Uniquely Unwelcome (The Shadow World)

by Brandy Nacole

  I know I have my sister for that but it’s not the same. Addie has always accepted me, but of course she does, we were raised together. My father had insisted on keeping us together before his death. The Covenant had advised against it but couldn’t do anything legally since her real father was nowhere to be found.

  But Addie still didn’t understand. She was accepted. She was a pure blood. She didn’t know what it was like to be treated like the plague. I just wanted one other person to understand me. Was that such a crime? I didn’t want love, just a friend. Love was out of the question for me. I wasn’t going to subject myself to more ridicule. There was no one else like me and I didn’t want someone who wouldn’t understand.

  Just as I’m about to walk up the stairs, I hear a knock on the front door. I walk back down the stairs wondering what I would find. A burning bag of dog poo, that’s happened a time or two. An angry neighbor telling me to leave. A child who was dared to knock on my door.

  When I open the door, no one is there. I look out in the yard and see no one. They had to be hiding somewhere. “Yes I’m back in town. You can leave now.” I don’t know if there’s anyone around to hear me say it but I thought I would confirm it anyway.

  I walk back on upstairs checking everything out. Addie’s room has nothing left but blankets on the bed. I slam the door shut, hating the reminder that I have this big house to myself. A quick look in my grandparents’ room shows it’s the same as when I left. Everything’s as my grandmother had left it. After she passed away, Addie and I couldn’t bring ourselves to change anything. That was all we had left of her and we wanted to keep it that way.

  When I go into my room I’m not surprised by the mess. That’s how I had left it. Clothes are scattered all over the floor. My bed is disheveled from the last time I slept in it. A book shelf against the far wall is covered in books I once loved. My dresser is right beside it with various maps scattered on it. My nightstand has a lone picture of me and Addie sitting on it.

  We looked so happy in that picture. It was taken on a fall day right before sunset. Addie’s jet black hair shone in the sunlight as did her smile. Her blue eyes twinkled with happiness. I was just as excited as we hugged each other and smiled at the camera. I’ve always loved Addie’s eyes. They were always shining with love and happiness. She had always said she wanted my eyes but I would rather have her normal eyes any day.

  I sit on my bed and survey the rest of my room. There’s a shelf against the wall by the door covered in weapons. My punching bag and weights are still in the corner. My gloves still lie on top of the bag. My favorite running shoes lay at the foot of my bed amongst all the clothes. I stretch out my legs and have a sudden urge to do just that, to run.

  Instead, I sit here in the silence listening to the quiet hum that radiates through the house. It’s comforting to be sitting back in my own room after the hell I have been through this last year. Coming home makes me feel like a failure. I had wanted to find someone else like me. How I could have fooled myself was a mystery. I had found nothing but nightmarish pain and laughter. The kind that still haunts me in my sleep.

  I sit here trying to convince myself that it’s okay. That being unique is something to be proud of. Forget what the human and Shadow world thinks. But it’s not an easy feat to accept when I’m looking down the path of forever.

  Chapter Two

  I make my way down to the garage. I’m hoping the Altima is still there. I don’t want to trek all over town on the bus forever. The money my grandparents left me is pretty hefty but I don’t want to waste it. I don’t know if anyone will ever hire me for employment so I need to make it last as long as I can.

  Luckily it’s still there. Addie had been picked up in a black limo when she left for training at the Covenant. Most young Witches go to the Covenant after high school to begin honing their powers. Addie had been reluctant to go at first. She wanted to stay here for me but when I told her I was leaving and that she couldn’t talk me out of it, she finally left too. When I left, I ran until my body couldn’t move anymore. Then I hopped on a bus, then a train, and then an airplane.

  I go to grab the keys from the kitchen hook but they’re not there. I look around the garage checking under the mat, the bolt can, even behind an old bridge sign but find nothing. I walk back over to the car. Opening the driver door I look under the driver’s mat and finally find a spare key.

