by David Barton
After time of darkness they slowly opened, a shadowy figure seemed to be looming over me. I shot them open suddenly seeing the woman from the morgue. “Um.” I looked at her busy hands, messing around with the drip that was attached to my arm. I hadn’t woken when they slid that into my skin? “What are you doing?”
“Just adjusted the drip slightly, nothing to worry about.”
“But, you’re a morgue assistant. What are you doing up here?” My fingers twitched with the need to pull the needle out of my arm, to stop whatever she was doing.
Then she turned to me with a smiley face. She seemed so different from the last time we met. Her smile relaxed my whole body. “I’m guessing I’ll be needing x-rays for my ribs.”
“They’ve already been taken. The doctor should be along shortly to talk to you about them.”
“Okay, I guess I’ve been knocked out for a while. I thought I had just arrived.”
“Nah, I’ve been looking after you for at least a hour now. You did seem pretty out of it.”
“Thanks.” I shuffled myself up the bed. Then the doctor’s head popped through the gap in my curtain. He was a tall skinny man. His features stuck out of his face thanks to the tightness of his skin. When he smiled it got worse.
“Hi, I will be your doctor for your very short visit.” His eyes landed on the morgue assistant. His face changed, a sudden glimpse of disgust appeared. “If you would please excuse us.”
“Sure doctor.” She gave me another smile before moving through the curtain.
“Now that she’s gone we can get down to business. Like I said, this will be a short visit. We have gotten your x-rays back.” He held them up to the light above my bed. “Just like I thought, there’s no break and no fractures. It’s just some bad bruising. I have these for you.” He dug out a medicine bottle from his white coat pocket and chucked them onto the bed.
“So I can leave?”
“Yep. Those painkillers are very powerful. Take one a day, no more and of course, no alcohol with them.”
“Right.”
“Hopefully won’t be seeing you anytime soon.”
“Thank you doctor.”
“Don’t mention it.” He smiled. A friendly gesture but somehow it made him look more sinister. He moved back through the curtain and left me there to make my own way out.
I grabbed the bottle of pills, the movement making me wince in pain. It flared out through my body almost making me fall to the floor. That’s when I decided to pop the lid off and take one now. Swallowing it down without any water.
Hopefully it would kick in soon. I changed out of the unflattering hospital gown and grabbed the bus back to the city then a tram back to my apartment. Climbing the stairs I was starting to feel the benefits of the painkillers. I pulled my keys out of my pocket and pushed them against the lock.
The door softly shifted. That’s when I noticed the slight splintering on the door. Someone had broken in. I blew out a long breath. It was just my luck after the day I had. Closing my eyes I listened intently. There was no sound coming from inside. I pushed the door the rest of the way open. My heart was beating so fast.
My feet slipped over the carpet as I looked around. Nothing seemed to be ruined or missing. I moved further into the room. That’s when I felt an uneasiness in the air. I couldn’t place it but there seemed to something wrong with my apartment.
I moved over to the kitchen, opening the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water. Hopefully the cool liquid would feel nice next to my bruised ribs. I shut the door, the shimmering surface picking up some kind of movement behind me.
I turned ignoring the pain aching in my chest. I didn’t see anything. Maybe I was getting paranoid. I undid the bottle and took a few gulps. Letting the cool water slide through my body. I lowered my head and that’s when I saw something. In the corner of my living room was some kind of figure. The light from the kitchen gave it form but it was like there was nothing there.
My eyes must be playing tricks on me. The doctor had said the painkillers were powerful. Then again, I should make sure. I left my bottle of water on the kitchen counter and made my way over to the light switches by the archway. I kept an eye on the shape in the corner.
As I came to the exit of the kitchen I quickly flicked the switch. The light fitting hanging from the ceiling illuminated the room and the corner. There was nothing there. My eyes moved around the room but still couldn’t see anything.
I let out the breath I had been holding. My body relaxing I moved back into the kitchen to pick up my bottle of water. I had only taken a few steps out of the kitchen when suddenly the lights went out after a sudden click of a switch. I spun around but the kitchen light didn’t do much with lighting up the rest of the apartment.
I stepped backwards. The click had come from the switch by the front door. Picking up my pace I hit the wall arch that led into the kitchen. With the light on my back I felt a little better but then my heart beat skipped as the kitchen light darkened to pitch black.
I was dowsed in shadows, unable to see anything and unable to move my body. Fear froze my joints. My eyes useless I closed them, using my ears to pick up any foreign noises. For a few long seconds there was nothing, just the noises of the city outside my window. Then there was a sudden, slight noise. A foot or something on the carpet inside my apartment.
My eyes shot open but I still couldn’t see anything. My heart was beating fast enough to rip a hole in my t-shirt. Another sweep over the carpet to my right. I spun ducking in the kitchen, sliding onto the floor. I could only hope that this person was using sound to find me as well. No one could be able to see in this darkness.
My hand started sliding up the wall, my fingertips reaching for the plastic light switch. It was the only chance I had of seeing this intruder. I felt the little box that housed the switch but my hand shot back to my body when static suddenly filled the living area. A soft glow of flickering light was coming over the counter.
