The Shadow Wanderers

Chapter 2

They strode up the hill, Naomi and her moving in unison. Her heart thumped in her chest, and her eyes felt swollen due to lack of sleep from last night, as she could barely close her eyes, feeling apprehensive for the following dawn.

But she had made up her mind. It was an undying desire, an urge that was practically living inside her, swelling bigger and bigger each day. She never actually realized how much it meant to her until the question of performing it actually surfaced. There were many mysteries in this life, and why only this one intrigued her the most was beyond her.

She walked up the hill, her steps confident unlike Naomi's. They walked in silence till they reached the top. The two friends stopped short. Instead of the usual emptiness and calm of the cliff, they looked at a swarm of people gathered at the top. It looked restless, as though waiting for something. Naomi and Calista looked at each other in disbelief.

Isaac had spread his word. He had gathered more people than just students from school. Old people, a few children, and adults were present as well. But the sight of too many people didn't break the chains of Calista's firmness. She continued to walk, but Naomi grabbed her wrist.

"This isn't right, don't do this, Cal. You don't have to prove anything to these people," she said, looking unsure and confused.

"If I don't show up, it'll be worse. This is a lose-lose situation and we're gonna have to deal with it." Calista gave her a reassuring smile, and Naomi let go of her wrist. She stepped into the crowd, and as some people recognized her, they stepped back to make way. She walked through the parted crowd and stopped at the edge of the cliff, facing the early dawn. She could hear the insulting laughs from the crowd but didn't let them make her flinch at her decision.

"Let's all cheer for Calista Davis!" she heard Isaac say, and a moment later the crowd erupted in hoots and cheers. Any more mocking than this, and she would end up murdering Isaac.

She slid off her bag from her shoulder and put it down. Crouching down next to it, she took out a wax candle and a lighter. She carefully lit the candle and stood up, holding it in her left hand. She reached for her neck with her other hand and took out the gold pendant from under her shirt. She had taken the pendant from her mother's possessions. She clutched it in her palm while it still hung from her neck. The pendant was elegant in the shape of a daisy, its rosettes neatly curved, and the middle part shone with bright gold color. A sense of relief passed through her whenever she held onto it.

The noise of the crowd behind her slowed down to whispers and hushes. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then, recited in a whisper;

"O, the guardian of angels and demons,

I believe there's a portal.

Do not deepen my wounds,

And open doors for the mortal."

She waited. She waited for something to happen. Silence. The crowd was silent. The sky was silent. She had never despised silence so much as in that moment. She waited for another moment. Nothing happened. Nothing happened. Her heart sank. Nothing at all. It was a waste. She ruined her reputation for absolutely nothing.

A laugh sounded from the crowd. Then another. And another. Soon, the whole crowd was laughing at her failure—at her. She shut her eyes in defeat. Tears streamed down her face, but she didn't dare make a sound.

"Calista!" A familiar voice rang in her ears from afar, but she couldn't figure out who it belonged to. She took a very slow step toward the edge of the cliff.

"Calista, stop!" The voice was now closer. She still couldn't recognize its bearer. She stood two inches away from the edge of the cliff. Nobody was noticing her insensible actions—except for the bearer of the voice.

She could hear her heart thumping in her ears. The world swayed under her feet. Beneath her, large sharp rocks waited for their prey as the sea felt desperate for the blood of a human.

"Calista! I forbid you to step further!"

She took a step further, but before she could fall, a large gust of wind hit her. Before she knew it, she was thrown back violently on the hard rocky surface of the cliff. People stepped back from where she fell. Loud gasps and screams occurred from the now terrified crowd.

Her head hit hard on the ground. She tried to make sense of her surroundings but in vain. Her whole body had gone numb. Excruciating pain seeped into her back due to being thrown off abruptly. She sees red. She couldn't figure out why everything was red and blurry. Her head hurt so bad. Her body seemed to have been detached from her completely.

She could see two heads looming above her. They were yelling and shouting, or perhaps they were her ears that were pounding. She couldn't make sense of any voice. One head came into focus, and she saw the most beautiful face she had ever seen―her mother.

She smiled. Everything descended into darkness.