  My plan is to go to the Corner Market to get the supplies I need to clean the house and stock up the fridge. My plans change as I back out the driveway. I’ve only been gone a year but I’m curious to know if anything’s changed around here.

  I go north on Red Tree Street, instead of south to the market. I drive through the witchy cul-de-sac first. All the Witches live around this part of town. Although the Shadows mingle in school and at work, they like living amongst their own.

  The Vampires live across town in the slums. Most Shadow beings don’t mingle their living quarters with the humans but the Vampires do. They like living in the slums of town where people disappear and no one notices.

  The Shifters stay closer to the edge of town near the mountains. This allows them to change into their familiars without having to go a far distance to do so. They live on the south side of town away from the Lycans. The Lycans, to the east, like staying close to the woods too.

  Fairies seem to go and do as they please. They really don’t have a certain part of town they occupy. Really, how much room does a fairy need? One tree would house all that live here.

  The humans are spaced out in the city but stay clear of the Shadows’ neighborhoods. Humans aren’t prohibited from coming into our neighborhoods but we do discourage them from wanting to live there. They still come give their sales pitches, fix the water pipes, the common stuff. We have to keep our cover of being normal. If humans never went into a certain part of town they would eventually start talking.

  I do think humans get their own vibes to stir clear from certain parts of town anyway, especially where the Vampires live. Humans, well most things in general, don’t go where they feel uncomfortable.

  As I enter into the Lycans neighborhood I have to slam on my brakes. As I do hands come slamming down on my hood. A Lycan boy stares at me with hatred in his brown eyes. He stands in front of my car and moves his finger over his throat like he’s slicing it. Then he points his finger at me before walking off.

  I hit the gas, speeding away. If he thought he scared me by using some pointless gesture, he’s sadly mistaken. If I was going to be killed, I would already be dead. Fortunately the laws of the Shadow World protect me. There have been several that tried to repeal some of those laws to get rid of my family but they were denied.

  The Ruling Council, which is made up of one leader from each clan, would not allow such a crime. The Council rules on every law that is broken and killing another Shadow being carries the ultimate penalty. If a Shadow being kills another Shadow being they are sentenced to death immediately.

  That law was put into place after the feud between the Lycans and Vampires got out of hand. They would kill each other on sight if they could. Now the law prevents that. Plus, killing other Shadow beings is quite simple. It’s as if we are all allergic to one another. A Vampire bite will kill anyone except their own kind and humans. The same goes with the lycans. Fairies have charms that allow them to control Shadows until they die. Witches can use their power. The Shifters are a peculiar bunch. Their saliva is deadly so any bite, scrap, or drop of saliva that gets on a Shadow’s skin will kill them.

  It’s all been tested on me but apparently I’m immune. So was the rest of my family, well except for Addie. I guess the blood ceremonies done when my family got married had something to do with it. That and when our DNA blended together it created an antidote of some sorts. No one really knows but those are my theories.

  There are other laws that are designed for each group of Shadow beings. Those laws are maintained by the leaders of a community. Sub-councils were put in pla
ce after several Shadow beings left their original colonies to live amongst humans. It’s never been against the law to live among humans just as long as they never found out about us.

  As more and more Shadows started moving to different communities, the sub-councils were created to monitor activity. If things get out of hand they report back to the Ruling Council.

  The main goal of our world is to blend with the human world. We have to follow their rules as well as our own. We try doing our best but there have been some slip ups. One time a Lycan got pissed off at a human and decapitated him. The Lycans’ punishment really wasn’t all that harsh. The ruling-council stepped in with local authorities, no doubt charming them to believe they were the FBI or something, and took the lycan with them. They then banished him to the lycan encampment for the rest of his life. He is not allowed back out in the human world. This punishment didn’t seem fair to me considering he ripped a human’s head off.

  I make my way on through the town and end up at the Corner Market. The Corner Market is open to humans and Shadows just like any other business in town. This market is owned by a Shifter. Not too many Shadows own businesses in town. The ones that do are usually the Witches who own herbal stores, tarot card readings, and inspirational stores.

