Story: A Shadowlander's Dream: Book 1 - A Tale of Shadows (all chapters)
Authors: Shinigami_Shimai
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Chapter 1
Title: Part 1: Chapter 1
[Author's notes:
This story is based upon several of the nightmares that have plagued my dreams. Some parts might be disturbing to some, however it has helped me cope with the madness they caused. Special thanks to Kimberly Williams, My soul mate, my love and my dear wife.
Reedited June 26th 2008
]
A Shadowlander's Dream _ Book One: A Tale of Shadows
Story written by Kathryn K. Williams
Part One: Dawn's Break
Prologue to a Dream
Delicate bare feet cautiously slip out from under the warmth and protective feeling of the large comforter that covered a small bed. A bed that sat snug in the corner of a tiny room, covered in the many stuffed animals that proudly guarded their princess throughout the night. Beady eyes watched the girl as they wondered which would be chosen to accompany the girl on her journey to the washroom on that dark night. Not even the moon’s light was present through the child’s window on that night and this meant that a special guardian would be needed for the journey down the long hall outside of her room. A raccoon that was almost the size of the child’s upper body was plucked out of the rankings next to the wall and dragged into the girl’s arms awaiting arms. The other animals watched in envy of the raccoon’s newly appointed duty and others preyed that tonight a guardian would not be needed.
Carefully the girl opened the door to her room a crack; a deep red eye peered through a veil of firey red hair into the darkness of the hall. A small nightlight could be seeing winking in the washroom at the end of the hall, as if its light would protect her if she got there quickly enough. Taking another deep breath the girl darted out of her room, being sure to run on tiptoes as to not make too much sound, and quickly closed the washroom door behind her. With the door shut she flicked the light switch, flooding the room with blinding, yet welcoming, white light. Relieved to make it without an encounter with monsters, or wetting herself along the way, she quickly moved to the toilet to relieve her bloated bladder, setting the raccoon across from her so it could protectively watch over her. Its master did not speak aloud to it, but the raccoon heard her words clearly. It listened to her silent worries and nodded ever so slightly to show the girl that it was there for her and would do its duty to protect her in any way possible. It laughed at her stories and forced itself not hide its own worries on that night.
When finished she stood upon a small purple plastic stool and washed her hands before picking up her protector and preparing the journey back to her room. Now that her business was done she did not feel the same fear as she did on the trip to the washroom and nearly forgot about her reason for worrying that was until she opened the door and was confronted with it face to face.
He stood towering over the girl, large glasses sitting upon his red nose; glowing white glasses peered upon his red nose above a bushy blonde moustache. Although she could not see his eyes with the lights of the washroom reflecting off of his glasses she knew what they looked like. Eyes as blood shot red as his nose and squinting out of wrinkles of skin at her. She quickly backed into the washroom, hugging the raccoon close to her body. The raccoon shook in fear, it was prepared to battle any of the night monsters that might threaten his princess throughout the night, but this was one beast that he could defend the girl from. The man stepped into the washroom, causing the girl to shuffle to the other side of the room and coward against the bathtub. Slowly the door to the room began to close and tears tumbled from the girl’s eyes. This was one nightmare she would never be able to escape.
Chapter One - A New Morning
"Rise and shine!"
A voice cut through Jennifer North's sleep, startling her out of her slumber. She blinked while shielding her eyes against the bright new day's light that flooded into her room, squinting in search of the person who invaded her dreams. Her search didn't go without avail. Before her stood Ann Emery, a young woman in her mid twenties who was hired by her mother to keep an eye on the house and her daughter while she was away.
Jenn rubbed her eyes at the sight of the woman, "Did you hafta open the blinds?" Jenn inquired groggily, pulling the blankets over her head, only to have the blankets torn off of her, "HEY! Why'd you do that?" Jenn yelled as she tried to reach for the blankets, which were now being neatly folded.
"Because you have school today, young lady." Ann reminded the girl as she set the now folded blanket at the end of Jenn's bed.
Jenn brushed her dark bangs out of her eyes to get a better look at the digital clock that sat upon a small desk next to her bed. Its red lights blinked at her reading twelve o’clock over and over again, "OH NO!! The power went out again!" She jumped out of bed and frantically glanced across the room in search of her school uniform. "What time is it anyway?"
"It is about_" Ann started to look at her watch when a voice called from outside.
"HEY!!! JENN YOU THERE!!!" The voice yelled out.
"Kris is here already?" Jenn scurried to the window and flung it open. She poked her head out the window to see a tall thin girl in navy blue school uniform, "Hey Kris!" She waved enthusiastically to her friend.
"What are you doing up there?" Kris called out from the sidewalk, "Dreaming of the perfect girl?" She grinned.
Jenn grabbed a large crystal dragon off the nearby desk and pretended to throw it at her friend, "Why you . . . " The dragon nearly slipped from her hand. She regained her senses before dropping the dragon out the window and set it back down on the dresser, "I'll be down in a moment." She shouted through the window once more before turning around to see that Ann had left, the began to strip off her pyjamas and prepared to get dressed.
She stopped for a moment to look at herself in the mirror that stood over her dresser. Her sleek, black, bob cut hair hung over the left side of her face, a face that leaned heavily towards her mother’s Asian features, her eyes the only thing showing her father’s British side. No matter how much she struggled with her hair it always fell back in place, obscuring her bright green eyes from the world. She tried to fight it all the same, finally giving up a sigh of defeat she grabbed a hair clip and snapped the right side in place so she could see at the very least. Then opened the dresser to find a clean bra when something moved in the corner of her eye. She quickly looked up only to be greeted by her own reflection in the mirror. Rapidly she scanned the room in search for something out of place. Her bed, which was small, but comfortable, was set in the far corner under a tiny window, one of the two that covered the corner wall. A desk sat next to her bed and held the clutter of the paranormal and dream books that she had been leafing through the night before. A poster of Chloe Sevigny, dressed in her black leathers from "If these walls could talk 2", hung above the desk. On the back of her door hung yet another poster, this time of Melissa Etheridge. Clothes were scattered all about the floor and furniture and if Jenn knew Ann they would be in the wash the moment that Jenn left for school. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary she relaxed ever so slightly and began once again to prepare for school. She was not really sure what she expected to find upon her inspection of her room, but as she prepared to gather her clothes she felt a need to made sure to check under the bed and inside the closet at least once, just to be certain that nothing hide within their shadows.
Only when she was sure that nothing was about to jump out at her she began to dress. She was not sure where this irrational feeling came from; she was sixteen and had not needed to search for ghosts and spectres since she was very little. She pushed the sensation from her mind as she moved about the room scooping up articles of clothing from where they hung and pulled them on. She buttoned up her stark white dress shirt and flipped up the collar as she draped a black necktie around her neck. A navy blue blazer, identical to the one the girl waiting out front wore, was draped over the back of her desk chair and she found herself briefly gazing upon the crest on its right breast pocket, still overjoyed to be able to wear the academy’s shield upon her cloths. She had to fight long and hard to get into this school and she was proud of herself for not backing down or becoming the failure her mother took her for. It was proof that she could achieve anything she put her mind too and wearing the blazer empowered her in some small way. She scanned the rest of the room as she pulled the blazer over her arms and finally found the matching pleaded skirt lying on the desk chair then stepped into it, zipping up the side, forgoing to tuck her shirt in. Lastly she picked up a black vinyl case off the ground and searched through its contents. Satisfied she had everything was as it should be she swung the bag over her shoulder and ran down the stairs to the front door, where she tried to hunt up her shoes in the closet near the entrance, "Ann, did you move my shoes?" She called out into the reaches of the house as she fought with her necktie.
"They are sitting next to the door where you can find them." Ann's voice called out from somewhere in the house.
"Where?" Jenn repeated before actually looking, then turned around to see a pair of small black runners off to the side, under one of the long frosted windows that ran along either side of the front door, "Never mind, I found them." She grabbed her shoes and began to pull them on when Ann entered the front hall.
"Your mom asked me to make sure that you remember your psychotherapist appointment this evening." Ann reminded as she came down the hall with a brown paper lunch bag in hand.
"I know, I know." Jenn replied unconcernedly, "I don't know why I have to go, I mean they are only dreams after all." Actually, they were more than just dreams. These dreams felt like something else entirely. If it weren’t for the fact that one of them left her with such an unsettling feeling in her heart, enough to keep her up the rest of the night, she probably would have just ignored them entirely. If she had known that telling her school counsellor about them would end with some psycho doc appointment, then she would have just kept the dreams to herself.
"That may be true, nevertheless the school is concerned about you."
"Yeah, whatever." Jenn uttered as she tapped the toe of her shoe on the ground. She glanced up at Ann as she took her lunch from the woman, "Oh by the way, I asked mom and she said Kris could stay over tomorrow night." She stated as she took a quick peek inside the bag then closed it.
"She did?" Ann inquired sceptically, "I haven't heard a word about this from your mother."
"I talked with her on the phone last night and she said-"
"I don't care if you talked to her.” Ann returned sternly. “Until I hear from her then the answer is no!"
"You have no right to tell me what I can and can't do." Jenn could feel herself getting frustrated with the woman; she was simply a maid and had no right to order her around like this. "If I want Kris to stay over, then she will."
"If that is the way you want to play things.” Ann countered, “I'll just make a call to your mother while you are at school."
"Please do!" Jenn almost spat, getting increasingly irritated. She shoved her lunch inside her school bag, then quickly opened the door and slammed it behind her.
Outside Kris patiently waited for her friend. Her eyes closed lightly as she faced the sun, letting its warm light wash over her body. It felt nice to be able to just stand there and let time pass on by. She heard the sound of the screen door and opened her eyes to greet her friend with a smile that quickly faded at the sight of irritation on her friend’s face.
"Kris, I'm ready!" Jenn called out as she stomped across the front porch and jumped down the steps that led to a small path through the cramped front lawn. She swiftly hopped over the short iron gate, a fence that isolated her home from the rest of the world, and came to land beside her friend. "Blue, Kris?" She inquired with curiosity, blinking at her friend’s hair in disbelief.
"Oh, a failed experiment." Kris pulled at one of the bangs of her short curly hair and stared at it with crossed eyes, "I meant it to be silver." She let go of the strain to watch as it spring back in place then turned to face Jenn as the two of them began to walk to school. "What do you think?" She asked with another, slightly nervous, smile.
"It's you." Jenn concluded with a laugh. Kris’s grin brightened and once again Jenn noticed how boiishly [1] cute Kris was when she smiled at her. Kris was taller than Jenn and a year older than her too, Jenn being in grade ten while Kris was an elevener [2]. Kris tended to keep her hair cut short and roll her the sleeves of her blazer up in a manner that made her look more like a boy then a girl. When she wasn’t in a skirt many would question the girl’s gender only to get a broad grin as a reply. The two has only met less then a year ago and quickly became close friends. If Jenn had not known better she would have thought that they had been friends in another life, maybe even more. She pushed the through from her mind and forced herself to return her friend’s smile. "Sorry I made you wait." She apologized as she fixed the collar of her shirt and tucked the left side of her hair over her ear, only to have it fall back in place again.
"Problems at home again?" Kris queried with concern for her friend.
Jenn let out a sigh as she kicked at the ground. "Same old stuff. Ann is being a pain. Just because Mom asked her to look over the house doesn't make her my boss."
"Your mom away on business again?"
"When is she not away on business? And when she is home, I never get to see her anyway. So what difference does it make?" Jenn kicked a rock as hard as she could and watched as it skipped down the street and come to a stop at the foot of a small girl with blonde pigtailed and sporting the same school uniform as herself.
"Hey Tanya!" Kris called out to the pigtailed girl.
"Jenn! Kris!!" The girl rejoiced at the sight of her friends and rushed over to join them.
"What you up to?" Kris inquired as the girl fell into step beside them.
"Nothing muuuucch." Tanya yawned, "Is it just me or does it seem more like Saturday than Thursday?" She asked, rubbing her eyes.
"I know what you mean." Jenn agreed, then was infected with Tanya's yawn, "I… hate it… when… that happens..." She stated between the yawn.
"What?" Tanya glanced at her friend with her head curiously cocked to the side like a playful kitten.
"Have you ever noticed that when someone yawns everyone around them yawns too?"
"I've never had that problem." Kris remarked with a laugh.
The two other girls stared at Kris then glanced at each other, "Kris is not normal." Tanya mumbled into Jenn's ear loud enough for Kris to hear.
"In this world who would want to be?" Jenn marvelled with a snicker.
"Yeah," Kris agreed, "If normal means drooling over boys all day long, then I don't want it."
"No, you would rather be drooling over girls." Jenn teased with a broad grin.
"So would the both of you, so you are not in any position to talk." Kris reminded Jenn with a smirk, "And speaking of girls, how are things with between you and May, Jenn?"
"Don't remind me." Jenn answered irritably. May was an old friend who has been acting rather strangely towards Jenn recently. Tanya, May and Jennifer had been friend since Kindergarten and had always been together as long as any of the girl’s could remember. The fact that all three of them ended up in the same academy was a happy surprise at first, but over time Jenn began to wish that May had gone to a different school. Jenn could not understand why May would start showing feelings for her and the more May continued to show her affections the more uncomfortable Jenn felt around the girl. She was not even sure why so many of the girls at school blushed when Jenn looked their way, however only a select few really knew Jenn well enough to call her a friend. It is not that Jenn was hard to get to know; she was just very closed off and planned to keep it that way.
"She still not letting go?" Kris worried.
"Have you told her how you feel?" Tanya suggested.
Jenn’s head lowered and stared down at her feet. "I don't know what to say." Jenn remarked as she watched the road move under foot, "I can't just tell her to go away, can I?"
"I guess...." Tanya admitted, feeling a bit guilty. She had in fact told May on more then one occasion what she thought of the girl, which was far from liking, and she made sure that May knew this. She would be more the willing to talk to May on Jenn’s behave but decided it best to not get in the way. Jenn was not a little girl and everyone knew she could take care of herself just fine, when she needed too.
"Listen ... Can we not talk about May right now?" Jenn pleaded, having heard enough about her problems, "I've already got a headache and I don't need to be reminded of the bigger headache I'm going to have." She stated as she rubbed at her temples.
“Sorry.” Both girls said in unison and quickly fell into silence. The rest of the walk to school was spent in speechlessness as none of the girls could think of anything else to talk about. After what seemed like an eternity, they finally arrived at the school ground and the girls began to break off onto their separate paths.
"Jenn, we'll see you at lunch, right?" Tanya inquired before taking off down the hall to the right.
"As always." Jenn answered with a grin.
"The club just wouldn't feel right without our president." Kris stated, patting Jenn on the head.
Jenn batted Kris's hand away and gave her a glare, "Since when am I the president? You are the oldest."
"But the club was your idea after all." Kris recalled beaming at her friend. Suddenly the school bell rang, "I guess we will have to leave this discussion for a later time?" Kris half asked before moving down the hall, "See you at lunch."
"Kay!" Jenn called out as her friend started to disappear into a crowd of girls, "And there's nothing to discuss!" She yelled over the crowd.
"That is what you think." Kris teased as she waved behind her, "I'll talk to you later." And with that she vanished into a classroom.
Jenn shook her head, then ran up a set of stairs and headed into her morning class, "Morning Jennifer!" Called out a couple of girls who were already seated. Jenn nodded and returned the greeting as she wove her way through the rows of desks until she found her seat in the back of the class, next to the window, and sat down heavily upon the hard wooden chair.
"You look tired." A voice sounded from behind Jenn.
Jenn leaned backwards over the back of her chair, "Morning May." Jenn greeted the girl upside down. May was a rather beautiful young girl with long wavy golden blonde hair that ended in large curls, even her bangs curled around her large light blue eyes, that nearly looked white in the fluorescent lighting of the class, if Jenn didn't know the girl as well as she did she might have felt an attraction to her, however years of experience had proven to Jenn that although May could be a good friend she was not someone Jenn would date.
"Morning!" May greeted playfully as she sat in the seat across from Jenn, "Did you sleep well? You don't look so good." She frowned when she saw the long look on Jenn's face.
Jenn lifted her head upright, closing her eyes tight against the headache she could feel growing in intensity just being in the presence of the girl, "I'll be fine. I just missed breakfast because a power outage knocked out the alarm clock again."
"That has been happening a lot recently, hasn't it?" May remarked curiously, "The lights flicked a few times last night at my home too. I wonder if it is related?"
"Who knows?" Jenn set her chin in the palm of her hand while staring straight ahead at the blackboard, "No one will come to check on the wiring at home until mom comes back so I have to live with it."
"Is she coming back soon?"
"I have no idea." Jenn sighed, shifting her eyes to the trees outside. Something inside her stirred, like a flickering memory trying to break through and she thought she could see a pair of eyes staring at her in the reflection of the window. Spinning around she was only greeted by May’s eyes, which looked nothing like the ones in the reflection, but she knew those eyes from somewhere before. Her own eyes moved from one girl to another as she searched for the owner of those eyes, eyes filled with such sadness and pain.
May worriedly reach out towards Jenn, “Are you alright?” She inquired cautiously, lightly touching the girl’s arm.
Jenn pulled away as she shook her head, “It is nothing.” She stated, rubbing her temple in an attempt to push the image out of her mind.
At that moment the classroom door opened and a large man in a brown suit entered, "Morning class." He greeted the class as he walked towards his desk at the head of the class.
“Morning Mr. Johnson.” The class replied in unison.
Mr. Johnson gave the class a quick smile, "Would you please take your seats now?" He requested lightly, a request that was quickly answered by the rustle of movement as each girl hurried to their proper seat.
May got up to move to her seat at the far side of the class. On her way passed Jenn she gingerly ran her hand through the back of Jenn's hair causing the girl to pull away from her. The two girls exchanged glances as May continued across the room.
As the class began Jenn prepared for a very long day as that feeling simply grew with every passing minute filling her head and heart. No matter how hard she tried to concentrate on her studies her mind kept turning back to those eyes and slowly the feeling worsened until it was a throbbing ache within her chest, followed quickly by a pain that emerged behind her left eye. She leaned over her desk and set her hand over her eye, letting her hair fall over her face. Her eye throbbed with such intensity that she could feel a tear welling up in the corner of it. She glanced up at the clock to find that time was not moving nearly as fast as she would like it to. Her eyes fell on May across the room. It was as if May could sense Jenn's eye upon her for she turned to return the girl’s gaze and gave Jenn a small wave and a smile.
Why was May suddenly having this attraction towards her? Jenn wondered to herself as she pressed the palm of her head tightly against her eye and stared down at the book before her. Why were any of the girls in school attracted to her for that matter? It was not like she was very special. Sure she was only one of the very few girls that not only accepted her sexuality, but was open about it too. She always knew she liked girls since she was very little. Hell, almost everyone in school knew, but then again, many were like herself; she just happened to be a little more open about it. It wasn't like it was her choice. If she had it her way she would be able to hide her feelings as easily as the others around her. She clenched her head with both hands as thoughts crashed through her mind.
There was even a small school club for the few girls like herself. Club Hen, as it was called, which was sort of a joke that only Jenn truly understood, being that she was part Japanese and her mother always called her "Hen" or strange. One day she was watching a Japanese television program and noticed that many times people also would refer to a gay person as "Hen.” As a result the teachers were lead to believe that the club was for students who felt "out of place,” when it was actually a lesbian gathering. She was not trying to stand out by creating the club. She just felt so alone, and knew that there had to be more girls like her seeing as this was an all girls’ school after all. She knew that creating such a club would out herself to the school, however she was not expecting to become titled as one of the "Princes" of the school. She was expecting to be hated and maybe feared, not receiving random love letters in her locker.
As her mind roamed over the past she felt something trickle down her arm. Pulling her hands away she stared down at her palms in disbelief. Blood was smeared across her fingertips and pooling up in the palms of her hands. She lightly touched her face in search of the cut to find none. Droplets of crimson dripped between her fingers to her book, creating large circles upon its surface. Terrified she began to slowly stand as she realized that the blood was coming from under the sleeves of her blazer, soaking it to a deep purple colour.
"Miss North, are you alright?" Mr. Johnson inquired, glancing up from the book he was reading.
Jenn lifted her head and glanced around to see that the entire class was now staring at her. She had not realized that she had fully stood and shakily she held her hands out towards the teacher. "I… I…" She could not find the words to express the fear that had risen inside of her mind. Abruptly she was hit by a way of dizziness and her eyes began to shift out of focus, a wave of heat rushed through Jenn's body making it feel as if her neck was on fire, followed by a sudden feeling of nausea and she buckled over as she fell to the ground, only to be caught by the girl in the desk next to her. Mr. Johnson dropped his book to his desk and ran to Jenn's side.
"JENNIFER!!" May cried out as she jumped from of her chair and rushed to her friend’s side.
"Steady now." Mr. Johnson helped Jenn to her feet and started towards the door when May arrived at Jenn's other side and wrapped the girl's arm around her neck.
"Teacher, I'll take Jenn to the nurse's office, okay?" May pleadingly requested.
"That would be great." The teacher handed Jenn over to May and watched the two girls carefully leave the classroom. The moment they disappeared from view, the class became a bustle of activity. Everyone seemed to have their own answer to why their classmate would collapse so suddenly, "Now class if we could get back to the assignment?" Mr. Johnson demanded, giving no room for any gossip to grow, before returning to his desk he picked up Jenn’s belongings and brought them back to his desk. For a brief moment he though he saw circles of blood upon the pages of the book, but upon second glance there appeared to be nothing and closed the book figure it was just a trick of the light.
Down the hall Jenn could feel the dizziness beginning to subside. She looked around disoriented and it took her a moment to recall how she got into the hall when she noticed she had her arm around May and quickly pulled away causing herself to stagger into the wall.
"Jenn, what's wrong?" May inquired, alarmed by her friend's sudden actions.
Jenn stared down at her hands for a moment only to discover them clean of any signs of blood ever touching them that day, "N… nothing!" Jenn said with a sigh of relief as she rested her head upon the brick wall, attempting to regain her balance. The cool bricks soothed the throbbing in her head ever so slightly; causing the dizziness she felt to subside. "Just go back to class. I'll be just fine." Jenn assured, waving a hand at the girl, although she was not sure if that was really true or not. That image of blood was like something from her nightmares, but why would it be invading her waking life? She didn’t know the answer, but the thought of her nightmares intruding upon her daily life frightened her and she did not know how she would even begin to explain this to her friend.
"But . . . " May began to reach out for Jenn again.
Jenn pushed May's hand away, "Just leave me alone." Jenn snapped and started to walk down the hall, sliding her shoulder along the wall for balance, holding her arms tightly around her waist. She felt tired and wanted nothing more than to be left alone.
May, dumbfounded, staggered backwards. Jenn had never snapped at her before and the sound of the girl's voice stung May's heart, "O...okay . . . " She began to turn back towards class then stopped, "I'll see you at lunch, alright?" She forced herself to smile.
"Whatever." Jenn waved a hand in May's general direction before slipping around a corner. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. She could hear May's pacing in place before she ran off up a set of stairs. Jenn let out a deep sigh. She hated herself for snapping at May like that, but she just didn't feel at ease with the girl around her. Again she felt her headache strengthen and staggered to the nurse’s office.
The nurse, a woman in her mid twenties wearing a long white coat and thin rimmed glasses, greeted Jenn at the door, "Well, good morning Miss. North. How can I help you today?" The nurse inquired with a welcoming smile.
"I don't feel so good, Miss. Emery." Jenn complained as she sat upon one of the small beds that were closest to the nurse’s desk, "My head hurts and I feel sick." She explained weakly, she wanted to tell the woman about the blood, but held back. The last time she spoke up about her dreams she ended up with more attention then she wanted so decided it would be best to keep this new occurrence to herself.
"Hmmmm." Miss. Emery got up from her swivel chair and placed a hand upon Jenn's forehead, "You don't seem to have a temperature." She pushed Jenn's hair back and gazed into the girl’s eyes eyes, "You still having those dreams?" She inquired concernedly.
Jenn fidgeted in place. How many people knew about her dreams? "Not really." She answered trying to think of how to dodge the subject. Yes, she wanted to scream. I see things in reflections and blood on my hands, what do you think of that? She bit her tongue and kept her thoughts to herself.
"You are seeing someone about them?" The nurse probed as she shone a small flash light into Jenn's eyes.
Jenn batted the nurse’s hand away and gave her an irate glare, "Why’s it any business of yours? My dreams are my own and I'll deal with them in any way that I wish." Jenn barked at the woman, "Now if you don't mind I'd like to lie down for a bit before heading to my next class? I'm just a little tired is all." Wearily, Jenn curled up on the bed.
"Alright, alright." The nurse raised her hands defensively, "You rest up then. I have some work that needs to be done. Sleep well." She returned to her desk, grabbing a couple of folders and leaving the room, quietly closing the door behind her.
Lying back on the pillow Jenn stared up at the ceiling. What was wrong with her? She was never this cranky, not even on her period. She held her hand up in the air to better inspect them. Where had that blood come from and why now? Miserably she folded her arms behind the pillow, closing it around her head. Her breathing came out in erratic heaves as tears welled up in her eyes. This was not like her. She just wanted to be normal. Wanted to be left alone, but no one would let her. She rolled over to her side and curled her knees close to her while kicking her shoes off, letting them fall to the ground. Slowly she drifted into a fitful sleep.
Notes: [1] Boi - Referring to a girl who acts and appears more like a boy then a girl, but still wishes to be female.
[2] - Elevener - A term used to describe someone by their grade, Grade nine is a niner; Grade ten is a tener and so on.
*****
To be Continued . . .
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 2
Title: Part 1: Chapter 2
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part One: Dawn's Break
Chapter Two - Red eyed Dreams
In her dream Jenn felt at peace. It was as if she always belonged there and she never wanted to wake up. She found herself standing upon a long beach with the whitest of sands and long rolling cliffs off in the distance. A cool breeze rushed off the ocean and played with the hem of Jenn's skirt. She gazed out over the crystal blue water to see the sun setting off in the distance. Beautiful reds and purpled swirled off the clouds with yellows and oranges highlighting the edges, the colours sparked off the waves in the water as they washed up on shore. Jenn smiled as she scanned the beach, taking in every bit of the scenery. Suddenly she spotted a person laying face down on the sand not far from her. She quickly rushed to the person’s side, ignoring the fact that her shoes were getting wet. As she drew closer she could see that it was a small girl wearing a long white summer dress and she had flowing fiery red hair that covered her entire back. She was drenched to the bone and looked as if she had recently washed up on shore. Jenn crouched down next to the girl and was about to touch her shoulder, to see if she was all right, when the girl abruptly lifted her head and stared at Jenn. Her fiery red eyes setting firmly upon Jenn’s causing Jenn to jump and stumble backwards, falling into the water, the same eyes she saw in the window that very morning.
********
The sound of the school bell ringing startled Jenn from her dreams. Stretching she gazed up at the clock. It was already lunch hour; she had missed her second period class completely, but could not really careless. She'd just have to make up the schoolwork after school. She cracked her neck and let out a yawn, then leaning over to grab her shoes to find them slightly damp and small amounts of sand in the heel. She turned her shoe over in her hand, letting the sand pore into her hand, as she recalled the dream she just had. It was nothing like her other dreams, it was almost real and the presence of the sand only reassured her that it was in deed real. She shook her head trying to clear it; nevertheless she could not shake those eyes from her mind, those ruby red irises. They were filled with so much sorrow and pain that Jenn wanted to reach out to the girl and hold her. Jenn wondered if it was someone she met in the past. Certainly she would never have forgotten such a beautiful face, so she dismissed the idea. Hearing girls filling the halls, Jenn quickly jumped into her shoes, ignoring the slightly soggy feeling and joined the stream of bodies. Before long she found her sneakers had dried and herself at her homeroom door, which she knocked lightly upon door before entering.
"Come in!" Mr. Johnson called out from his desk and gave her his trademarked warm smile upon seeing Jenn standing at the door, "I'm glad to see you. How are you feeling?" He asked anxiously.
"Alright, I guess." Jenn shuffled in place. She just wanted to get her schoolbag and get out of there as quickly as possible, not wanting a repeat of the incident from earlier.
"You looking for this?" Mr. Johnson inquired, pulling her bag out from behind his desk and picking up her books from his desk with his other hand, "I thought it would be safer here."
"Thank you." Jenn shyly crossed the room and took the bag and books from the man. Her eyes fell upon the book she had been reading and she quickly flipped through it in search for any sign of the blood from earlier. Not finding any she dropped the items into the bag and prepared to leave.
The teacher watch her carefully as he leaned back in his chair, "You know, I was expecting it to be a lot heavier.” He chuckled, “I thought there was a laptop in there." He said pointing at the bag.
"It was my mom's." Jenn admitted, clenching the bag close to her chest, "She let me have it when she got a newer one."
The teacher's face grew long, "How long has it been since you last saw your mother?" He questioned, concerned for his student.
"I... I can't remember." Jenn started uneasily. She didn't like talking about her mother. It always made her realize just how much she missed her, "I . . . " Her lip quivered and she started to tremble, "I have to go . . . " Jenn rapidly backed away and turned towards the door.
"You know you can talk to me anytime." The teacher called out to Jenn’s back, "That is if you need someone to talk to."