I slowing lifted myself up to a crouching position. I saw my television, flashing static over the walls. That’s when I saw the figure in the corner again. Standing there. His gaze looking directly at me, watching me. It was like something out of a nightmare.
The figure itself almost flickered like the television. Something straight out of a horror film was standing in my apartment. No escape out of the door. No point jumping out of the window with such a drop to the street.
I swallowed hard as the figure seemed to look around my apartment. His gaze moving over me and then moving on. I was doomed. This thing was going to get me and there was nothing I could do about it.
01/07/2014 PM
I had tracked this man across half the city. Losing him a few times until I came to an apartment I had been to before. It was the reporter’s place and he had just come home. I perched myself on the building opposite the reporter’s.
Watching through the window I saw him go into the kitchen. That’s when the weird things started happening. I had thought I might have lost the man I was hunting. This was confirmation I was wrong.
The lights had all gone out now leaving the place in pitch black. I tried to see what was going on but couldn’t. What was worse, neither could the reporter. I flexed my legs, leaping from the edge of the building. The air slipped over my clothes, dragging on the ends of my mask.
My fingers hit the brick work, burying them into the building. With the other hand I pulled on the window, the little latch losing the fight against my strength. I softly lifted the window up, slipping in without a sound.
The carpet taking my weight silently. I replaced the window to its original position and concentrated on the room. Closing my eyes I listened with my super hearing. The noises of the city outside being thrown away I managed to pick up on two people breathing. One quick and almost frightened. The other one was steady, calm.
The only problem was, this information was useless unless I could see this person. I quietly moved until my hand slipped against the televi
sion. The idea popped into my head and I flipped the button at the side.
The room was doused with a dim light. My eyes landing on a figure in the corner. It wasn’t the reporter. In fact, it didn’t even seem human. It was more like a silhouette. But it didn’t matter, it was the intruder.
I rushed across the room, all my super senses focused on the figure in the corner. My fingers grasped the figure but before my hands could close it slipped away like sand. I spun, spotting the person moving across the wall. It stepped with no sound.
I ran after it, one had ready to punch, the other trying to get a good grip. I felt the intruder like a curtain. Getting a handful but unable to keep hold. That’s when I felt a sudden punch against my face. It hit with such force pain momentarily paralysed my body.
I had never felt a punch like that before. No one had even winded me let alone put me in so much pain. I looked up as the shadowy figure stood over me. I blinked and the shroud of darkness lifted from it.
It was a man. His head was bald, his features slim and young looking. He bent down, smiling. “No one is a match for me in the darkness of the night.”
“Who are you?” It came out as a wheeze. I still hadn’t caught my breath from his punch.
“I suppose it’s no problem since I’m going to kill both of you anyway.”
“Both?”
“Yeah, you because you got in the way and the reporter because the money is good.”
“Money? You’re a hired assassin?”
“That’s right. People hire me under my alias, Shade.”
“I can see why you use that name. Where do you come from?”
“Come from? I’m not some kind of alien and I could ask you the same question. I’ve never seen anyone with your speed and my fist is killing me after punching you.” His hand touched my chin pulling my focus up. “You’re not normal, just like me. You’re the first one I’ve met. It’s going to be a shame to kill you.”
“Are you sure you can?”
“Judging from your reaction to my punch I can hurt you. I think I can find a way to kill you.” His eyes ran over my body, looking for a weakness in me.
I willed my body to move but it was still in shutdown from the attack. “I’m going to stop you from killing anymore people.”
“Yeah right. This isn’t my first assignment. I’ve been killing for years and you two won’t be my last ones.” He flicked his wrist, a small blade appearing in his hand. The silver knife glinting in the light from the television.
I watched the blade as he lifted it up into the air. My body still not wanting to move despite the impending death I was facing.
My eyes lifted up and that’s when I spotted something out the window behind Shade. Before I could focus my eyes the window smashed, something small flying into the room. It hit Shade, breaking through his skin and poking out of his shoulder. A small spurt of blood hit the floor as he was yanked backwards.
Destroying what was left of the window he was dragged out into the night. I took a few deep breaths and pushed myself to my feet. I followed his scream to the window and watched as he was pulled up the side of the building opposite. I followed the thing sticking out of his shoulder, up a wire and to a person crouching on the edge of the building above the dangling man.
Shade was screaming the whole way up. Trying to cover himself in shadows like he had in the apartment. The city lights kept tearing them away. He reached the top, his mouth not closing until the person bashed him in the face with a fist.
He went both quiet and limp. Falling onto the roof of the building. I lifted my foot up onto the window sill ready to jump. “Wait!” I whipped my head around where the reporter had switched the light on. Staring at me with a look of shock on his face. “I knew I wasn’t crazy. A city this big had to have a superhero. I knew it.”
I put on a stern tone, “You can’t tell anyone about me or what you saw.”
“Are you kidding? All those guys laughing at me. I knew I was right.”
