A Shadow's Light: Book Two of The Shadow Series

by J. M. Pierce

  Julie’s response came in a fearful stutter. “If—if he didn’t kill her, then how are you talking to her? She’s dead, isn’t she?”

  “Yes, she’s dead,” replied Alyssa with a smile. “Actually, she’s standing right beside you.”

  Julie jumped to the side and searched for the figure that was supposedly standing next to her. Seeing nothing, she scolded Alyssa. “Now you stop it!”

  “What? Are you getting scared?” asked Alyssa, now becoming irritated. “Tell me, how could I trust to tell anyone about what I see if I can’t trust you to believe me; to not think I’m a freak?”

  Julie felt her niece’s words and they weighed on her heavily. She held out her arms and felt a cold area next to where she had been standing. “So you’re serious? His mother is standing right here.”

  Alyssa nodded her head. “Yes. Her name is Maggie. She says hello.”

  Julie smiled tentatively and stared at the empty air beside her. “Hello, Maggie.” Turning back to Alyssa, Julie asked, “If Test didn’t kill her, then why is she….”

  “Dead?” asked Alyssa.

  Julie nodded her head.

  “She passed away a couple of weeks ago; just after Uncle E gave them Test.”

  With her hands trembling wildly, Julie asked, “How?”

  “She accidentally took her own life.”

  Julie gasped. “What? Why? I don’t understand.”

  Alyssa closed her eyes, leaned her head to one side, and then began to speak in a manner not her own. “I thought he was gone. I had been kept in a room with nothing but the hum of the lights keeping me company for the last year. I was broken. One day a man gave me a way out; a bottle of Morphine and a syringe. I resisted and argued with myself for hours, but then gave in to the pain. I honestly didn’t intend to die. I just wanted the pain to go away. I took too much.”

  With each word spoken, Julie’s face melted in pain. “Dear Lord. I can’t imagine what she’s been through. Why was she being held?” she asked.

  Alyssa stared away from her aunt, seeming to listen for the answer. “They ran tests on me. They thought that I may give them a clue to what my son was. It was an everyday struggle until a few weeks ago. And then it all stopped.”

  Julie wiped the tears from beneath her eyes and looked in the direction of where Maggie stood.

  “The day after I passed was the day they captured Test. He was unconscious and, as I stood by his side, I had to come to terms with the fact that, once more, there was nothing I could do to help him. That was when Mr. Johnston came to me. He said that he could help Test, and he wanted me to come find Alyssa. He thought that maybe we could help each other mend.”

  Julie held her hand over her mouth, in awe of the situation before her. “I’m almost afraid to ask, but who is Mr. Johnston?” she asked with her entire body now trembling.

  Alyssa took Julie’s hands in hers and gave them a gentle squeeze. “It’s okay; you’re fine.” She spoke in a comforting manner. “She means Cliff. Cliff was a friend of Test’s from Lincoln. He passed away shortly after everything happened there. He was with us when Rob attacked Test. He saved our lives.”

  “You mean this Cliff person had something to do with Rob’s death?” asked Julie, the confusion clearly evident on her face.

  “No. This was after Rob died.” Alyssa understood her aunt’s confusion. She hadn’t yet adjusted to the concept of the dead mingling with the living. “Just before Uncle E and James showed up at the cabin, Rob’s spirit attacked Test. He was feeding off of the energy that Test was emitting. If it weren’t for Cliff stepping in, I think Rob would’ve killed him.”

  Alyssa felt Julie’s grip become weak and watched as her skin turned pale. “Are you okay?” she asked.

  In a timid voice, Julie replied. “I’m a little light headed.”

  “Come back to the car and sit down.”

  Alyssa helped her aunt to the hood of the car and let her rest for a moment. Sweat had begun to bead on Julie’s forehead, and Alyssa caringly fixed a few stray hairs that were matted to it. She looked her aunt in the eyes, smiling with a quivering lip and a raised brow.

  “Welcome to my world.”

  Chapter 21

  Once again, Test found himself back at the farm in Nebraska. He knew he was dreaming, but the realism and lucidity of this dream was staggering. He recalled that in the previous dream, the farm had been restored to its original glory. Now it was back to the dilapidated condition that he had known it to be in person.

  He stood in the middle of the drive and looked at his surroundings. There was light all around him, but no sun shining in the sky; no moon to project the ethereal glow. He felt at peace here. It had always been. He’d forgotten how much this place meant to him and he wished he could rewind the last year of his life and return home. He walked to the old blue pickup and wondered if it had ever been as pristine as it had the last time he’d dreamt of it. He placed his hands on the hood and felt the peeling paint chip and flake beneath his palm; the rusted metal underneath felt abrasive and warm. He closed his eyes and arched his back, surprised at the level of relaxation that he felt. It had been a long time since the feeling had visited him. He glanced at the barn as it still leaned against the giant elms, and then to the roof, chuckling at the hole he had once fallen through. He looked further to the right of the barn and saw the pile of straw that had once held Nicole.