Jenn lowered her head and took a deep breath, "No, that's alright." She murmured before disappearing out of the class.
Jenn slipped through the crowds, weaving her way to her locker. She reached into her school bag when a ball of paper hit her in the head and rolled to the floor. She scanned the crowd to see who threw the paper, but there were too many girls around. She slowly picked up the paper and unravelled it to discover someone had childishly written the word "DYKE" in large letters with a marker. Jenn smirked at the paper; she found it amusing how people liked to state the obvious and actually thought calling her a dyke would bother her. She crumpled the paper back into a ball and tossed it at a nearby garbage pail only to have it snatched out of the air by a long slender hand.
"And what do we have here?" Kris inquired curiously, opening the ball and reading the note, then peering over the top of the paper with a raised eyebrow, "Is this true?" She prodded with a knowing grin.
"Nope, it is all lies I tell you." Jenn replied, trying hard not to laugh while fiddling with the combination lock on her locker.
"Lies you say?" Kris leaned against the locker next to Jenn, "You so sure? It would be a shame because you are quite a good-looking little girl."
Jenn pulled the lock off and glanced at Kris, "Why, Kris Tallet, if I didn't know you as well as I did I would think that you're coming onto me." Jenn spoke with the best fake southern accent she could muster without breaking into laughter.
"Depends on what you want." Kris set her eyes upon Jenn's. Such deep blue eyes that Jenn felt like they would engulf her.
"Uhhhh . . . " Jenn stammered, staring into those eyes Jenn could feel herself flush. Kris had a way of looking at girls that made it difficult to turn away at times and Jenn was never sure if Kris was serious or just playing around. One could never be sure when it came to this girl.
Kris was the first to turn away and stared up at the ceiling, "I hear from May that you weren't feeling too well this morning." There was a concerned look upon her face and a serious tone to her words.
"Yeah." Jenn turned back to her locker. She could still feel her heart-beating deep inside of herself. She sometimes wished Kris would stop playing around and at the same time was terrified of the idea, "I... I just needed a small nap. Nothing to worry about." Jenn half lied as she opened her locker and two small envelops fell to the ground. Kris quickly scooped the letters up before Jenn could process what had fallen in the first place.
"Now what do we have here?" Kris wondered with a mischievous grin while turning the letters over in her hand. Each letter had “Jennifer North” name written on them in neat feminine handwriting and Kris placed the letters under her nose to take whiff of them, "I smell new love in the air." She teased.
"Give me those!" Jenn demanded as she snatched the letters out of her friend's hands. She could not help to sniff at the letters to see what Kris was talking about, but could only smell paper and glue. She felt another wave of heat when she noticed Kris beaming at her and quickly dropped the letters into her schoolbag, to be opened later. Other than herself, Kris was the only other girl that was treated more like a boy around the school. Over the year the two of them would challenge each other to see who could get the most love letters and gifts. Jenn nervously pulled out a couple of textbooks from the bag, attempting to not let her eyes drift back to Kris, and dropped them to the bottom of the locker.
"You know you are really cute when you blush." Kris reached out and gently brushed Jenn’s hair over her ear and gazed into the girl’s eyes, and then abruptly pulled back and pushed off of the lockers, "We should really get going. The others will be waiting." She stated as she started to walk down the hall.
"Right!" Jenn closed her locker and locked it before running after Kris. As she fell into step beside her friend she glanced up at the girl and wished that she knew what was going on in her mind, she wouldn't mind understanding girls in general for that matter. It always amazed Jenn how mature Kris appeared to be for a seventeen-year-old. Most of the other teens were still flustered about who they were and where they were going, however Kris always held a quality to her that makes it seem as if she knew exactly what she was doing no matter what it was. For instance at this moment she walked with a long stride and her hands held her wrists behind her back in a casual manner, while between the fingers of one hand she held the top edge of a brown paper bag. Not a care in the world could be seen upon the girl’s face and Jenn wasn't sure if Kris was just a good actor or just wise for her years, but for some reason the calm demeanour of her friend always made her feel better, even if she was a big flirt.
The two girls stopped at a door with a small sign hanging beside it, which read "Club Hen." Jenn opened the door and entered the room. The teachers allowed them to use this room all they wished, as long as they didn’t do anything that went against school regulations, so some of the girls had brought in a few pieces of furniture for the club. A small couch rested against one of the far walls, on which two girls quickly sat up from their curled up position and relaxed when noticing the new arrivals were not teachers. Two recliners were set to either side of the couch next to the far windows with two large bookcases, filled with many books that had been donated to the club, taking up the far corners. A long table was set in the middle where several girls already sat, eating lunch. The girls exchanged greeting as they walked across the room and found seats at the table. May looked up from her lunch with a smile that disappeared the moment she saw the ragged look upon Jenn’s face.
Tanya jumped up from her spot on a recliner near the window, "How you feeling, Jenn?" She inquired worriedly, perching upon the arm of the chair, eagerly awaiting her friend’s answer.
"I have a slight headache, but nothing more." Jenn explained pulling out a tuna fish sandwich from the brown paper bag that held her lunch.
"Did you get some rest?" May pried, more anxious then she was before.
"I'll be fine, May." Jenn countered, taking a deep breath, "I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier. I just... "
"No no, I ... I'm sorry I got in the way." May stammered apprehensively, "I... was just worried about you."
"I'll be fine." Jenn repeated attempting to swallow back the irritation she felt from the battery of questions and good wishes.
"Is it your time?" Tanya remarked bluntly.
"No! It's not!" Jenn screamed, finally fed up with the interrogation. She hated it when people brought up her period every time she was irritable. "I'm just having a day, alright?" The room filled with an unsettling quiet that could be felt. It was unusual to see Jenn get annoyed by anything like this, and nobody really wanted to upset their dear prince, so they kept quiet for the duration of the lunch hour.
Jenn ate her lunch quietly then moved to her favourite reclining chair. She curled up on her side and stared out the window as that feeling began to build up inside of her yet again. It felt as if something was twisting deep in the pit of her stomach like a nagging feeling that she couldn't really put her finger on. She didn't know how long she stared out that window watching the autumn leaves playing tag with the wind before she drifted off to sleep once again.
****
Once more, Jenn found herself on the beach watching the setting sun. The red headed girl washed up on shore and again Jenn approached her. Jenn knelt down and reached out towards the girl, just as her fingers touched the girl’s shoulder her mind rushed with a flood of images. Visions of blood and dark creatures invaded her mind along with a mixture of pain, torment and anguish that threatened to tear Jenn’s mind apart, causing her to reel backwards and stagger into the ocean waves. Suddenly she was knocked off her feet by a wave and icy cold ocean water rushed around her body, pulling her into its deep dark depths. She could feel her lungs fill with salty ocean water as she struggled for breath, death’s grip firmly around her throat.
*****
"Jenn!" Kris's voice called out to Jenn in her sleep, "Jennifer." She called out to her again. It took Jenn a moment to realize that the voice was not coming from within the dream itself. "KRIS!!!" Jenn sat bolt right up in the recliner to find herself in her friend’s arms. She coughed and struggled to catch her breath. She could still feel the icy cold fingers of death’s hands around her neck, slowly loosening their grip, and the taste of salt in her mouth.
"Shhhh..." Kris whispered softly into the girl's ear, "It is just me. You have nothing to be afraid of, everyone else has already left."
"Kris . . . It’s really you . . . " Jenn stuttered, trying to catch her breath. She felt like something had reached into her heart and tried to crush it. Bewildered her eyes darted around the room in search of something familiar, but everything had a strange feeling to it and she could feel a pressure building up behind her eyes. Frightfully she clenched at Kris's arm, "Kris, I'm scared." She stated shakily.
"You were having another nightmare, weren't you?" Kris inquired softly, making sure to keep her voice low so she didn't scare the girl anymore.
"It was horrible." The image of the red head flickered before Jenn's eyes, "I can still see her." Jenn's whole body shook violently and she started coughing again, tasting salt water and sand upon her lips, "What's wrong with me?" She asked between coughs.
"Nothing is wrong with you." Kris stroked the girl's hair, "When do you have to see that doctor?"
Jenn was visibly terrified, "At five o’clock, but I don't want to go." She replied, clinging to the girl’s shirtsleeve.
"Would you like me to come with you?" Kris suggested, setting her forehead lightly on Jenn's.
Jenn hugged the girl tighter, "Please, but I don't think I can make it through the rest of class." She felt a comfort in the warm flesh of Kris’s head against her own.
"That is alright.” Kris soothed, “I'll just tell the teachers you are not feeling well and we'll skip the afternoon classes."
"Thank you.” Jenn set her head on Kris's shoulder. “I don't know what I'd do without you."
Kris let out a soft sigh and for the first time she held her friend securely. With Jenn’s head resting lightly upon her shoulder, Jenn felt a familiar solace in her friend's embrace. There was something about being in Kris's arms that made Jenn feel at home. She looked up to see that Kris had her eyes lightly closed and Jenn could feel her own heart pounding heavily in her chest as an urge to kiss the girl building up inside of her and she found herself unable to tear her eyes away from the girl’s soft pink lips, but something deep in her heart knew that they could never be. Jenn suddenly lifted her head and shook the idea of a kissing from her mind, causing Kris to open her eyes.
"Are you alright?" Kris asked quietly.
Jenn simply nodded. She didn't trust her own voice, afraid that if she did speak that she might cry. Something inside Jenn told her to run, told her that if she spoke her feelings out loud that everything would crumble and fall apart, like some kind of forgotten dream.
"Let us get going, okay?" Kris urged as she stood up from her spot on the arm of the chair.
Jenn quickly followed closely behind her friend with her head down, not wanting Kris to see the pain that was building up in her eyes.
At the office Kris explained everything to the principal, who was very understanding and let the two girls leave without question. Now with the afternoon free, they left the school in search of a way to kill a few hours. Their homes were out of the question and they couldn't go to the mall in their uniforms, since security would cause a fuss. It was finally decided that they would spend the rest of the afternoon watching the day pass by in one of the local parks.
They found a park not far from Jenn's doctor's appointment and sat upon one of the many long wooden benches with their curved black iron legs. Kris leaned back with her head hanging over the back of the bench and stared up at the clouds in the sky while Jenn tried hard to watch the squirrels playing with the autumn leaves. They sat like that for some time, not saying so much as a word. Just enjoying the cool breeze that would swoop by from time to time, curious about the two girls, and cause some of the leave to dance around their feet.
"Kris?" Jenn inquired after a little while.
"Yes?" Kris answered, not moving.
Jenn glanced at Kris, trying to search for the words that were stirring so deeply inside her. She remembered the comfortable feeling of Kris's embrace and swallowed hard, turning her eyes to the ground, "Have you . . . ever been . . . in love?" She explored.
Kris sat silent for a moment as if she pondered the questions profoundly, "Once." She finally informed with a sigh, then leaned forwards in her seat, with her elbows upon her knees and looked out at a couple of birds searching for food.
"What happened?" Jenn sat up and observed Kris closely, "I don't mean to pry."
"No worries." Kris continued to watch the birds while letting her mind drift through memories from long ago, "We sort of drifted apart." She answered in nearly a whisper.
"Drifted apart?" Jenn was confused, "Didn't she really love you?"
Kris closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "We loved each other more then anything on this earth."
"Then what happened?" Jennifer felt both excitement and frustrated. Kris was not known to talk much about her past so Jenn was all ears to learn more about her friend, however the idea that Kris just left her love for no reason bothered Jenn to no end.
Kris took a deep breath, "She was in an accident." She explained closing her eyes, trying to keep her emotions in check, "Afterwards she could not remember anything."
"Amnesia?"
"Something like that." Kris leaned back on the bench again and wrapped an arm over her eyes, "After a while she gained a new life without me." She spoke with a tremble in her voice, "There is nothing worse than watching the one you love drift away from you." She whispered merely audibly.
"Oh, Kris . . . " Jenn tried hard to understand her friends feeling, "I . . . I didn't know."
"It is okay." Kris wiped at her eyes, "She has her life now and I have mine."
Gently, Jenn reached out and touched Kris on the shoulder, "You still love her, don't you?" When Kris's eyes fell on Jenn there was a great depth of pain in them like nothing Jenn had ever seen before. She couldn't even imagine the amount of torment her friend must be in. Yet now she was starting to understand why Kris pulls away when the two of them got too close, "Kris, you know I'm here for you if you need me." Jenn soothed softly.
"I..." A tear formed in the corner of Kris's eye, "I'm sorry." She stood up and wiped the tear away with the back of her hand, "We should probably get going to that doctors of yours." Without waiting she started down the path out of the park.
Jenn glanced at her watch, "Yeah, you're right." She stood and ran to catch up with her friend.
*****
To be Continued . . .
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 3
Title: Part 1: Chapter 3
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part One: Dawn's Break
Chapter Three - Nightmarish reality
Jenn wanted to talk more with Kris, yet knew that she should not force her friend. More than once during their trip did Jenn find herself glancing up at Kris with the intent of renewing their conversation, but the words kept getting stuck in her throat. Just as she finally felt that she would be able to speak, Kris broke the silence.
"Is that it?" Kris inquired, nodding at a rather small, white brick, office build about three floors in height.
"Let me check." Jenn reached into her school bag and pulled out a small business card, looked it over, and then stared at the address printed in large letters on the side of the building, "I guess so..." They approached the front door where they found a list, bolted to wall next to the door, of people who had offices within. Jenn skimmed down the list and compared the names on the card. She stopped on a name near the bottom of the listing "Doctor Driscoll _ Psychotherapist _ 201". She tapped the glass, then looked up at her friend with intense worry in her eyes.
"I'll be right behind you." Kris supported, opening the door for her friend.
Jenn took a deep breath and stepped into the hall. The first thing she noticed was how stale the air smelled, it appeared dead to her, as if only sadness and pain existed within these walls. Jenn felt Kris’s hand lightly set upon her shoulder and she sensed a small amount of ease come over her. They found a set of stairs immediately to the right and Jenn set one foot on the stairs, abruptly a cold shiver rush through her. She all of a sudden didn't want to be there, nevertheless she knew if she didn't get this over with then everyone would hound her until the end of her days. Taking another deep breath she mounted the stairs and climbed to the second floor where they found room 201. Jenn set her hand on the steel knob of a large grey door and opened it. Inside only one small desk could be seen within the tiny room. Two doors were on the left wall and a coat hanger stood between the doors. Apart from that there didn't seem to be anyone or anything of interest in the room, it was almost as if no one ever entered the room at anytime and it held an empty quality to it. Jenn rechecked the number on the door they had just entered when one of the doors inside the room opened.
"Jennifer North?" A man's voice queried from behind Jenn.
"She is." Kris informed setting a hand on her friend's head, "I'm just here as emotional support."
Jenn turned around to see a very short man in a brown suit, thinning brown hair atop his head and a pair of bifocals hanging around his neck, "Would you please enter then." He gestured to the door he just appeared from then addressed Kris, "You can find a place to sit in the waiting room." He offered pointing to the next room.
"Jenn, I'll be right out here if you need me." Kris supported as she moved towards the waiting room.
Knots twisted in Jenn's stomach that she once again she pushed deep inside of herself, "Alright." Jenn acknowledged as she was ushered into the other room. The sight of a long leather sofa was unsettling to Jenn for some reason. She also noted a little round red oak end table, with a small yellow lamp upon it, next to a grand leather chair and an impressively large glass cabinet filled with crystal statues that Jenn found herself being towards.
"You like them do you?" The doctor inquired with a smile as he shut the door behind him.
"My mom used to buy me some when I was younger," Jenn stood mesmerized by the way the cabinet's lights made the crystal sparkle, "but I don't know what happened to most of them."
"How is your mother?" The man sat in the leather chair and laced his fingers in front of himself, letting the girl continue to gaze at the statues.
"I don't see her very much." Jenn answered not really paying any attention to the question, "It doesn't matter. She never listens when she is around anyway."
"I see." The man listened carefully, "She tells me you are having troubles sleeping."
Jenn realized that she walked right into his trap; he managed to get Jenn to lower her guard without her even noticing. Quickly she turned away from the cabinet and sat down on the coach, it squeaked against the bare skin of her legs and stuck uncomfortably, "I just had a couple of nightmares. Nothing for everyone to make a fuss about." Jenn was careful of how to respond this time. She did not want to let this man get into her mind. Who knew what could happen to her if she opened up too much, more then anything she was not going to tell this man about her most recent dream experiences, for fear of what he would do to her.
"Would you like to tell me about a few of them?" The doctor probed, leaning forward in his chair.
"I can't remember them." She replied, crossing her arms. 'Not like I'd tell you anyway.' She thought to herself.
"I see . . . " The man opened a drawer under the end table, pulled out a small tape recorder and set it on the table, "Would you be willing to try something that might help you remember those dreams." He inquired inquisitively.
"Remember them, how?" Jenn gazed at the recorder, curious as to what the man was playing at. Part of her wanted to know more about the dreams, while part of her was frightened of the answers they held. Her eyes moved to her hands and the image of the blood upon them rose to the surface. She shook her head at the thought of that image and placed her hands lightly upon her lap again.
"All I need you to do is lie back on the sofa and close your eyes." The man comforted as he placed the player on the table.
"You are going to record what I say, is that it?" She was beginning to feel uneasy about the machine.
"No no." The doctor explained giving the girl a gentle smile, "This is just to play some music to calm your nerves. Nothing more. Now if you would lay down and close your eyes for a moment."
"Okay." Jenn lifted her legs onto the sofa, laid back her head, crossing her arms over her stomach and closing her eyes. Maybe if she did as he asked everyone would see that there was really nothing wrong with her and leave her alone. Suddenly the room filled with the sound of waves crashing upon a shore as the tape began to play and the sound made Jennifer’s muscles tense up and her teeth clench. Of all the things to play why did he have to choose ocean waves? She thought to herself miserably.
"Now I want to you relax." The man spoke just loud enough for Jenn to hear him over the recording, "Relax and think about the last dream you remember having." The sounds of waves began to fill Jenn's mind as she sensed her body begin to tense all the more. “Think back... back to when you felt at peace...” The doctor’s voice droned on, mixing with the sound of the waves until Jenn was unaware of his presence in the room.
Soon Jenn could not only hear the waves, but she could feel the mist of water splashing upon her skin. The feeling made her remember the beach and she could almost feel the water rushing over her shoes and the breeze brushing at her cheeks. She opened her eyes to yet again find herself faced with the same setting sun that she had seen so many times before during that very day. She immediately scanned the coast to find the same red haired girl laying face down on the beach before her. Jenn ran to the girl's side, knelling next to her and pressed two fingers to the girl's neck to check for a pulse. She was warm to the touch and there was a faint rhythm coming from the girl's veins. Jenn rolled the redhead over to get a better look at her face when the girl suddenly sat up straight and started coughing up fluid.
"Are you alright?" Jenn asked patting the girl on the back.
"Lauren . . . " The girl coughed. She unexpectedly looked up, setting her eyes on Jenn.
'Such beautiful bright red eyes.' Those eyes pulled Jenn in with more force then Kris’s and Jenn found herself lost within their crimson hues.
"Where is Lauren?" The girl inquired alarmedly, desperately scanning up and down the beach, then up a cliff that ran along the side of it.
"I don't know." Jenn reached out and touched the girl's hand. The moment Jenn’s fingers met the girl’s soft white flesh her mind was overcome by a wave of images and emotions, images of blood, darkness, and death. Jenn reeled back, clenching at the sides of her head wanting nothing more then to be relieved of the images that invaded her mind. She stumbled and fell backwards into the ocean, slipping on a rock she dropped beneath the waves. She struggled to swim, except she found herself being pulled under and the more she struggled the deeper she sank. She sensed something holding onto her leg and upon glancing down she could see a woman holding onto her leg. The woman’s face was charred and her arm was mere bone with a few strains of muscle holding her together. The woman reached out and grabbed Jenn's other leg.
"Jeennnifferrr..." The woman spoke in a raspy tone. She stared at Jenn with dead eyes as she proceeded to pull Jenn deeper into the dark depths of the water, "Cooomme baaacckk . . . " Jenn tried to scream, but her lungs filled with water, forcing the last of the air out of her body.
"Jenn, wake up!" A voice called out to her in the darkness, "Jenn, it is me, Kris!"
She latched onto the sound of her friend's voice and sat up on the sofa, "Kris!?!" She gasped for air still feeling as if she were drowning, "Wa...ter..." She managed to croak out.
"I'm here." Kris held her friend tight, "Do you want some water?"
"No..." Jenn frantically shook her head and struggled to point at the end table. Following Jenn's gesture Kris's eyes came upon the tape recorder and for the first time she noticed the sound of waves and quickly understood. She got up from beside of her friend and hastily walked past the doctor, who was now standing against the far wall. She grabbed the recorder from its spot upon the table and tore its cord out of the wall, putting the infernal sound to an abrupt stop. Almost like flicking a switch Jenn started to cough and suck in air again.
"What the hell do you think you were doing?" Kris fumed, waving the recorder at the doctor in disgust, "What kind of doctor are you?" She snarled.
"I was only trying to help." Frightened, he backed up closer to the wall to get away from the angry girl.
"Well, this is what I think of your help." Kris turned and threw the recorder at the glass cabinet, shattering it and sending several of the crystal statues crashing to the ground. She grabbed Jenn's arms and pulled her onto her back, not letting her eyes off the doctor, "Where did you get your degree anyways? A shoe box?" There was hatred burning in Kris's eyes.
"You can't just leave here." The man protested as Kris piggybacked Jenn out of the room, "Do you have any idea how troubled that girl is? She is in need of serious help" He ran to the door to the main room in time to see Kris leaving the office.
"Not from you, so just try to stop me!" Kris seethed through clenched teeth, and then slammed the office door so hard that the sound rattled throughout the building, even shaking the window. With one hand carrying their schoolbags and the other helping Jenn hold on, they left the building. Kris didn't stop until they were back in the park and set Jenn down on one of the benches.
"Thank... you..." Jenn stammered still panting for air, "I still feel like I have seawater in my lungs."
"What was he trying to do?" Kris inquired, looking back in the direction they just came from with an unsettling feeling.
"He said it would help me remember my dreams." Jenn swallowed hard, "It just worked too well."
"I don't know about you, but I do not think it would be a good idea to go back there anytime soon." Kris spoke glancing up at the sky, "Hey, when did it turn night?" For the first time they noticed that the sun had set and the park lights had turned on along the paths.
"That can't be right." Jenn looked at her watch, "WHAT! We were in there for three hours?!?" Jenn exclaimed in astonishment.
"That can't be possible." Kris checked her watch to see that it was indeed seven at night, "That is insane! There is no way I could have sat in that little waiting room for that long. There was nothing but teenybopper magazines. I would have to resend my prince hood if I read all of those."
"Oh shoot!" Jenn abruptly stood up, "Ann is going to kill me. There is no way she is going to let you stay overnight tomorrow the way things are going." She let out a deep sigh of disappointment.
"Are we still on for tomorrow?" Kris asked, delighted at the idea.
"That all depends on if I can talk my way around Ann. She doesn't believe that mom already said yes." Jenn clarified as she grabbed her bag and started to walk towards home.
"Well you just haven't let me talk to her yet." Kris proposed with a grin as she fell into step beside her friend.
"Oh no, now we're really in trouble." Jenn rolled her eyes, her visit at the doctors moving to the back of her mind.
"Don't you trust me?" Kris asked gloomily, her feelings deflated.
"No, it's not that. I just fear for poor Ann." Jenn tried hard not to start laughing, "You'll probably kill the girl with that charm of yours."
"If that is the case then it would be in self defence." Kris confirmed with a laugh.
"How do you figure that?" Jenn asked curiously.
"It is a lesbian rule. Have you forgotten to read your handbook?" Kris inquired with seriousness that Jenn was almost certain the girl believed her own words.
"I think I missed the part about killer lesbian charm." They both laughed as they started towards Jenn's house.
Just as Jenn expected they found Ann waiting for them on the front porch with her arms crossed and a scowl upon her face, "Do you ladies have any idea what time it is?" She probed furiously, "I do have assignments I need to get done for college you know and can't spend all my time standing around here waiting for you to stroll home at any time you like."
"No one asked you to be my parent!" Jenn snarled as she came through the gate at the front of the house.
"Your mother asked me to watch over you and the house while she was away." Ann defended herself.
"My mother never had the time to change my diapers when I was a baby so what would she know about taking care of me." Jenn could feel her anger boiling up inside of her, "and for your information we were at the doctors."
"The doctor called hours ago." Ann turned her fury on Kris, "I hear your friend here made a real mess of things too."
"I don't think you understand what happened." Kris set her tranquil eyes on Ann's as she approached the stairs, "Let me say that that man was only out to harm Jenn. He had no intent to help her in any way whatsoever and if I had not stepped in he would surely have hurt her or even worse." Kris kept her tone gentle, she didn't show a hint of anger, never once did she let her eyes veer from Ann's. Moving forwards ever so slowly she continued, "Now would you want the pleasure of explaining to Jenn's mother as to why her only daughter is resting in a hospital?"
Ann's eyes flickered as she tried to think of someway to back herself up, "N.. no..." She began to back down when she remembered that she was older than Kris and tried to reclaim her ground, "Of course I don't want her to get hurt, but that doesn't change the fact that she didn't call and leave a message or anything." She reaffirmed.
"I'm sorry that would be my fault." Kris reached the top of the patio stair, here eyes held their grip on Ann, "I was so worried about Jenn's well being that leaving a message completely slipped my mind. You see she has been feeling ill all day long and I have been watching over her. The school knew she was with me and with her mother away I forgot that there was someone else watching out for my friend as well."
Ann blushed deeply as she noticed just how tall and boiishly handsome Kris was, "Well, that is..." She started to stammer. The more Kris gazed at her, the hotter Ann felt, "Next time make sure to call, alright?" She gathered her notebooks from the porch table and started down the steps.
"Bye Ann!" Jenn yelled out after the girl.
"Oh and Ann?" Kris called out before the girl could reach the gate. She turned around, trying hard not to look Kris in the eye, "Would it be alright if I stayed over tonight and tomorrow?"
"Uhhh...sure..." Ann agreed as she started to get into her car, "Night, girls." She dumped her books onto the passenger's seat before jumping into the car herself.
"Thanks, Ann." Kris grinned triumphantly, "Have a good night."
The girls watched Ann's car disappear into the distance. The moment it was out of sight Jenn burst into laughter.
"You are just evil, you know that?" She teased between giggles.
"I am not." Kris replied defensively, "I just told her the truth."
"Oh, and what would you call that thing you did with your eyes?" Jenn inquired knowingly.
"I cannot be held responsible for my eyes." Kris stated, trying to hide a grin.
"Thanks again." Jenn smiled warmly.
"You are very welcome, my lady." Kris replied while taking a deep bow.
"My hero!" Jenn kidded, laughing, "You sure you won't get into trouble if you stay the night?"
"Me? Never!" Kris assured in amusement, "Being here with you is more important than what my family thinks."
"I can see if Ann washed any of my extra night tops." Jenn stepped into the house holding the door open for her friend; “You can borrow one if you like.” She offered.
"That would be great." The door closed behind Kris as she stepped into the house and she locked it.
"Make yourself at home." Jenn suggested as she kicked her shoes off into the closet and stepped into the living room where she hit the stereos play button filling the house with the sound of Lilith Fair, "You want anything to eat? I don't know about you, but I'm starving." Jenn informed as she disappeared through a second door out of the living room and into the kitchen.
The house was like a small maze and Kris found it hard to keep an eye on where her friend had vanished, "Could I get something to drink?" She asked as she added her shoes to the closet and examined the large living room. A massive entertainment unit was set in one corner, with a large flat screen television taking up the middle, while an "L" shaped couch surrounding a small square coffee table. The stereo was set between the two entrances to the room and the far wall was covered entirely by a large shelving unit filled with movies and CD's. Through one of the doorways she could see Jenn running around a kitchen island as she grabbed a couple of glasses from one of the many cupboards and set them on the counter before opening the large refrigerator.
"What would you like to drink?" Jenn called out, "We have milk, root beer, orange juice and some tomato junk."
"Orange will do for me." Kris answered, leaning against the doorframe, "Don't you feel lonely, all alone in this huge place?" She wondered while scanning the room.
Jenn closed the fridge and set the juice on the counter and stared at the glasses, "Sometimes it's nice." She was trying hard to fake being happy, but her face wouldn't let her.
"And other times?" Kris pried.
The phone abruptly rang, "I'll get it." Jenn turned to go after the phone knocking the juice over which caused one of the glasses to fall off the counter and smashing on the ground, "Crap!" Jenn rushed for a cloth while trying to avoid the mess, "Ummmm..." The phone continued to ring and Jenn became flustered, as she felt torn in two directions. She stared down at the broken glass and began to tremble.
"Here, I'll help with that." Kris came in aid, taking the cloth from Jenn, "Why don't you get the phone?"
"Th… Thanks!" Jenn ran around the island and out of the room.
Kris looked down at the mess and let out a small sigh before picking up the juice container and wiping the counter dry. By the time she was finished Jenn had returned, "Where is your dustpan." Kris asked looking around the room.
"In the closet down the hall to the dinning room." Jenn pointed to yet another door around the side of the fridge.
