Living Shadows

A Simple Conversation

W..." Jameson clears his throat. "Why Hello, child. How did you get in here? Aren't you supposed to be in our Sunday School Class?"

Ridiculously bright blue eyes stare back at him from underneath the shadow of the black hoodie the kid wears. The rest of his clothing is the basic "Street Kid" style, ragged jeans and decent running shoes. He looks like any other kid.

Until he opens his mouth.

"Jameson, right? Forgive my lack of etiquette. My names... Well, you can just call me... Braxton. Yeah.. Braxton, I like that."

"As far as how I got in here, c'mon dude. It was soooo easy." A wicked grin spreads across his face, showing teeth that seem to be a bit bright, and oddly sharp looking.

"Your security guards are a joke. Just staring off into the sky, no idea of what's going on around them. I could have walked in here blowing a fucking bugle, if I wanted to."

Jameson gasps, his face showing momentary shock before hardening with anger and defiance.

" Child! You should know better than to curse in the House of The Lord! This is a sac-"

The kid throws his hand up, halting Jameson mid sentence." Oh. My. God. Shut the hell up. Jesus christ, you talk more than Addison. You don't know her, but let me tell you, man. She's nuts."

Braxton chuckles, then reaches up to slide back the hood, revealing a face a bit older than Jameson had first thought. Closely cropped brown hair framed an average face, a kid just turning into an adult by the looks of it, with the first hints of a mature stubble on his chin.

"You're a bad fucking person, Jameson. Oh yes. My friends and I know allllll about you. We know about the mansion, the cars, the cash. We also know you're... How would you say, dirtier secrets."

Jameson steps forward, his fist clinched in anger. "Who the Hell do you think you are, boy?

Braxton grins, rising from the chair and reaching out a hand. Jameson attempts to recoil, to pull away from this weird teenage; yet finds himself unable to move. Just before the hand touches his, and everything goes dark, he hears a chilling chuckle, and an answer.

"Me? I think I'm the end of your illusions."

____________________________________________________

Get out of my-!" Jameson shouts as he sits up, waking from the strange blackout. His voice cuts out as he sees there's no one there.

He must have fainted. That's had to be it. He was stressing himself too much, worried about possibly being caught at his endeavors. It must have caused him to hallucinate, and then pass out. The human mind was a strange thing, after all.

Shaking his head, he stands up, turning to see the vault still open. He stares at the cash, along with the bearer bonds tucked at the bottom.

"Fuck it. It was bound to happen eventually."

He opens the duffel bag, quickly shoving the rest of the contents of the safe into it. Zipping it closed, he sits at his laptop, logging back into the CCTV system. He reactivates the camera in his office, then logs out of the system.

Shoving the laptop into the bag, he grabs his keys and phone and briskly walks out the door. He had parked on the far end of the church tonight, meaning he would have to pass through the entire building in order to leave. He just had to hope he wouldn't run into anyone.

"Honey! There you are! I need to talk to you!"

Shit. It was his wife. She always did tend to pop up at the most inopportune times. His escape would have to wait a moment. He had plenty of time, after all.