"You didn't really mean that, did you?" Shade said as she observed her friend Brisa, whose face reddened with frustration.
"Rachel had it coming. She's the one who started it!"
Shade looked at her friend's ruined shirt, streaked with the remains of a red strawberry smoothie. The substance was sticking to her, and it felt cold. Her top was no longer the vibrant yellow it'd once been.
"She's a dumb idiot anyway," Brisa muttered. "She shouldn't be calling you those names. I only stated that she was a 'dumb as a wall, self-deluded bitch' in self-defense. I said it for you. Besides, it's only the truth."
Brisa frowned and gave up rubbing at the stain with a washcloth and soap. She pulled the shirt over her head and let it slip to the ground. Glaring at her locker, she realized her only other shirt was her gym T-shirt. It figures there's nothing else to wear. She sighed. "She shouldn't have thrown her smoothie at me. The next time I see her, she's going to pay," Brisa hissed and looked at Shade. "You're not a freak. Don't ever believe anything she says. She's wrong!"
Shade peered at her friend. Brisa rarely got along with anyone. Not a day went by that she wasn't in the principal's office, cleaning chalkboards, wiping down desks, or doing some other tedious job. Many times, she'd received these punishments for whatever trouble she'd gotten into, instead of hanging out with Shade.
Still, Shade had known Brisa since they were toddlers and would stand by her through anything. She was the only one who knew about Shade's strange abilities−hearing voices in her head. Brisa was the only one Shade trusted.
"It's all right, Brisa. I guess I would think I was a freak, too," Shade gave her friend a shrug. "Besides, it's my fault for blurting out what they told me about Rachel. Who would have known she was cheating on the final if I hadn't said anything? She needs to wise up. Well, at least you didn't smash her nose in. You only need one more fight to get that suspension they've threatened you with already. Your mom would hang you!"
Brisa grinned with a slight shudder at the thought of her mother. Brisa's face was smooth and olive-toned with bright blue eyes. Her dark brown hair flowed lazily in waves to her mid back. She wasn't gorgeous, but she wasn't bad looking either. She rarely had makeup on and preferred to wear her hair in a low ponytail instead of letting it flow freely around her shoulders. She was as much of a tomboy as a girl could be−completely opposite of her friend's more girly disposition. Shade's dark, brown hair was similar but longer than her friend's, and her complexion was creamier. Otherwise, they looked a lot like sisters.
"Like I need help in that department," Brisa groaned as she pulled her hair out from the collar of her gym shirt and smoothed the wrinkles down. Brisa and her mother rarely got along. She tended to spend more time at Shade's house than at her own.
Shade pulled out her cell phone to peek at the time. It was getting late, and their afternoon class was starting in two minutes. Dropping the phone back into her bag, she scooped it up before shoving away her own long, brown locks. She tapped her friend's shoulder, urging her to hurry. "Gotta go. Do you want to be late? Ms. Temor is going to lock us out! Chop, chop!" Shade turned and sprinted toward the entrance to the locker room and shoved the heavy metal doors out of her way.
"Wait up!" Brisa called as she stuffed her ruined shirt into her backpack. She stumbled behind Shade and cleared the doors just before they slammed shut.
***
Shade sighed. She swung her legs down from the stone ledge she'd propped herself on by the main entrance of the school. Might as well start walking, she thought. Her mom had forgotten to pick her up again, and it was a long walk home. Her backpack was heavy but not as much as some days when her homework was piled high. Luckily, today was a light homework day.
The warm air rippled along Shade's face. The final bell had rung ages ago, yet here she was, still waiting, again. This had been happening too often lately. Brisa rode the Portland, Oregon city bus home and was long gone. Shade wished she'd hopped onto that bus with her friend. Mom has too much on her plate, Shade thought. Her full-time job, two sons and Shade's younger sister, kept her busy. Shade, being the oldest, was on her own.
The streets were quiet as she walked home. A slight breeze swept up some litter and floated it past her. She was feeling good, especially compared to how she'd felt a couple of weeks ago when she caught pneumonia. The illness caused Shade to miss a lot of school, and her grades had taken a beating. She'd been feeling pretty out of it for the past month. Now, she wasn't so sure she'd be able to get caught up enough to raise some of her D's to B's, much less A's again. One class was still an F.
