The U.V. lamps outside and the wall lights around the dorm are in full effect. Being surrounded by the darkness of the woods, the bluish-violet lights give the place an eerie yet awesome atmosphere. Combined that with the chirping of crickets permeating the cold night, Biringan just put the scariest horror attraction to shame. But the main attraction still hasn't made an appearance.
According to Shade Rule Three, The Shade appears any time after sunset. The earliest ever recorded was six p.m. So we were standing out here for almost four hours now, our pens and our handbooks in our hands. I've been hearing some disappointed grumbles, some wanting to go to bed.
Tonight's group was supposed to be Eris' group so there's really no need for all of us to be out here. But like Kent said: "As if no one would want to see the Shade in person."
I decided to take one last scan of the woods before going to bed. I focus my attention on the ground just outside the reach of the U.V. lamps, where the trees cast long shadows under the pale moonlight.
I caught movement.
At first, I didn't believe my eyes. So I blinked them hard and looked again. This time, I was certain. On the ground, the shadows started moving. "Over there!" I yelled. I didn't take my eyes off of the moving shadows. Successive gasps and excited chatter followed. Even though it's dark, it's pretty hard to miss a moving shadow, even if it's the same hue as the other shadows.
Kent walked up to me and draped his arm over me. "Is this cool or what?"
"Remember, write down everything you see and compare it with what we have," Mr. Donovan instructed, reminding us of our duty.
We kept watching the shadows, swirling then rising up to the air like a black vortex, till it formed a figure of a person. The creature has arms and its entire body is charcoal black, its face featureless. The trunk tapered to a point, floating a few inches above the ground. Exactly as was described in my handbook.
Paranormal events are rarely documented. Most I know are internet hoaxes—bogus articles, photoshopped pictures or poorly edited videos. There has never been such a paranormal event as consistent as the Shade. So seeing the Shade for the first time, I can't help but gaze in wonder, maybe feel a bit scared as well. I saw Demi to my right. Being the youngest and coming here alone, I just realized that maybe this was not as fun for him as it is for us. But if he was in any way uncomfortable, he wasn't showing it. He kept watching with great diligence, pen at the ready.
"Hey, is it supposed to be doing that?" Kent said. He slowly brings his arm up, his hand trembling as he points at the woods.
"Like what?" I asked, following where his finger was pointing. The Shade was still there, hovering, motionless. But something's happening. Something I didn't notice before.
Looking closely now, I saw that its face was shifting. Two slits opened up, revealing blood-red spheres. Black ink surfaces at the center of each sphere, forming an inner circle. It almost looks like the pupil of the eyes. Eyes! They're eyes! But the Shade isn't supposed to have eyes, at least the handbook didn't mention it having eyes.
"Look!" someone shouted. I heard simultaneous gasps, then silence. I don't have to look around to know that we are all confused looking at the same thing now. "It's moving." the same guy said. The Shade floated behind the trees, hidden from our sight.
I dashed up towards Mr. Donovan, my eyes trained on the trees. "I'm not sure this is in the handbook."
"Stay in the lights," Mr. Donovan said. He held out his hand to me, looking at my pen and handbook. So I handed them to him. Then he pulled out his walkie-talkie and made a request to sweep the area where the Shade was last spotted.
"You're going after it?" I asked.
"What's Shade Rule one?" he asked.
"The Shade only attacks Haunted," I recited as the soldiers marched past us.
"And am I one of you, haunteds?"
"No, sir."
"I have to follow it, see if there are any more surprises," Mr. Donovan said. He unclipped a flashlight from his belt and tested it. Bright, white light beamed out in a straight line.
"You're not using U.V. lights?" I asked.
"That would defeat the purpose, wouldn't it?" he said, referring to Shade Rule Four, The Shade cease to exist under U.V. lights and sunlight. So if he is to go observe the Shade, using U.V. lights would not be the way to do so.
Mr. Donovan dismissed us when the area was cleared. The four soldiers separated and began checking the adjacent areas. Then Mr. Donovan approached the spot where the Shade first appeared as if he was just taking out the trash, seriously not worried about his life.