  This particular store’s only employees are Shadow beings, for insurance purposes I’m sure. I wonder if the owner will give me the time of day? Probably not.

  I enter the store warily. I don’t ever go in somewhere without taking in my surroundings first. Years of experience has taught me that. There are two Lycans at the checkout counters. Each has a Shifter bagging products for the customers. A Witch is dry mopping the aisles. All of whom are guys. I wonder if the owner is sexist?

  I make my way down the aisles, hearing the snipes made about me as I pass. My super hearing is probably the worst of my abilities. When I was a child my hearing would keep me up at night screaming. I couldn’t tune out my neighbors’ snickers. When I was eight I tried poking out my ear drums. I ended up only bleeding for five seconds before the wounds healed up.

  Over time my grandfather helped me learn how to turn down my hearing and only focus on what I wanted to. Sometimes it still picks up conversations around me when I’m not concentrating, like now. I wished my grandfather would have taught me more before he skipped out on us. He left shortly after my grandmother died. I don’t think he killed himself like my father did. He just left me and Addie without a word.

  As I’m going through my memories, I reach up to get some salt and pepper off the shelf when I hear a voice that sends dread through my body. “Well, well, well, look who it is.”

  I keep on about my business thinking that the dreaded voice will go away. Maybe he was talking to someone else. Doubtful. As I turn around there his hateful face is. Ethan.

  Chapter Three

  “Hey freak, come to spread some more of your venom?” Ethan’s standing behind me, arms crossed, a scowl disfiguring his tanned face.

  Is he handsome? Yes, he’s around 6’2, with reddish brown hair that’s a little long and curls at the tips. He has deep brown eyes that are framed with beautifully long lashes. His toned muscular body makes girls quiver in his shadow.

  However, Ethan is the biggest jackass ever. He has terrorized me for as long as I can remember, always calling me out and leaving me nasty gifts. Once he left a burning bag of dog poo with a note far enough away from the bag so it wouldn’t catch on fire that stated, “You’re like a bag of burning dog poo. Something nobody wants to deal with but eventually has to be dealt with.”

  Ethan and I have always loathed each other, and that will probably never change. “Hello Ethan, nice to see you too.” I place my salt and pepper in my basket. Then cross my arms over my chest matching his stance and glare at him. “Miss me?” Ethan snorts and shakes his head. “Quite the opposite, I was hoping you were dead.”

  This is so not what I want to deal with right now. I’m tired and just want to get back home. I shake my head at him and roll my eyes, then turn to my cart to leave. As I start to walk away he slams his foot down in front of my cart.

  “So what’s next? You already have a wolf, a Shape-shifter, and a vamp so I’m guessing Witch, especially if you’re going to follow the same pattern as last year.” Ethan flexes his jaw, showing his aggravation plainly.

  “Yeah, and then after that I think I’ll catch a fairy for dessert. What do you think? Or should I go for a Leprechaun, I hear they’re tasty.” I go to move my cart back so I can go around him but he grabs a hold of the front to stop me. “So it’s true then? You’re the one who’s responsible.” Shock, confusion, and delight all pass over Ethan’s face in a matter of seconds.

  I’m anything but delighted. A little confused, yes, but definitely not delighted. It sounds like he is blaming me for something, but what, I don’t know.

  I look at him like he has totally lost his mind. “What are you talking about?”

  “Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about. This all started when you took off. Then Evan disappeared two nights ago and now you’re showing your face again. So what do you do with them? Eat them? Use them in some sick ritual?” Ethan’s body is tense, his eyebrows are pursed together, and his eyes are glowing with hatred.

  “Seriously I have no idea what you’re talking about. I don’t know anything about anyone disappearing or anything about Evan. I just came back because I couldn’t...you know what never mind. That’s none of your business. I came back because I wanted to and the reason why is my business alone.” No way was I going to accidentally spill my guts to some idiot who didn’t even care. I may be desperate to talk to someone but I’m not that desperate. Besides he’s accusing me of something that I knew nothing about until now and apparently I’m the prime suspect.