Squeezing her eyes together, she gritted her teeth and tried to not imagine having to endure getting an F for the first time in her life. She'd graduate either way, but the drop in GPA was not going to go over well with her. Shade sighed and looked ahead, hoping her luck would get better soon.
The bright sun was glaring down, and it reflected off the white concrete sidewalk like a floodlight, blinding her. Shade's little brother, James, had smashed her last pair of sunglasses just two days before while playing one of his infinitely, highly imaginative games. She wished she'd replaced them already.
Shade passed the main streets of the city and continued walking down the sidewalk, skipping over cracks on the aged concrete. The roads turned into longer stretches of periodic houses and empty lots as the worn brick buildings of the city's center faded behind her.
"Only a whole mile or so to go," Shade mumbled to herself. Both her feet ached a little. She was thankful she'd worn tennis shoes today instead of her usual thin flats. Still, she wasn't used to walking so much since it was only her third day back to school. Feeling one of her shoelaces loosen as it began to whip her calf and flop around, she stopped walking and bent down to retie it firmly.
Hesitating, she glanced up and scanned the street and the warehouses surrounding her. The cool autumn breeze whirled around her, causing the fallen leaves to float in the wind and slung dust into the air. She squeezed her eyes shut and let the dust and debris blow past her before getting back up.
Holding her breath, she could've sworn she'd heard something. Is it footsteps? It sounded like someone scurrying about, or running, but also trying to be quiet about it. Shade peered around her, surveying the area. Whatever it was, it seemed to have come from an abandoned warehouse to her right. She studied the dilapidated brick structure, the only tall building for miles, and it gave her the creeps. She listened hard for anything to betray itself but heard nothing. The windows were mostly boarded-up, and weeds littered the ground all around it.
Go inside, now.
Shade paled. She hadn't heard the voices sound so desperate in quite a while, and this wasn't good. It wasn't her inner voice or her conscience. It was very different, like someone else whispering into her ears, but she was the only one who had ever heard them. Shade never could explain it to anyone, mostly because it would've just sounded so crazy.
They were an entity who spoke inside her head and asked her to do their bidding. Shade never understood the reasons why. The voices would become clearer and stronger when they wanted her to do something specific. It wasn't ever anything absolutely insane, like killing someone. That comforted her, but nevertheless, she cringed at the sound of their voices tingling in her ears. No one knew of this ailment except Brisa.
Shade shuddered as she thought about telling someone else about them. No one would understand or even look at her like an ordinary person again if she told anyone. She'd become another institutionalized, psychotic, hormonal teenager.
They'd think I was another paranoid schizophrenic teenager if I told anyone, she thought. Can't go to a loony house where they'd pump me up with drugs until I'm comatose. I can't.
Hurry, said the voices.
Hurry to what? Shade inquired silently. There's nothing here!
Quick, they told her with urgency.
Shade pressed her lips together. She had to obey. The voices wouldn't leave her alone if she defied them, and she couldn't handle that. She'd tried to ignore what they'd wanted her to do once before, and there'd been dire consequences. Three nights of relentless chatter inside her head was enough to drive anyone to a nuthouse. She couldn't go through that again.
Okay, already!
She bent over and slipped through a hole in the fence that was nearest to her. The building looked even scarier up close. The wind howled around her, whipping her long, brown hair up and caused it to smack her face. It was as if it was taunting her decision to inspect the building. The front door was boarded up with thick bolts and two by fours. Apparently, no one was meant to enter this place.
There's no way in. Where do I get in?
The basement, the voices said together.
Shade gulped. It would be dark in the basement, and whatever was in there would not be welcoming her. She didn't even have a flashlight. Nothing good would come of this at all. Even so, she walked around the building toward the rear, searching for any openings.
There it was; a small, dusty and rusted window near the ground. As she knelt down, the rocks crunched under her feet and dug into her knees. She lowered herself so that she was level with the window and frowned. The dust and moist earth stuck to her jeans and fingers.
Ewww, I hate getting filthy!
The window was tiny and probably just big enough for a small person to fit through. Shade groaned. Just like me. She cringed at the thought of crawling through it. It would be a tight fit, but she thought she could probably make it. She pushed on the windowpane, but nothing happened. It'd been years since anyone has moved this frame, and now it was stuck.
Maybe I should give a good hard push....