"Did you guys read something about this?" I asked no one in particular, keeping my eye on the woods, watching Mr. Donovan. I'm pretty sure we were all given the same handbooks and a chorus of "No" clears my doubt.
My mind started racing. How come twenty years worth of reports from previous haunteds miss something so obvious?
Unless the reports didn't. I thought.
Of course. That makes sense. If this wasn't in the reports, it could only mean that this is something new, something that wasn't seen before.
I don't know if it's the cold air blowing through my uniform or the realization that we are dealing with something we know nothing about, possibly putting us in real danger, but a cold chill ran down my spine.
I watched as Mr. Donovan stepped out of the lights and disappeared behind the thick trees.
The excited chatter earlier was turning into nervous anticipation. But after a minute or so, Eris suggested we head back. "We've all heard Mr. Donovan," she said. "Let's head back."But as we started walking back to the dorm, a sudden, piercing scream of a man cried out from behind. I turned around and saw the soldiers immediately ran back to the spot where Mr. Donovan was.
Then a tree started to slant, groaning, its leaves rustling as it slides down. The tree crashed through the other trees in front, snapping off branches before hitting the ground with a strong shake that made my knees rattled.
Everyone jumped back from the deafening crash, screaming. Most immediately turned and raced back inside. Curiosity and concern for Mr. Donovan's well-being made me run to the edge of the protection of the lights. I guess it's the same for the rest who decided to stay out here witth me.
"Mr. Donovan!" I shouted.
No response.
Eris cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "Mr. Donovaaan!" But Mr. Donovan remained silent. "We have to help him," she said.
She brushed past us but Leo grabbed her by the wrist. "Where do you think you're going?" he said.
Eris yanked her wrist free from his grip. "He's in trouble!"
Leo stepped closer to her. "Step outside and you'd be too." He said in a low and soft voice. "How would that help Mr. Donovan?"
Eris gritted her teeth but she took a deep breath and exhaled. "You're right..."
"You never really think things through..." Leo said, pulling Eris towards him.
Cana was looking at the woods, craning her neck as if that would help her find Mr. Donovan. "You think he's okay?" We watched as the soldiers spread out and call out "Clear!" to each other. One of them ordered us to get inside.
"C'mon, let's just go," Kent said, standing next to me. "They know what they're do—"
There was a solid shick! and a spray of warm liquid to my face made my eyes close on reflex. The shrill screams of everyone followed. I wiped the stuff off of my face and look down at my hands. Under the U.V. lights, I can't really tell what it is. Only that it's glowing. And feels sticky. Then, I remember Kent was saying something and noticed he went quiet. When I looked up to him, my eyes opened wide at what I was seeing.
A dark item, a piece of wood, maybe, had buried itself deep in Kent's neck. Where he was struck, the same glowing liquid flowed out, running down his uniform. Every muscle in my body stiffened when I made the connection. He fell down on his knees, his hand inspecting the foreign object threatening his life. He looked at me straight in the eyes and tried to speak but all I can hear is him coughing up more blood. His hands went limp at his side then his body thuds to the ground. A pool of his own, glowing blood spread around him.
Around me, cries of panic erupted. But my brain was having a hard time making the words out so instead all I was hearing were garbled noises. I stared at the lifeless body in front of me before I registered the fact that he's dead, that the glowing liquid was his blood. My dinner threatened to reappear. I covered my mouth with my trembling hands, keeping myself from throwing up.
The soldiers came up to us and formed a protective circle, their weapons aimed at the woods. One of them knelt down by Kent's body, checking for pulse. He looked at his buddy and shook his head. Another pulled out his walkie-talkie and requested backup. "Get inside! Now!" One of them said.
My body was shaking hard as if someone just doused me with a bucket of icy water. I opened my mouth but words wouldn't come out. I have to move. I need to get away from here. I thought. But my legs were useless. My eyes were still fixed on my buddy, waiting for him to get up but he never did.
Kent never did.