  Nicole. He’d never forgotten her, or stopped caring for her, but he had moved on. It was the best thing for both of them. He was sure that she was happy somewhere, at some college hanging out with some frat guy at a party. The thought made him smile. He truly hoped that his fantasy was her reality.

  He walked around to the back of the barn. Beyond it was a field of wheat that stood perfectly still as if someone had taken a picture and hung it in front of him. And then he heard a voice.

  “Hello, son.”

  He turned to his left and ten feet away stood the little old man that he called friend.

  “It’s peaceful, isn’t it?” asked Cliff.

  Test smiled as he peered back to the field. “Yes it is.” Holding his line of sight, Test asked, “Are you…you?”

  He heard the old man chuckle.

  “Are you?” asked Cliff.

  Test looked at his hands and then rubbed them together. He could feel the heat from the friction created. “I don’t know. I can’t be, can I?” he asked.

  Cliff raised an eyebrow and shrugged his shoulders. “Never know.” He took a step towards Test and pushed his hands into his pockets. “Back together again, huh?”

  “I guess,” replied Test. He dropped his head and stared at the ground as he spoke. “Mom’s dead.”

  Cliff nodded his head casually. “Yep, I know. Talked to her.”

  Test looked up to see Cliff standing with his shoulders pushed back and his chest sticking out. He was scared to ask the question lingering on his lips.

  “Is she okay?”

  Cliff took a deep breath and shrugged his shoulders again. “They put her through a lot; thought maybe she was like you, or at least had the answers. Of course she didn’t.”

  “They’ve had her all this time?”

  “Yes. Aside from not bein’ with you, she’s better off now,” replied Cliff.

  Test’s emotions cascaded over his face. “How did she die?”

  The old man took a deep breath. “You…,” he paused in thought. “You already know, son.”

  “Tell me. I need to hear it from you.”

  “It’s like the man said, she overdosed on Morphine. She didn’t mean to go so far; she just wanted to stop hurtin’.”

  “How did she get it? How did she get the Morphine?”

  Cliff looked back to Test. “Dawson didn’t lie to you; he gave it to her. After they caught you, she was of no use to them anymore. He knew she’d use it.” Cliff paused for just a moment. “He hoped she’d use too much.”

  The fury, hate, and sadness within Test was obvious as he
clenched his fists tightly. With a tensed jaw, he asked, “Where is she?”

  “She should be with Alyssa.”

  Cliff’s answer caught Test off guard. His mother couldn’t have even known of Alyssa. “Why?” he asked.

  “I thought the two of them could help each other out. They’ve both got pain that needs mendin’. I wouldn’t worry ‘bout them so much right now. You on the other hand…well, no bones about it; you’re in quite the pickle.”

  Test walked to Cliff’s side and stared out over the field.

  “What am I going to do?” he asked. “How do I get out of this?” The anger overtook the sadness for a moment, and Test looked down to his friend. “How can I make Dawson pay?”

  Cliff’s demeanor suddenly changed. His patience for Test’s temper had suddenly grown short as he grabbed Test’s elbow. “Now hold on there, mister. You’re forgettin’ a big part of how all of this mess got started!”

  Test yanked his arm from Cliff’s hand and scowled down at him. In a blink, the old man beside him transformed into a young man once more, and before he knew what hit him, Test was lying on his back with Cliff on top of him, shoulders pinned to the ground.

  “Where do you think you’re at, boy?” raged Cliff. “What do you think all of this is?”

  Test stared up at him wide eyed with fear, unable to lift himself.

  “Why do you think you can’t get up? Come on glory boy, let’s see some of them powers! Come on!” roared Cliff.

  Though his heart raced with anger and fear, the furnace that fueled all of his gifts was gone. He suddenly felt as he had for the majority of his life; weak and insignificant. He stared into Cliff’s wild eyes and shook his head.

  Cliff let out a weak laugh. “What’s the matter?” he asked with a sideways smile.

  “It’s not—it’s not working,” replied Test.

  Cliff pushed off of Test’s shoulders and stood over him, instantly transforming back into the elderly version of himself. He held a hand out to Test, helping him to his feet.

  Test was surprised at the strength of the ‘old man’, and it added more confusion about where he was. “What’s going on? What is this place?”

  “What do you think it is?” asked Cliff as he turned his back to Test.

  Test stood for a moment, humble. “I—I don’t know.”

  “What if I told you that you were on the other side?” asked Cliff.

  “Don’t start with the riddles,” replied Test in a defeated tone.

  “It ain’t no riddle. Where do you think you’re at right now? Are you layin’ on some bed all strapped down?”

  “I’m dreaming,” replied Test.

  “So it would seem, but what if I told you that there is more to it than that?”

  Test folded his arms across his chest. “And I suppose you’re telling me that’s not a riddle either?”

  “You remember when we was in York, at the hotel?”

  Test nodded. “How could I forget?”

  “You remember what I told you that night, before the lights went out?”

  Test struggled to recall the conversation. “I remember being scared, that’s about it.”

  “And I told you not to worry, and mentioned somethin’ about not being born yet. Does that ring a bell?”

