Counsellor Una looked through his blinds across the road toward Alex and Linda's house. He wondered how much longer he could live with being someone he wasn't. He missed his friend. Not just Michael, but Linda too. Part of him wished he could undo what he did to her, but he knew it was for the best. It was always better if no one knew him. It would keep Alex safest. No one could know that he was in fact a friend of the boy's father. Still, he longed to hear someone use his real name, Zach.
The pager on his side beeped, the proximity alarm had been tripped outside of Alex's house. He thought to himself that it would probably be another misunderstanding, but he had added James to the list of acceptable people, so this time there was some cause for concern.
A hooded figure moved across the garden around Alex's house. Zach speedily ran out of his own house across the road, feeling almost excited at the prospect of feeling useful for a change.
As he arrived at the garden, everything seemed calm. Zach was positive his eyes hadn't been deceiving him. Especially after today, Alex had accidentally used his powers and there was no way he was the only one who noticed. He had a feeling that something was about to go wrong for a while now, the number of ghouls sniffing around the area lately was testament to that. Their presence had grown because they were getting closer. This threat was real and there was somebody outside of Alex's house.
"Come out," commanded Zach, "Don't treat me like an idiot. I know you're here and I know why but you're sorely mistaken if you think this was going to be easy."
Someone moved behind him and he turned around.
"My name is Zach Gallas. Now, if you know that name, I suggest you run because I don't think you came prepared for this kind of fight."
Silence hovered briefly.
Suddenly, a black cloud erupted from the ground and shot up to the sky fleeing.
"Good," Zach said to himself, "I'm probably a bit rusty anyway."
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Sarah's phone buzzed in her hand whilst she browsed her newsfeed. The text came from an unsaved number and read: Meet me at the skatepark in thirty minutes. Alex.
Blunt, Sarah thought. Still, he's always been blunt. She glanced at the time. The sun had long since set and It was well past the time her mum would let her out, but she couldn't bring herself to ignore the summons. It was nice to feel validated by someone usually so distant. So, she made sure to sneak past her without telling her where she was going. She will only fuss over nothing.
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The park was scarier after dark. The trees seemed closer around the outskirts and the ramps didn't seem like the adrenaline trip they once did. The graffiti looked almost angry. Her hair was standing up on the back of her neck. She heard footsteps. In the empty daunting park, it was nearly impossible to tell where they were coming from.
"Alex?" Sarah began, "Stop it, you're scaring me."
The footsteps stopped. She thought she heard someone drinking.
A sigh of relief came from the darkness.
"Beth? Is that you? Look, if it is and this is some kind of prank then you proved your point. I'm sorry we left you, please stop! I'm afraid!"
There was a chuckle from the shadows. A voice which she could only describe as ice in her ears spoke, "Fear. Fear makes us who we are. It made me."
Sarah began to shake and look around in all directions rapidly, "Who are you? What do you want?!"
"I have had many names but, in this form,... you can call me the shadow."
Sarah felt rooted to the spot in fear when she slowly realised why the park had been so unusually dark even for this time. The moon that had once floated confidently was gone and the stars that accompanied it was nowhere to be seen. She looked up at the night sky. A dark shadow quickly moved over her, enveloping her until she was completely consumed by darkness.
YOU ARE READING
The Ethereal Saga - Volume One - The Child of Light
FantasyA mother who refuses to remember, an all too familiar school counsellor, and a teacher hiding a terrible secret. Alex never knew his father. A fact which he has allowed to define him for his whole life. He always believed there was more to the myste...
