Darkest Night

Chapter 1

He sat motionless in his dingy apartment. The lights were off and all he saw was the weak yellow streetlight coming from the outside windows. He was floating a few feet above his couch. His magic was coming to him in waves from everything around him. Johan was his name and he was a Wizard. He stood almost six feet and he had dark complexion with light auburn eyes and brown hair. There was a hint of Filipino by looking at him. His eyes were large and almond shaped.
His dad was in the military and his mom was Filipino. They met when his dad was stationed in the Philippines. His magic heritage came from his mom. She was a witch doctor, an arbularyo. His dad always recalled his story. He was very sick and was out on the provence away from his base. He was out late at night drinking with his buddies. He was left alone. He was stumbling around vomiting when he started to get the shakes and sense something was taking over his body.
The next thing he remembered was being awaken in a bed shackled to a mattress. He was yelling profanities in a different language. Then a Filipino lady came inside and placed a cool hand on his head. He saw a dark mist dissipate in front of him.
"A demon was in you," she said. "It is gone."
Johan smiled at the memory but a darkness came over him. Something evil happened tonight in the city of Los Angeles. And he knew he would get the call. He was the only paranormal investigator assigned to the LAPD. He was a licensed Private Investigator and he would be consulted on cases. He thought about the case that brought him together and he wondered if the police detectives would had solved the crime without him.
His cell phone rang. Johan lifted his hand and his phone appeared in his hand. He didn't have to look at the screen to know who it was.
Johan slid the phone open. "Hello Sloan."
"It's Detective Sloan. And we have a 187 for you to look at."
"I know. He struck again."
"Yes," Sloan said, "it's odd how you already know this. But you have this mumbo jumbo that the brass thinks you have. Also, you know of the circumstances."
"Yes, I understand. I'm ready. Do I drive there?" He said.
"No, I have somebody picking you up."
"Good."
Johan hung up the phone. He stopped levitating and Johan got his bag of supplies. Scanning the contents of his bag, he thought about his first teacher in the mystical arts. His mom introduce him since Johan should signs of his growing powers. His magic first manifested when he was playing on a swing with other kids. Johan sensed that he was different. His mind processed things faster.
He remembered it vividly. Johan was moving back and forth on a swing. His mom was pushing him. He started to hear voices than he heard everybody's voices. Clapping his hands to ward off the noise, he cried. His mom grabbed him and smoothed him.
"It's okay. Focus on my voice only."
The voices dimmed. After that day, his mom introduced to him his first teacher, Master Gregio. He was an arnis teacher and also a mystic. Master Gregio taught him magic and Filipino martial arts.
Johan heard the sound of voices coming from outside his apartment door. He opened the door and scared the two uniformed cops standing there.
"Hey," the cop said.
"Hello Donald," Johan said. "Did you take the detective test?"
Donald said, "Yes, I'm not sure if I passed."
"Tell me what happens," Johan said. "But I know you passed."
The other uniform officer named Murphy said, "What is this? We need to get him to the crime scene ASAP?"
Donald said, "Hey, it's called talking? Okay, Johan are you ready?"
He followed to two uniformed officers to the police car parked in front of his apartment building. It was after midnight around 2 am and nobody was out this Wednesday morning.
Officer Donald said, "You have to sit in the back."
Johan said, "It's fine. No big deal. I been back in the back of the cars before."
As the police cruiser sped off on the street, Johan saw a few windows opened watching him.