"Thanks. "Kris hopped over the mess, found the closet and grabbed a broom and dustpan. When she returned she found Jenn leaning against the wall with her arms wrapped around her stomach, "Are you alright, Jenn?" Kris wondered setting the broom down next to the fridge, "Who was that on the phone?"
"It was no one important." Jenn tried to force herself to smile, but she could not hide her trembling hands, "Just someone wanting to know if we needed our carpets cleaned. If we only had spilled the juice in the living room." She began to laugh, "Wouldn't that have... have been something else..." She was laughing so hard that she started coughing to the point that she was choking, she curled up in the doorway as tears overtook her, "I'm... sorry." She choked on her sobs, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She repeated over and over again.
Kris dropped to her friend's side, "It is alright. I'll clean the mess. It is no problem really." Kris proposed trying to reassure her friend.
"I'm... sorry..." Jenn clung to her friend's shirt and cried, "I just can't stop crying all of a sudden. I don't know why." It felt like a dam burst inside of her and all of her emotions were pouring out in one huge wave of sadness. She curled up in her friend's arms and let out a painful wail that sent her into another wave of coughing, "I'm so sorrrryyyy..."
For the next few moments Kris held her friend and let her cry while stroking the back of the girl's head, "Let it out. Just let it out." She whispered into Jenn's ear, "I will not leave you. I will not tease you. I will always be your friend." She kept repeating those words until Jenn fell into a fitful sleep.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 4
Title: Part 2: Chapter 4
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Oct 03, 19__
I fall too fast...
I remind me.
I fall too fast...
As she looks at me.
I fall too fast...
She approaches me.
I fall too fast...
Sits next to me.
I fall too fast...
She talks to me.
I fall too fast...
She touched me.
I'm falling too fast...
She smiles at me.
I'm falling too fast...
She danced with me.
I'm falling too fast...
She held me.
I'm falling too fast...
She is kind to me.
I'm falling too fast...
She kissed me.
I've fallen too fast...
She came home with me.
I've fallen too fast...
She curled up with me.
I've fallen too fast...
She slept with me.
I fell...
And she ran from me....
Chapter Four - Toothy Shadows
Somewhere deep within the city, while the inhabitants quietly slumber, something swiftly moved from shadow to shadow. If a passer-by happened to see it through the corner of their eye, they would simply have mistook it for the silhouette caused by moonlight through trees. This dark form, however, didn't truly exist in the realm of the physical eye. No, it was of a different nature and it had a purpose that moonlit night as it slid across the ground toward a small apartment building. Without hesitation, it scaled the wall, stopping from time to time to peer upon the sleeping forms within, in search of something.
On the fifth floor slept sixteen-year-old girl, Kimberly Harrison. Her long red hair clung to her unnaturally pale skin as she tossed and turned in her powder blue nightgown. A moan escaped her lips as she squeezed her eyes tight against whatever horrors tried to take hold of her dreams, Kicking at her blankets in a vain attempt to fight off the invisible intruder. Something fell from the ceiling to land upon her cheek, a sticky, slimy substance that glistened in the moonlight. As the girl sleepily attempted to wipe it off her face another drop landed on her hand.
Finally she was able to pull herself out of the nightmare to find herself staring up into the pit of darkness that was once her ceiling. Around the edge of the walls a set of jagged teeth emerged and a long whip like tongue dangled from the centre, dripping saliva onto the girl. Before she could regain her wits the tongue shot out at her like a spear, piercing her shoulder, pinning the child to the bed and causing a shooting pain to rip through her body. She watched in horror as yet another tongue emerged from the depths of the creature's mouth and began to whip around before her eyes. As the second tongue flew towards the girl she let out an ear-shattering scream.
Kimberly fell out of bed, flailing her arms about wildly. Her screams could be heard throughout the tiny apartment, resonating off the walls. Slowly she began to calm down, and as she pulled her arms from around her head she could see she was alone in her room; a stream of sunlight shone across the ceiling telling her that once again the night was over and she would have to face another day. She lay still in the middle of her room for a moment, trying to regain her breathe before rising to her feet and fixing her nightgown. She took a look around the little room to get her bearings. All around her were boxes, boxes of things that only weeks ago she had neatly packed away for what felt like the hundredth time.
She turned to gaze at herself in the dresser mirror. Her face had a childlike appearance to it, soft round cheeks, dabbled with a sprinkling of freckles surrounded by long flowing fiery red hair, made her appear to be twelve instead of sixteen, now her eyes; that was entirely different. People used to say the eyes were a window to one's soul. If that were true then this girl's eyes showed a soul that had been torn into a million pieces and scattered to the winds. So tired were those eyes that they looked like they belonged to someone twice her age. She found herself transfixed by her own eyes, a deep dark orange with flakes of white. She sometimes wondered if those eyes really belonged to her. So many people have mentioned how beautiful and unique they were, yet she felt someone so ordinary as herself did not deserve anything beautiful.
She gazed deeper into her eyes in search for the other person that hid deep within. She knew that girl was in there somewhere, could sometime feel her trying to crawl her way out of the depths from which she had fallen. Kimberly took a deep breath and closed her eyes; it became a ritual of hers, she didn't want the girl to come out while she was not in the safety of her own home, so she would force her deeper inside with every passing day. Slowly, Kim turned away from her image until her eyes fell on a small picture frame sitting on the corner of her dresser. She gently picked up the frame and gazed upon the photo within.
The photo was of a beautiful young lady with shoulder length reddish brown hair. Although the woman had a smile on her face, her eyes also conveyed otherwise. The girl lightly touched the photo and whispered to herself, "Good morning, mother." She set the photo back down, then cautiously began to move about the room to find her new school uniform hanging on a hook attached to the back of the door to her new room. She took the cloths off the hook and carefully placed them neatly upon her bed, being sure to smooth out any wrinkles that appeared. She examined the uniform for a moment before pulling off her nightgown and attentively took each article off the hanger before slowly putting on each layer. Kim turned to peer at herself in the mirror as she fixed the tie in place, making certain that it was straight. She then pulled on the sleeves of the blue blazer until only the tips of her fingers could be seen peeking out. Not even the sight of herself in a new uniform could cheer her up this morning. She felt lost in its folds, almost as if she was not worthy of wearing such fine uniform as this.
Only when she felt she was ready did she dare venture out of her room. Silently she opened her door and poked her head out, glancing up and down the long narrow hall. When she was sure the coast was clear she crept out of her room, only stopping for a moment to take a peek inside the next room. It was also filled with boxes, and a double bed stood in the middle, its blankets undisturbed. The girl backed up and continued to weave her way through the boxes and clutter.
Eventually she found her way to the kitchen. She looked around one more time and only when she was certain she was really alone did she let herself breathe. Quickly she opened a box marked "Pots" and dug around until she found a frying pan, setting it on the stove. She then opened the fridge and grabbed two eggs and some bread. The eggs popped and crackled with life on the pan as she buttered the bread, then grabbed a plate from yet another box. When she was finished eating, she washed all the dishes and set them in a drain rack that she found with the plates. At last she picked up her school backpack and took one last glance around the apartment, knowing far too well that she would have to unpack everything herself this weekend.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 5
Title: Part 2: Chapter 5
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Two: Awakening
Chapter Five - Black Wings
Jenn awoke with a dreadful sensation deep within her heart. Something didn't seem right about the world in general and she felt disoriented as she scanned her room. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stretched before pulling the blankets off to notice that she was still dressed in her school uniform. Her mind felt murky, as if she was walking through mud and she was having trouble remembering how she got into her room. Confused she stumbled out of the bed while rubbing the last remnants of sleep from her eyes and started down the stairs to the kitchen where she found some cereal to eat, then ventured into the living room and turned on the stereo.
"Unnnn... Jenn is that you?" Kris propped herself up on the couch and squinted against the daylight that entered through one of the large living room windows.
"Oh, Kris!" Jenn startled, surprised to see her friend. She ran around the coach, dropping her cereal bowl on the coffee table, and close the window's blinds, "Why were you sleeping down here?" She inquired in confusion, trying hard to recall the night’s events.
"After you fell asleep I didn't think it would be a good idea to just crash next to you without you knowing so I decided to stay down here." Kris explained pulling herself into a sitting position causing the blankets fall away, "I hope you slept well." She continued while running a hand through her messy hair.
Jenn rubbed at her temples, she could not recall her friend staying the night. She turned around to see that her friend was only dressed in a small bra that’s strap was partly draped over Kris's shoulder, revealing part of the girl's small breast, "Uhhhh... Kris..." She stammered, experiencing a heat rushing through her body.
"What?" Kris looked down at herself and hastily pulled the blanket around her body and fixed her bra, "I'm sorry. I thought I'd wake up before you." She reached for her watch on the coffee table while holding the blanket close to her chest, "You are up earlier then usual." She blinked at her watch, "Geez, it is five in the morning." She flopped back onto the couch and pulled the blankets over her head.
"I... I'm sorry." Jenn apologized, still embarrassed that she saw Kris partly nude. "Would you like something to eat?" She started to head back towards the kitchen, attempting to get something else on her mind other then Kris’s athletic form.
"That cereal smells good." Kris's muffled voice sounded from beyond the folds of the blankets.
"Coming up." Jenn acknowledged as she ran into the kitchen, grabbed a bowl and filled it with some cereal before opening the fridge to get the milk. 'What is wrong with me? Why can't I remember Kris staying over night?' Her thoughts raced through her mind. When she turned around she could see Kris through the kitchen door as she stood up and stretched. Jenn found herself mesmerized by the way small streams of sunlight shone across Kris's white skin making her look virtually angelic and Jenn could almost imagine her friend with large wings. Kris turned slowly and Jenn blinked several times as she saw a large tattoo of black wings spread entirely across her friend's back. Jenn didn't get a good look at it before Kris pulled on a white tank top and Jenn suddenly realized she was staring at her best friend. She shook her head, added milk to the cereal and brought it out, "Here you are." Jenn offered trying to conceal her flushed face.
"Thanks." Kris took the bowl and gave Jenn a curious look, "What is wrong? You are beet red."
"I'm sorry." Jenn gazed down at the floor; "I sort of saw your back when you were getting your shirt on. Th… that is a nice tattoo." She complimented Kris shyly.
It was now Kris's turn to blush, "You saw that did you?" She set the bowl down and rubbed her hand through her hair in embarrassment, "You don't have to pretended you like it. It is an eye sore."
"No no!" Jenn stuttered, "It is beautiful. Did it hurt?" Jenn inquired in curiosity, eager to learn more about her friend. "When did you get it?"
Kris leaned back on the sofa, "To tell you the truth I can't remember. My parents did it while I was really young, some kind of weird Celtic tribal thing. I kind of lucked out seeing as my little sister got her entire arm and part of her face done when she was only three."
"Geez," Jenn sat on the sofa heavily, "Are all parents nuts or something?"
"They seemed to think that it protects from evil and things like that." Kris enlightened, reaching for her cereal again and scooping a spoon full into her mouth. When she glanced up, she could see Jenn still staring at her, "Do you want a better look?" She proposed softly as she reached for the bottom of her shirt to it pull up, exposing her stomach.
"No no!!" Jenn shook her head violently, "That is quite alright." The truth was she did want a better look, however the idea flustered Jenn so intensely that she thought she would die of embarrassment if her friend took her shirt off again. Just the sight of Kris's athletic build in that tight shirt was enough to cause Jenn to overheat.
"Okay..." Kris pulled her shirt back down and scooped up a spoonful of cereal, being sure not to take her eyes off of her friend.
"Oh," Jenn looked down at her cereal not very hungry anymore. She nervously glanced across the coffee table and realized that she knew very little about the girl that sat across from her, tattoos, siblings, sleeping with no clothes on. She didn't even know what kind of music she liked. She rubbed her temple as a new headache began to increasingly throb.
"You okay there Jenn?" Kris inquired, holding her spoon in front of her mouth, too concerned for her friend to remember her food, "You look rather pale."
"Yeah, I just need to go to the washroom." She explained simply as she got up and left the room. She entered a small washroom located down the hall, closed the door and gazing at herself in the mirror. Her head was aching along with something else that she couldn't quite explain. She set her hands on either side of the sink and stared at herself in the mirror, "What is wrong with you?" She asked her reflection, "This is not like you at all." Something deep inside of Jenn told her that today was going to be a bad day. It told her to stay home, but she ignored the feeling. It is silliness to believe in such feelings. It almost felt that if she left her house that the world would come to a screeching halt.
A knocking at the door startled Jenn out of her thoughts, "Jenn, are you feeling alright?" Kris probed from behind the door.
"I... I'm fine." Jenn closed her eyes tight, forcing all her emotions back, then splashed some water on her face and through her hair before opening the door, "Do you mind if we head out early?" She requested.
"Sure thing." Kris replied, looking her friend over, "You sure you are alright?"
"I should be fine. No worries." Jenn lied, "I just need some air or something." She didn't feel fine at all. She was hoping the water would snap her mind into shape, however the feeling simply moved to the pit of her stomach and grew stronger. She hoped that the walk to school would clear her mind some more.
The two of them quietly took showers, then got their things together and prepared to head out the door. Jenn was forced to shield her eyes against the harsh light of the sun as they stepped out into the light. She squinted up at the clear blue sky, not a cloud could be seen anywhere and Jenn began to wonder if she was worrying for nothing. 'How could anything really bad happen on such a nice day?' She thought to herself. Casually they walked along the sideways not knowing what to say to one another. It seemed that the silence would go on forever when another girl dressed in the same uniform stepped out from around a corner ahead of them.
Jenn stopped in her tracks as she took in the girl before her. She was short and kept her head low, her eyes on the ground, but her fiery red hair caught Jenn's eye. She blinked a few times then turned to Kris, "Hey, have you ever seen her around here before?" She wondered, nodding toward the girl.
Kris glanced in the direction Jenn was nodding, "Nope; she must be new."
Suddenly the redhead turned around as if she heard someone call out to her. Her eyes fell on the other two girls and she froze in place. The three of them stood silent for a moment. When Jenn's eyes met the other girl's she found it hard to pull away. There was something familiar in those eyes that almost called out to her, scratching at the surface of Jenn's brain, like an intimate feeling or deja_vu, she knew them from somewhere, saw them before. Then the redhead quickly turned and started to run down the road without turning back.
"Hey Jenn, you going to be alright?" Kris inquired while waving a hand in front of her friend's eyes.
"Her eyes...." Jenn mumbled more to herself then anything else. Kris watched as Jenn's emotions shifted before her and something changed in the girl's eyes. Before they looked dark and struggling, but for a moment Kris thought she saw a glimmer in them.
Jenn could not take her eyes off where the girl once stood, 'Maybe?' Jenn thought to herself, 'Maybe today was going to be a good day after all.’
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 6
Title: Part 2: Chapter 6
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Two: Awakening
Chapter Six - Ghostly Academy
Kimberly stopped running after a little while. She looked over her shoulder to be sure she lost the girls and let out a little sigh of relief. She thought for sure that if she left early enough she would not run into anyone else. What were those two doing out here so early? And more over why did that one girl stare at her like that? It was as if she knew her or something, but that was impossible, she had just arrived in town the other day. A flickering memory tried to force its way into Kim's mind.
"No!" Kim cried out, "I'm not believing you anymore." She closed her eyes and tried to push the memory away, "I'm too old for this kind of thing. I belong here now." She wiped a small tear away with the back of her hand, "I belong here . . . " She repeated softly.
She looked up to find herself in front of a large brass archway, which lead to the main ground of the school. Upon the brass archway a phrase was embossed, "Welcome to Whispering Hills All girls Academy. Home to wayward souls." Something about those words made Kim shiver deep inside her core. Beyond the gates was a long path surrounded by many large trees. Kimberly started down the path to see a modern day school off in the distance. With clean grey brick walls and lines of steel framed windows running the entire length of all five floors. It appearance was just like your average everyday school, however Kim felt something else coming from the building. She squinted her eyes and tilted her head trying to figure out what was wrong about the structure. She cautiously crept closer, keeping her eye on it. That was when she noticed a huge clearing off to the west side of the school. It felt like something was missing.
Upon reaching the clearing she noticed a plaque peeking out through some ivy around the bottom of a tree. The ivy covered up most of the plaque at the base of the tree making it only possible to read a few fragments of the word upon the plaque’s surface, "In Me____ of _a_ Y___g, l_t ___ r_st ____dly an_ her __art _i___ly __ at ___ce." Kim considered pulling the ivy away when a cold breeze swept across the grounds carrying a string of dead leave with it. The wind swirled around Kimberly's feet making the leaves pelt at her ankles and exposed calves. Kim fought to keep her skirt from flipping up, and then ran across the school grounds towards the front door. The wind seemed to follow her every move, chasing the girl as she cut back and forth across the grassy lawn and up the stairs to the front door. Kim grabbed the door handle and yanked on it, praying that it was unlocked. The doors opened with ease and Kim slipped inside, slamming the large door shut behind her, leaning against the door as she tried to catch her breath.
The lights within the school had an eerie yellow glow that gave the walls a pale look to them. One of the lights flickered off and on for a moment before coming back to life. Kimberly scanned the empty halls, feeling even less at ease than she did outside. The school didn't feel like a soul had entered its halls in years. If it were not for the lack of dust, Kim would have presumed that nobody ever came through those doors in eons.
Nervously, Kim stepped away from the doors until she saw a small sign attached to the far wall, which pointed out that the office was off to the left. Following the signs through the maze of halls Kim finally came to a door with a frosted glass window labelled "Office" in bold black letters. She glanced around once more to see if anyone had appeared in the last minute, unfortunately the halls were still as silent as they were when she first entered the building. Knowing far to well that she should at least find out which classes she would be taking while she was here, she took a deep breath, reached out and opened the office door.
"Well hello, aren't we an early riser?" A small, thin secretary wearing thin-rimmed glasses remarked as she looked up to greet the new arrival, "Is there something we can do for you?"
"Umm..." Kim stepped into the office in amazement. The room was brightly lit and appeared lively, although there were only three people in the room. Several desks could be seen behind a long front counter. The secretary sat in front of a small computer at the counter while two other people, which Kim assumed were teachers, were busily working away behind a couple of the desks. Kim moved up to the front counter, her jaw agape.
"Miss?" The secretary inquired again, trying to get the girl’s attention.
"Umm... sorry." Kim blinked and regained her senses, "I'm Kim... Kimberly Harrison... I..."
"Why, Kimberly, we have been waiting for you." The secretary spun around in her chair, grabbed a file from a cabinet, then turned back to Kim while flipping through the papers, "It would seem your father didn't fill out all your paperwork."
Kim let out a sigh of disappointment, "That is my dad for you." She excused with a frown.
The secretary skimmed over the files with a smile, "That is alright. This will only take a moment then you can go put your things in your locker and find your classes."
"Okay." Kim acknowledged still a little worried.
"For one it doesn't say here why you transferred."
Kim flinched, "The kids thought I was too... weird... and well..." Her voice drifted off.
"That is okay." The secretary soothed and give Kim a warm smile, "You don't have to explain. Kids can be cruel." She reached over the counter to touch Kim's hand only to have the girl pull her hand away.
"I'm sorry... I..." Kim held her hand close to her body, "I..." Her eyes darted around.
"It is alright dear. I won't hurt you." The secretary cooed softly, "If you could come back here and we'll get this silly paperwork finished, alright?"
Kim nodded slowly and moved around the counter to sit in a small chair near the secretary.
******
Jenn arrived in class just as the second bell rang. She placed her hand on the back of her chair as she panted to catch her breath. She and Kris had spent part of the morning relaxing under some trees and she felt so at peace next to Kris that she nearly drifted off to sleep when they heard the school bell ring in the distance. She found herself having to run to make to class on time.
The classroom door opened and the teacher entered. In his hands he held an open file folder. Without so much as a glance up from the file, he spoke, "Class, could you please take a seat so we can begin? I have an announcement to make." He said as he walked over to his desk and set the file down, allowing the students rushed about getting into their seats. Only when he was sure he had everyone's attention did he continue to speak, "It would seem that we have a new student to add to our fold." The class burst into more activity, each of the girls excited about who the new student might be. The teacher again waited for the class to quiet down, then he turned to the door, "You can come in now."
Jenn's eyes widened as the red-haired girl stepped into her class. It was like some strange dream, however if it was, she didn't want to wake up. The girl slowly approached the front of the class and stood beside the teacher. Jenn felt her head fall forward and she caught it with her hands under her chin and elbows balanced upon her desk. The rest of the class was also stunned silent, almost like the mere presence of this girl trapped them in some kind of spell.
"This is Kimberly Harrison," The teacher informed, "and seeing as she missed the first month I'd like you all to help her get caught up with her studies. Now, where do we want to seat you?" He scanned around the class as hands shot up from all around and girls begged the teacher to seat the new girl next to them. Jenn watched in amusement as each tried to talk above the other trying to convince the teacher they were the right person to help the new girl out. Jenn found this was the most amusing thing about going to an all girls’ school. No matter what, the moment a pretty face entered the class everyone was interested. It made it hard to figure out who was really 'interested' and who was just playing games. She was disturbed from her musing by a voice calling out to her.
"North?" The teacher repeated, "Jennifer North would you be willing to take Kimberly here under your wing?" Jenn glanced around, not sure if he was really talking to her, "You're ahead in class so she should not be too much of a burden on you." He stated with a warm smile.
Jenn abruptly stood up, "YES! Thank you!" She cried out in excitement, taking a quick bow, which she rarely did and felt embarrassed at doing it at that moment. The class started to laugh causing Jenn to blush and stammer as she stood up straight, "I... I mean, I have... no problem with helping... her out... that is..."
"Good," The teacher concluded, then he turned to Kimberly, "If you would take a seat next to Miss North we can begin class." Kimberly unhurriedly walked down the row of desks and sat across from Jenn, whom found herself staring in disbelief at her luck. Jenn didn't even notice as the teacher started the lesson, nor did she observe May as she stared at Jenn with disapproving eyes.
Kimberly felt a shiver run up her spine causing her to cringe in her seat. She hated all this attention; all the staring made butterflies in her stomach release from their cage and wreck havoc on her nerves. It felt as if at any moment she would throw up and all she could do was sit perfectly still hoping that time would tick by faster.
"Hey, are you feeling alright?" Jenn whispered across the aisle, noticing that the girl seemed to be short of breath.
"I'll... be... fine..." Kim swallowed hard trying to catch her breath, "This always happens."
Jenn returned to her books, keeping one eye on the girl.
Kim closed her eyes for a moment and took a couple of short breaths, pushing the emotions deeper inside of herself. Her breathing began to steady, but she still felt flushed. When she opened her eyes, she glanced over at Jenn. Was it a mere coincidence that this was the same girl from that morning? There was something about the girl that Kim felt was unusual and she could not help but take a glimpse at the girl from time to time during class. She could see from Jenn's eyes that she was a troubled sleeper and Kim began to wonder if this girl struggled with the same dreams that she too had. Kim shook the thought from her head. She had already decided that this time around she would not get involved with anyone. It would be safer for everyone.
Time passed by and the lunch bell finally rang. Girls started to spill out into the halls and chatter with friends about the night before. Kimberly quietly picked up her things and ran out of the class. One of the first things she did before heading to class was to make a mental check of where the closest washroom was. She had become so accustomed to these ritual panic attacks and knew the best means of stopping them. She pushed through the washroom doors and rushed over to the sink to splash water on her face. The cold sensation broke through the nausea and washed the butterflies away. She grabbed a paper towel to dry her face and prepared to face the world once again when she heard the door swing open.
"So who might you be?" An angry voice echoed off the walls.
Kim slowly removed the paper towel from her face to see May blocking the exit, "Who me?" Kim asked in a confused, quiet voice.
"It is interesting to say the least." May sneered as she placed a finger under her chin in thought, "Kris, I can understand, but you are unexpected. How did you get here?" She demanded, glaring at Kim.
Kim backed up against the sink, "I... I don't understand what you mean." Kim searched for a means of escape.
"Don't make me laugh." May scorned, stepping away from the door towards Kim, "You know very well that you don't belong here."
"I..." Kim was becoming very frightened of this girl, "I'm telling you the truth, I don't know what you are talking a_" Suddenly May rushed forward and struck Kim across the face knocking her to the ground.
"LIAR!" May yelled, "You better stay away from my Jenn you hear me." She kicked Kim in the side causing the girl to crumble into a ball, "Know this, if I even see you around Jenn I will make sure your days here are a living hell." She left the room, slamming the door behind her.
Kimberly coughed as she pulled herself to her feet, holding her stomach securely, "I'm sorry." She mumbled, "I'm truly sorry." She staggered to her feet and looked at herself in the mirror again. There was a large red mark covering her right cheek that she knew would grow to a bruise soon enough. She touched it and winced. It stung, but she had worse beatings dealt to her by her own father. She splashed a bit more water on her face when she heard the washroom door swing open again causing her to jump.
"There you are!!" Jenn exclaimed, delighted to find the redhead.
Kimberly spun around and stared at the girl for a moment, almost as if she didn't recognize who was talking to her, when she finally spoke her voice was almost a whisper, "Oh, Jennifer, was it?" She asked, cringing against the sink.
"Jenn, actually." She corrected with a smile that turned to a frown when she noticed the mark on the girl’s face, "Are you alright?" She stepped closer to the girl.
"I... I'll be fine," Kimberly, stammered, trying to cover up the pain she was feeling, "I'm sorry. Thank you for trying, but please; you don't want to be my friend."
Jenn could see sadness in Kim's eyes as she spoke. She noticed that Kim was jumpy so was prepared when the girl turned to rush past Jenn out the door, however Jenn grabbed Kim by the arm, "Wait! All I was doing was trying to be frien-" before she could finish her sentence Jenn sensed her hand beginning to tingle. She looked up at Kim to see the girl was staring back at her, both peering into each other's eyes. Jenn suddenly observed Kim’s light red eyes and recalled her dream, "It is you..." She concluded softly.
"Let go!" Kim cried out in panic, and tried to break free of Jenn's grasp, "You don't know what you're doing!" Now she was almost in tears and all of a sudden the walls of the washroom began to melt away.
"What the?" Jenn glanced around her as her surroundings shifted. No longer did they stand in a dingy girl's washroom. Now two high brick walls of a long dark alley enclosed them. Above them a full moon's bright light provided the only means of illumination. Along the walls windows slid into place, boarded up with strips of plywood that hung off their nails. Several puddles formed on the ground below their feet and there was a faint smell of a passing storm in the air. The girls had very little time to get their bearings when something moved at the end of the alley. Jenn squinted in the pale blue light to see where the thing went. "What was that?" She startled as more shadows shifted in the darkness. A dark shadowy mass started to form as it swiftly moved along the ground then up the walls and disappeared.
Kim did not move, petrified with fear, "It's not real. It's not real." She muttered under her breath trying to convince herself that she was only having another of her dreams.
Jenn gazed at the girl in confusion. "What are you talking about?" She inquired when suddenly the sound of footsteps could be heard echoing off the walls.
"Well well well... what do we have here?" A tall man in a fleece black jacket and black jeans stepped into the moonlight, "Isn't this interesting..." He stated as he smiled at the girls out of the corner of his mouth. The smile alone sent a shiver through Jenn's spine. His deep-set black eyes were devoid of any expression, almost swallowing in the small amount of moonlight that fell upon him, adding to the shadows cast by the bangs of his shoulder length grey hair that fell over his face.
Kimberly started to step away from the man when she felt Jenn's hand slip down her arm into her hand and tightens, stopping her retreat. They watched in silent horror as the man slowly approached. As his body passed beneath the shadow of an over hanging escape ladder it melted into them, almost as if part of his body was more shadow then man. Only when his foot came out of darkness to step in the light again did it make a sound; a hollow dark sound that rang in their ears. Every time he stepped deeper into the shadows until he fully disappeared into the darkness completely. Kimberly's eyes darted around in search of any form of movement, afraid of where the man could have vanished.
"Would you look what the angels have sent me," The man's voice echoed off the walls. The girls could not see where the voice came from, but they could almost feel his words dripping over them. Kim felt a hand touch her shoulder, but she was too terrified to even turn around, even though she knew it had to be him for she could smell his breath, a blood mixed with something unrecognizable that the girl cared not to know of.
"I suggest you let go of that child, you monster." A commanding voice called from the shadows behind them. They all turned around to see a figure in a tattered canvas poncho sitting in one of the boarded windowsills a floor above them. The person's face was completely covered by a hood, under which only a pair of what looked to be red ski goggles could be seen as the moonlight gleamed off the visor.
"You have no business here, little girl!" He shouted at the figure. "So leave while you still can."
The girl tilted her head, "You don't seem to understand." She sighed then pointing at Kim, "Everything to do with that girl is my business. Now let her go or_"
"Or what?!?" The man spun around to face his new prey. He spread out his fingers out wide and the sound of bones cracking could be heard as the man's hands shifted into a set of shiny jagged black claws. Claws that looked to Jenn as if there were made of obsidian, "I'll bathe in your blood then feed on these girl's flesh." He smiled at the cloaked person as he began to move towards her, "And there is nothing you can do about it. There never was and there never will b-"
The newcomer swiftly moved and several small objects sliced through the air and through the man like a car through fog, creating large holes in his neck, chest and head. Kimberly and Jenn huddled closer together. While Kimberly covered her eyes with her arm, however Jenn found it hard to look away. Her mind reeled, not believing what she just saw.