Shade scooted onto her bottom and got closer to the window, pressing her feet against it. She gave it a good shove and heard a loud screech as the metal frame screamed in protest, opening to the world. The dust billowed around her in a swirling cloud, causing her to go into a coughing fit.
She dusted her clothes off as she muttered to herself. There was no doubt that she'd need another shower tonight. She peeked inside, but it was a deep void of darkness. Oh boy, this is gonna suck, she thought. Shimmying through the frame, she heaved herself into the darkness below.
Shade crashed onto the floor, tumbling to a stop. Ouch! That's definitely going to leave a bruise, she thought. Shade rubbed the sore spots and scanned the room for signs of movement. There was nothing but dust and darkness to greet her. Standing, she dusted her jeans off again.
There was a dim light coming from the now busted window, but her eyes had begun to adjust to the darkness of the room. The small room was empty, except for a worktable at one end of the basement and the parts of an old bicycle at the other end. There were also a few pieces of junk strewn across the floor. Even in poor light, she could see there was a staircase in the middle of the room. She walked to it and grabbed the thin metal banister. She started up slowly but froze, hearing a sound that made her stomach tighten.
Footsteps were fluttering above her, but they quickly faded. It seemed like they'd stopped to listen for something or someone. Maybe they heard her. She didn't move for what felt like a millennium, her heart pumping quickly and loudly in her ears. She stood still, holding her breath and fearing discovery.
The time ticked on, but Shade didn't hear any more noises and decided to ascend the stairs slowly to the door at the top. Her hand gripped the old brass knob, and she paused. As she gulped back her fear, she listened for anything that might be waiting for her beyond the door. Pray, just pray that no one is waiting on the other side.
Shade turned the knob as quietly as she could, but the slow creaking moan of the door echoed in the silence. The wind was still howling outside the basement window, shaking it in its frame until the vibration loosened it, and it slammed closed. Her stomach tightened at the sudden noise. Claustrophobia must feel like this, she thought.
Shade opened the door and looked around the gloomy building. Light streamed in through the boarded-up windows as she peered into the long hallway that was just beyond the door. The place was vibrating from the forces outside. Everything creaked and sighed like a ship tossed about in an angry sea. Shade wished more than anything to be home, snuggled in her room, safe. She stepped out into the hall and closed the basement door behind her as quietly as she could.
Now what? Which way do I go? She hated having to listen to the voices for an answer. At least she knew if she had to ask them anything, they'd answer her without fail. She just hoped it wasn't the answer she didn't want to hear.
Upstairs, follow the stairs to your right. Take them now, the voices commanded in unison.
Shade turned toward her right, seeing that the hallway ended by a small banister near the wall. She could see another window frame at the end of it, and light spilled through the streaked glass, illuminating the bottom of the staircase. Dust particles swam and danced all around in the rays.
Here we go, thought Shade. Please don't let there be a crazy person up there! She swiftly walked to the stairs and looked up, hearing nothing but the wind making the walls moan. Moving slowly over the loose floorboards, whose creaking was driving her mad with fear, she reached the landing just as she heard a crash. Her eyes widened, and she fought the urge to fly right back down the stairs.
Something big is up there! It's moving, too! I don't want to meet that! She couldn't move from her spot, so she listened again, but nothing else banged around upstairs. Shade craned her neck so she could hear better. It must have stopped. After taking a breath, she continued up the stairs.
"Don't ever ask me to do this again," she muttered under her breath as she reached the landing and peered down to her left. There was another hall, and it opened into a big room, which must have been the warehouse's office area. There were cubicles and papers were strewn about on the desks, and old chairs laid turned over as if someone had thrown them across the room. Um, not pretty. She looked around. Whatever had been up here might still be lurking and hiding from her. It wouldn't be too hard with all the furniture upturned and scattered throughout the room.
Shade didn't have to wait too long before she was diving for cover. A bolt of lightning shot across the room and smashed into one of the bookshelves lining the walls. She ducked under a desk, which was still standing upright and tried to take cover from the flying debris.
What was that? She tried to pace her rapid breathing, for she felt like she had a heart attack. What if she died and no one could ever find her? Her remains would be here in this desolate place for years if ever discovered.
Shut up, she told herself, shooing the morbid thoughts away. Now, voices, come on. Why am I here, to get killed? You better tell me soon, 'cause I'm about to hightail it out of here!
