Dark Reflections - A Shaman's Story

The visitor

Charles was lost in his thoughts, immersed in the finalization of his project. The cost analysis and invoice preparation were the last details that he had to wrap up. Thankfully, his assistant would handle those mundane tasks. It took a few persistent knocks for him to snap out of his focus and realize someone was at the door.

"I'm coming, one second!" he shouted, his throat tight like he hadn't used his voice in days.

As he approached the door handle, he hesitated. "Who is it?" he called out, feeling uneasy about an unexpected visitor in a neighborhood where he didn't know anyone yet.

Silence. Nobody answered. Charles took a deep breath and decided to take a careful look. He opened the door just enough to peek through the crack.

"Good afternoon Mr. Peters. It was about time you answered the door," the man standing before him was tall and scrawny, in his forties. He wore a long greyish coat that looked like it had been around for ages, a black shirt and a pair of jeans. Charles noticed his boots were covered in mud, as well as his hat, which the man tapped with two fingers in a polite gesture. He was smiling, but it looked like someone was forcing his lips to do so by pulling their edges. Charles couldn't shake off the feeling that something was not quite right about this man.

Charles was caught off guard by the stranger at his doorstep, his mind racing to figure out who this man was and why he was here. "Sorry, do I know you?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady despite his nerves.

The stranger introduced himself as Nick, but Charles was still wary. He studied Nick's disheveled appearance, noting his uncombed hair and the dirt on his clothes. "I'm not sure what you're doing here, Nick. I don't know you, and I'm sure my wife doesn't either"

Nick's demeanor shifted from calm to impatient, and Charles couldn't help but feel a pang of concern. His stomach tightened as he watched Nick's eyes dart around the surrounding area, as if he were checking for someone. "Listen, mate, we don't have time for pleasantries," Nick said, his voice growing more urgent. "I'm here because I have some information that could save Amelia's life. But we need to talk now, before it's too late."

"What did you say? How do you know Amelia's name?"

Nick didn't answer but kept staring him impatiently. Charles hesitated, weighing his options, but for one thing he was sure about. He wouldn't let a stranger in just because he heard a name somewhere.

"If you don't leave right now, I will call the police," he finally said.

Charles' mind raced as he tried to figure out what was happening. The stranger's hand twitched nervously, causing Charles to inch towards the door to close it. But before he could even touch the doorknob, the bolt unlocked on its own and clattered to the floor. Charles' eyes widened in shock as Nick pushed the door open with an incredible display of strength and barged into the house.

As Nick closed the door behind them, Charles' heart pounded in his chest. He could feel the sweat beading on his forehead and his hands shaking. "What the hell do you want?" he mumbled, desperately searching for an escape route.

Nick rummaged in his coat and pulled out a shiny revolver, pointing it at Charles. Charles was frozen with fear as he stared down the barrel of the gun, his mind racing with the worst possible scenarios. "Calm down. Let's have a sit. I promise I'm not here to hurt you," Nick said, his voice shaking slightly.

Despite his fear, Charles tentatively sat down on the couch as Nick settled into the armchair. Nick placed the gun on the table in front of them, urging Charles to hold onto it even though it was empty. Charles stared at the gun in disbelief, his mind reeling from the sudden turn of events.

"I'm here to talk about Amelia," Nick said, his tone serious. "Tell me Charles, how much do you know about shamans?"

Charles gave him a confused look, his mind still foggy from the shock of the gun. He reached for the weapon, pointing it at Nick and pulling the hammer back. Nick didn't flinch, but instead gave Charles a condescending stare. "Shamans, Charles. What do you know?" he repeated.