The man let out a howl that shook to the girl's very core as he clenched at his damaged face in agony. He began to crumble from the openings in his wounds and a wind swept past causing the man to dissolve into a mist and be blown away with the wind leaving nothing behind, as if the man never existed in the first place.
The cloaked figure jumped down from its place in the window to land before the girls, "Are you alright?" A kind voice inquired from beneath the folds of the cloak, "Hey, are you going to be alright?" The figure repeated, directing her question to Kim in particular.
Kim opened her eyes to find herself face to face with the cloaked figure, she caught a faint smell of old canvas drift off of the fabric. She held Jenn's hand even tighter then before as she stared at the figure's tattered poncho then up to the hooded face. Part of her mind told her to speak but her voice refused to work.
The figure took a step back, "I'm sorry, I keep forgetting I'm wearing this." She pulled off the hood and goggles and long blonde hair rolled out from under her hood, "Don't tell me you've forgotten the girl who promised to always protect you?" Smiled a girl that nearly the age of Kim.
Kimberly’s eyed darted over the girl’s narrow face until the fell upon her eyes. Gazing back at her were a pair of watery blue eyes, blinking in disbelief. Kim felt her body begin to stagger forward slowly as memories filled her mind, "NATALIE!?!" Tears filled her eyes, "Natalie, I can't believe it's really you..." She broke into a fit of sobs, "but... you..."
"You know that girl?" Jenn started to say. Kim ignored her as she began to pull away from Jenn's grasp. Jenn only tightened her grip on Kim, almost afraid of what would happen if she let go, but felt her hand begin to slip, "Kimberly, wait!" Just as she released the girl's hand the surroundings unexpectedly disappeared and the two girls found themselves once again standing in the washroom.
"Nat..." Kimberly glanced around in confusion, her arms still prepared to embrace her friend. Ever so slowly they return to her side.
Jenn looked down at her hand bewildered, "What was that?" She asked, disorientated.
Kim's head hung low, "Please. Don't come near me again." She hastily ran through the doors crying.
Jenn ran after the girl, "Kimberly Wait!" but it was already too late, Kim had disappeared.
Jenn stared down at the palms of her hands. 'What is going on here?' She was not sure, but what she did know was that it felt real to her. More than anything she felt a sense of fear of whatever that man was.
"What was that all about?" A voice called out from behind Jenn. Startled, Jenn spun around to see a May leaning against a wall watching her. The look on the girl's face was less than pleased as she crossed her arms and glared at Jenn.
"Oh! Hi, May. I didn't see you there." Jenn remarked, blinking a few times trying to clear her head of the dark images she had just saw.
"Don't 'Hi, May.' me." She replied coldly. "What happened just now?" There was anger in her tone, but Jenn ignored it.
"It was nothing. Forget it." Jenn answered still searching for which direction Kimberly fled, "Did you see where that new girl went too?"
"It sure didn't look like nothing." May growled ignoring the question.
"Dimmitt!" Jenn started down the hall, deeply thinking to herself.
May fell into step beside Jenn, who was now looking at the floor as they walked down the hall, May's face turned from anger to concern, "You sure you're alright? I mean, she didn't do anything to you, did she?" May glanced back down the hall.
"I'm fine. Just peachy,” Jenn stated sarcastically, "Let's go; the others are probably waiting for us."
It didn't take long for the two of them to reach Club Hen’s room. Upon opening the door several of the girls within shouted their greetings to Jenn and May, yet Jenn didn't seem to notice. Kris stood when she heard her friend's name and smiled, but when she saw the long look on Jenn's face the smile instantly faded and she rushed to her friend's side.
"May, did you get into another argument with Jenn?" Kris gazed at May accusingly.
May didn't return Kris's look as she set her lunch down, "Don't blame me. I found her like this. I think it has to do with the new girl." She informed as she sank into a chair. A few of the girls peered up out of curiosity.
Jenn slowly walked past Kris and flopped into her recliner and stared at the ceiling. Kris sat on the arm of the chair, still watching at May, "New girl?" She inquired, puzzled. Even Kris had to admit to herself that the idea of a new girl entering the picture was interesting news, "I wonder if she's the redhead from this morning."
"I know her!!" Tanya exclaimed excitedly, "Everyone in school is talking about her! She has long red hair and eyes that seem to pull you in when you look into them! Hey, do you think that maybe it is love at first sight? Don't you think that Jenn and her would make a cute couple, May?"
"Tanya! Don't you even think that!!" May grumbled angrily. "There is no way Jenn would ever be interested in an insane unstable nutcase like that girl."
The room filled with a loud bang as Jenn's hands came crashing down on the top of the shelf next to her. All the girls were struck silent as they waited to see what Jenn would say, but instead of speaking she simply stood up and started to leave the room.
Kris glared at May, "Nice one. It's not like she's deaf you know."
"Jenn..." May began to speak.
Jenn stopped at the door, but did not turn around. "Maybe us 'Insane Unstable ones' should stick together." And with that she left the room and slammed the door behind her, leaving the girls alone in the silence.
May stooped in her chair, trying to hide from the other girls' glares.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 7
Title: Part 2: Chapter 7
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Two: Awakening
Chapter Seven - To Dream Or Not To Dream
Kimberly stood on the roof of the school, clinging to the chain-linked fence that encircled the roof. Her heart hurt so much and she felt so confused that she could no longer bear it and finally gave in, allowing the tears to flow from her eyes. She felt like she was walking with one foot in reality and another in dream. The doctors told her that it was all in her head -- that there were no monsters in the night -- but just now when she touched that other girl she felt something. It was almost like she was pulled into a dream. Or was she being pulled out of a Dream? She couldn't figure it out anymore, and instead of thinking about it she just let herself cry.
"So this is where you've been hiding yourself." A soft voice spoke from behind Kimberly.
Kim was sure she recognized the voice, but was frightened to turn around for fear that she was right.
"You're a hard girl to track down, you know...” The voice continued.
Kimberly spun around to see a rather tall boy standing before her. Mousy grey hair parted to either side of his smooth pale face. He was wearing an odd looking grey uniform with a tight collar, a thick belt and slacks, "Long time no see." He remarked while smiling at the girl.
Kimberly felt more tears fall from her eyes and she broke into a run towards the boy, "LAUREN!!" She cried out, but stopped just before reaching him, "Is it really you?" She inquired wearily.
"Of course." He returned, taking a step closer to the girl, "Who else would it be?"
Kimberly gently reached out a shaky hand to touch the boys cream white skin. She was terrified that the same thing that happened with Natalie would occur again. She felt her fingers touch soft flesh and more tears rolled down her cheeks, this time tears of joy, "It really is you!" She flung her arms around the boy’s neck.
"Hey there, no strangling me." He laughed and wrapped an arm around Kimberly's waist tightly. "I thought I'd never find you again." He whispered into her ear.
Kimberly pulled back and looked into the boy's eyes. "You told me that you'd never leave me!" She lightly hit his chest.
"I tried to follow you," Lauren gazed down at Kimberly, his face serious, "I really did, but when I got to the bottom of the cliff you were..." He closed his eyes.
"It's alright." Kimberly set her head on his shoulder, "You're here now." She smiled to herself.
Lauren reached out, taking Kim's chin softly in his hand, forcing her to look into his dark black eyes.
Kimberly didn't seem to notice the depth of the darkness as she found herself falling into them. She wished every night that she would be able to look into those eyes again.
"Listen," He spoke softly, "I promise to never leave you again. No matter what."
Kimberly felt herself being drawn to Lauren, "Promise?" She whispered.
"Promise." Lauren softly placed a kiss upon Kim’s lips.
"KIMBERLY!! DON'T TRUST THAT BOY!!!" A voice called out from behind them.
Kimberly glanced over Lauren’s shoulder to see Jenn standing at the door to the roof, clenching her chest, "What 'boy'?" She asked in confusion.
Lauren's face shifted from her usual cute soft features to something that looked more demonic than human. His eyes sunk in creating dark shadows that swallowed his eyes away. The skin around his mouth tightened giving him more of a skeletal look, "I think she is talking about me!" He remarked with a sinister grin. His gentle voice now sounded more like a low growl as he bared his, now fanged, teeth.
"Get away from me!!" Kimberly tried to push Lauren away, but the boy had a hand around Kimberly's arm and would not let her go.
"LET GO OF HER!!" Jenn snarled as she threw her school bag at the creature. Lauren batted the bag out of the air with a swift blow, letting his grip on Kim loosen, which allowed Kimberly to slip out of his grasp.
Lauren slowly turned to face Jenn, "Are you really willing to die for a girl you just met?" He asked with a grin.
"Yes." Jenn replied sternly as she took her stance and prepared herself, she had several years of Martial arts under her belt and was not one to back down from a fight. She had taken down many boys in the neighbourhood who had tried to harass her friends and got quite a reputation for being the prince of the playground in elementary school. She was not going to let some weird kid scare her away.
"Well then," Lauren raised one of his hands to eye level and it started to shift in form. A dark slick substance appeared to drip from his fingertips and run down the length of his arm, coating it entirely. Bones began to crack beneath the shiny black layer as the fingers grew longer and became more claw like. Lauren's grin only broadened as his fingers took the form of long curved knives, the same as the man from the alleyway Jenn recalled. "Tell Angelina I said hello." He remarked as he lunged at the little girl. Jenn quickly regained her sensed and slid forward, ducking under Lauren's swing. She set a hand firmly upon the ground, and brought her foot up high in a swift kick only to have it blocked by Lauren's other arm.
Kimberly watched the two fights, in awe of both their grace. She was confused as to why Jenn would try to protect her and why Lauren was acting the way he was. None of this made any sense at all. Lauren was supposed to be a figment of her imagination, so how was it possible that Jenn could be fighting him? Kimberly's thoughts circled around and around always coming back to the same question: 'Why is this girl trying to help me?' She fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around herself. 'None of this should be happening. It was all a dream. Wasn't it?' Kimberly glanced up and watched as claws came closer and closer to Jenn, shedding small bits of her uniform, almost as if Lauren was toying with the girl. That wasn't the Lauren she knew. 'No.' Her Lauren was sweet and kind. He would never hurt a living soul. So who was this person standing before her? Kim grabbed the side of her head. Nothing made sense anymore. But if this was really happening -- If Lauren was really there and this was not some weird dream -- then Jenn would certainly be killed for sure' Kimberly suddenly stood up. She could not let that happen. Dream or not she would not allow anyone to be hurt because of her.
Lauren began to tire of their dance as he tore another piece of the girl’s blazer, "Time to finish this. Goodbye, little one." He lunged forward striking out at Jenn, when unexpectedly Kimberly flung herself between the two of them. Lauren had no time to stop his attack as his fingers bit into Kim’s soft flesh. Kim clenched her teeth as Lauren's claws ripped through her shoulder.
"Kim???" Lauren's face shifted back to normal and gazed at Kimberly in shock.
Kimberly hid the pain she was feeling and looked into Lauren's eyes, "Please," She pleaded, "Just go."
Lauren pulled his hand out from Kimberly's shoulder; his fingers had already softened back to their original form. Kimberly fell backwards into Jenn's arms as Lauren staggered back staring at the blood, Kim's blood on his hands. Lauren glanced back at Kim as Jenn held her tightly. Without a word Lauren turn away from the two girls and began to leave.
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?!?" Jenn yelled, not hiding her hatred for Lauren.
"Watch over her for me." Lauren requested then faded out of existence. Jenn stared in disbelief. Where Lauren once stood was nothing, but a small swirl of dirt and leaves. The only sign of the boy’s existence was Jenn’s tattered clothes and the gapping holes in Kim’s shoulder. Jenn was not sure she understood what was going on, but she knew in her heart that she needed to protect Kimberly no matter what happened.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 8
Title: Part 2: Chapter 8
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Two: Awakening
Chapter Eight - Blood Soaked Feelings
Jenn carried the redhead down to the nurse's office and was surprised when the nurse did not even bat an eye at the bleeding girl in her arms or her own torn clothes and believed her entirely when she told the nurse that Kimberly only fell. The nurse led the two girls into her office and left them alone. Jenn gently set Kimberly onto one of the beds then quickly closed the curtain around the bed. She grabbed a first aid kit and bandages then returned to Kim's side.
Thoughts rushed through Jenn's head while she stared down at the girl before her. 'What have I gotten myself into this time?' She stopped for a moment with the first aid kit held closely to her chest, struggling with the feelings within her heart. She shook her head it can't be possible. There's no way that Kimberly could ever have feelings for her, so why was she even thinking about it?
"Friends." She stated aloud, "I'll just be her friend. Everyone needs a friend, right?" Confident that she had convinced herself, Jenn sat down next to the bed and opened the kit and stopped again. She thought back to that boy holding Kim. Hurt welled up in her heart as she remembered watching the girl of her dreams kiss a boy. It felt as if someone had ripped out her heart and thrown it to the wolves. She could still feel the sharp pang jabbed through her chest, clenching her chest she tried hard to force the agony away.
Jenn gazed down at the sleeping form of the girl who just rescued her, confused, as to why did she get between the two of them? She could have just turned around. She could have not got involved, except that there was something about that boy that felt wrong. Her eyes fell on the blood smeared down the front of Kim's shirt, then her attention moved to the crimson that had transferred on her own shirt while carrying the girl. It was real, she could smell it and feel it against her skin, and it could not be a dream? Or if it were it would be the most vivid one she had ever had.
She leaned over Kimberly and waved a hand in front of the girl's face. "Hey, you going to wake up?" She inquired softly. There was no answer. Jenn swallowed hard as her gaze shifted back to the blood. It was not like she was afraid of blood, far from it. It was more like she felt embarrassed to take the girl's shirt off so she could bandage her wounds. She laughed to herself then pulled off the girl's blazer before grabbed a pair of scissors to cut away at Kimberly's shirt, starting from the holes Lauren had left.
Her hands moved swiftly as they stripped off Kimberly's shirt and tie, then bra and began to clean up the blood with a damp cloth. She was amazed to see that the bleeding had stopped all on its own, but this allowed her to concentrate more on bandaging and cleaning up without worrying about having to call a hospital. She tenderly dabbed the damp cloth at Kimberly's soft white skin. Trying hard to keep her mind on the task at hand however she could not take her eyes off how beautiful the girl looked. More then once she found herself struggling with the need to kiss the girl; wondering if that would wake her up like in those fairy tales. Jenn quickly shook the thought from her mind and returned to bandaging the wound.
After some struggling Jenn finally managed to satisfactorily wrap up Kimberly's shoulder and chest. She found herself stopping at one point, scanning the girl's arms. They were covered in cut marks, some fresh and other partly healed. Not deep enough to kill, nevertheless they still looked rather painful and there was a large bruise on her side that looked very recent too. She turned her gaze back to Kim's sleeping face and wondered just what was going through the girl's mind. Was she sleeping peacefully or being haunted by something that Jenn could not comprehend. Jenn finished off the last of the bandages, fastening them in place, then she gently laid the girl back in the bed and pulled the covers close to the her chin.
Jenn turned to leave, however seeing Kimberly lying so defenceless like that made it very hard. She told the nurse that she would be right back and to tell Kimberly if she woke up. She found a pair of extra uniforms in the Gym locker room, changed out of her blood soaked clothes and made sure she grabbed some for Kimberly as well. She then took the stairs two at a time back up to the roof in search of her book bag. She found it undamaged at the far end of the roof. She quickly scooped it up and ran as quickly as she could back down to Kimberly's side.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 9
Title: Part 2: Chapter 9
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Two: Awakening
Chapter Nine - Deadly Eyes
It was a night and a twelve-year-old Kimberly stumbled around the city in her nightgown. She was lost, alone and very much afraid. She wanted nothing more then to be with Natalie and her mother, however she knew that was impossible and she really didn't want to think about that. She shivered in the cold until she found an old dissolute playground and sat on one of the swings, wrapping her arms around her body to keep warm, trying hard not to cry.
"Hello?" A soft child's voice said from behind her.
Kimberly glanced around to see another girl about the same age as her, however much shorter. The little girl had soft greyish hair and a slightly boiish face if it wasn't for the girl's voice and the pink overalls that were cut into shorts Kim would have mistaken her for a boy. Kim simply stared at the girl and blinked, trying hard not to let her tears show.
"My name is Lauren. What is yours?" The girl asked curiously, with a smile.
Kimberly glanced around to see if the girl was really talking to her. When she was certain that they were the only others one in the park she spoke, "Ki... Kimberly, but everyone calls me Kim." she answered quietly.
"Kiiimm!!! What a nice name." Lauren cocked her head sideways, "Are you alone?"
Kim looked at the ground, "I... I'm lost." She stated with despair in her voice.
Lauren crouched so she could gaze up into Kimberly's face. "I'm on my own too. You want to come with me? Then neither of us will be alone." Kimberly blinked at the girl in confusion. Natalie was the only person who ever tried to be friends with her before, but the way the girl smiled at her made Kim feel she could trust this girl. Lauren stood and held out a hand. "Come on. I know where there's a warm place to stay the night.” She offered a hand to Kim, “You'll be safe with me. I'll protect you." Kimberly cautiously and took the girl's hand and was instantly pulled into the night.
*****
Kimberly rubbed her eyes and felt a stabbing ache run through her body. She sat up quickly grabbing her shoulder, biting back the pain, "Nnnnnn!!!" She struggled against the scream that wanted to burst forth.
"HEY!! Don't do that!!" Jenn yelled out as she forced the girl to lie down again.
Slowly Kim opened her eyes and looked around, "Where am I?" She inquired through the haze of pain.
"The nurse's office." Jenn kept her voice low as she sat down on a chair next to the bed, "I told the nurse that you slipped and fell and I think she believed me.” She explained quickly then set her worried eyes upon the girl, “You've been asleep for over an hour now. How do you feel?"
Kimberly glanced down at the bandages and self-consciously pulled the blankets over her body, "H...have y... you been watching over me the entire time?" She inquired embarrassed that a girl had been looking at her practically nude body.
"I..." A flush covered Jenn's face, "I couldn't just leave you here not knowing if you would ever wake up. I didn't want you waking up alone not knowing where you were." She gave Kimberly a weak smile, " Besides, it gave me an excuse to skip class." She began to reach into her bag, "By the way, have you eaten? I still have some lunch if you want some." She pulled out a sandwich.
"Why? Why are you helping me?" Kimberly asked confused by Jenn’s presence, "I guess you've seen my arms and..." She wrapped her arms around her waist and trembled.
Jenn leaned back in the chair and gazed up at the ceiling, "If I told you it was because I hate math, would you believe me?" She glanced at Kimberly who gave her a weird look, "No, I guessed not." She leaned forwards in the chair setting her elbows on the bed. "Let's just say that you remind me of someone." She smiled at Kimberly who just stared back at her. Jenn handed the girl a piece of her sandwich. "Here, eat up. I have to get to my last class, but I'll be back soon enough, 'kay?"
Kimberly gingerly took the sandwich from the girl and slowly nodded.
"I'll be back in a hour or so..." Jenn assured with a smile as she stood up and prepared to leave, "You'll see: The time will fly by so fast you won't even notice that I'm gone. Oh and here is a new shirt and blazer for you." She pulled the shirt off the back of the chair she sat in, “The school always keeps some spares in the gym in case something happens.” She explained, handing the clothes over to Kim.
Kim took the shirt and glanced up at Jenn peculiarly, "Promise?" Kimberly whispered.
Kimberly's eyes looked fragile as glass and made Jenn want to reach out to take the girl in her arms and hold her "I promise." Jenn reassured and reach out to ran a hand through the girl's red hair.
Kim was surprised that she didn’t pull back for the first time in years. The feeling of Jenn’s fingers caused her to shiver, and then Jenn quickly turned and ran out of the room. Kim stared at the chair in which Jenn had been sitting only moments ago and down at the shirt she held in her hands. She raised the shirt to her nose and inhaled the smell. She stopped herself and blinked at the shirt. She pulled the blankets over her head and buried her face in the pillow, letting out a deep pained sob.
*****
The time did not 'fly by' for Jenn as fast as she would have liked it to. It was pure torture having to sit in class and listen to the teachers go on and on about things she already knew. She could not keep her mind off of Kimberly, her soft red hair, those oddly beautiful eyes and small breasts. She shook her head trying to clear the thoughts that threatened to invade her mind. She scanned the class and wondered how many of the girls around her were thinking the same as she was, dreaming about the softness of a girl's kiss. One of the girls noticed that Jenn was looking at her and Jenn gave a small wave, causing the girl to blush and quickly turn away.
Usually she would play along with the game but now... now her heart ached the more she thought about Kimberly's sad eyes. This was the first time she felt so close to someone that she didn't even know. She wished there was something she could do to take the girl's pain away when she was startled by the bell announcing the end of the day.
Slowly, she got up and stretched when someone tapped her on the shoulder, "So where have you been all afternoon?" came the sound of May's annoyed voice.
"May, I don't have time right now." Jenn returned with equal annoyance in her own voice, "Could we leave this for another day? I'm tired." She grabbed her bag and stuffed her notebook into it, then prepared to leave.
"Did you have fun with that girl?" May demanded coldly as Jenn headed out of the class.
Jenn turned to glare at May, "This has nothing to do with her and you know it, so leave her alone." She was now beyond annoyed with May's attitude and if the girl did not drop things Jenn was afraid she was going to snap.
"Did you know she's been kicked out of four schools in the past two years? Seems she has quite the reputation for being a psycho." May remarked with a smirk, proud of her investigation skills.
Jenn stepped up close to May and gazed her in the eye, "I'm getting tired of your garbage, May. Kimberly has never done anything to you so why don't you leave her alone." Jenn requested through clenched teeth, trying hard to keep herself from showing how angry she was getting with the girl.
May was finding it hard to look Jenn directly in the eyes, but could not avoid Jenn's gaze, "She's... She's weird and I don't understand what you could possibly see in her." May retorted, covering up just how much Jenn's gaze was affecting her. "I always knew you were strange, but come on Je-" Jenn slammed her hand on the desk, startling everyone in the room and even making May jump out of her skin.
"That is enough out of your mouth." Jenn snarled. She was seriously angry now, which was rare, so everyone listened, "I don't know what your problem is lately, but I've just about had it from you.” Her voice rose to a roar, “You’re always getting in my way and butting into my business. So why don't you shut the hell up for a change?! And leave me alone, Alright!?" Jenn turned away and stormed out of the class.
As Jenn stomped down the hall with her hands in her arms, crossed before her chest. She noticed Kris leaning against the far wall with her eyes closed. The girl opened one eye and looked up as Jenn approached her, "May bothering you again, is she?" Kris inquired casually.
Jenn did not slow her pace as she passed her friend, Kris quickly pushing off the wall and following close beside her. "She's beginning to really piss me off with her attitude problem.” Jenn seethed, “I wish she would stop with the games for once." She remarked, rubbing her hand, which was now red from hitting the desk.
Kris thought to herself and when she spoke her voice was very calm, "Well sometimes it's not that easy for some. You've both changed a lot since getting here and I think she feels like she's losing a friend."
"You sound like you're talking from experience." Jenn glanced over at her friend curiously.
Kris gazed out of the windows that ran along one side of the hall, "You could say I've lost a few friends." She fell was silent for a moment then spun around to face Jenn again, "Oh! You still up for tonight?" She inquired, that warm smile that Jenn had grown accustom to upon her face.
"Yeah, I'll be renting some movies along the way home." Jenn returned the smile.
"Something R-rated?" Kris suggested eagerly, while winking and poking Jenn in the side with her elbow, causing the girl to break out into laughter.
"Stop it, Kris, or I'll have to hurt you." Jenn laughed.
"Like you could." Kris pushed Jenn up against a wall and held the girl's arms over her head with one hand. Jenn blushed as she looked up into her friend's eyes. "What you going to do now miss 'I'll kick your butt'?" A smile played across Kris's face and she placed her free hand under Jenn's chin so she could not break away from her gaze. Jenn always felt a weakness to those eyes and right now she was sure she had lost.
"Kris..." Jenn was lost for words. She wished that for once Kris was being serious. Her eyes fell to the girl’s lips and could feel a hunger growing in side of her, wanting nothing more then a chance for a taste. She licked at her own lips and quivered in anticipation.
Giggles could be heard from down the hall and Kris noticed they were being watched by a couple of girls and let Jenn go. The girls giggled and whispered to each other some more as they stared at Kris and Jenn, before they ran away.
Jenn let out a sigh of relief, "For a second there I thought you were serious." She was not sure what she would have done if Kris had really kissed her. She forced the hunger deep inside and locked it away. Not wanting to deal with it at that time.
"I was just teasing you." Kris laughed.
"And do you 'tease' all the girls like that?" Jenn glanced at Kris curiously.
Kris turned her back to the girl, "Nope, you're the only lucky one." She stated as she started down the hall, then turned back around and gazed at Jenn, "I just realized something. Why are we going this way when the exit is that way?" She inquired; poking down the hall in the opposite way they had come.
Jenn moved passed her friend, "Because there's someone I promised I would see when school let out." She replied simply.
Kris quickened her pace so she could peer in Jenn’s eyes, "It's that new girl, isn't it?" She remarked with a grin.
Jenn blushed a deep red.
"I should have guessed you had a weak spot for redheads." Kris’s grin broadened.
"It's not like that!" Jenn retorted defensively.
Kris stopped smiling, "She reminds you of yourself, doesn't she?" She remarked seriously.
Jenn was shocked by what Kris said, "Ho... how'd you know that?" She stammered nervously.
"I can see it in your eyes." Kris turned away from her friend.
"Kris?" Jenn stopped in her tracks and stared at Kris’s back as she walked away from her.
Kris stopped and let out a sigh before turning around to face her friend, "Come on now;" Kris gave a smile at the girl, "You don't want to leave your girl waiting now, do you?"
Jenn slowly shook her head and rushed to Kris’s side. The two of them walked in silence down the long hall. Jenn thought for certain that she saw a glimmer of pain in Kris’s eyes just a moment ago, almost like the other day, but could not think of how to bring it up. Before long they arrived at the nurses office and Jenn pushed her thoughts to the side as they open the door
The nurse turned to glance at the two girls as they entered the office and smiled at Jenn, "Well, hello again. Your friend has been asking for you since the bell rang."
"How is she doing?" Jenn inquired, concerned and somewhat nervous.
"Hmmmm..." The nurse tapped her pencil against her lip, "Well, you were right, it was only a scratch, which is odd because I remember it being much worse when you first walked in. But now..." She lost herself in her thoughts.
"Ummm," Jenn nervously stood on one foot then another. She was hoping that the nurse had not caught onto her little lie, however it made no sense, the nurse should have noticed the large bandages and blood everywhere. Things were beginning to lose their rationality and Jenn was finding it hard to clear her head of the disorganization. It felt to Jenn like someone was playing with her world and this was only the beginning. She almost feared what the rest of the day would hold, when Kris’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.
"What happened? You weren't hurt, were you?" Kris asked there was a note of concern in her voice.
"No, I'm just fine; Kimberly just fell down." Jenn tried to convince herself that she was not lying to the one person she didn't like to lie to.
Kris looked Jenn in the eye, "I see." was all she said. Jenn could tell her friend didn't believe her, but knew that Kris would not confront her on it right away.
The nurse turned back to Jenn, "That reminds me, I couldn't get an answer from Kimberly's father at work or home, so could you make sure she gets home safe and sound?" She gave Jenn a warm smile.
"Sure thing." Jenn took this chance to avoid Kris's gaze and turned back to the nurse, "I should go see her now." She then slipped behind the curtain with Kris following closely behind.
"You going to explain, or do I have to force it out of you?" Kris whispered into Jenn's ear.
"I'll explain later tonight, alright?" Jenn was not sure how she was going to explain what happened because she was still trying to sort it all out herself, and she didn't think Kris would believe her even if she did tell the truth.
"Fine, you owe me an explanation, or I will tickle it out of you tonight." Kris grinned maniacally.
Something about when Kris smiled like that always tickled Jenn funny. She supposed the grin was supposed to look frightening, however to her it looked sillier. Jenn tried hard not to laugh as she turned to find Kim not in her bed.
They found the redhead standing at the window gazing out at the blue sky, now wearing the shirt that Jenn had found her. She turned when she heard their voices and a small smile broke out across her face, "I was beginning to think you were another dream." She said softly.
"Nope," Jenn smiled back at the girl, "I'm very real and so is this pest here." Pointing at Kris, "Kimberly, this is my best friend Kris. Kris, this is Kimberly."
Kris took a deep bow, with one hand across her waist and the other off to the side in a gentlemanly manner, "Pleasure to finally meet you, Lady Kimberly" She then took Kim's hand and placed a light kiss upon the back of the girl's hand.
"Ummm...You... you can call me Kim." Kim stammered as a light blush crossed her cheeks.
"Kim it is, then." Kris said as she straightened up and gave the girl a smile that made her blush deepen.
"Are all the girls in this school like you two?" Kim asked, a slightly flustered by the idea and glancing between Jenn and Kris.
"I sure hope not!" Kris said sounding a little worried. "There are already enough problems with just this one around." She said as she ruffled Jenn's hair.