Shade peeked above the desk to look around the room. A sonic boom knocked her onto her back, causing more debris to fly past her. The sound had come from a different direction than the lightning. Is there more than one person here? What the hell? She stayed down and prayed they wouldn't notice her in the mess.
"You can't hurt me, Jack. I know all your tricks, and they're pointless against my magic. You can't best me with your powers. Mine will always endure against you," a woman cackled with a spine-tingling voice. She sounded like the Wicked Witch of the West.
"Give it up, Evie. You don't have it in you. We're banging our heads against the walls. I can have reinforcements arrive in a heartbeat. Give it up before I'm forced to make you." It was a man's voice, and it echoed with strength in the large room.
Ok, this is getting complicated, thought Shade. I hope they don't know I'm here.
"Not so fast, Jack. And the name is Vange now." She spoke his name as though she was speaking of poison. "You've trespassed on my domain. I didn't know you liked hanging out with ordinary folk now. You might frighten one of them as you speak. You should return to the forest and mountains you claim as your great domain. The cities are mine." Another boom and crash shook the room.
Shade held her breath. Well, now I know she knows I'm here. Now he does, too! Great!
"The mortal is of no concern to me. You should stop right now before I hurt you. The Queen wants you alive, but I'm sure if you're wounded, she'll understand it's a matter of life and death. Or, you could just give me the talisman back, and we'll call it even." Jack sent another lightning rod, or what looked like a lightning rod, toward the left corner of the room and jumped from his spot. Shade peered over at him as he ran forward and ducked behind a large wooden beam. He glanced at her for a moment, narrowing his gaze as he watched her. Now he knew just where she was.
What now? Shade turned and looked down the hall to the flight of stairs. If only I can get to the stairs and get the hell out of Dodge. She glanced back at the scene before her. Jack hunched down behind the desks and stealthily crept toward the woman. He paused periodically to listen and search for her. The woman was hiding quite well behind an office divider if she was still there.
Don't run, the voices said.
What am I supposed to do, die? Shade's heart raced, and sweat beaded on her forehead and neck. She gulped and felt lightheaded as her chest burned from hyperventilation. What could she do? They would see her if she bolted. She hung her head down, wishing to be small and invisible. She heard Jack curse as another crash shattered a window on the north end of the building. Shade jerked her head up in time to see Vange flash a smile at Jack.
"I'm truly sorry, Jack, but this isn't your day. My Queen will love this little artifact. Its powers will indeed add to our array of weapons against your precious Queen." The woman then sprinted toward the shattered remains of the windowpane and jumped, no, flew out the window and disappeared.
"We will finish this some other time, Vange." Jack stood at the windowsill and stared into the light of the day. The cool autumn breeze wafted in and stirred up the stale air inside. He shook his head while he groaned and cursed under his breath.
Shade stood and peered at Jack; he had yet to turn toward her. She decided to sneak away discretely when he suddenly caught her by the shoulder. She screamed and quickly spun around, forced to face him. His eyes pierced hers as his hands gripped her upper arms. "Let me go!" she yelled as she wriggled around in his grip.
"Oh, quit it. Who are you? Why are you here?" Jack questioned as he stared at her with searing eyes. He squeezed her arms just enough to make her cry out.
"I don't know! I don't know! Let me go!"
He sighed and released her as she pulled away, sending her crashing to the floor.
"Ow!" Shade grabbed her elbow, now streaked with blood.
"You said 'let me go.'" Jack turned and picked up some of his weapons from the floor. He took hold of the sheath hanging on his belt, putting his knife away before he began dusting off his clothes. He wore a tight black shirt with a leather belt tightened around his waist with multiple items strung onto it, including a sword.
His face was strong and well defined, portraying a radiance of youth. He appeared to be about twenty-five but didn't have a hint of stubble, making him not quite look like a teenager. Jack's dark, black, wavy hair was long, grazing his neck, and his bangs covered some of his tanned face. His eyes had an ancient wisdom about them, making it obvious that he had seen too much for one lifetime.
He's not bad looking though. Shade stood up and brushed off her clothes as well. She peered up at him, wondering if she should try to run.
"Who are you? Who was...what was...that woman?" Shade's voice shook as she spoke. "And how do you throw lightning like that? How can she fly?" Shade couldn't hold back the torrent of questions.