“No one. You can tell no one. It’s important for me to keep doing what I do.”
The words seemed to dawn on him. The inside conflict between telling someone and doing the right thing. He spoke, his tone a little sad, “Okay but I have so many questions to ask you.”
“Maybe another time.” There were also questioned I needed to ask him. Like why this assassin would have been sent to kill a simple reporter. There must be something bigger going on that I wasn’t aware of.
The thing I needed to find out now though, was who that woman was and was she a friend or foe. I grabbed the edge of the window and flung myself out into the city air. I had shot myself off at an angle. Aiming for the fire escape hiding down the side of the building. Feeling it shake as my feet hit it. My feet thudded on metal steps as I rushed up to the roof.
When I jumped off the top step the woman was busy dragging the assassin off to the shadows. She wore tight black trousers with a black jacket. It wasn’t leather but it looked thick. I walked over the roof until I was a few feet away. “Excuse me.”
Her head whipped around to face me. She wore a tight black mask just covering her eyes. She would have been blind if the mask didn’t have those eye holes. Her brown hair swayed in the breeze. She blinked and then her arm moved. I hadn’t seen the shiny object until it hit me in the shoulder. “The first one is a warning. The second one will go through your eye.”
“I just want to talk to you.” I grabbed the handle sticking out of my shoulder. Yanking it out with a hiss of pain through gritted teeth.
Her fingers moved and another knife appeared. “You won’t live to talk about this encounter.”
Her arm moved with lightning speed. My advantage was her over confidence. My speed trumped hers and I knew where she was aiming. My hand blurred and grabbed the throwing knife from the air. The sharp metal point would have pierced me straight through my right eye but I had managed to stop it an inch away.
The look on the woman’s face was pure shock. I guess I had been the first person to catch one of her little knives. I dropped my hand to my side but kept the muscles ready to react. I needed to question her which meant I could fling this thing into her leg and have no problems.
“How do you move that fast? I can’t even move that fast.”
I looked down at the knocked out Shade. “Well, I’m starting realise that there are more people that are special in this city. You must be one of them as well.”
“What are you?”
“I think the question that should be answered is, what do you want with this man?”
“That’s between me and him. You should leave.”
“Why? You’ve proven that you can’t hit me with your little weapons.” I twiddled the knife around my fingers. “So, I think you should share your story with me and we can sort this man out together. I took a step closer, my eyes on her hands just in case she produces another weapon. “Maybe I can help you with something.”
“I don’t need or want your help. This something, is something I need to do by myself.” Her eyes dropped to Shade. A look of determination on her face.
“Everyone needs help.”
“Not me.”
I stared at her. “You’ll need help from me.” With that little warning I rushed her, knife in my hand. She managed to dodge my arm as I went to grab her but missed my left as it came around her. Clamping her arms to her sides.
I placed the sharp blade against her neck. “Like I said everyone needs help.”
“What are you going to do?”
I put a little pressure on her neck then quickly let her go, spinning the blade around so the handle was pointing in her direction. “I’m not going to hurt you because we’re clearly on the same side.”
“The only side I have is mine.”
“You don’t play well with others do you?”
“Not really.”
“Well, that should change.” I looked down at Shade. He was still unconscious. “For all you know we’re chasing th
is guy for the same reason.”
“Did he murder your sister?”
I didn’t know how to reply to that. I didn’t have that kind of reason but my aim was to stop him from hurting anyone else. Surely that put our reasons on the same path.
She pulled a smirk. “I didn’t think so.”
“You want to hurt him because of what he did to your friend. I want to stop him from doing it to anyone else. We can work together. I might have some information about him and who hired him.”
“Wait.” She looked at me with narrowed eyes like she was weighing up whether I was telling the truth or not. “What do mean hired?”
“What do you know about this guy?”
“I know he killed my sister. The rest I just guessed.”
“Like what?”
Shade started moaning, moving in a drunken kind of way. This woman just flicked her leg and smashed her heal into his chin. Knocking him back out cold. I might be faster than her but she was still deadly and I was positive she still had a few tricks up her sleeve.
“I figured he just worked for a gang or mob of some kind.”
“What about your sister?”
“Wrong place, wrong time.”
“Here’s what I know. He goes by the name Shade. He’s clearly not a normal human being with what I saw.”
“Agreed.”
“He’s also a hired assassin. However, he’s only had one employee lately, continuously giving him job after job. This employee is on a list of people I would like to have a chat with.”
“So you need information out of this guy?”
“Precisely.”
I waited for an answer, listening to her breath in the city air. “Fine, but we’re not hanging out. We’re not that kind of partners. You give me information and I’ll give you the same. Then we stay out of each other’s lives.”
“I guess that sounds like a good deal.”
“Good.” Shade started groaning again. “Perfect timing.” She grabbed him by the long sleeved top he was wearing and pushed him back into an air conditioning pipe. Then I watched as she flipped out a blade from nowhere. I was about to yell for her to stop but she moved. Driving the long knife through his right shoulder and into the metal.