"Hey, will you cut it out?" Jenn hit Kris's hand away and fixed her hair, "I'm not the one who keeps kissing girl's hands now, am I?" She said with a sneer.
"Ummm..." Kimberly tried hard not to laugh then glanced at Jenn, "Thank you for finding me a spare shirt and for staying with me and..." She stammered
Jenn stepped closer to Kim and set her forehead on the girl's while looking her in the eyes, "No problem." She said softly, not letting go of Kim's eyes, "Don't worry too much about it. Like I said, you can trust me with your life, and that goes the same for Kris too." Kim felt her entire body flush.
Kris watched the two girls with a broad smile on her face, "Well, come on girls. We don't want them to force us to stay overnight now do we?"
"Yeah, I'm getting tired." Jenn pulled herself away from Kim, "I'm so happy that it's Friday." The group of girls started on their way out of the school.
The three of them walked side by side as they set out into the autumn air. Kimberly tried to keep up as Kris told tales about life at an all girls’ school, from tales about club activities to tales about their adventures at and outside of the school.
"Once there were so many girls trying to talk to Jenn that she locked herself in the girls’ washroom, not wanting to come out." Kris laughed. "She was so cute when she arrived at the school. I knew right away that she would be a challenge to my spot as top girl in school. Just didn't think it would only take two months."
Jenn reddened and glanced from Kim to Kris and back to Kim. "I'm sorry, don't listen to her. She doesn't know what she's talking about." She said to Kim.
"Don't be modest." Kris's grin broadened, "It only makes you cuter when you try to deny it." She laughed more.
"KRIS!!" Jenn growled at her friend.
Kris stopped laughing and noticed that Kim also was bright red and staring intensely at the ground. Kris scratched the back of her head, finally realizing that maybe she had said too much after all, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass the two of you."
"Yes you did!" Jenn glared at Kris, "Anyways, don't you have somewhere you need to be?"
"Somewhere?" Kris blinked.
Jenn shook her head in disappointment, "You were so busy talking that you didn't notice we passed your turn. Aren't you going to be late for Cram Classes?" Jenn said.
Kris scanned her surroundings, "Well what do you know..." She laughed to herself while scratching the back of her head, "Well, I'd better get going." She turned to Kim. "It was nice meeting you. I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. I'm usually very kind and charming." She glared at Jenn, who stifled a laugh, then turned back to Kim. "I hope to see more of you." She finished with a smile.
Kim slowly nodded, still blushing.
Kris started to jog backwards. "Jenn, I'll see you later tonight. I'm looking forward to spending the weekend with you." She waved, then turned around and ran down the street.
Jenn waved back at her friend, watching the girl disappear around a corner, she spoke as she did so, "I'm sorry about my friend. She's usually not like that." She turned to look at Kim. The redhead's eyes were wide as if she has just seen a ghost. She started to sway and Jenn caught the girl as she began to fall. "KIM! KIM! What's wrong?!?" She glanced around and frantically called out to anyone who would listen, "Help, HELP!!! ANYBODY!!!"
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 10
Title: Part 2: Chapter 10
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Two: Awakening
Chapter Ten - Cafe Confessions
A full moon hung high in the sky and Kimberly stared up at it, watching as it ducked in and out from behind some clouds. She pulled at the sweater that Lauren had given her as she shivered against the cold. Lauren appeared with an armload of wood from the depths of the forest that surrounded them. Over the past year Kimberly found herself being drawn in by Lauren's boiish looks and charm. She bought Kimberly new clothes and would lie close to her while they slept so they could keep warm in the night. Recently Lauren had been acting more like a boy; most would confuse the two of them as a couple and now Kimberly found herself watching every move Lauren made, and when Lauren looked up at Kim she felt her face blush.
A fire blazed to life as Lauren pulled out some food from a duffle bag around her shoulder. "Supper will be ready in a moment." Supper for the two girls would consist of hot dogs and bread that Lauren managed to buy with some money she had. In the past two years that Kimberly had been with Lauren she never asked where the girl got her money, and she found that the more she thought about it the less she really cared. All that mattered was that they were together.
Lauren saw how deep in thought Kimberly was and considered saying something. She stared at the fire as it popped and crackled. A couple hot dogs on a stick hanging over the fire slowly cooked. "Are you cold?" She finally asked.
"A little, but I'll be alright." Kimberly said feeling shy.
"Silly girl," Lauren shook her head, "come closer to the fire." She patted the ground next to her.
Kimberly crawled across the earthen floor until she was sitting next to Lauren. For some reason she was more nervous than usual. She felt closer to Lauren than anyone else in the world, but now whenever the girl came close to her she felt her body grow hot and she would shiver at the simplest of Lauren's touches. Just then Lauren's hand brushed against her's and she felt herself pull back as another shiver ran through her body.
"You still cold?" Lauren looked at the girl curiously.
"Sort of..." Kimberly only stared at the fire and wrapped her arms around her knees. The truth was she no longer felt cold at all, she could not explain the feelings she was having that moment but the cold was the last thing on her mind at that moment. Then she felt Lauren's arm wrap around her shoulders and when she gazed up she found herself staring deep into those black eyes. Suddenly she was afraid of her feelings, even though Lauren looked like a boy she was in fact a girl just like herself and still for some reason when they were close like this she would feel her heart begin to race.
"Hot dogs should be done soon." Lauren said as she brushed one of Kimberly's bangs out of her eyes. Kimberly only nodded, not able to pull away from those eyes. Lauren moved closer until the redhead could feel Lauren's breath on her face. Their foreheads touched and they just gazed into one another's eyes.
Kimberly was not sure if she moved forward or what happened, however the next thing she knew she felt soft lips brush against her own and Lauren kissing her upper lip. Kim felt her arm come up and touch Lauren's cheek as she moved forward to deepen the kiss. Lauren slowly lowered her backwards to the ground without breaking away for a moment. The food was forgotten as heat rushed through Kimberly's entire body.
Lauren was the first to pull back. She found it hard to catch her breath as she looked down at the redhead that lay beneath her. Then Kimberly's arms wrapped around her neck and pulled Lauren tight into her arms and kissed her deeply. Lauren didn't resist and held Kimberly tightly in her arms. Not wanting to ever let go.
*****
Kimberly opened her eyes to see a slowly spinning ceiling fan over her. Confused, she sat up to find she was no longer in a forest; instead she was sitting at a table in a café. She began to stand when she saw Jenn approach her.
"You're awake!" Jenn said with a smile. In her hand she held two glasses of water and set one in front of the girl. "If you like I can order you something else." Jenn said nervously glancing from the glass to the girl and back again.
"No, that's alright..." Kimberly shook her head as she sat back down, "Where are we?" She asked scanning the café one more time as she sipped on her drink.
Jenn sat at the opposite side of the table, "When you fainted like that I didn't know what to do so I took you to one of the cafes that my mother owns in order to find help."
Kimberly peered up from her drink, "Your mother owns this place?!?" She said in surprised.
"Several actually," Jenn tried not to pay attention to Kimberly's surprised look and just played with the straw in her drink, "only I wish she didn't own any. Maybe then she would be able to spend more time around home.” She said with a sigh.
"I... I'm sorry..." Kimberly dropped her eyes to the table and placed her hands on her lap.
"Don't be. It's not your fault." Jenn paused to take a sip of her water, "Is Lauren... your.. your boyfriend?" She asked without taking her eyes off her glass.
"NO! No. It's nothing like that..." Kimberly stammered and raised her hands in protest as her face turned a deep red, "Lauren is a..." She dropped her eyes to the table again and let out a sigh, "She is a girl, actually." She muttered ashamed of herself.
"A girl!" Jenn looked up astonished. This news cheered Jenn up somewhat, then she noticed how embarrassed Kim was, "I didn't mean to pry. You were just mumbling his... I mean her name all the way here." She stuttered.
"I WAS!?!" Kimberly said dismayed, she started feel herself get uneasy and fidgety.
"Hey;" Jenn reached out a hand and touched Kimberly's, "Don't worry about it. I understand."
"You and Kris?" Kim softly asked.
"Not really..." Jenn pulled back and slowly shook her head, "We're just friends! Mind you, WE both like girls too. There are a few of us at the school and we're all very close friends." She smiled "You're welcome to visit our group sometime. If you like."
"I don't know." Kimberly nervously played with her straw.
Jenn looked at the girl, confused, "Why's that?" She asked.
"You would just think I was insane if I told you."
"Try me." Jenn crossed her arms; "I've heard some weird things since coming to this school, so give me your best shot."
Kimberly gazed out the window at the people walking down the street and let out a sigh. "I'm... I'm just not normal."
"Who is?" Jenn laughed.
"Well, I'm..." Kim paused for a moment and took a deep breath, "When I was little my mother died and I ran away from home. I can't remember why I ran, but all I knew was that I was really scared. That blonde girl we saw earlier in that alley was my closest friend from school. I was looking for her when I met Lauren. Lauren helped me survive on the streets and taught me all I needed to know about the world, but it wasn't this world she taught me about. It was another, a place somewhere deep within. It's nothing like this place. No... this place feels all... wrong."
"Wrong? In what way?" Jenn asked, truly curious.
Kimberly eyed the girl closely. She could see that this girl was not going to laugh at her and something inside of her told Kim that she could trust this girl, so Kim continued with her tale, "It's hard to explain..." She tried hard to think of how to put things into words, "Until about a couple months ago I was happy being with Lauren and thought that as long as we were together that everything would be perfect, but nothing good ever lasts. One day Lauren woke me up. She was nervous and told me to get our things together because we needed to run. So we did. I didn't know what we were running from, but Lauren looked extremely frightened. We ran until we came to a cliff overlooking a large lake of some sort and were cornered. Then I saw him. A large man dressed in a long, heavy looking, white cloak. He had wiry white hair and a long face. The worst were his eyes. They felt like they were boring through my soul.
'Stay away' Lauren yelled at the man and she drew a knife from her boot. I'd never seen her so terrified in my life.
When the man spoke his voice echoed in my ears, 'I only want what is mine.' He said.
'That was not part of the deal and you know it.' Lauren started to back up forcing me closer to the cliff.
'All I want is the girl.' He said. I could tell he was talking about me, but I was confused by what he meant. Why would he want me?
'That wasn't part of the deal!!' Lauren was almost in tears. 'Take me instead; just leave her alone.'
The man stepped forward and I felt myself move back, but there wasn't any more ground left. I started to fall backwards trying hard to keep my balance. Lauren reached out to grab me, but it was already too late. I was falling."
"Geez," Jenn let out a small whistle.
"When I woke up I found myself in a hospital. The doctors told me that I dreamed the past few months and that I had been living with my father the entire time." She looked Jenn in the eye. "They told me that I'm just an insane liar that doesn't want to deal with reality, but it was real, every bit of it. I can still feel her embrace when I sleep at night." Kim tapped her finger on the table. "This place is wrong. Lauren is real... you saw her didn't you?" She touched her shoulder where Lauren had cut her, "You saw her..." She gazed into Jenn’s eyes.
"I believe you." Jenn reached out and touched Kimberly's hand, "She is real and so are you." She smiled, "Come on. I'll buy you a sundae."
Kimberly wiped the tears from her eyes with the corner of her sleeve and nodded. Jenn called out an order for two sundaes.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 11
Title: Part 2: Chapter 11
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Two: Awakening
Chapter Eleven - You Don't Belong Here
The day grew dark and long shadows stretched out across the streets as Kris walked down the road with thoughts of her studies in her mind. She tried hard to shake them from her head and think about Jenn. Jenn... to Kris she was her closest and dearest friend, almost family. For the past while she had been holding onto a secret and now with this new arrival Kris was beginning to wonder if that was truly the right idea. Something about Kimberly's sudden appearance bothered her. She couldn't put her finger on it right that moment, but she had a feeling that something big was about to happen, and she didn't like surprises. Loathed them to be exact. Her life had been filled with one surprise after another and she longed for a day when she could relax a little and not have to be on edge all the time. Finally when she felt that things were settling down this red haired girl drops in out of nowhere and it gave her an unsettling feeling and she felt her nerves on edge the entire afternoon. Whatever was going to happen she hoped it was nothing special and would pass by with ease, but she suspected that would not be the case here, it never was.
Arriving at the front of Jenn's house, and seeing the darkened windows made her stomach sink. She had a sensation that her wish for things to play out quickly was coming true, however this was not going to be the simple breeze she wished for. Jenn should have been home by now and to she double checked her watch, which told her it was well past eight pm, only to increase that worry that was building up inside of her. Hastily she scanned the streets, expecting, no hoping, to see her friend come running towards her, however she was only greeted by the lines of streetlights as they flickered to life and the red sun disappearing behind the silhouette of houses off in the distance. Slowly, and cautiously, she moved through the front gate, cringing as it squeaked on its hinges and freezing in place as her eyes studied the house before her. Shadows nearly encased the entire house, almost as if they stretched out like long finger greedily embracing the building, claiming it as their own. This sight only stirred Kris’s stomach all the more as a pit of dread began to burrow its way through her insides. Something about the shadows did not sit well with her, they should have been some light shining across the house from the falling sun and not this level of darkness. To reassure that she was not acting paranoid she glanced over at the neighbouring houses to see that they were indeed not completely shrouded in darkness. Something unnatural was causing these shadows to act in this matter and these only made her need to find out if Jenn was inside intensify all the more and she continued her way up to the house. A part of her wanting to believe that Jenn was simply napping inside but somehow she knew that wouldn't be true. Carefully she stepped up the wooden stairs to the porch, being sure to not make a sound, and opened the screen door, She was about to test the knob when she noticed the shadows move ever so slightly at the far end of the porch and slowly she stepped away from the door, squinting slightly to get a better look at what was hiding just out of her range of sight. That was when she saw it. At first she did not know what she was seeing and then it came into clear focus. A long leg stepped casually out of the shadows, a leg belonging to a rather tall man, so large was this man that there was no way he could have been hiding without Kris seeing him and yet somehow he melted with the shadows as if they were one with them. The fact that he was clad in long white cloak flowed around him, occasionally revealing the black suit he wore underneath, only reinstated that this man could not have been hiding easily, he should have stood out against the darkness of the buildings paneling. Even his hair was stark white hair almost, glowed in the streetlight, surrounding a long narrow face. He slowly turned to face Kris, towering over the girl, who was used to feeling like she was the tallest and currently was having troubles finding her voice. She took a step back as his menacing black eyes bore into her, almost examining her very soul.
"What are you doing here?" She demanded boldly, finally finding her voice. The man moved swiftly, as if he truly was one of the shadows, and before Kris knew what was happening there was a thick hand around her throat and she was slammed against the side of the house. She clenched her teeth against the pain as the man lifted Kris off the ground to eye level and examined her even closer, as if he were studying her.
"You don't belong here." He said slowly, almost carefully, his face merely inches from hers and she could smell something sickening upon his breath that made it even harder to breath.
Kris struggled with the man's large arm, her feet dangling above the ground and his fingers digging into the flesh of her throat. "I… could say the same for you." She choked, trying to conceal the fear that was creeping up inside of her.
"Where is the child?" The man demanded, slamming the girl against the wall another time, “Tell me now.”
Kris grinned as she realized that it was Jenn that this monster was after, however that would mean she was right and her friend had not arrived home yet. "If I knew I wouldn't tell you." Her voice came out in a low snarl as she bared her teeth at the man, showing off small fangs for the first time in years.
The man smiled back at her, baring teeth that were also jagged and gleaming white, "How long has it been?" He asked sinisterly, in almost a mocking tone.
"W.. I don't know what you are talking about." Kris stared at the man in confusion.
"Oh yes you do. I can sense it on you." He cocked his head and sniffed at the girl’s hair. "You came for her too, didn't you?" He whispered into her ear, his breath like acid upon her skin.
The fear that Kris had been hiding slowly seeping out of its cage and she squirmed against his grip, “What do you want with her?” She demanded, frantically clawing at the sleeve of the man’s jacket, “She is a normal little girl. She has nothing to do with the Shadows, so why would you want her.”
He simply smiled at her and appeared to be about to say more when the iron gate squeaked the arrival of another party to their conversation and someone began to approach them.. The man turned his head around, still keeping Kris pinned to the wall, and watched as Jenn approached them, busily fumbling with her keys, so deep in her own thoughts that she didn't even notice the man and her friend until her foot rested upon the first step of the porch. The moment she saw the man she somehow knew that he was the same one Kimberly had mentioned earlier. Her eyes quickly moved along the man’s long arm to see her friend pinned painfully against the wall, "KRIS!!" She heard herself yell out in shock and she took another step closer.
Kris glanced down at her friend. "RUN! RU-" Kris tried to yell, however the man started to squeeze his thumb into her throat, closing off her windpipe.
He turned his attention back to Jenn and reached out his free hand towards her. "Do not be afraid. I am here to help you." He offered, his upturned hand, clad in white glove.
Jenn considered fleeing, but she could not leave Kris with this monster, and founder herself frozen in place, unable to decide what move to make. "I…If I c…come with you will you let Kris go?" She asked reluctantly.
"This child?" The man studied Kris carefully as he considered this proposition, "Yes, I suppose I could leave her here." He said with a broad grin that made Kris shiver.
"Never!" Kris snarled and something snapped within Kris and she swung both of her legs up around the man's arm and twisted it, causing the two of them to tumble over the porch rail and fall into the small garden below. Jenn started to run towards where the two had fallen when she saw the man suddenly appear out of the shadows and casually walk towards her with his cloak billowing around him, as if the fall had no effect on him what so ever. Kris jumped to her feet, lunging at the man. "Get out of here!!" She yelled to Jenn. "GO ON!!"
Jenn dropped her keys, all of a sudden finding the strength to move as she turned and started to flee. The man began to pursue when something yanked on his cloak pulling him to the ground. Jenn didn't see what happened after that, as she was too busy running down the street in the direction of the only person she could think of, Kimberly.
The man pulled his cloak free of Kris’s grasp and backhanded the girl across the face. To his surprise Kris blocked his blow with little effort and gripped onto his arm with all her strength. "You will not have her." She growled, steadying her stance as she prepared for the man to try to break free once again.
The man clenched his fists, "I have no time for your games, little girl." He stated through bared teeth.
"Well, you have no choice now, do you?" Kris smiled, twisting her arm around his and digging her heels into the ground.
"Why do you stand in my way? Don't you want to help your friend?" He asked almost with some sincerity.
"What I want is none of your business. You can't just waltz in here and take what you want." Kris was visibly angry. She had never felt so much hatred for anyone in years.
"And how is your way much better?" The man smiled when he saw Kris flinch at his word. "Could it be she doesn't know? That you never told her?" He thought to himself for a moment, "Or is it that you lov_"
"SHUT UP!!" Kris yelled, hitting the man squarely in the chest with both of her palm, forcing the man to the ground. "Just shut the hell UP!!” She stomped over to the man with intent to continue her assault only to have the man quickly get to his face and glare at her. His eyes held a piercing look to them that stopped Kris in her tracks.
The man’s eye reverted back to normal and he began to clap his hands together. "So I am right. Maybe I will leave this girl to you... for now." He deeply bowed and faded back into the shadows from which he came. Kris glanced around to make sure the man wasn't trying to trick her and jump out of another shadow. Only when she was certain he was gone did Kris finally move from where she was stood and run after Jenn.
*****
"Mom, I wish you where here." Kimberly spoke softly to the photo on her dresser, her head resting under her arms, "Everything is so confusing." She rolled her head over and placed her palms under her chin while gazing at her refection in the dresser mirror. "Why do things like this keep happening to me? I finally get to see Lauren, but she wasn't the same... and then there's Natalie... and Jenn..." She let out a sigh at the thought of the dark haired girl, "I wish I knew what to do." She buried her face in her arms, "Why can't I live a normal life?" She let out a soft sob.
Ever since leaving the café she could not stop thinking about both Jenn and Lauren and it was beginning to get to her. Jenn was nice to her and helped cheer her up on the way back to her place. The more Kimberly saw Jenn's smile the more she felt her heartache and she couldn't understand why. What was it about this girl that was drawing her in? What was it about any girl for that matter? Her eyes peeked out from behind her arm and she gazed at herself in the mirror again. Her nightgown loosely hung off her small frame, making her appear even more tiny and frail then she was. She could not understand why anyone would find an interest in her. She felt ugly and so small, her hair was a mess of long locks of bright red hair that she despised and her face covered with more freckles then she truly desired. Even her eyes were strange, and if anyone got to know her really well they would run away for she was overtly depressing to be around. Tears streaked her cheek in frustration as she stared at her face.
For a while she tried to convince herself that she was not interested in girls in that way; that Lauren looking like a boy was the true reason she fell in love with her, but that didn't explain Jenn. Sure Jenn was charming and all, but her appearance was that of a normal girl, so Kim could not state that it was her boiish looks that she was attracted to. The more Kim thought of Jenn’s smile it made heart melt and hurt all in the same moment and that was confusing her more then anything else. She had only met the girl that day so she shouldn’t be having these feelings towards Jenn, she shouldn’t. Then there was Lauren's kiss, so soft and sweet. Her smell and everything about her was just so... Kimberly felt herself blush as memories rushed through her head. She turned to her mother's photo, "I'm sorry mom..." Again she buried her face in her arms and cried.
Suddenly there came a knock at the door and Kimberly quickly lifted her head and glanced around in surprise of the sound, "Dad?" she inquired quietly, afraid of whom would answer, thinking the knocking was coming from her bedroom door. When there was no answer she cautiously she got to her feet and glanced down the long dark hall outside her room. At the far end of the hall she could see the small flickering of light coming from the television in the living room, but nothing more. Gingerly she crept down the hall, stopping when she approached the living room entrance and peeked inside. There in his sofa chair, between her and the little fourteen-inch television on a wobbly metal TV tray, sat her father. A few beer bottles could be seen on the little wooden folding table that sat next to him and the sounds of snoring emitting from deep from within his chest; a low rumbling sound that made the young girl relax a little for she knew that it would not be until lunch the next day that he would possibly wake up, and this meant another night of freedom for herself.
Another knock came at the front door and Kimberly was scared out of her musing. She swiftly moved across the living room, through the kitchen and to the front door of the apartment. Along her way she wondered who it could possibly be as she reached for the doorknob and prepared to open it. Guardedly she opened the door a crack, being sure that the chain was in place, and peered outside. "H..hello?" She asked in almost a whisper.
"Kimberly, it's me." Jenn stood at the door shivering in the night air.
Kimberly quickly removed the chain and opened the door wider, "Jenn? What are you doing here?" She continued to keep her voice down and signalled to her friend to do the same.
"I..." Jenn glanced around fearfully, " I didn't know where to run to. You were right. I didn't tell you the truth before. I've felt it too. Something is wrong about this place and I’ve felt it for sometime.” She explained in a hasty confused ramble. “I keep seeing things, things that are not really here, but are."
"Seeing things?” Kim stepped out into the hall, partly closing the door behind her, but not entirely, “You don't mean?" She whispered softly.
"I don't know..." Jenn continued to glance nervously over her shoulder as she spoke, "I'm so confused right now.” She explained as she rubbed at the sides of her head, “You’re the only one I know who’d understand. C… could I please come inside? I'm scared." She wrapped her arms around herself tightly as if a cold breeze just swept past her.
"Inside?" Kimberly tried to see what it was that had scared her new friend, scanning the halls for any sign of someone following the girl, or something… Then glanced inside her house and thought about what her father would think if he found Jenn here. "Ummm... I don't know..." She said nervously.
"Please," Jenn begged, reaching out to lightly tug upon Kim's sleeve, "I have nowhere else to go." Her eyes were wide with fear as she again glanced down the hall and back at the girl before her.
Kimberly took another look around as she nervously licked at her lips and then glanced back into the house, and then nodded for Jenn to enter, but put a finger to her lips to signal that she could not say a word.
Jenn gladly nodded as she followed the girl into the apartment, silently closing the door behind her before kicking off her shoes on the mat near the front door, then followed as the redhead soundlessly crept back through the kitchen. Kimberly stopped for a second when she came to the door to the living room and made a silent prayer to her mother, before continuing towards her room.
"Kim, ‘ho was dat at the dor?" Kim's father groggily called out, not moving from his chair. Kimberly stared at Jenn with worry in her eyes. She tried to think fast but it wasn't fast enough because her father was beginning to turn around and Kimberly froze in place as she felt his eyes set on her.
Jenn could not see who had spoken because he was backlit by the television, but she could feel his eyes move over her, inspecting her with such scrutiny that it made her skin crawl. Finally he turned back to Kimberly, "Kim, 'ho is dis girl?" he asked with a drunken slur.
"She is... a..." Kimberly gazed at Jenn and stammered, trying to think of some kind of excuse that would get them both out of that room and safely into her bedroom.
"I'm a friend from school, sir." Jenn suddenly cut in, willing her legs to stop shaking as the man’s eyes moved back to her, "I was the one who dropped Kim off earlier." She tried hard not to let her voice betray her. "I forgot something--"
"I was speakin' to my child 'ere." He said pointing at Kimberly as he started to stand.
Kimberly quickly stepped forward, standing between Jenn and her father, "Dad, she just came by to... help me catch up with school." She hoped her father was too drunk to see through her lie, but feared that was not likely.
"Don't lie to me." He spat, "You are jst like you mother. De both of you." He pointed from Kimberly to Jenn and back again.
Kimberly realized that she was not going to get away easily but she didn't want Jenn to get involved. "I'm not lying. She is from my cla-" Her words where cut off by a sharp smack across her left cheek that sent the small girl crashing head long into a nearby wall.
Jenn felt herself cringe as the sound echoed throughout the room the tiny room, a hollow thud that sounded as if Kim’s skull had cracked on impact. Jenn breathed a sigh of relief as she watched her friend slowly push herself into a seated position.
"How many times do I have to tell you not to talk back to me?" He snarled as he towered over the girl, Kimberly glanced up just in time to receive another blow to the face. She landed on her hands and knees and let out a small cry of pain. Her left eye was bruised and she knew that in the morning it would blacken, but this wasn't so bad. No, she learned years ago how to shut off the pain. It was what usually came after that really scared her. When her father would drag her back to her room to teach her the real lesson.
Her father raised his fist once again and was about to bring it down on his daughter when Jenn threw herself at the man. "STOP IT!!" She yelled out as she grabbed onto the man’s arm in an attempt to stop the blow from connecting with her friend, "She didn't do anything wrong. I dropped by without calling. I'm sorry, just stop hitting her!" The man turned and with one easy sweep of his arms Jenn was thrown backwards off her feet and came crashing down on an end table knocking beer bottles to the floor with a crash, sending shards of glass sprinkling across the ground, reflecting the static of the television.
The man unstably turned his attention on Jenn as he moved across the living room, tossing the remains of the table off the girl and grabbed her by the back neck, "It would seem we have someone else who needs to be taught a lesson." He stated as he leaned over the girl's shoulder and spoke into her face, "Don't you think so?"
Jenn closed her eyes tight as his beer soaked breath invaded her senses and it made her cough. She felt his rough fingers tighten around her neck as his other hand began to ensnare the hairs at the top of her head and he suddenly dragged her to her feet and started down the hall.
"Wa-" Jenn tried to speak only to feel the man's other hand tighten around her throat. Eyes widened in as every possible torture this man had prepared for her began to enter her mind. She struggled with all her strength as the man dragged her through the door to his room and slammed it shut.
Kimberly wobbled and tried to stand, only to find dizziness overcome her and she dropped to the ground once again. She knew exactly what her father had planned for her friend, knew the suffering she would go through on this night, but could not find the strength in her to fight her father and as such she sunk to the floor, sobbing to herself. Then she heard Jenn's screams and it was like a knife in her heart. She could not allow this to happen to her new friend. She knew how to shut off the pain -- She knew how to block out everything -- but Jenn wasn't her. Jenn was her friend. Someone she cared for. Someone she... loved?
Kimberly's eyes suddenly opened wide and willed her legs to stand. Hastily she moved to the kitchen, using the wall to stabilize her, and tossed the contents of one of the boxes onto the floor. Silverware of all types clattered to the ground making such a ruckus that she had to hold her hands to her ears as the sound echoed off the kitchen walls. She nervously glanced over her shoulder to be sure that her father had not heard her, or realized what she was about to do. She imagined him coming burling out of the bedroom, death in his eyes as he prepared to finally put an end to his daughter’s life. A death that she would be more then willing to accept, but at this moment she could not leave her father alone with her friend and the sounds of another muffled scream snapped Kim’s mind back into focus and she turned back to the silverware upon the floor. There, amongst the spoons and forks, she found a long kitchen knife, almost the length of her forearm, its blade gleaming brightly in the kitchen light. Carefully she picked up the knife she moved down the hall to her father's room. When she arrived at the door she was only greeted by a silence that came from the room and Kimberly found herself frozen with her hand on the doorknob. Taking a deep breath she quickly twisted the doorknob and flung the door open wide.