He stared at her quietly. It seemed as if he were trying to decide whether or not to answer. His piercing gray eyes examined her, making Shade flush as she stuttered. "Don't worry," he said. "I'm not going to hurt you if that's what you're thinking." If he'd been a teenager, he would've rolled his eyes, Shade thought. "I'm Jack, by the way. I have the power to throw lightning because it's part of what I am." He grinned, watching her face drop in disbelief. "She can't really fly. It's more like floating gracefully."
What the...?
"Okay then..." she chuckled nervously, more scared than ever. "How'd she make the room explode in a sonic boom? What do you mean, you're made of lightning? That's insane." Shade shook her head and squeezed her eyes closed before blinking nervously. This strange, young man just stared at her, a wry smile upturning the corners of his mouth. He seemed amused by her rant.
"That was Evangeline. Vange is what everyone calls her now though I used to call her Evie." He paused, looking lost in thought. "But, that was a long time ago. She's an elemental fire witch, but not just any old witch. She's a hybrid offspring of a witch and a faery. She's a skilled fighter, and she has taken something from my Queen. I was sent to get it back." Jack started to walk toward the staircase, leaving Shade stunned with her mouth hanging open in silence.
Okay, that was unexpected. She watched him begin down the stairs. Now what? What was the purpose of her being here? Why did she have to witness all that? Hello, voices?
Why, oh why, do I listen to the stupid voices? Why can't they leave me alone? All they have ever done for me is get me into a lot of trouble.
"Wait! Why was I brought here? Stop! Don't walk away from me...I need answers here!" Shade scrambled after the strange man, nearly tripping down the stairs. "The voices told me to come here, and I want to know why. What am I supposed to see or do here? Stop already!" she cried out again.
Jack was already at the front door. He studied the nailed in boards and began tearing them down. How did he get in? His muscles rippled as he held one plank and pulled. It crashed to the floor as he went for another one. She grabbed his arm to get his attention, but he spun around, grabbed her wrist instead, and squeezed it tight. Shade whimpered, surprised by the pain.
"Don't touch me, I might inadvertently electrocute you."
Her eyes widened as she stared at his hand, which was tightening on her wrist. He let her go and sighed, his lips tightened with discontent.
"I don't know why you're here. You say you hear voices? Only oracles can hear voices. Strange," he said, more to himself than to her. "Anyway, I'm made of lightning and blue fire. I guess I have to show you because if you happen to touch me when I am not properly shielded with this glamour, I can hurt you, and it could be fatal." Jack stared at her with some concern in his eyes. He stepped back from her and seemed to shake a bit, as though dusting himself off. The air around him liquefied as his glamour melted away, and the brightness of his skin illuminated the dark hallway.
Shade gasped. He still looked like Jack, but his skin glowed with a blue aura. Blue fire flickered all over him. Electricity crackled along his entire body, yet he didn't burn. His eyes blinked at her, smiling at the awe pasted on her face.
No way!
"You see, I'm made of electricity, like lightning, and white-hot blue fire. One touch and I can zap you to heaven." He closed his eyes as the air, like liquid, poured over him. His glamour reappeared on him, like a drizzle of honey. Jack opened his eyes and studied the shocked expression on her face.
Shade could hardly stand. She was confused, stunned, and in sheer disbelief. "How do you do that? What the... no... can't...how?" She leaned on the wall, her legs feeling dangerously limp.
Jack straightened up and narrowed his eyes at her. The air was still shimmering around him. He seemed to pull it in tighter around him, solidifying whatever it was that formed his glamour. The glow was all but gone. His skin lay smooth, tanned and flawless.
Turning, he pulled the rest of the boards off the door and swung it open. It screeched on its hinges, letting the fading light illuminate the doorway. He stepped out onto the steps and turned to look at Shade. "I suggest that you come with me. I don't know why your voices led you here, but the Oracle where I live might be able to help you. You would have to follow me right now though. What do you say? Maybe she has the answers you seek." He watched her slowly step outside.
Shade breathed in the fresh autumn air and felt more grounded. Gazing up at him, she nodded. It seemed like the only solution to her predicament. Might as well.
Jack had begun walking and stopped before he reached the sidewalk. He waited for Shade with a look of concern. "You can't tell anyone what you see or where we go. No one. Understand?"
She took in the seriousness of his face. "Of course," she answered hesitantly.
He nodded, made his way onto the sidewalk, and then headed off toward the forest.