Elyas said, dragging out the word with a peculiar look and turning thoughtfully into the back room.

  “He showed me the way back to Shiver Street,” Scarlett called. “I always seem to be losing my way, don’t I?”

  A moment later, Elyas returned looking preoccupied. He shook his head and tutted. “You need a map, young lady. I don’t know. We’re mucked up with louts these days, aren’t we? I wish you’d be more careful.”

  “I will be. Anyway, I thought I would pop in and see how you are.” She beamed at him, ignoring the ache in her limbs. Elyas was like family, one of the few people in Poisonwood who she knew would help her feel better, no matter what. “How’s Emme?”

  “Not too bad. She’s been making jam. Now, just hang on…” Scarlett waited and watched Elyas trundled off into the back room again. He reappeared shortly after, clutching sheets of faded, ratty papers. “They stopped making this kind years ago.”

  Scarlett leaned in for a closer look, taking in the perfect black lines that formed a minuscule Poisonwood – every street and alleyway included. “Oh wow!”

  “This one has all the details on it,” Elyas continued, “everything you would ever need. The maps they make now are nowhere near as good. You’re better off with one of these. I’ve been keeping them up to date myself over the years,” he said proudly.

  “Thanks Elyas. This is just what I need. Now I won’t need any help from those big-headed Shadow Army men.”

  “Eh, they’re not all like that, Scar. Those lads do a good job for us.”

  “I know. There was just something about that boy that annoyed me. I felt like he was looking down on me because I’m a maid.”

  “Hmm, well. They work hard,” Elyas said, his tone defensive.

  “Anyway, how do you know so much about the Shadows? I thought they were top secret.”

  “They are, Scar, but you forget I’m an old man. I know things.”

  Scarlett laughed, as he tapped his nose mysteriously. “Well, I’d love to find out more about them. I think it’s fascinating.”

  “Don’t you go poking about! They like to keep to themselves.”

  “The one I met didn’t. Mr High and Mighty,” she scoffed.

  At this, Elyas gave an uncomf
ortable half smile.

  “Are you okay?” Scarlett asked.

  He nodded slowly, unwilling to make eye contact.

  Scarlett looked down at the fragile papers. She held the map lightly, afraid that handling it too much would cause it to disintegrate. She was thinking, turning that same old question over in her head.

  “Do you think my parents came from downtown?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. We asked around when you were found, but nobody had heard of Winchester.”

  “If that’s even my name. Someone could easily have made that up for me.”

  “Well, exactly. They could be on the next street for all we know. I do know this much though - a touch of exploring and adventure never harmed anyone."

  Scarlett looked down again at the brittle pages. “Maybe one day,” she said pensively. “Thank you. You’re a good friend. I’ll be in soon, okay?”

  She paid up and left, heading straight for home. Passing by stalls which sold steaming bowls of stew and buttery rolls, cold cups of Poisonberry juice, hot apple cider, salted corn, sweet and savoury pies and melted chocolate sticks, Scarlett breathed in the familiar, old scent of Poisonwood’s famous marketplace. She smiled to herself and tucked the map further into her coat, feeling like she had a secret.

  Chapter Five

  William was ready. More ready than he had ever been in his life. He wanted to be out there - beyond the thick, encumbering walls of Poisonwood City and out in the woods, the fresh air, climbing the trees and running through the forests. He had a plan, though the time to put it into action had long since passed. For some unknown reason, Walter Poisonwood refused to give him permission. He wanted William to stay within the confines of the city, running the same old alleyways and side streets, night after night.

  “Your city needs you,” was all the old man would say.

  “My city has plenty of others who are just like me. Why won’t you let me go? Why won’t you let any of us go?” He asked desperately. “You must have a plan. We need to bring them back, damn it!”

  “Language, William,” Walter said sharply. “I’ve been doing this since before you were born, so you can bloody well listen when I tell you to leave it alone. And those are orders,” he added abruptly.

  With his long, thin arms crossed behind his back, Walter walked lightly over to the window, stare out across his vast empire, which glittered before him beneath the evening sky. William knew Walter well enough to know that his attitude wasn’t going to get him anywhere, so he had no choice but to do as he was told. Taking a deep breath, he nodded respectfully and made a swift exit.

  As he walked, William swallowed any remaining arguments, for the time being at least. He entered his bedroom, which was warm and dimly lit. He kept only the bare necessities. Still, William had grown comfortable in his tiny room, ensconced deep in the depths of the city. Here he could be himself, however brief the moment may be. William pulled out his clothes for the evening’s shift - trousers, belt, thin boots and a long sleeved t-shirt, all black.

  Tonight, as dark as it was going to be, also seemed set to be a hot one, muggy even. The previous night had been just slightly warm, but summer was drawing closer and the weather in Poisonwood was interchangeable as the days slipped by. The streets could get stifling if they chose to. The buildings were piled so tightly together and the people lived in such close quarters that it was impossible not to struggle for air occasionally. On a night like this, Poisonwood City could be enough to suffocate a man.

  In the early hours of the morning, the dead hours, the silence was deafening. It wasn’t a peaceful silence. The city was still alert and alive. It was waiting, paused and entangled in the night sky which hovered above the asphyxiation of the streets and alleyways below.