There before her she saw her father on top of Jenn holding her down upon the bed with his back to the door. An image flashed through Kimberly's mind from long ago. An image of her mother stumbling upon her father in her room, on top of her just as he was now on Jenn, and tried to get him off of her. Her mother screamed as she threatened to call the police, but before she could get to the phone he grabbed her mother and hit her head off the corner of the night table. Kimberly recalled watching her mother bleeding on the floor beside her bed, her blood soaking into the white plush carpet turning it a deep shade of red. Kim quickly shook the thought from her head and again her eyes fell once again on father and Jenn. With a newfound hatred filling her heart and mind she lunged at her father’s back and drove the knife deep between his shoulder blades. He let out a howl that was less then human, standing up and tossing Kimberly to the ground. He tried to pull the knife from his back but could not reach it, staggering around the room, knocking objects off the dress as he struggled to free himself of the blade from his back.
His eyes fell upon his daughter and he suddenly understand what had happened, "You little..." He turned towards Kimberly with death in his eyes just as Kim expected that he would.
He reached out for the girl as she back-pedalled in an attempt to escape his wrath. Just as his hands were about to clamp around her small throat she closed her eyes and let out a terrified scream. Her father unexpectedly stopped in his tracks, as if an invisible force grabbed hold of him and held him from touching his daughter. He struggled in an attempt to break free of whatever held him and abruptly he was thrown off his feet, across the room, over the bed and crashing through the window at the far side of the room.
Kimberly warily opened her eyes, afraid that her father’s was still standing before her. She scanned the room nervously and relaxed ever so slightly when she noticed that her father was nowhere in sight. Then her eyes fell on the broken window and she hesitantly stood to her feet, walking towards the window and over the shards of broken glass. Jenn sat up in the bed, rubbing at her tear streaked cheeks as she fix her skirt and tried hard not to think about what just about happened to her. She quickly slid off the large bed and tested her wobbly legs, then glanced over at Kim, who was now staring out the window.
"W... What just happened?" Jenn stammered as she joined the girl at the window, being careful of the glass strew across the floor. She was sure she saw Kimberly throw her own father out the window but that couldn't be possible, Kim was merely seventy pounds and that man had to be no less then three hundred. With a glance out the window she confirmed that the man had indeed fallen to this death and let out a sigh of relief, then looked at Kimberly to see the horror stricken look upon the girl’s face and suddenly regretted feeling grateful for the man’s death. Lightly she placed a hand upon the girl’s shoulder, “Oh, Kim… I… I’m sorry…” She said, not really sure what to say considering the circumstances
Kimberly suddenly dropped to the floor, not caring that she was now sitting on shards of glass, "I… I killed him." She said in a daze, staring down at the palms of her hands as they began to shake uncontrollably.
Jenn blinked at Kim, "It… It wasn't your fault..." She was still trying sort out herself what just happened and knelt next to the girl, being sure to not step on any of the glass, unlike her friend, whom Jenn noticed has several small pieces of glass protruding from her feet. "Are you going to be alright?" She asked, examining at Kim's face and grimacing at the painful looking bruises that had begun to form around the girl’s eye and cheek.
Tears began to fall from the redhead's eyes, "I killed him," She repeated, clenching her arms around her body and curling up into a ball, “I…” A soft sob began to emit from the girl’s chest as tears dripped upon the shards of the window.
Jenn didn't know what to do. How do you comfort someone after something like this? In her mind the man deserved to die, he was an evil that needed to be purged from the world and deserved his fate more then anyone in the world, however she did not like seeing her friend in pain and longed for a way to take that pain away, to ease her worries in some way at all.
Kimberly gazed down at the shards of glass and shakily picked up a large piece. Turning it over in the light as she watched her tears run down its sleek surface. “I… I… I don’t deserve to live.” She muttered as she slowly she moved into a seated position and lightly placed the edge of the shard against her flesh and prepared to allow the glass to cut through her arm.
"NO! DON'T!!!" Jenn cried as she grabbed the shard of glass with both her hands, "It wasn't your fault! It wasn-" The glass slashed deep into Jenn's fingers as her hands frantically tried to remove the harmful devise from the girl’s hands. “You can’t do this. I won’t let you.” She sobbed as the glass became slick with her blood and their hands touched. All of a suddenly Jenn notice tingling like the first time they touched and suddenly something wash over the two girl, almost like electricity running through their bodies and a bright flash of light blinded them.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 12
Title: Part 3: Chapter 12
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Three: Death's Corridor
March 14, 19__
One more day of sadness,
One more day of pain,
One more day of suffering,
To help relieve the blame.
One more day of smiles
as fake as the day before,
One more day before accepting
the truth that tomorrow will bring.
One more day to discard this mask,
This person who is not me.
One more day to accept the world
as it stands before me.
Chapter Twelve - When Nightmares Come True
Darkness quickly replaced the light and Kimberly found herself drifting through a state of unconsciousness. A gentle voice called out to her in the darkness, pleading for her to wake up. Slowly her eyes opened to find herself curled up something cold. She ran her hand across the surface, felt smooth as glass, yet it was darker then anything she had ever seen before. She glanced around herself. All around her was nothing, but darkness. The girl slowly stood and scanned her surroundings to find herself completely alone.
"Jennifer" Kim called out only to be answered by her own echo, "Jenn? Kris?" Yet again the same. She started to realize that she was indeed entirely alone in the dark and fear started to seep into her heart and she felt herself begin to panic, "Anyone?!?" yet again the same echo responded.
Kim fought the feeling of fear that crept through her mind and began to take a step when unexpectedly the floor under her feet no longer existed and she felt herself begin to fall sideways. Before she was aware of what was going on she was plunged into a wall of darkness like a stone through water. She could feel herself sinking deeper and deeper into the murky depths. It became hard to breathe as the dark watery substance began to squeeze the little girl's soul. Just as she was about to give up and let herself die she dropped out of the watery death and gently fell downwards. The moment her feet touched something solid she collapsed to her hands and knees, coughing up darkness from her lungs, her entire body was soaked, however her gown was perfectly dry.
She rolled over to her side and lay still for a moment trying to regain control of her breathing and figure out what was going on. Her mind felt like it was swimming through mud, her thoughts crashing back and forth against the rocky shores of her mind. She clenched her head and started to scream and did not stop screaming until her voice gave out and she was sent into another fit of coughing. When the coughing subsided she lay on her side with her eyes closed tight as she tried hard to regain some form of self-control, praying that when she opened them again that she would be back in her room. Her breathing began to slow and she opened her eyes to see that the she was still surrounded by darkness. Rolling onto her back again she stared up at nothing, then let out a sigh and proceeded to get to her feet. Her legs threatened to give out on her at any moment, yet she managed to force them to take a step forward, cautiously making sure the ground was going to stay put this time. When she was certain that the ground was not going to play tricks on her, the girl pressed forward. Whichever direction was forwards in that darkness.
She tried hard to focus in the gloom as slowly walls started to form around her and Kim could see the yellow outline of a door at the end of a long hall. Guardedly Kim crept her way down the hall. The door's glow seemed to increase in size with every step until Kim found herself standing in front of a large wooden door with a brass doorknob about eye level. The sounds of crying could be heard from behind the door. Kimberly reached out and gingerly took the knob in hand; carefully opening the door trying not to startle whomever was beyond its boundaries.
What she found was a small room with a single bed against the far wall under a small window covered by blue drapes. A young girl lay curled up in the bed with her back to Kim. It took Kim only a moment to realize that she was looking at a younger version of Jenn. The girl was maybe nine or ten years of age at the very most, "Jenn?" Kim asked softly as she stepped further into the room.
"Who is it?" Jenn sat up and look around the room while wiping her red eyes. She was dressed in a long white nightgown, which she pulled at with her free hand, covering her legs and feet, "Who are you?" She asked shyly.
The moment Kimberly stepped into the centre of the room the door slammed shut causing Kim to spin around in shock. There stood her father with his hand planted firmly on the door. He started down at the girl through his thick glasses, "How did I know you'd show up?" The man asked stepping towards the red head.
"Father...I..." Kim stumbled backwards until her leg hit the bed. She was terrified and could feel herself trembling at the mere sight of the man. She was suddenly the little girl she used to be, small and afraid and unable to fight back.
"You thought you could run away from me did you?" He struck out at Kim hitting her across the side of the face, "Do you think I didn't know about you?" He hit her again with such force that she was knocked to the ground.
"I'm sorry daddy." Kim sobbed as she tried to pull herself up, "I'm sorry. I tried to be a good girl. I tried."
"Lies!" He grabbed the girl by the hair at the back of her head, forcing her to her knees, "Then how do you explain her?" He forced Kim's head around so she was looking at Jenn who was cowering in the corner of the bed, "You are far from a good girl. You wanted to screw her didn't you? You wanted to lick her filthy cunt. DID-N'T-YOU?" He shook Kim's head with each syllable.
"Daddy that hurt!!!" Kim cried out grabbing onto his hand in a vain attempt to free herself from his grasp.
He tossed Kim to the ground, "It is going to hurt much worse when I'm through with you. You dirty little tramp." He kicked the girl in the stomach making her curl into a tight ball and cough blood, "I should have taught you a lesson along time ago. You and that little slut." He suddenly turned and reached out towards Jenn, who squirmed in the bed, kicking back at the blankets as she trying hard to get out of the man's reach.
"Stay away from her." Kim staggered to her feet, while holding her arm over her stomach, forcing the fear to the side and glaring at her father.
"Oh, the little girl is finally standing up for herself." Kim's father said sarcastically.
"I said... stay away from Jenn!" Kim was now standing at her full height. A kitchen knife, now firmly clenched in her hand, and her eyes were glowing crimson. The feeling of the knife in her hand made the last of the fear wash away and instead it was replaced by anger. All the rage and fury she felt for her father and the things he did to her over the years came forward like a wall that would protect her from anything.
"Why should I?" He said his head cocked sideways, "What are you going to do? Kill me?"
"If I have to." Kim glared at her father with hatred in her eyes.
Her father turned and reached out for Kim, "I don't think you have it in yo-" Before he could finish the sentence Kim closed her eyes and plunged the blade deep into the man's gut. He staggered backwards staring at the knife sticking out of him in disbelief, "You litt-" he fell to the ground.
Kim stood over her father, watching as his life slowly seeped out of him over the carpet, "Good bye father." Kim said coldly, her expression emotionless as she retrieve the blade from his stomach, ignoring the blood that splattered across her face.
"Kim..." Jenn slipped out of the bed and stepped behind the red hair, keeping on eye on the dying man, "What is going on here?"
"Nothing." Kim said, "Get going, I'll be right behind you." She stepped closer to her father.
"Did you just..." Jenn stammered.
"Leave." Kim commanded, almost uncaring, "He will never hurt you again."
Jenn staggered backwards and ran out the door. She didn't know what happened, but she suddenly didn't want to be in that room.
"Kim..." Kim's father struggled with the words as blood dripped from the corners of his mouth. He managed to roll over grasping at the hole in his stomach, “Daughter…”
“I’m not your daughter.” Kim snarled and plunged the knife into his back and pulled it out again. She screamed out in rage as she repeatedly stabbed the man, wanting to be rid of the man forever.
Kim suddenly blinked a few times and glanced down at her father, "Daddy?" Her eyes shifted back to normal and she dropped to the man's side, "Daddy what happened?" She went to reach out towards the man when she noticed her hands were covered in blood, along with the floor and the side of the bed. Her whole body began to shake. She glanced at the knife lying next to her, watching the light from the window glimmer off the crimson covered blade, "No..." She whispered, "Not again..." She got to her feet and stumbled against a dresser, leaving a bloody hand print upon the white surface, before running out of the room back into the world of darkness. Tears streaming down her cheeks, she could not believe she killed her father. It was all just a dream and she would wake up to find him in a drunken sleep yet again, she knew she would.
She continued to run, not sure where she was going, until cam across a strange group of people all walking in a line. She considered approaching the people when she remembered the blood on her hands and glanced down to discover, to her relief, that her hands and clothes were clean once again. With a sigh she started towards the group, with an interest in greeting the people, only too discover the line was much larger then she first thought -- hundreds of people wide and stretching off in either direction as far as the eye could see. The sight of the mob of cloaked figures slowly marching in a twisty line made the girl stop in her tracks. She watched the people, not sure of what to do, when she felt someone approach her from behind. A pale hand reached out from over her shoulder and slowly turned to watch as the hand shifted into long jagged claws. The girl found herself unable to move as the figure shifted around to face her. It was draped in long grey robes with a hood pulled over its head such that only the lower half of its face could be seen. A musky old smell drifted off the robes, causing Kim to cough. The clawed hand ran a sharp pointed finger along the little girl's cheek down to her chin as a smile broke across its face, revealing a set of jagged fangs.
A shiver ran though Kim and she tried to command her legs to move -to run- but nothing happened. She could not turn her eyes away from the figure that stood before her. Fear ran though every part of Kim's body and a tear began to roll down her cheek as its clawed hand began to close around her throat. She was sure that this would be the end of her journey. She could feel her life being drained from her body and her knees began to buckle from under her, when something grabbed Kimberly's arm and pulled her out of the creature's reach. For a moment the girl could see nothing but feathers. It took a moment for the redhead to realize that what she was seeing before her was in fact a tall person with a single large wing coming out of the folds in the back of its cloak, the tattered stump of a second wing could be seen slightly peeking out beside the first, and it appeared to be twitching ever so slightly. Kimberly stood stunned awe as the person ushered the threatening figure back into the line up.
"Ummm..." Kimberly tried to find her voice as the figure slowly turned around to face her again. The hood covered most of the person's face, showing only long curved tattoos marking the person's rather soft round cheeks. The figure raised its head, exposing the face of a young woman with her dark hair falling in tangles around her face and a pair of eyes that had been sewn shut with thick black thread that was now caked with dried blood. Kim forced herself not to run as she tried to think of something to say when the woman raised her arm and pointed off into the distance. Kimberly followed the direction indicated by the woman's finger to see a small door off in the distance. She glanced back up at the woman who only nodded at her. Kimberly did a short curtsy (she was not sure why but she just felt it was the right thing to do) then ran off towards the door.
The broken angel watched the little girl as if she could still through those stitches then turned back to the line of people. No one noticed as someone from the crowd also watched the girl and softly uttered something under its breath, "Kimberly..." Then it smiled and left its place in line.
Kimberly hesitantly approached the door that at first looked relatively normal. It was made of a black wood with an arched top, but the closer the girl got the more she realized just how large this door really was, and that it was, in fact, a monstrous double door with large brass hinges along ether side but no handle or door knob nor any walls to hold it up. A pair of tall candelabra rose up beside the doors like towering trees with several branches of brightly lit candles for leaves. Kimberly watched the flickering flames, finding their glow hypnotizing. The candles had a warming feeling to them, almost as if they were calling to her. She reached the foot of the doors and looked up at its towering form in amazement for it must have stood several stories high and from where she now stood she could barely see the rise of the arch overhead. She wondered to herself what kind of creature would need a door so large. Fear started to seep into the girl's heart as images of a large scaly dragon or reptilian creature answering the door invaded her mind. She shook the thought from her mind and walked around the door to see that there was in fact nothing behind it. Remembering stories she read as a child she raised a hand to knock.
Before her hand could even move one of the doors began to open and Kimberly felt her jaw drop as the massive door crept towards her then swung past. A man in a long, loosely draped black cloak loomed over the little girl. He could not have been less then ten feet tall, and had long straight black hair covering the left half of the triangular face and rolled down his back. Upon his face he wore a pale white, featureless, porcelain mask, an eye could be seen staring down at her from the narrow slit in the mask.
The two just watched each other for a moment, neither of them making a sound. "You sure took your time getting here!" an annoyed voice called out from behind the man.
He slowly turned around, "You should be more considerate of the journeys your friend here has travelled." He said in a deep voice that felt more like it was being heard by your soul then your ears, "Not everyone finds their way here in such a manner as she just did."
Kim peeked past the man, through the door. Beyond that stretched a long path through a vast forest of golden candelabrums of varying heights, "That is beside the point." A very young Lauren said standing amongst the candles with her arms crossed. She wore the same overall shorts as the day she and Kimberly first met, "Milai I expected you to be on my side on at least this one. I mean you being 'The Lord of Time' and everything. Late is late you know?"
"La.. La..." Kimberly could not believe her eyes. Was this really Lauren? Her Lauren?
"Ki.. Ki... To you too." She said, smiling at the redhead.
Kimberly ran past the strange man and hugged Lauren, "I can't believe it's you… I mean... I saw you... you were a demon..." She tried hard not to cry.
Lauren held the other girl, "Shhhh...." Her voice was rather calm and soothed Kim’s rattled nerves, "It was all a dream." She stroked Kim's back in an attempt to settle her her.
Kimberly stepped back from Lauren, "Huh?" She was clearly confused, "Then did I... die?"
"No, you are very much alive," Lauren let out a soft sigh, "However, I died long ago. After I lost you." She forced a weak smile then shook her head; "You have no idea how long I searched for you after you fell. How many days I prayed for your safe return. I just..." She tried to force herself to smile again, "But I got my wish. I got to see you one last time." Although there was a smile on her face Lauren's eyes showed a pain that Kimberly understood more then the words she was hearing, "You, however, are alive. Asleep but alive."
Kimberly's eye opened wide and she stepped back from Lauren to look her in the eyes, "Asleep?" She was not sure if her friend was teasing her, "So this is all a dream?"
The cloaked man spoke, "Child, sometimes when your love for someone is strong enough and you lose that person your mind can create a Dream Ghost of them that exists within your mind eye. These ghosts are not entirely the same as the original and can at times become obsessive. Holding onto only the strongest of emotions from the original spirit. They will fight anything that they see as a treat to their memory. That was what you saw in your dreams earlier. As of right now you are standing between life and death, which is why you can see the real spirit of your friend now. This place lies close to the edge of the sea of dreams. Sometimes dreamers find themselves lost and they end up here before it truly is their time to go. Foretelling this occurrence, I acquired the assistance of this child's spirit to help turn you on your correct path."
"Dream Ghost? Sea of Dreams? Dreamer?" Kim rubbed her head in confusion.
"Lord Milai, would you stop confusing the girl?" Lauren angrily said, looking up at the man, "You are giving even me a headache."
"Shall I refresh your memory as to who allowed this meeting to occur?" The masked man glared down at the little girl, an edge could be heard in his voice.
Lauren turned away from his gaze and crossed her arms; "Actually, Lady Angelina brought me here." She said with a smirk, "You are just a glorified doorman. Some lord of time you turned out to be. You couldn't even tell exactly when Kim was going to show up, now could you?"
Milai leaned in close to the little girl until their faces where mere inches away from touching, "Child, I would suggest you watch that tongue of yours when speaking to me." It was now obvious that Lauren was getting on the man's nerves.
"Or what?" Lauren glared into the man's eye; "I've already been torn out away from my lover and wandered around until I died so there isn't much you can do that hasn't already been done to me over the years, so give it your best shot. I'm sick of being controlled you understand?" Her glare never faltered even for a moment.
Standing to his full height Milai took a deep breath, "I have no intent on furthering your suffering." His tone once again calm, "However, I can only keep the doors open to the living for so long and that time is quickly approaching."
Lauren glanced down at her feet, ashamed of her outburst, "Oh... sorry..."
"Oh come on Milai." A voice drifted from down the hall and a tall girl came into view. She was in her late teens and dressed in what appeared to be the top half of a tuxedo with a thin black necktie, vest and a long wrap like skirt covered her legs and feet. Her hair was all slicked back except for one lock of hair that fell between her eyes, eyes that were surrounded in a set of curved triangle tattoos running above the eyebrows, however the most interesting feature about the girl was a pair of large white wings that folded around her. They must have stood an extra two feet over the girl's head and the tips of the feathers lightly touched the ground, "Let the lovers have some time together." She continued to say, with a warm smile upon her face, "It will be the last time they get to see each other after all."
"I am very aware of that fact, Gwen." Milai stated calmly, "However one must adhere to the rules."
"It is because of those rules that we lost Aigneis." Gwen scowled, "Why can't you be more flexible, brother dear."
"Aigneis has nothing to do with this situation." Milai countered.
"She very well does and you know it." Gwen said with hostility in her voice, "Now why don't you let these two talk instead of wasting their time."
Kim starred at the angel, "Lauren, who is she?" She asked in awe.
"That is Gwen." Lauren said with a smile, "She is a Sister of Death. Her sister, Angelina, was the one who told me you would be here."
"Death!" Kim started to back up, "Like that weird angel outside?"
"That would have been Morrigan." Gwen turned to the girl and gave her another smile, it was as if Gwen sensed Kim's fear, "She can be a little on the creepy side, but is harmless. There is no need to fear us. We are only here to help your friend relay a message to you."
"A message?" Kim blinked at the angel-winged girl.
"Lauren, didn't you have something you wanted to tell the girl?" Gwen continued to grin.
"Oh, right," Lauren turned back to Kim, who was still standing with a befuddled look on her face, "Kim...." Kim blinked and turned her gaze back to Lauren's eyes. Lauren stood rubbing the palm of her hand, "I just… just..." She ran a hand through her hair and tried to find the right words.
Kim reached out and placed a finger upon the girl's lips, "I know..." She struggled with the tears that were trying to take control of her. Just saying those words felt like a knife was being plunged in to her heart. She wanted nothing more then to scream and cry, but instead she smiled, "You don't have to say anything. You've already done so much for me..." Her eyes moved to the ground, "Even while you were gone I kept remembering that day we first met... How you made me not feel so alone. I'll never forget your memory no matter what happens."
Lauren found it impossible to look the redhead in the eye, "I..." Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she tried to find her voice, "Dimmitt! I wish..." She was cut off before she could finish her sentence.
"Child..." The masked man spoke in a low deep voice.
Lauren closed her eyes, "I know," She snapped, then turned to Kimberly and set her hands on the girl's shoulders. The gloom in her eyes was now replaced by urgency, "Kim, do you remember what you were doing before you lost your way?"
Kimberly closed her eyes and tried to think, "I came home from school then someone came over..." She opened her eyes, "JENN!!" She said excitedly.
Lauren strained to smile, "Good..." She took her hand from the redhead's shoulder and shakily touched the girl's cheek, "Remember. You have to remember or you will be lost here forever." That same pained expression could once again be seen in the girl's eyes, "You have to live... For us."
"Child, it is time." Milai said.
"I sort of figured as much..." Lauren agonizingly said looking up at the man, "Just give me one more second, kay?" Her eyes almost were pleading to the man.
Kim took Lauren's hand in hers, "But I don't want to lose you again. Not now... I need you. I lov-" Kimberly's words where cut off as she felt Lauren's hand set upon her check, then lips against hers. The two girls stood softly kissing for what seemed like eternity. Tears started to stream down Kimberly's cheeks as she wrapped her arms tightly around Lauren and held her, never wanting to let the girl go even if it meant her own death.
Lauren was the first to break away, "Goodbye... I love you." She said softly. She touched Kim's lips then let her hand drop to her side and step back, "Remember... I'll always be with you." She turned and started to walk away.
Kimberly noticed a tear fall from the girl's eye. She felt her arms move and encircle the other girl around the shoulders and pull her back into her arms, "I will always remember you." She whispered into Lauren's ear. Lauren let herself be held. She could feel Kimberly's tears falling on her shoulder but she made no move to pull away.
"I'm sorry," Milai, said quietly, "I can no longer leave the doors open." He gently pulled the girls apart and ushered Kimberly outside. Lauren watched as the only person she ever loved was taken away from her once again.
Slowly the doors started to close and Kimberly reached her hand between the doors. Lauren reached out and their fingers lightly touched. She then pushed Kimberly's hand through the door and watched, as it slammed shut. Kimberly pounded on the doors. She had so much to say. So much she wanted them to do together. She surrendered to her knees and crumbled to the ground then let out and deafening woeful sob that made her entire body shake, the curled up next to the door and let the sadness wash over her.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 13
Title: Part 3: Chapter 13
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Three: Death's Corridor
Chapter Thirteen - Smoke and Mirrors
Kimberly lay next to that door for longer than she could remember. Hoping that maybe, just maybe that the doors would open up and she would be allowed to see Lauren again. But the door never opened, and there was no day or night to judge how much time had past; only the flickering candles that never seemed to burn out. At one point she was sure she saw some of the wax dibble down the side of the candle stand but she was not sure if it was real, a trick of the light, or her own mind playing pranks on her.
She scanned the darkness around her, however there was nothing to see; even the line of people had disappeared. When she turned back the door, it too had disappeared. Now she felt truly alone. She considered crying, but she felt dried up from crying over the loss of Lauren. So instead she stood and started trying to think of where she would go from there. She couldn't just lay in the darkness now, could she?
Then she noticed that there was something different about her surroundings. A thin layer of fog was drifting around her ankles. Curious, she started to walk towards the fog's source and before long she came across a long wall with a single opening. The fog poured heavily out of the opening almost to her knees like a strange river. She peered through the opening in the wall, down a wide hall and noticed that the walls were covered with hundreds of oddly shaped mirrors and the fog appeared to be pouring forth from the mirrors themselves like strange, slowly moving, waterfalls. She stepped into the hall and gazed into one of the mirrors to see a reflection of herself as a six-year-old girl. A dark bruise covered the side of the child's face as she sat in her nightgown playing with a set of cards. Kim turned to her reflection in another mirror to be greeted by a much older version of herself, this time running a comb through her hair. Yet another mirror showed a version almost the same age, however this time sleeping soundly in bed. Not a single mirror mimicked her age or movements. They all seemed to go about their own tasks unaware that she was watching them.
Before long Kimberly found herself at an intersection. More mirrors stretched off into the distance in all directions. She turned around and realized that she was now lost within this odd hall of mirrors with no sight of the entrance, even though she was almost certain that she had only taken a few steps into the strange hall. She tried to remember how she entered the maze and began to backtrack, except when she came across yet another junction she was not sure if she had made a left or a right. Her mind began to race as she tried to remember which way to go. She took a quick guess and turned to the right only to come across another turn. With each crossroad Kimberly felt herself become more panicked. She started second guessing her decisions, taking four steps forwards then turning back, only to see a different hall than she remembered. After a while she found herself running. She took two lefts and another right nevertheless didn't recognize anything. With all these odd mirrors one would think it would be easy to remember if you had been somewhere, however none of it seemed familiar and not one mirror looked like another. She spun around trying to get her bearings, but the more she tried the more lost she felt. No matter how hard she tried it was like the exit didn't exist any longer.
She stopped running so she could catch her breath and staggered until she was leaning against one of the walls and felt tears begin to stream down her cheeks, "I'm sorry Lauren, I can't...." She sobbed, "I just can't..." Her back leaned against one of the mirrors.
"LIAR!!" A voice called out.
She glanced up at one of the mirrors and noticed that the reflection in the mirror behind her looked exactly like her and it was waving. Kimberly spun around in shock, "AHHHH!!" She shouted, "YOU!" She pointed at the mirror, "You stay away from me!"
The reflection crossed her arms "Is that any way to greet yourself?" She said angrily.
"Why would I want to talk to a murderer like you?" Kimberly almost spat at the mirror.
"KILLER?!?." The reflection countered, "I had no choice. Don't tell me you still think he would have changed. I sometimes wonder why I ever bothered saving you from him all the time." The reflection yelled.
"That's beside the point," Kim glared at the mirror, "He was only like that when he drank and he promised things would be different. Why couldn't we have just run away earlier or something? I wish you didn't have to be so violent all the time. Remember the boy from school?"
The reflection laughed, "He deserved it."
"No one deserves having their fingers broken." Kimberly began to turn away, "I don't want to deal with you right now."
"Listen, I'm sorry." The reflection said calmly, " I really don't mean to be, but every time he came near us like that I just... I just... Everything went black and I can't remember what happened. When I saw Momma lying there... I panicked I guess..."
"Momma..." Kim stopped in her tracks but didn't make a move to turn around.
"Enough reminiscing about the past." The reflection said leaned closer to the glass, "What are you doing wandering around a place like this? Weren't you looking for your friend?"
"Jenn...” Kimberly murmured as she took a step backwards until she was leaning against the wall next to the mirror.
"Ahhh, yes that was her name wasn't it?" The reflection smiled, "So what is wrong?"
"I can't get my mind off of Lauren's kiss." Kim whispered.
"Ahhhh," The reflection smiled, "And so you keep finding yourself walking in circles. Have you considered thinking about what it would be like to kiss Jenn then?" The reflection's grin began to broaden.
Kimberly spun around to face her reflection again, "NO WAY!!" She was shocked that her own reflection would even suggest such a thing. "I can't... I mean Jenn would never... She's... She's..."
"Cute, pretty, innocent, smart and all of the above. I see the way we look at her." The reflection leaned against the frame of the mirror, "She is such an innocent beauty. I still remember the feeling of her carrying us to the nurse's office. So strong for such a small frame, don't you think?"
"STOP IT!!" Kimberly yelled while covering her ears.
"Oh come on." The reflection moved closer to Kim, "You do realize that she had to undress us in order to bandage those wounds right?" She said still smiling.
"But she would never," Kimberly blushed while clenching her gown tight to her body, "It's not like that at all. We're just... friends"
"Ah yes, friends... just like you and Lauren."
Kimberly felt her blush deepen, "That... that was different..." her voice trailed off.
The reflection leaned on the frame, "Because she looks like a boy, am I right?"
Kimberly stared at the ground, "No..."
The reflection slammed her hand on the glass, "Oh come off it. You know you love her and you knew she was a girl. You can't keep using the same old excuses. How do you explain Jenn then?"