  “Yeah, okay. You have no idea about the thirteen mysterious disappearances last year? Or about the six that happened at the beginning of this year? How about the fact that the pattern has started all over again? You’ve heard nothing about any of it?”

  “No!” If what he was saying is true then something was really wrong. Our kind hardly ever went missing. Sure there might be a few disappearances here and there but they eventually turned up somewhere. There was never a death without an explanation let alone a sudden disappearance with some information, especially of this magnitude.

  Ethan leans over my cart and puts his face close to mine. “I don’t believe that and I’ll be watching you. If you slip up once, I’ll be there.”

  With that he shoves my cart and walks away. I have a tone of questions on my tongue but I’m unable to get a word out before he’s around the corner and gone. The fact that he tried to scare me with his comment about watching me, didn’t faze me at all. I’ve had people watching my every move since I was born.

  I finish getting what I need and move on to the checkout line. As I’m standing in line I overhear a couple people talking about Evan. From what I gather Evan was working at the Movie Galla on Monday night. He had spoken with a couple co-workers after their shift ended. Then he headed home around midnight and no one has heard from him since.

  There was no trace of a struggle in his home. His car was parked at his house but there was no evidence of a struggle there either. Everything seemed normal except for the fact that Evan was missing.

  Then I heard the same people comparing Evan’s disappearance to all the other weird disappearances. Apparently last week a Vampire mysteriously disappeared in Bulgaria. Not long before that a Werewolf went missing from a town in Argentina. It didn’t make any sense that all these disappearances were so scattered yet related somehow.

  I head home to start my massive cleaning. I stop and grab a burger not wanting to clean dishes just yet considering I have years’ worth of grime beckoning my name. Once I get home, I unload the car and get to work.

  After cleaning out the refrigerator and cabinets, I fill them with all the groceries I bought. Then I move on to dusting the house top to bottom. I d
o the laundry, and then head back to the living room. I’m pretty satisfied with myself. As I go to grab my bag from the floor, I notice the hallway closet. I don’t really know what would need cleaning in there but I check it out anyway.

  There’s a couple coats hanging in there and a box pushed all the way to the far right corner. I pull the box out to see what might be inside. I find a journal of my grandmother’s, an old teddy bear, a couple of pictures, and a baby blanket. My grandmother’s journal is just filled with things about our family and the struggles we faced and what we would probably continue to face.

  The last entry she made was extremely touching to me and made me miss my grandmother that much more. The date read May 16, 2006. The day before she died.

  I know my time draws nigh. I do not fear death for it is a passage that we must all face, all except for those dreadful Vampires but I will not go into that again. However, I do fear for my granddaughter Harmony. She is the most brilliant girl I know and have ever known. But her life has been a hard one and I fear with me gone she will fall into despair and lose herself. It has almost happened already, I cannot imagine what might become of her when I am gone. I know that we must all depart this plane to move on to the next one but I wish for more time. If only I could be here for her teen years. That is the hardest time for any young girl and with the way my dear Harmony is treated, I fear that it will be extremely harder on her. My dear husband is in extreme agony as well. I can see it in his eyes. Although our marriage has been a strenuous one, we always knew this day was coming. My departing this world, while he stayed behind because of that dreadful Vampire curse. Never allowing the soul to rest, so it may move on to a new level of bliss. The past few decades have been strange with my aging and him not. But we made it through and I can see the love in his eyes. However, when I pass I do not know if he will be able to help Harmony the way she needs. Addie will be here for a while longer but she too will eventually have to move on to learn her true abilities. My heart pours out to my dear Harmony. Hopefully one day the world will open its eyes and see her for who she truly is and accept her. Was our family really wrong for loving the wrong person? I never thought so but looking at my poor Harmony now, I have my doubts. How could we have been so selfish as to put someone we say we love through so much turmoil? Oh how I hope my Harmony finds her way and knows that I will be with her always.