Humanity 03 - Marksman Law

by Corrine Shroud

  Tina’s expression softened at Mirage’s frantic expression. “I understand.” She bit her lip. “Can you fade from place to place like I’ve heard a Child of the Dusk can?”

  Mirage nodded. “If I know exactly where I want to go.”

  “Can you take others with you?”

  Mirage nodded and Tina hurried through the hallway. She stood, bewildered, until Tina came back a few minutes later. She had a backpack thrown over her shoulder. “Okay, I’m ready.”

  “Ready?”

  “I put a cartoon on my laptop for Nick. He’ll be occupied for at least an hour. I do that a lot if I’ve gotta sneak out and I don’t want him tattling to Dad. Let’s go see if we can salvage anything out of your house.”

  “Tina, your Dad wouldn’t like that idea.”

  Tina rolled her eyes. “I make my own decisions. I’m almost eighteen.”

  “Tina…your family has done so much for me. I don’t want you in danger.”

  Tina winked and drew the cap of her black hoody up. “They won’t even know who I am.”

  Mirage sighed at the stubborn expression on the human’s face. “I don’t have a choice, do I?”

  “Nope. We’re not going to be gone long.”

  “Fine.” Mirage grabbed her shoulders, embracing her powers. There was a reason that Children of the Dusk rarely transported through shadows. There had been some that had lost themselves in the power. Mirage heard horror stories about being careful when she was little. She was good at it though, mainly because she trusted her powers more than she could ever trust a living being. It was all about trust and being calm.

  It would take a lot of energy transporting them both, but she promised herself a rest after this last thing. “Don’t fight this and trust me.” Her runes began to glow, faintly at first before they brightened and reflected in Tina’s wide eyes. Her powers swirled around them before shadows trailed from the scarlet marks. Her vision blackened for an instant before the image cleared and they were in the top of a tree. Tina stumbled, unable to balance on the round branch, and Mirage caught her by the arm. Tina bit her lip to keep from crying out.

  “Why are we in a tree?” Tina demanded.

  “Shut up and tell me if you see anyone. My eyes are adjusting.”

  She hesitated. “Can you keep holding on to me like this?”

  “Tina, don’t worry about it. I’m a bit stronger than a human. I’m not going to drop you. Just, please, tell me what you see.”

  There was a pause before she said, “There’s a police car parked in front of your neighbor’s, but there’s no one at your house.”

  “Good. Can you be quiet?”

  “Please,” Mirage could hear the sarcastic eye roll in the word. “The Altruistics always use me for stuff like this.”

  Mirage lifted her up back onto the branch. “Take hold of my shoulders. We’re going to travel again.” Tina clutched tightly to her and Mirage allowed the shadows to cover her body. In a moment, they were crouched in the rubble of her home. Only one wall stood against the hallway and they hurried behind it immediately.

  “That is a very uncomfortable experience,” Tina muttered.

  “You’re the one who wanted to come along.”

  After a moment, Tina whispered, “Where was your room?”

  “Follow me.” Mirage took her hand and led her past the standing wall into a burned entrance way. Most of the ceiling had caved in, but she could vaguely recognize the remnants of a bed and dresser. Like she’d imagined, the nightstand was barely burned. She pointed and Tina nodded. She went toward it as Mirage’s powers pulsated against her glowing runes. She used the shadows to jerk the burned drawers open. The clothing that was in there was ruined, her hidden journals blackened beyond recognition. The tendrils of shadows searched better than dogs, sniffing for her power.

  “Is this it?” Tina asked. She held out the small black book that was so precious to her. Her shadows grabbed it from her and brought it to Mirage before resting beside her body like obedient animals. She smiled.

  “Did you find anything else worth taking?”

  “Hey, what about this?” Tina stood from where she’d been crouched and she was holding a torn sheet of paper. “It’s a little damaged, but I can’t believe it survived.”

  “What is it?”

  “Whoever drew this is an excellent artist. It looks just like you. It’s beautiful.”

  Mirage swallowed. She opened her mouth to tell Tina to throw the damn thing down, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. Instead, she heard herself say, “Yeah. We’ll take that. Pick up those few journals beside it and we’ll go. There’s nothing else.”

  Tina obeyed her and they were about to leave when a shot sounded above her head and the doorway beside her head shuddered as a bullet hit it. Mirage ducked immediately, her shadows rising as a protective barrier around her body. More flowed from her body, coiling like striking snakes.

  “Mirage, no!” Tina grabbed her shoulder. “Don’t hurt him.”

  Mirage shrugged away. “I’m not going to kill him. I just need to knock him out.”

  Tina shook her head. “Mirage…”

  The second shot seemed to pause time.

  Tina’s sentence was cut off as Mirage watched her eyes widen. She stumbled forward and only Mirage’s hands on her shoulders kept her from falling.

  “Oh, God, Tina…” Mirage could smell the sharp tang of blood and she watched Tina’s black hoody darken as it saturated with blood.

  “Mirage…” Tina coughed as Mirage picked her up. A quick glance at the policeman told her that he was making his way closer, trying to get a clearer shot. She embraced her shadows before he could and shrouded them both in their comforting presence, traveling back to her home. She lay Tina down on the kitchen floor and blood immediately began to stain the white tile.

  “Listen to me, Tina,” Mirage said as she ripped through Tina’s hoody and shirt without effort. “Everything is going to be alright. I’m not going to let you die.” If Tina heard her, then she was unable to answer. Mirage tried not to think about that—she promised herself that it would be okay. She wasn’t a strong Illuminitican, but if she worked quickly, her abilities should be enough to heal her.

  Mirage shivered. Despite the consequences, her conscious whispered. She ignored the worry—the side effects of being healed would be better than Tina dying. She couldn’t break Kinely’s trust…no matter what.

  Mirage’s movements were methodical and instinctive. She refused to allow herself to think as the designs that decorated her hand began to glow blue. There was a new pain as her powers flowed into Tina’s skin. The human’s skin glowed blue and Mirage felt her consciousness begin to weaken. There was something wrong with her powers. She barely realized the wound on Tina’s stomach had closed up before she fell against the human. There was an odd ringing in her ears.

  “Not yours, Mirage. Not yours to control.”

  Mirage panted, trying to stay conscious. The burning pain had spread, even though she’d stopped using her power. The whispered words echoed in her throbbing head, her only company as she passed out. Who had spoken?

  In the back of her mind she could feel something—someone who was watching. She was vaguely aware of a shower, of fear and resentment, and of Michael’s screaming voice. In that instant she realized something.

  She was bound to him.

  The Shadow Cords called to her as she blacked out. She was bound to him by the Shades. She remembered the last thing she’d said to him, something she hadn’t even meant to say when the Shades had circled them. Something she hadn’t even understood.

  “Bring peace, Parlinn, and learn from the past’s echo your sins.”

  About The Author

  Corrine Shroud lives in the Appalachian rural reaches of Kentucky with her family, her dog Scooper and her cat Jaded. She’s a Robinson Scholar and is currently attending the University of Kentucky, majoring in pre-Med Biology and Minoring in Mythology and Folklore. Her fami
ly is large and loving and she has three younger brothers. She lives in a beautiful culture-rich area that has inspired her and that she’s proud of. She’s an avid reader and writer and is obsessed with anything of the obscure.