Kimberly felt herself smile a bit then forced the smile away before she looked back up at her reflection, "Will you stop that?!" She demanded.
"Fine, what about Kris? She's a cutie too and Natalie is turning into quite a hottie."
Kimberly closed her eyes and yelled, "FINE! I like her, all right? I found Jenn cute the first moment I saw her. That way she looked at me. Her smile, her voice, everything! Now will you leave me alone now?" Her voice echoed through the halls.
When Kimberly opened her eyes she was no longer faced with her own reflection. Now a simple wooden door stood before her with a small plaque, hanging from a string, which read "JENNIFER'S ROOM" in large bold lettering. Kimberly stared at the door trying to figure out if it was another trick of her mind. "Jenn..." She thought to herself as she reached out and touched the door. The wood felt cold to the touch and Kimberly found herself pulling back. She was not sure if she was really ready to see what was behind this door. She glanced around at the rows of mirrors to find all of her reflections were now watching her, waiting to see what decision she would take. Would she move forward and confront whatever may lay behind that door before her or would she run and allow herself to become forever lost in this maze of mirrors that only reflected the past. Kimberly turned back to the door and decided that whatever was behind that door would be a lot better than the madness of the hall in which she currently stood.
She reached out, grabbed the doorknob, turned it until she heard a click, and then pulled it open. A cold burst of air hit her in the face, blowing her hair around, causing her to slam her eyes shut, then as quickly as it appeared, the wind disappeared. Kim stood still for a moment unsure of what to think; when she opened her eyes she noticed that her nightgown had been replaced with her school uniform. She blinked a few time at the outfit, then peered into the room. On the other side of the door was a long thin, dark, hall with many doors on either side. Many doors or many mirrors? What kind of choose is this she wondered to herself.
The moment Kimberly stepped into the hall the door slammed shut behind her and locked. Kimberly went to open the door but found there was no knob on this side. She hit the door with her fist in frustration. Realizing that she had no other choice she started to walk down the hall, examining the doors as she passed them. Each door was of a different size, shape and colour. The only thing similar about them was that they were all boarded shut. Kimberly approached one of the doors and noticed that whoever nailed them shut must have been hurried because most of the nails were lopsided or bent. She wondered why someone would be so desperate to nail the doors shut. Whatever the reason it was must have been important, or maybe the person wasn't trying to keep people from getting in, but was trying to keep something from getting out.
Kimberly quickly stepped back from the door, suddenly afraid. She quickly turned to run down the hall when she saw a junction at the end of the hall and someone step out from around the corner.
"Ummm... excuse me?" Kimberly called out as she run towards the person. As she got closer she realized that it was a young lady with long black hair tied up in a bun. The lady turned and smiled at Kimberly. Kim was about to speak again when the lady placed a finger to her lips then turned to open one of the few unbarred doors. Kimberly watched as the door opened a crack then exploded in a burst of flames. The entire hall filled with fire and Kimberly felt herself being knocked off her feet to the ground by the blast. She quickly got to her feet and patted at her body only to notice that the flames were gone and the hall was empty. Suddenly a bunch of boards and nails flew from down one of the halls and sealed the door the women just passed through shut.
Kimberly stood still for a moment. She was sure she just saw the woman burst into flames, but there was no fire, not even a scorch mark upon the floor. Then there were those strange pieces of wood. Almost to reassure her a pile of wood flew past her and yet another door was nailed shut. Kimberly scratched her head in bewilderment.
She glanced up and down the halls trying to figure out which way to turn when she noticed a shadow move at the end of the hall. Silently the girl crept down the hall and peered around the corner. She could only see a bright light at the end of the hall like a streetlight shining through a window. She was about to walk down the hall when something slid into the light. It was an elderly person in an old wooden wheelchair. Kimberly could not see the person clearly because it was backlit but for some reason fear began to enter her heart and she felt herself begin to back up until she was pressed against a pair of double doors with wired mesh glass windows, doors that appeared to not be locked or boarded shut. She turned and peered through the windows to see a winding stairwell that ran up and down. Taking one last glance over her shoulder at the elderly person she moved backwards through the doors into the stairwell. The sound of the door closing echoed against the cold concrete walls of the stair well and Kimberly felt herself cringe against the sound.
Another woman in an old-fashioned brown schoolteacher's dress sat on the stairs with a child on either side of her. All three of them had no faces and where there should be eyes and mouths was just skin stretched over featureless skulls. All of them were looking up at Kim as she stood near the double doors, staring at her with faceless expressions however Kim could feel them watching at her. The woman had what appeared to be a large children's book in her lap. She turned back to the book and a voice began to echo through the halls, "The children all ran in fear just like children do," The faceless woman read. The children leaned over her arms to get a closer look at the pictures in the book, "But children should not fear, they should not run, because if they do he will come." The voice continued to echo off the walls.
Kimberly took a tentative step forward so she could get a closer look at the book. There were pictures on the pages but no words as far as she could see. Then she noticed the images start to move, "Yes, he will come looking for you if you run," As the voice spoke a drawing of two children ran across the page followed closely by a large man dressed in a white cloak. Kimberly's eyes widened as the man kept pace with the children without actually quickening his pace. It was almost as if no matter how fast the children ran he would always gain some ground. "Children who run must have done something wrong." The voice continued. The children in the book stopped at the edge of a cliff and one of them started to yell however Kimberly could not hear the words. She felt herself being drawn towards the book. The man in the book stopped for a moment then turned. She could feel him looking at her out of the pages of the book and the man started walking towards the front of the book. Getting closer and closer until he almost filled the entire page.
Suddenly Kimberly grabbed the book from the woman's hands and slammed it shut then threw it to the ground. Kim didn't notice before but she was holding her breath and it was now coming out in short quivering pants, her face was covered in sweat. She tried hard to swallow and her mouth was parched. She could not keep her eyes off the book, the cover of which showed two
young children huddled around a fire in the middle of a forest, Lauren and herself. The cover read simply "Things Kids Should Never Do." Kimberly kicked the book through the stair's railing and listened to it clatter as it fell down the spiral of stairs. She glanced up from where the book fell to see the faceless children and their storyteller watching her. The air started to fill with the sounds of children's cries, a shrill sound that pierced her ears.
Kimberly covered her ears in a vain attempt to save her ears from the sound. The faceless children began to rise and move towards her. The closer they got the louder the cries became. Finally Kimberly could not handle the sound anymore and fled down the stairs.
A voice called out after her, "Children all run. Children always fear what they should not do. Children always do what they fear." Tears filled Kimberly's eyes as she tried to block the voice from her mind. Down the stairs she ran, deeper and deeper in to the darkness, anything to get away from that noise and that voice. After some time she finally reached the bottom and as her foot left the final step the room filled with a bright flash of light followed by a tremendous crack of thunder. The light only lasted for an instant nevertheless in that moment Kim could see a young girl standing with her back to her. Her dark blue school uniform was ragged, stained and wet. Her hair draped limply over her shoulders. It appeared as if the girl had been standing in the rain for a long while and there was something about the girl that had the look of death to her. Just as Kim's mind began to process what she was seeing the room was plunged into darkness.
Within moments a single naked bulb turned on and Kimberly took her hands away from her ears and glanced back up the stairs. No one seemed to be following her, so she started to take a study around her new surroundings. The girl she saw in the flash was gone and Kim now found herself standing in the middle of a large room with white walls and tiled floors stained with scum and grout in much need of cleaning, the stairs she had recently disappeared leaving only opening at the far end of the room. All along the walls were many showerheads and rusty chains dangled from them as they awaited pulling. Kimberly felt unease fill her heart that the sight of the shower room and she carefully began to creep her way out of the room when the shower head off to her side abruptly turned on, spraying crimson droplets to the ground. One after another the showers turned themselves one and Kim quickly ran from the room, slipping slightly upon the slick ground. As she existed the shower room she found herself in another dank and dimly lit room, this one lined with a set of washroom stalls along one wall and the other wall housed a set of old white porcelain sinks with small rectangular mirrors above each, in pretty much the same state as the shower room. Steam from the showers had fogged the mirrors over, but Kim could still see the cracks in some of their surfaces. Abruptly the showers turned off and she felt slightly relieved for she was becoming very hot and sticky in her uniform. Her throat still parched she carefully found her way to the sinks and turned on the tap. The water seemed clean enough, even if the sink was stained yellow, so she leaned over and placed her mouth under the faucet to get a drink. The cool water felt good going down her throat and she drank heavily, then splashed a bit of water on her face, and lifted her head to look at herself in the mirror. There behind her stood a pale girl with long white hair clinging damply to her forehead and cheeks. Panicked Kim spun around to discover that the girl was indeed real and her not only was her hair damp but her clothes as well. The strange girl was a bit taller then Kim and her hair was curly at the tips. Kim wiped the water from her mouth and tried to force herself to smile.
The girl stepped forward, forcing Kimberly between two sinks, her skin almost sheet white against the light of the naked bulb overhead, "So you finally returned." She said with a smile.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 14
Title: Part 3: Chapter 14
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Three: Death's Corridor
Chapter Fourteen - Faceless Soul
Kimberly staggered backwards, "You!" She exclaimed as she suddenly realized that it May that stood before her and the memory of the beaten she received from the girl came forward in her mind.
"So you do remember me after all." May said her smile growing even larger, "Then you remember our little discussion from earlier."
Kimberly nodded her head slowly as she clenched her still aching side from where the girl had landed a kick earlier.
"Good, because I was beginning to worry about you." May said then, turned away from the redhead.
"Ummm... Do you know where we are?" Kimberly started to ask.
"Did you know we used to be the closest of friends?" May grabbed the top of one of the stall doors and set her forehead against the cold steel, "We used to walk to school every day and do everything together." Her voice was distant, "Did you know that autumn was her favourite season of them all. She loved the changing colours of the leaves and how the wind seemed to play music with them. It was almost as if she was happiest in the fall." She paused, deep in thought.
Kimberly gazed at the girl curiously, "Who?"
May turned and glared at the redhead with anger in her eyes, "You really are stupid, aren't you?" Kimberly flinched at the tone of the girl's voice, "Who else would I be talking about? Jenn, you fool... We were not in love once?"
"But I thought Kris and Jenn wer-" Kim began to speak, however she wished she hadn't as she noticed fury spread across the girl's face.
"Kris? KRIS?!?" May's voice rose until it filled the room, echoing off the concrete walls, "I was friends with Jenn long before that... that tomboy dyke entered the picture." She punched at the stall door, denting it; "Everything was perfect until she showed up. She was always sticking her nose into everything. Always blaming me for everything." The anger began to drain from May's eye and she leaned against the stall wrapping an arm around her waist, "She didn't care how I felt. No one cared..." Her voice drifted off.
Kimberly shifted in her place, trying to figure out what to do when May's eyes caught hers, "Ahh yes, then you came along." A sneer crossed the girl's lips, "It was kind of interesting. It would seem that Jenn didn't remember a thing about Kris. Everything was working out perfectly until little you showed up. How exactly did you get in here anyway?" She asked calmly, almost sounding as if she was uninterested in hearing an answer.
"I... I don't know..." Kimberly nervously pulled on her sleeves until her fingers could not be seen at all, "I fell, I think..." She tried hard not to look May in the eyes.
May stared in disbelief, "You fell?" She leaned against the stall and burst into laughter, "She fell!!!" The girl dropped to her knees in laughter, "All that work gone to waste because she fell!!!" She rolled over onto her back and starred up at the naked bulb, her face suddenly sullen; "To think that is all it took. One little girl..."
Kimberly's eyes darted around the room then back to May, "I'm.. I'm sorry... I just wanted to get back home."
May quickly sat up, "Home?" A perplexed look crossed her face as she stood up and walked over to Kimberly forcing the girl between two of the sinks and setting a hand upon one of them, "Is that so?"
Kimberly nodded her head, "I just wanna go home." Her voice was shaky and sounded far away. Fear was showing in her eyes.
May narrowed her eyes, "Then what are you doing back here? You could have turned around but you didn't. Why? WHY!?" She slammed her hand on the mirror next to Kimberly's head cracking it and causing Kim to let out a small scream.
Kimberly was shaking now. She looked away from May's angry glare; "I've been trying to figure that out for the past little while. I know I don't belong here, but something kept calling me. That maybe I would be able to find her." Kimberly admitted.
May stepped back, "Then what? You will live happily ever after?" She turned her back to the girl and stood directly under the light bulb.
Kimberly stared down at her hands, "No... just to... thank her... I guess" she said softly, "To tell her she is not alone." Her final words were so quiet that May could not hear them.
May smiled to herself, "You are really a horrible liar." She said with a small chuckle.
Kimberly stood up, "It's the truth." She said proudly. "I just wanted to thank her for listening to me and for understanding. That's all."
May started to laugh, "Well it doesn't matter because you will never see her ever again."
Kimberly stepped forward, "Why not? You know where she is, don't you!" Kimberly could feel herself growing bolder. She felt that this girl must be the key to finding Jenn, "Why won't you tell me!" She cried.
May turned her head and gazed at the girl, "Why not?" She smiled except that this time a set of small fangs poked out from the edge of her mouth, "Because you will not leave here alive that's why." She brought her hand out from behind her to show that it was now twisted into long hooks and claws. Not just her hand but also her entire arm looked like jagged bone. She swung at the redhead, barely missing the girl and crashing into the sink to her left, sending shards of porcelain flying through the air. Kimberly covered her head as she scrambled to get away from the insane demon child.
"You can't hide from me." May yelled at Kimberly's heels, "I know every inch of this place so run all you like." Her laughter could be heard echoing off the walls.
Kimberly tried not to slip on the wet floor as she ran, finding a pair of double doors that she didn't remember seeing before. Not thinking twice about it she dashed across the room and pushed through the doors into a locker room. She glanced around the room then ran down one of the aisles, through another set of doors into the hall of a school. She was somehow in her new school again. Confused, she stumbled around, and then turned to her left to see May walking down the hall towards her.
"What do you think?" She said, waving clawed arms around, "It's real down to the last detail. Every day is fall, just as she likes it and soon everything will be back to normal." She turned back to Kimberly, "That is, of course, once I get rid of you."
Kimberly fell backwards and kicked at the ground trying hard to escape this nightmare. It had to be a nightmare; that was the only way to explain all of this. She rolled over and started to crawl forward when her eyes fell on the reflection of a girl in a glass cabinet. The girl was pointing at a door across the way. Kimberly got to her feet and ran for the door. She pushed it open then stopped. She found herself standing in yet another washroom. This one was smaller and was more modern than the last however at the same time it didn't seem to have an exit other then a small window.
One of the stalls opened and out walked Jenn. Kim stood in complete shock as the girl for whom she had searched for so long walked passed her, up to the sinks and started to wash her hands. Kimberly stepped forward and tried to find her voice. She reached out a hand towards Jenn wanting nothing more then to touch her, to make sure that this was not another part of this
Hellish dream.
Jenn glanced up at Kimberly and smiled, "Oh, Hi May." She said. The words caused Kimberly to freeze in place. Fear filled her eyes as she turned around to see May standing at the washroom door. Her face was warm with a bright smile and her arms were no longer hideous deformed claws.
"Hey Jenn?" May asked while stepping into the room. It was as if she was ignoring Kimberly standing between the two of them. She walked straight towards the sinks and looked at her reflection in the mirror. "How was your weekend?"
"Great!" Jenn replied with a smile, "Yours?"
"Good," May answered back.
Kimberly stepped back not sure what to think. She did not stop backing up until her shoulder bumped into the washroom stalls causing the door to bang open, but the sound did not seem to effect either Jenn and May in any way. It was almost as if the two girls could not see her at all.
May continued to stare at herself in the mirror but her smile began to fade, "Jenn, Can I ask you something?" She said quietly.
Jenn looked up at May, "Sure anything."
May's head lowered and she stared into the sink, "Anything... I sometimes wonder..." It sounded like she was struggling with the words.
Jenn stepped closer to May and touched her shoulder, "You know you can trust me." She said, "We have been friends since kindergarten 'Friends till the end' and all that, remember?"
When May looked up into Jenn's eyes the pain May was going through became very clear. She opened her mouth except that no sound came out. May returned her eyes to the sink again, "I'm sorry." She muttered.
Jenn placed an arm around her friend and pulled her close, "It is alright. You can tell me." Jenn whispered into the girl's ear.
May's arms wrapped around Jenn's waist and squeezed her tight, "I'm scared." May's whispers were almost sobs.
Jenn slowly swayed while stroking the girl's back, "There is nothing to be afraid of. I'll always be here for you."
May pulled back enough so she could look Jenn in the eyes, "Really? Always?" She asked with tears in her eyes.
Jenn smiled back at the girl, "Of course. Is that what was bothering you?" She asked with a chuckle.
May gave a weak smile, "I love you." She said softly.
Jenn laughed, "and I love you too."
May brought a hand up and brushed Jenn's cheek, "I will always love you." She leaned forward, not letting her eyes off Jenn's until their lips touched and the two girls kissed.
Kim could not believe what she was seeing. May and Jenn were... but she thought that Kris and Jenn... Her head started to spin. She looked back at the girls as May's hand started to move up Jenn's thigh and under the girl's skirt. Kimberly suddenly felt the need to get out of that room and was about to leave when Jenn pulled back from May's embrace.
Jenn could not look May in the eyes, "I... I'm sorry... I shouldn't have..." She stammered and she turned to leave.
May tried to pull Jenn back into her arms, "No don't go. I need you." She pleaded.
Jenn placed a finger on May's lips, "I'm sorry but it just can't be." She pulled out of May's arms, "I love you but not like this." She began to step towards the door.
"Oh but you can love Kris, is that it!" May's said. Tears were forming in the corners of her eyes, "Why?"
Kimberly all of a sudden felt sorry for May. Kim wanted to reach out to the girl when she noticed drops of crimson falling from the girl's fingers, pooling on the white tile floors. She glanced up to see May reach out a hand towards Jenn, a cut etched deep into the pale flesh of her wrist.
Jenn did not seem to notice the gruesome scene before her and pushed the washroom door open, "That is a different story." She walked out of the washroom without so much as a glance back.
Kim shook her head then let her eyes fall on the floor. The blood was now running along the tiles to a small drain in the centre of the room. Kim's eyes followed the trail back except it didn't stop at May's feet. The crimson path ran between Kim's own legs behind her. Kimberly turned around and peered into the stall to find May was now lying on the floor of the stall, bloody handprints marking every wall of the stall. Kim scrambled to the girl's side and tried to think of what to do. She glanced up for some paper towels to see another May standing over her in the stall door.
"You now understand don't you?" May asked, nodding at her own dying body.
Kimberly shook her head in confusion, "Understand what? That you killed yourself because you were rejected?" Tears filled her eyes, "She loved you and you know it. How could you have done this to her?" The thought made all the fear she felt before replace with anger.
"Yes she does." May said with a smile, "and she will always love me."
Kim stood to her feet, "What are you talking about?" Her eyes meet May's and would not let go, "You mean this world? Do you really think that by repeating this day that she will love you?" Kim was now visibly angry.
"Well yes actually. That was until Kris showed up." May sneered at the name; "I had her all to myself until that bitch started to interfere." She stepped closer to Kim, "Then there is you. Do you realize just how much damage you caused by being here?" May's fangs returned and her eyes again filled with darkness, "Don't think I'd forgotten." A clawed hand began to reach towards Kim, forcing her further back into the stall, "She was supposed to be with me after lunch and not with you!"
Kim felt her bravery quickly wash away when faced with those taloned fingers, "I already told you." Kimberly began to stammer, "I didn't come here on purpose."
"Well, it's too late to change things now isn't it?" May said with a sinister smile.
"If you are her closest friend then what do you think your death would have done to her?" Kim felt her courage recovering as she stepped forwards, "Do you have any idea what it feels like to lose a friend?"
"I just..." May stumbled backwards, "Why couldn't she just love me?"
"She did love you." Kim noted, "Losing you is probably killing her."
"No, No!!" May clenched at the sides of her head, "She didn't love me. She didn't!" Tears began to stream down the girl’s cheeks.
The lights started to flicker and fade leaving the two girls alone in the dark. A single light drifted down until it fell between the girls revealing itself to be a large glowing feather. Panic could be seen on May's face as the feather passed her nose while Kimberly only felt warmth emitting from the feather. It did not make her afraid at all and she couldn't understand May's fear.
"N... no..." May began to sob as she spin around, "I don't want to go!" She yelled, swinging her hand wildly behind her cutting into something. She glanced down at her claws to see there were lines of blood.
"That was not very nice." A voice said from the darkness, "You would think that we were not welcome here." Out of the darkness stepped Gwen. Three slash marks on her cheek stood out against her white skin. She wiped the blood away with the back of her hand and smiled at the girls.
"Gwen?" Kimberly muttered in awe.
"Nice to see you again." Gwen said with a smile.
May stepped back, eyes widened with terror "I... I'm sorry." She fell backwards into Kim's arms, "Don't let her take me." She pleaded, clinging at Kim’s clothes.
"There is no need to be afraid." Said another voice from the darkness. Another young winged girl not much taller than Gwen stepped out of the dark. She was clad in long brown robes with a sash around her waist and a hood pulled over her head. Deep bluish hair hung loosely over her left eye while the right side was kept in a neat tight braid off to the side of a long face. A sad eye stared out from the shadow of her bangs at May, "Gwen will not hurt you." She said while offering a hand out to May, "Nor will I."
"NO!!" May yelled pushing away from Kim and broke into a run, only to find her way instantly blocked by Gwen. May turned to run in another direction to be blocked by the angel yet again, "Get out of my way!" May ordered Gwen.
Gwen simply smiled down at May, "I don't think so." and before May could try to run again Gwen had a hand around the girl's throat, "I don't think to highly of runners. Or Faceless." Her wings extended and spread out wide reaching for the sky.
"What!?!" May choked against the death angel's hold.
Kimberly watched in amazement as the angel set a hand on May’s face and began to pull what looked like misty light out of the girl. Slowly a form started to shape between the angels fingers and a strange porcelain mask could be seen over May's face. The mask only had one triangular slit in the centre and what appeared to be a single eye staring out of it. The angel pulled at the mask forcing it out of May's body until finally the two came apart and she let May drop to the ground, tattered cloth billowing out from below the floating mask in her hands, if it wasn't for the fact that it was moving one would think it was just a costume and nothing more. It flailed about in the angel's arms in a vain attempt to get free, however Gwen only continued smile at it. She took one hand and shoved it into the centre of the robes and Kimberly had to cover here ears as the creature let out an unearthly howl.
The angel did not seem effected by the screams as she twisted her hand deeper inside the robes almost in search of something. She pulled her hand out and bits of light could be seen shining through the cracks between her fingers, and then she smashed the mask on the ground shattering it into tiny pieces. A small marble eye rolled across the ground stopping at Kim's feet staring up at the girl. Something came over the girl and she felt the urge to stop the eye from looking at her so she did just that. The eye made a sickening small pop as the redhead's foot crushed it to the ground.
May started to rise to her feet while holding her head, "Unnnnn..." She staggered a little as she tried to stand. Angelina caught the girl before she fell to the ground again, "Where am I?" May asked bewildered.
"Safe. My name is Angelina." Angelina said softly, "It is time to go home now." and she began to lead May into the darkness.
"Wait!" Kimberly started after the two when Gwen stopped her.
"It is not your time yet." Gwen said calmly, "You were very brave you know that?" She said with a smile.
"I just wanted to help her." Kimberly said as she watched as May and Angelina disappeared into the distance.
"But you are needed somewhere else now, am I right?" Gwen said nodding behind Kimberly.
Kimberly turned around to see a pair of double doors. She turned back to the angel, "T.. Thank you." She bowed and ran towards the door. She did not see the angel disappear behind her as she pushed through the door to find herself standing on a long beach, in her nightgown once again. A long cliff running off to the right and a bright red sun could be seen setting over the ocean. Near the waters edge Kim could see Jenn, in a hospital gown, lying in the sand with the waves lapping at her feet. Kim slowly approached the girl to see that she had her eyes shut and appeared to be fast asleep. Kim gazed down at the sleeping girl. Jenn seemed so peaceful laying there, the wind playing with her hair. Not wanting to wake her just yet Kim slowly lowered herself into the sand next to the girl and watched the setting sun. After a while Kim glanceed back to Jenn. The girl didn't seem to move since Kim got there. Kim leaned over the girl to see if indeed she was alive. Just as she was lowering herself closer to Jenn's face her eyes snapped open causing Kim to jump backwards and land in the water.
"Kim?" Jenn said startled to see her friend. She then turned bright red and looked down at the ground.
"What’s wrong?" Kim asked then she noticed that the nightgown was sopping wet and she could see right through it. She turned several shades of red then crouched into the water again to cover herself up when she felt something move under the water, "huh?" Kim turned around to see what it was when she felt it touch her ankle and quickly stood, "There is something in here!" She exclaimed.
Jenn recovered from her embarrassment, "What do you mean?" She started towards Kim when suddenly the girl was dragged under the water, "KIMM!!!" Jenn called out as her friend disappeared under the surface.
Without hesitation Jenn ran into the water and dove in. Kim struggled against whatever had a hold of her leg as she was dragged deeper into the murky waters. Jenn swam down quickly and took hold of Kim's arm. She tried to pull the girl to the surface; nevertheless whatever had a hold on the girl was now pulling the two of them into the watery depths. Jenn swam deeper and tried to pry the hands off of Kim when the face of a person came into light. The face was slightly charred, it was the face of her mother and the look on the woman's face was almost sad. The woman let go of Kim to reach out towards her daughter. Jenn blinked in confusion and started to reach out for her mother when Kim suddenly grabbed the girl by the arm and started to pull her to the surface. Before they could reach the surface of the water something got a tighter grip on the girl's legs and pulled them down with more force than before, dragging them into the darkness below.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 15
Title: Part 4: Chapter 15
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Four: Through the Glass Darkly
Chapter Fifteen - Hearts Intertwined
The sun shone down on a small town, playing hide and go seek with the clouds, as young grade schoolgirls could be seen walking towards school. One small, teenaged, girl in particular happily skipped along the curb easily balancing on the edge without a thought in the world, her long, golden blonde, hair flowing behind her, and her skirt, bouncing with every step. She rounded the corner waving to at a passing group of girls along the way. Ahead of her she saw another girl, around the same age, with long red hair standing at the corner of the street. This girl seemed to be too busy staring at the ground to notice the world passing by.
"Hey, Morning Kim!" The blonde yelled out, waving to her friend.
The bounce in Natalie's step rapidly faded as her friend lifted her head up to revealed a dark black bruise over her right eye and she stopped in her tracks, "Morning Nat..." Kim said as she tried hard to force herself to smile and pretend like she didn't notice the way her friend was staring at her.
"Kim..." Natalie felt all the happiness within her wash down the sewer drain at her feet. In the past few years that Natalie had known the redhead the girl she would to show up with a bruise or two, claiming that she fell on the way home. Recently, Natalie found out otherwise and seeing the depth of the sadness in her friend’s eyes was eating away at her heart. "What happened...?" She asked bluntly, however she already knew what the answer would be.
"It is nothing..." Kimberly said as she turned away from Natalie's gaze, "I... I just fell in the tub..."
"Bull..." Natalie finally had enough of the dancing around the subject. Everyone in school knew the truth, but no one knew what to say about it. Today, Natalie had enough of pretending like nothing was wrong, "You are the worst liar there is, and everyone can see through it, but they refuse to say anything." She was shaking with anger.
Kim flinched at her friend’s sudden burst of anger, "Natalie, really it's nothing." She had seen that look in Natalie's eyes before and usually it was just before someone was laying on the ground after picking on Kim, or anyone else for that matter.
"No, it is not nothing!" Natalie was truly angry and hatred could be seen in the girl's eyes, "I shouldn't have allowed this to continue for so long." Natalie stormed past the redhead towards the apartment building that stood behind Kimberly.
"Wait! Nat what are you doing?!?" Kim tried to grab for her friend, but Nat dodged out of reach. Fear rose up in Kim as she chased after her friend who was already at the stairs that spiralled the balcony halls of the three-floor building.
"I'm going to have a word with that father of yours." Natalie snarled as she began to mount the stairs. Natalie may only have been thirteen years of age and under five feet tall, but she held a strength that has been known to cause even an adult to back down.
The two girls reached the third floor and Natalie didn't pause as she made a left turn down the walkway to the apartment that Kim called home, with the redhead close behind her. Kimberly was visibly terrified, nevertheless she stayed close to her friend's side as Natalie stopped at the door labelled "Harrison" and knocked hard, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for a response.
"Just a moment." Came a soft voice and the door opened to reveal a tall thin woman with beautiful white skin and short reddish brown hair that had been recently trimmed and a long yellow dress with a white apron tied around her waist, "Why, hello Kim and Natalie. Did you forget something?" Mrs. Harrison said looking between the two girls as she was busily drying her hands on the apron.
Natalie began to open her mouth when the woman moved to push her hair over her ear causing her sleeve to fall down, exposing a dark bruise mark in the shape of fingers around her wrist. Natalie tried to fathom how hard someone would have to grab a person's arm to make that kind of mark, "I..." Natalie glanced up into the woman's eye then back at her friend's to see the same fear in both of them. Natalie turned back to Mrs. Harrison as she quickly pulled her sleeve back down to once again cover her arms, "I was wondering if I could get a drink. I ran most of the way here and am thirsty." She asked tentatively. Kimberly let out the breath she was holding.