  “Yeah, I think so,” replied Test. “What does that have to do with all of this?” he asked as he motioned to the barn.

  “Everything. You see, I was wrong about your birthday, so to speak. I’d seen visions, but they didn’t carry me this far. I was destined to die when I did and not meant to see past my own life. Truth is, you haven’t been born yet; as far as your changin’ is concerned anyway.”

  Test rubbed his temples in frustration. “I don’t get it.”

  “You remember what that Professor talked to you about?”

  “You were there?” asked Test.

  “I haven’t left your side, ‘cept to talk to your Mom anyway, since they took you from Wyoming. Now stay focused for a moment, will ya?” There was a brief silence. “So, do you remember?”

  “Excuse me if I’m struggling a little,” replied Test with a bitter sarcasm. He had been so heavily sedated that the conversation with the Professor seemed more like a dream than what he was currently living. After a moment, as if someone turned a key, something in his mind clicked.

  “You mean the shadow thing?” he asked. “He told me about a woman that he thought was like me.” A sudden excitement filled his voice.

  Cliff turned to look into Test’s eyes. “Yes.”

  “But I’m not like her. He had nothing but guesses.”

  “He may have been pullin’ at straws, but he was right,” replied Cliff.

  Test stared down at his small statured friend. “Are you saying that I can—become invisible?”

  Cliff glared across the field. “It’s not quite like that, but yes. And you must… if you’re goin’ to get out of this.”

  The old man’s tone was dire and it made Test’s heart sink.

  “I don’t know how?”

  “Yes, you do,” replied Cliff.

  “No…I don’t, Cliff,” snapped Test.

  “Have you ever had a dream in which you could still use your gifts?”

  Confused, Test replied. “Yes.”

  “Then why do you suppose that you can’t use them now?”

  Test thought for a moment. “The drugs?”

  Cliff laughed and chastised him. “Come on, boy. Now’s not the time to showcase your ineptitude. Think.” The old man tapped Test’s forehead. “It’s because you aren’t dreamin’. You’ve begun your change. That first night that you saw me here, while you was sittin’ in the truck, that was your new beginning.”

  Test remained silent, listening to each word intently.

  “You see, that Professor was right about many things, but he ain’t even begun to know what you are or what you can do. Right now, you are on the other side. Your mind and spirit are able to do what your body don’t yet know how. You are walking with the dead, and to most of those that have passed, you are no different than I am; just another bundle of energy walking around in another reality.”

  Test looked at his hands and felt a cold chill inside of him. “Am I dead?”

  With a smile, Cliff replied shaking his head. “No. Ain’t you listenin’? I’m saying that you can go between worlds. You can slide between realities.” His words were met with silence. “That shadow woman, she had reached her maturity, so to speak. You are nearly there. Soon, you will be able to shift between worlds without leaving your body.”

  Test struggled to grasp all that Cliff was telling him. Feeling the need to sit, he knelt to the ground and took a knee. “How can…I don’t…how can this be real, Cliff? How do I know that this really isn’t a dream?”

  Cliff looked down to the young man with a gentle smile. He raised his arm and pointed over Test to his right. “Look over there.”

  Test turned and could see a young woman walking towards him. He squinted through what seemed like a haze that separated them, but in reality, it was the figure of the woman that was hazy. The closer she came, the more clearly he could see her. Not only did the woman become clearer with each step, she had also begun to age until a sudden rush of emotion came over Test.

  “Mom!” he shouted as he jumped up and ran to her.

  He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her from the ground. She returned his embrace with vigor, and then leaned back to look at him.

  “Oh, Test. Look at you! You are so grown up.”

  Test began to sob uncontrollably. He hugged his mother once more. “I missed you so much, Mom. I’m so sorry.”

  Maggie placed the palm of her hand on the back of Test’s head. “Don’t cry, honey. I’m fine. There is nothing to be sorry for.”

  Test set Maggie back on the ground, his breath coming in short huffs. His mother’s face was the same as he’d remembered; only now it showed no signs of the troubled life that she had lived. She smiled a
t him as the two of them stood face to face with hands clasped together.

  From behind, Test heard Cliff’s voice. “Hello, Maggie. How’s Alyssa?”

  Maggie leaned around Test to answer. “She’s doing okay.” She looked back to Test. “She’s very worried about you though.”

  “Well, she needn’t worry long,” replied Cliff. “He’s gonna be seeing her real soon.”

  Maggie leaned into her son and wrapped her arms around his waist while speaking to Cliff. “Have you told him?” she asked.

  “He knows. I don’t think he’s quite ready to believe it, but he knows.”

  “Test,” said Maggie. “You are a very special young man, and I’m not just saying that because you’re mine.” A proud mother’s smile painted her face. “You are meant to do great things.”

  “What if I don’t want it?” asked Test.

  “I’m afraid that you’ve got no choice, honey. The only thing that you can decide is if you’re strong enough to handle what you’ve been blessed with.”

  “Blessed? I haven’t been…”

  “That’s enough,” interrupted Maggie. “We’re standing together now, aren’t we? How can that not be a blessing?”