  William’s heart was not in it. All he could think of were his friends. His comrades. They had had his back so many times on missions and he failed to understand why Walter refused to negotiate with the Silverwall City Council for the return of the prisoners. He had asked how a few hundred acres of land could be of higher importance than the lives of men, but Walter would not answer. William was growing increasingly aggravated and beginning to doubt Walter’s ability as a leader.

  The city stretched out below him, as night wound its way through the streets. Within seconds William was flying across rooftops, leaping over chimney pots, across the skies from building to building. He had run these routes so many times over the years, he was sure he could do it blindfolded.

  Nothing was amiss, but it was still early. The doors to the theatres were closed as the shows were in progress, and the clubs weren’t yet open. As William waited, he wandered aimlessly, worried thoughts filling his head. He felt all of them, knotted around each other. He wanted to take each thought and individually untangle it from the rest.

  He paused, now at the border between uptown and downtown. It would be a while before the downtown evening really began to thrive and even longer until the point when everyone headed home. This was usually when trouble would begin, and so with time to kill, William allowed his thoughts to carry him away to the night before.

  How had a girl who seemed so small and nervous fought off two large men? William couldn’t pin it down. It was like some unseen force that even she hadn’t been aware of. He had already wandered away from his assigned zone and was nearer to the Clearhart house than where he was supposed to be. He stopped on the corner of the building opposite and made sure that he was safely concealed within the shadows before allowing himself to look out across the stretch.

  Her bedroom light was on, and after a few moments of waiting, she appeared on her balcony. Even from across the street, William could feel that force again, whatever it was. A strange feeling. A recognition. Something about her was familiar to him. He recalled her parting words and he knew - none of this was her. The life she lived was not meant to be hers. She had a natural prettiness which she was entirely unaware of and a not-quite-there ethereal quality, as if she were half daydreaming about far-flung adventures.

  William watched from afar for a long time, frozen in the shadows, as always. With a deep sigh, he looked away and caught himself, as he realised that it was time to go. He ran as fast as he could, wishing he could outrun the night.

  Chapter Six

  When he awoke, it was early afternoon. William stood and peered out of his small window which looked out over the concrete jungle of downtown. As he turned to get ready for the day ahead, he noticed a note lying on the floor by his door.

  Quickly reading it, William learned that he had been summoned to a meeting which was due to start in ten minutes. This wasn’t unusual. Impromptu meetings were often held whenever there was any kind of development on the Outside situations. He quickly showered and dressed, slipping in discreetly, only minutes late.

  The meeting was held in one of the finer rooms of the Shadow Academy, utilised whenever Walter Poisonwood and other important members of the Council were involved. The furniture was cut out of oak, carved ornately and stained a rich brown colour, while the walls were covered with dark green wallpaper and hung with old maps of the Realm, portraits of Poisonwoods past and the finest in weaponry - solid silver swords and shields, which were far too expensive to be used anymore.

  “Sorry I’m late,” William whispered as he sat, glancing around at the serious expressions on the faces of those already seated.

  The other Shadows who were in the room, Kasper Vandow, Irvine Oxhugh and Alaster Goldvine, all wore expressions of confusion and worry. William guessed there was news yet to be broken to the Shadows - bad news.

  Walter cued Captain Gabryel Summers to begin with a small nod. He awkwardly cleared his throat. Even before he spoke, William felt a weight in his stomach.

  “Let’s start then, shall we?” The Captain said lightly. He clumsily shuffled a few papers, refusing to make eye contact with anyone.

  “What’s happened?” William asked.

  Captain Summers sighed heavily. He laid down his pile
of paper and continued to stare at the table. “There’s been a casualty.”

  A lump rose in William’s throat. “Who?”

  “It was…Zachary. He fought them. He tried to escape and…they gave chase and caught him up. He was stabbed.”

  Everyone in the room lowered their heads in sadness, anger and shame. William could feel fury building inside of him, but he knew that now was not the right time. Still, he couldn’t help saying, “His brother is one of us. He’s still in training.”

  “We know. Alexander has been pulled out of the programme and informed, along with his parents.”

  William exhaled deeply in an attempt to keep his temper in check. This was what he had feared. He swallowed hard and looked pointedly at Walter. “So do we get a plan of action now? Can we go in?” He demanded.

  Walter didn’t reply. He continued to stare unhearing at the table, his long, wrinkled fingers clasped together tightly.

  “What about the others?” William asked Captain Summers. “Wade and…”

  “They’re okay. As far as we are aware anyway,” the Captain replied sombrely.

  William felt his eyes fill with angry tears. “We should have gone in months ago. We could have easily fought the Silver’s off and taken them out of there. Or at least negotiated their release? That’s the way it’s supposed to work, right? Come on, Walter, you’re in charge here. You make all the decisions. Why wouldn’t you let us go in? How are you going to explain to Zach’s parents that your precious acres of bare land were more important than the life of their son?” William shook his head in disgust. “You’ve lost it, old man. You’ve completely lost it.”

  “Will,” Captain Summers said warningly.

  “No, I don’t care anymore. Whatever you say, yes or no, I’m going in. I’m getting the others out. It’s been too long and this isn’t how we do things here.”

  “Will, just wait. We have a plan. We’re putting one together. I think you should leave and calm down,” the Captain said quietly.