"Sure." Mrs. Harrison turned away from the door to enter the small kitchen that was right next to the entrance. The sound of the fridge door opening could be heard and her voice lingered from within, "Will orange juice do? I still need to get more groceries." She asked.
"That would be great." Natalie replied.
"Kim dear, you want anything as well." The sounds of glasses being moved around in the cupboard drifted along with her mother’s voice.
"No, that is alright mom." Kim answered, "I'm fine."
Kim's mother returned with a small glass of orange juice in her hand, "Here you are." She handed the glass to Natalie with a smile, "It sure is getting hot out lately hasn't it.?"
Natalie nodded, "Yeah it has... Thanks." She drank the juice quickly then wiped her mouth with her sleeve before she handed the glass back to Mrs. Harrison, "We should be getting to school or we'll be late." Natalie said softly. She was not sure why she was talking so quietly but she felt that she needed to for some reason when near Kim's apartment.
"Well have a good day at school." Mrs. Harrison said with a smile, almost as if there was nothing at all wrong with the world or the fact that she and her daughter always seemed to be bruised.
Kim's mom waved to the girls as they began to walk away. When Natalie stopped and turned around, "Mrs Harrison..?" She asked.
"Yes?" The woman stepped out onto the balcony path.
"Would it be alright if..." Natalie ran a hand through her hair, "If I stayed the night?" Kim stared at her friend in disbelief. No one has ever asked to stay over at her house before. More so since the incident that forced her family to move once again.
Kim's mother smiled at the girl, "Sure, would you like to stay for dinner too?" She asked. It almost looked as if the colour in her face brightened at the idea of her daughter having a friend over for the night.
"I have a gymnastics class after school but I'll try to make it on time." Natalie said with a grin.
"Kim," Mrs. Harrison turned to her daughter, "I'll need you to pick up a few things when you get home from school then. So can you make sure you're here as soon as possible?"
"Ummm..." She glanced from her mother to her friend and back to her mother again, "Al.. Alright..."
"Good, then it's settled." Mrs. Harrison said clapping her hands together, "I'd better get to cleaning the house then. You two get going to school now." Before the girls could turn around Kim's mother was back in the apartment, closing the door.
Kimberly blinked at her friend, "What just happened?" she stood dumbfounded.
"I decided." Natalie said with her eyes closed.
"Decided what?" Kim asked.
Natalie opened her eyes and looked into Kimberly's, "That I will never let anyone harm you again. I'll protect you no matter what. I promise." She did not take her eyes off the other girl as she spoke.
Kimberly felt her face redden, "I..." she could not find the words to speak.
"Come on..." Natalie said as she headed back down the stairs, "We are going to be late for school." She smiled up at the redhead and something within her moved. Natalie grabbed her chest making sure that Kim didn't notice. For a moment she closed her eyes and when she opened them again everything was all right.
The two girls ran the rest of the way to school, arriving just as the final bell rang out.
***
Gymnastics practice was demanding on Natalie as usual. Her coach was pushing her harder and harder with each day. The school competition was just around the corner and they needed their best girls in top form, which meant that Natalie would be feeling it for the next couple of months. Natalie walked along the sidewalk and stretched. For some reason she was feeling more then the normal aches and pains that she had grown accustomed to. It felt almost as if someone had hit her hard in the side during practice, but she didn't remember anything like that happening.
She looked down at her watch and saw that is was just a bit past six pm and thought that maybe she would still be able to make it to Kim's for dinner. She was starving. Soon she found herself standing at the foot of the stairs to Kim's apartment building and she got a sinking feeling deep within her soul. She didn't know why, but it almost felt like something dark fell over the building. Quickly the girl mounted the stairs two at a time until she reached the third floor. The moment her foot stepped on the landing she knew there was something indeed wrong. She turned to see that the door to Kim's apartment door stood wide open and a light trailed out from the kitchen.
Natalie broke into a run and as she stepped into the apartment a wave of fear crept onto her heart. Her eyes immediately fell on a clutter of utensils that lay scattered upon the floor along with the drawer they came from. She stepped carefully over the clutter of knives and forks and crept into the living room, where she stopped in her tracks and felt the strength sap from her knees.
There, before her, lay Mrs. Harrison next to a small night table, a large pool of blood formed around her head. Not far away Mr. Harrison lay face down with a long, blood soaked, kitchen knife laying next to him. Natalie felt her own stomach turn and the need to throw up as the smell of death hit her nostrils. Suddenly panic rose in her as she realized that Kimberly was nowhere in sight, "Kim?" She said softly at first, "KIM!?!" She then yelled. She quickly stepped over the bodies and checked her friend's room, then the others. Kim was nowhere to be seen. She quickly ran out of the apartment and scanned over the path balcony, "KIMBERLY!!!" She yelled into the setting sun.
A neighbouring door opened and someone peeked their head out, "What is all that yelling about?" Someone asked as they stepped out into the evening air. Natalie stumbled around bewildered. She had to find Kimberly. She pushed past the person without thinking and ran down the stairs. She was responsible some how; she knew she had to be.
*****
Streetlights shone across Natalie as she woke up from yet another nightmare. For the past few weeks her dreams were getting increasingly detailed and stayed fresh in her mind. Memories of Kimberly like she has had even night since the day Natalie found her friend's family dead. However, there was something different this time. There was more then the usual recollections. Kim was in the Alleys with another girl and a strange shadow unlike anything she had ever seen before. She could still feel Kimberly's presence close to her heart, could almost smell Kimberly's hair. She gripped at her chest tighter as the feelings of losing her friend again began to fill her heart and mind. She spent over the last few years fighting this feeling of loss, however today it was much stronger and for some unexplainable reason it felt as if it were pulling on her.
Natalie began to roll over in the bed only to notice that her entire body ached. She felt like she had just received the beating of her life. She turned over to see short, scruffy, light brown hair poking out from under the blankets. Natalie lightly set a hand on the sleeping body that lay beside her. A soft moan could be heard from the bowels of the blankets, then an arm emerged as a girl with a long, boyish, face rolled over on her back, still sound asleep. The street's light almost made the girl's skin glow and Natalie leaned closer to placed a light kiss upon the girl's cheek.
Natalie reached out and brushed a lock of hair out of the girl's eyes, "Alyson?" Natalie whispered softly not really wanting to wake the girl. Over the year the two had grown very close and Natalie could not think of living without her presence. Alyson was so princely in her own ways. She watched out for Natalie ever since the day they met so long ago. Natalie didn't mind, actually she felt safer with Alyson around, more so whenever Alyson's brother was around. There was something about the man that shook Natalie to her very core. She was not sure what it was about the man, it might have something to do with the way he just appears out of nowhere. It was as if he was a shadow. He never made a sound and the way he looked at Natalie made her a shiver at the mere thought.
Her hand touched a small pendant that hung around her neck, a small amethyst crystal on a silver chain that Alyson gave it to her on her sixteenth birthday. It was small and not very flashy, nevertheless Natalie loved it all the same and on nights like this one she found herself holding the pendant firmly in her hand and remembering the first day they met. Sometime she would hold it tight enough to leave red marks in the palm of her hand. She stared at the pendant for a moment. Watching it sway in and out of a beam of moonlight. Again she gazed down at the girl next to her and she held the crystal close to her heart.
*****
Natalie searched all over town for Kimberly. Night fell faster than she was ready for and soon she found herself lost in the back alleys of the streets; calling out Kimberly's name everywhere she went. At one time she heard a police siren wailing out in the night and she found herself hiding from the sound without knowing why. Before long she was so lost she became scared for Kim as much as for herself. She leaned against a brick wall trying hard to stifle back the tears. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them a strange fog had surrounded her.
Natalie became suddenly very aware of where she was. She coughed and covered her mouth as the thick mist tried to fill her lungs. Something under the surface of the fog began to circle around her creating small ripples in the cloud; "NO!!" she spun around to see the mist starting to funnel into a twisting column like an inverted tornado. A pair of blood red eyes opened up at the head of the column and scales began to form along the surface of the cloud as the top half took on the form of a giant albino snake while the rest of the body of fog encircled the girl.
Natalie turned to run when the snake struck out at her and grabbed her by the leg with its tail, causing the girl to fall to the ground. Natalie let out a terrified scream as she started to feel herself being pulled backwards towards the creature.
A person ran passed Natalie and jumped into the depths of the mist. The sounds of fighting could be heard, but Natalie was too busy keeping her eyes shut. She felt her leg being released and she crawled beside a dumpster and cover her ears as an awful high-pitched howl filled the night.
Almost as soon as it started the sound ended and yet Natalie stayed cowering in her hiding spot. Her saviour stepped out from around the corner and gazed down at the shaking girl. The full moon backlit the person so Natalie had trouble-making out who it was. The person reached out and grabbed her by the arm, forcing Natalie to her feet.
"NOOO!!!" Natalie began to protest, "Let me go! Let me go!" She cried.
"Will you stop crying already?" A rather deep, yet female voice said, clearly annoyed by Natalie's reaction to her, "I thought you were stronger then this."
"Huh?" Natalie stopped fighting and looked up at the girl who stood before her. She found herself blinking at a tall boyishly handsome girl only a couple years older then Natalie. She was clad only in tight black leather pants and an oversized leather jacket with a zipper that started at the girls left shoulder and ended at her right hip. The jacket was unzipped to reveal a black t-shirt underneath. A long katana was held firmly in the girl's right hand glimmering against the moon's light, "Alyshione???" Natalie asked in confusion.
"So you do know my name." The girl said as she sheathed her sword on her back.
"Everyone knows you." Natalie said, still in shock at whom she was talking to. Alyshione Dalfort, or Alyson to those who would call her a friend (which there were very few), was the most popular girl in the area. No one knew where she came from, nevertheless over half the girls at Whispering Hills Academy dreamed about getting a chance to talk to her, or, in some cases, even go on a date with her, "What are you doing out here?" Natalie asked, befuddled.
"I should be asking you that same question." Alyson examined the girl up and down, "I thought only East Wingers were foolish enough to wander here at night." She said as she started to walk away, almost as if she really didn't care to hear the answer.
"My friend is missing..." Natalie felt her eyes drift to the ground, "I promised I would protect her and I've already failed her." A tear brimmed in her eyes.
Alyson stopped and gazed up at the sky, "I really miss seeing the stars." She said to no one in particular, "Come on." Alyshione nodded down the road, "I guess I can help you find your friend." She started down the road without waiting for Natalie's reply.
Natalie tried hard to keep up with Alyshione as they wove their way through the maze of back streets. No matter how lost Natalie felt, it was almost as if Alyshione knew exactly where to turn; as if she had ventured these dark roads many a time over her years. Before long the two of them found themselves back on the normal streets. Natalie let out a sigh of relief as she watched a car slowly pass by. She thought for sure that she would never escape the maddening maze of alleyways.
Upon stepping out of the alleys Alyson quickened her step as she crossed the road heading toward a small set of complexes off in the distance. Natalie found herself having to jog in order to keep pace with the girl. It was like Alyson never ran out of breath, never paused to make sure she was on the right path, and never even took a look at her surroundings. Not once did she even look back to see if Natalie was keeping up. The two walked down the street until they arrived at a sidewalk that lead up to a small two-floor condo. Without hesitation Alyson took out a set of keys from the back pocket of her pants and opened the door, leaving the door open for Natalie to enter. Alyson did not turn around to see if the girl followed her as she took off her shoes, dropped the sword in an umbrella stand (which held three other swords as well as two umbrellas) and began to strip off her jacket, showing off the tight white t-shirt that she wore underneath, "You can close the door anytime." She said as she hung her jacket on a hook on the wall.
"Oh, Sorry." Natalie quickly entered and closed the door, but did not move from the doorway.
"Would you like something to drink?" Alyson asked as she entered a large kitchen that stood off to the side. The wall had a long window cut into it, with wooden shutters that were currently open, so Natalie would see into the kitchen and watch as Alyson opened the fridge and pulled out a jug of juice.
"Yes please." Natalie said politely. She had never felt so nervous before in her life, and could not keep her eyes off Alyson, the way her shirt formed perfectly to her athletic body and small chest, as the girl opened the cupboard, grabbed a pair of glasses and began to fill them.
Natalie blushed as she noticed that she was staring at the girl and stared down at the ground.
"Have a seat in the living room. I'll be right with you." Alyson said gesturing over her shoulder.
Slowly, Natalie began to remove her shoes. She glanced around the living room, which was located to the side of the kitchen. Another set of swords hung on a rack above the couch and many odd-looking porcelain masks lined the walls. Natalie found herself standing in awe of the array of things around her. The entire room held an air to it that made the girl feel small standing in the centre of it all.
"I hate those things." Alyson said nodding towards the masks in disgust as she entered the room and handed Natalie a glass of juice, then plopped down on the sofa, "My brother has been collecting them for years." She shivered, "You're probably tired from your adventure. Sit." She more commanded this time then asked.
"Thank you." Natalie said as she lowered herself beside Alyson. She suddenly realized just how tired she really was, as every part of her wanted to collapse and the glass began to slip from her hands.
"Oops." Alyson grabbed the glass from Natalie's hand and set it down on the coffee table, "Maybe I should take you to bed?"
"No no... that's alright..." Natalie tried to stand, "I don't want to be in the waaayyy..." It was like her legs would not respond and she fell over, landing on Alyson’s lap.
"It would seem that you were in the Alleys a bit too long." Alyson said as she helped the girl sit up again. Natalie suddenly flinched in pain as the girl touched her side, "Where does it hurt?" Alyson knelt next to the girl, examining her as she clenched her side.
"It's nothing." The blonde said between gasps for air. It suddenly felt as if her ribs were broken, or what she thought it would feel like to have her ribs broken, "It happened during gymnastics practice. Nothing special." She didn't want to burden this girl with her problems, and she felt she should really be getting home.
"Yeah right." Alyson grabbed Natalie's shirt by the bottom and quickly pulled it over the girl's head and tossed it on the back of the sofa. Natalie blinked not sure how she found herself to be sitting in her training bra, "Let me see what you did to yourself." Alyson said as she inspected Natalie's chest, "This is not good." Alyson stared a large bruise that was forming on Natalie's side, which was an odd yellow colour and seemed to be spreading along her ribs. She gazed into Natalie's eyes almost searching for something within them, "You promised..." She said the words almost too soft for Natalie to hear.
At that moment the front door opened, "Alyshione?" a deep voice called out as someone entered the house.
"Over here brother." She didn't let her eyes leave Natalie's as she spoke, "We have company."
A large tall man stepped out of the doorway and into the room. He towered over the two girls as he took off his long white cloak to reveal a dark black uniform that almost pulled the light into it. His white wiry hair hung loosely in his eyes as he looked down at the two girls. They bore into Natalie as she glanced up at him, then as she suddenly realizing that she was topless and quickly covered her body with her arms, turned away from his gaze and tried to hide in the sofa. The man tilted his head to see the bruises along the girl's side, and then turned to hang his cloak upon a hook near the door.
"She is a 'promised.'" Alyson said to her brother's back.
"As I see." He replied, as he began to head down the hall to the back of the house, "If you want to keep her she will be your pupil, not mine." He said as he disappeared down the hall and up a set of stairs.
Alyson's eyes glittered and she yelled after her brother, "Can she really stay?" There was a note of excitement in her voice that made Natalie feel a little uneasy.
"Just remember: She is your responsibility." The man's voice drifted from the depths of the house.
"'Keep her?'" Natalie repeated in confusion, "What does he mean 'Keep her'?" She asked Alyson.
The shorthaired girl turned back to Natalie, "It just means that you can stay." Alyson said with a smile, "And you did say you wanted to find your friend, right?"
"Yeah, but what does that have to do with staying here?" Natalie was even more confused, and the look in Alyson's eyes was beginning to scare her a bit.
"Drake and I are... explorers..." She said, grabbing her glass as she sat upon the couch again, "He taught me everything I know and if you want to help your friend you are going to need to work for it." She took a sip of her drink, "I'm guessing that your family doesn't really notice when you are missing now do they?"
"I'm adopted... They don't seem to care if I'm alive. I don't think they will care if I leave." Natalie said sadly, however no matter how much her family hated her she was suddenly not sure coming here was such a good idea, but if it helped her find Kimberly she would do anything, "But what was this about a 'Promised?' And why do you both seem so interested in this bruise of mine?"
Alyson set the glass down; "You mentioned that you made a promise to someone." She looked Natalie in the eyes; "I can see it in your eyes. A promise to protect someone." She didn't let her eyes waver from Natalie.
Nervously, Natalie's eyes darted around, "Yeah..." She turned and gazed at the floor, "I promised Kim that I would protect her." She tried hard not to let her emotions get the better of her as she felt a bout of tears begin to form, "But I failed."
"No you haven't. That bruise is your link." Alyson said pointing to Natalie's side, "When you made that promise your souls were intertwined to the point where you now reflect her pains."
Gently Natalie touched her side, "So Kim has the same bruise?" She asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.
"More than likely she has a broken rib, or at the least a small fracture." Alyson took another sip of her drink, was not fazed by any of their conversation.
Natalie watched the girl perplexed, "How... how do I know any of this is true?" She asked.
Alyson set her glass on the coffee table and adjusted her seating so she now faced the girl, "Because we are the same." She then pulled off her own top. Natalie stared at the girl for a moment, stunned by the fact that the girl wore no bra and then her eyes moved to the many dark yellowish slash marks that covered her entire chest, they angry and appeared very deep, but they were only on the surface. Natalie almost wanted to reach out and touch them, but stopped herself, "I promised someone once too.” Alyson continued, “Now I have to live with their pains. The only good thing is that as long as I feel their pain I know they are still alive." She leaned closer to Natalie, "And that one day we will meet them again. As long as you keep her in your heart it will lead you to her."
******
Natalie cautiously slipped out from under the blankets while holding her side, which was throbbing, but not as much as the side of face, which stung. She carefully snuck out of the room and entered the washroom where she flipped a switch next to the door flooding the room with light. The washroom was small enough only for one person with a small mirror hanging over a small sink next to a toilet. Natalie approached the sink and turned on the water. She looked at her reflection as the cold water filled her hands. A large bruise had formed over her right eye and her lip was broken open. She gingerly touched the bruise and winced in pain. The sight of the wounds worried Natalie even more. She quietly turned off the light and returned to the bedroom where she found her jean skirt and a t-shirt, then got dressed.
She took another glance at Alyson's sleeping form before carefully tiptoeing down the hall towards the front door. The feeling in her chest grew stronger with every step and it was almost calling to her. She quickly grabbed a long rectangular metal box, with leather straps coming off the sides, off from its hook on the wall. It was about the length of her forearm and placed the instrument along her right arm and buckled it in place. She then put on her black leather boots, pair of red ski goggles and leather jacket, before grabbing her tattered canvas cloak, all gifts from Alyson. When she was finish dressing she opened the door to peeked out into the night. Only when she was sure that there was no one about did she push through the door and plunged into the darkness of some nearby trees. She took one last look at the house that had been her home this past while, before turning away and running off to find out what was calling her so late in the night.
"Kimberly." She asked to herself while gazing up at the starless sky, "Where are you?"
Keeping her mind on the image of her friend, she wove her way through the city. No destination in mind only following the feeling in her heart and allowing her feet to take her where she needed to go. If her heart told her to turn left she would do such without a single hesitation. Alyson taught her how to follow these feelings long ago, however this was the first time it was strong enough to get a clear picture of which way to journey. Every other time the feeling would fade only moments into her travels, however this time the sensation was only building upon itself with every step she made. Before long Natalie realized where the feeling was bringing her and before long she found herself stopping before the gated archway of Whisper Hills Academy. She glanced around quickly to see if she could have possibly made a mistake, again the feeling grew in strength and it was crying out to her from somewhere beyond the gates. She took a deep breath and quickly marched towards the entrance.
Ignoring the lights of the buildings in the distance Natalie turned off the path and trudged across the lawn, wet from nightly sprinklers. A new sense of urgency started to enter the girl's heart and she broke into a hard run until she came across a large chain linked fence, which was meant to keep the students from using the pool area after class was out. Natalie quickly scaled the barrier and sprinted across the patio towards the large body of water normally used by the school's swim team. She circled the pool, her eyes alertly searching the clear waters. She finally stopped at the deep end of the pool in confusion. She was certain her heart was telling her to come to this location, however there didn't seem to be anything there, even the water seemed calm. Then her eyes fell on something unusual. Not far from where she stood there was a small ring of ripples. She started to move closer to the edge of the water to see the ripples begin to grow in strength. Suddenly a hand burst through the surface of the water. Instinctively Natalie tore off her cloak and jacket and pulled the goggles into place before plunging into the pool. Beneath the surface she discovered two girls struggling to reach the top, one she realized right away was Kimberly, however there seemed to be something pulling them down. Natalie dove even deeper to find a dark mass forming below the girl's. A shadowy tentacle was wrapped around one of their legs and slowly dragging both deeper into the depths of the unknown.
With a slight twist of Natalie's right wrist and a long blade sprung forth from the device beneath the girl's sleeve and she swam at the darkness to find herself faced with a pair of glowing red eyes and a mass of teeth. Natalie didn't hesitate for a moment as she plunged the silver blade into the shape. Many tendrils of shadow shot forth at the girl, however Natalie easily dodged the creature's attacks, cutting a tentacle here and there. With each slash of her blade she dove closer to the mass until she plunged her bladed arm deep into the depths of the darkness. A low gurgled roar could be heard as the creature let go of its prey and the three girls were propelled out of the depths. Natalie quickly grabbed hold of the girls and swam them to the edge of the pool where she hauled the girls out of the water and flopped on the ground between the girls, panting heavily. A smile crossed her face and she began to laugh uncontrollably and let out a whopping holler of delight, “I found her Alyson!” She cried out into the night air, “I finally found here.”
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 16
Title: Part 4: Chapter 16
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Four: Through the Glass Darkly
Chapter Sixteen - Hot Chocolate Memories
Slowly the streetlights came to life as the setting sun disappeared behind the buildings and one by one people retreated to the warmth of their beds. No one seemed to notice, or maybe it was that they didn't care, as a girl quietly walked down the winding streets. Nor did she notice how dark the streets were becoming. She was too deep in her thoughts to truly mind. She was clad in a long sleeved loose-cuffed overcoat that brushed the ground. It bore a shoulder flap, which was tied at the neck with the collar up, and hung to her elbows; and the whole ensemble bore an elegant black trim. A large, floppy white beret sat upon her head that looked as if it could fall off at any moment. She didn't look up until the gates to the Academy loomed overhead. Only the trees of the Academy grounds greeted the child, waving their branches slowly in the wind as she walked along the cobble stone path to the school. In the distance the school could be seen, lights still shining in its windows. She glanced through the trees to see the lights of the dorms. The warm light almost seemed to call out to her, but today she had something else on her mind, something more important.
*****
Behind the Academy stood a small house with a single light flickered to life. This was the house of the school Headmistresses and that night Headmistress Sophia was having trouble relaxing. She stretched in her long flannel housecoat, which was open, showing off her blue striped silk pyjamas. She let out a short yawn before setting down on the small sofa that took up a large portion of her home office. She ran a hand through her long black hair as she flopped back, and then reached behind herself to pull out a throw pillow and a small stuffed rabbit. She stared at the rabbit for a moment and let out a sigh. She set it on the coffee table and looked down at a few files laying open in the middle of the coffee table that stood before her.
Those files were the reason for her restlessness. They appeared under the door that morning in a large manila envelope just like the files for every child in the Academy. She had no idea where they came from or who dropped them off, but since working for the Academy she had learned to question very little about the school and it's mysterious ways. These files, however, were particularly unsettling. She proceeded to flip through one of the files again. She remembered clearly the girl in the photo, little Jennifer North. Such a sad child, why did life keep giving this child so many hardships? Then there was the other file, Kimberly Harrison. She could not remember how long it had been since this child disappeared from the Academy walls. Both of the girls were such innocent children that never did anything wrong. Their disappearance hung heavily over many of the students and now they were returning, but why? And where have they been all this time?
The Headmistress began to grab for the final two files when there was a knock at the door. Glancing at the clock she noted that it was well past nine in the night and Sophia wondered who would be visiting at such an hour. Many of the girls were known to visit after hours when they felt lonely or just needed someone to chat with, but still it was always a curiosity as to who would venture past the woods after the lights had gone down.
She began to stand when another young lady came flying down the stairs, jumping two at a time, yelling as she went, "I'VE GOOOTTTT IIITT!!!!." She looked identical to Sophia, aside from having short black hair that bounced with each step and wearing a long pink night gown with bunnies all over it, a pink robe and bunny slippers that is. One would not think that the woman was in her late twenties if they got a look at her at that moment and Sophia shook her head at the sight of her sister. "Sis, what are you doing still working?" Her twin inquired as she reached the bottom of the stairs, almost colliding into her sister.
"I'm just looking over the files for the new girls." Sophia said stepping past her sister towards the front door, "Looks like things will get interesting this year."
"I think it is going to be fun having everyone back again." The girl said in excitement.
"You think everything is fun, Missy." Sophia shook her head at her sister.
"Well, it is fun to get new kids in school." Melissa said in a chipper voice, "and it has been rather quiet the past while."
"Yeah, you are right on that account." Sophia said as she opened the door, "Good eveni_" Her words were caught upon her lips as her eyes fell upon the girl standing before her.
"H.. Hi... Aunt Sophia... Aunt Melissa..." Kris said nervously.
"KRIS!!" Melissa pushed her way past her sister, "Is that really you!?!" She said excitedly while wrapping her arms tightly around the girl's neck, causing Kris to grab her hat before it really did fall off her head, "It has been so long. Where have you been?" Melissa cooed.
Kris held Melissa tight trying to control herself. So many thoughts had ran through her head along her trip and she was finding it hard to keep everything in check, "I..." She tried to speak, but could not find her voice. She looked up from Melissa's shoulder to see Sophia looking at her with her arms crossed and a face that told Kris how disappointed the woman was in her. Kris nervously let go of Melissa and stared down at the ground, trying to avoid Sophia's angry eyes.
"So you finally return." Sophia said coldly, "Where have you been?"
"Let the girl get her coat off and warm up before you interrogate her, would you Sophie?" Melissa said while ushering Kris into the house, helping the girl with her coat to reveal that she was wearing a long white dress shirt with flaring cuffs and a black string tie around her neck, a firm fitted ash grey vest hugged around her chest and long white dress spilled out across the ground, "Would you like some hot coco? You look like you are about to catch yourself a death of a cold." Melissa inquired cheerfully.
"Yes please," Kris whispered nervously while being pulled through the house into the living room where a large fireplace stood. Melissa set Kris in a large chair, and with a clap a roaring fire started, a glow that was warming to Kris as she settled into the chair.
"Mushmellows?" Melissa asked as she started out of the room.
"Please." Kris repeated.
Sophia stood at the doorway, watching her sister run out of the room before entering herself. She walked across the room, sat down in the chair across from Kris and laced her fingers together in front of herself while studying the girl closely, "Soooo..." She began, "What brings you here at such an late hour?"
Kris anxiously fiddled with the buttons on her vest, "I..." She again found it hard to speak. She couldn't even remember why she came here to begin with. She remembered searching for Jenn however before long she found herself here, back at the Academy and in the realm of shadows.
Sophia could see the fear in niece's eyes and let out a short sigh, "You don't have to be afraid of us," Sophia said softly, "I'm not going to punish you or anything. I just want to know what happened."
"I..." Kris took a deep breath, "I don't know." She shook her head, "I don't know what to think."
"Hot Coco is here." Melissa cheerfully said as she entered the room, and then stopped as she saw the sad look on Kris's face and gave her sister a glare, "Have you already started interrogating her? Sis, why do you always have to be so brutal to the girl? She is our niece after all."
"Niece or not she had us all worried. Including her brother." Sophia turned to Kris, "Have you spoken to him as of yet?" She asked the girl.
"N... No..." Kris glanced around nervously, " I just got back."
"And?" Sophia probed.
"I found Jenn..." Kris touched her chest, trying hard not to cry, "She..." Tears filled the girl's eyes, "She went missing again." She hugged a throw pillow from the chair, "After all that time I spent trying to free her from that stupid cream she just disappears again..."
"Oh, Kris..." Melissa stepped forward intending to hug the girl when Sophia raised her hand to stop her.
"You still love her, don't you?" Sophia continued.
Kris looked up from the pillow, "How... how did you know?" She said shocked.
"Come on Kris," Sophia said with a smile, "I'm your aunt and you should know by now that there's nothing that I don't know about."
"Plus she's a nosy busybody." Melissa cut in with a grin.
"At least I don't leave things laying around all the time." Sophia said, glaring at her sister, "I can't believe how many times I have found your stuffed bunnies in the oddest places. How do they manage to get into the school anyways?"
Melissa shrugged, "They have a mind of their own. I have no control over them and you know it."
Sophia let out a sigh and shook her head, "I can never win around here. I wish I knew why brother put the both of us in charge of this school when he knows very well that I could handle things on my own."
"If we understood big brother, then he wouldn't be big brother, now would he?" Melissa said with a smile and handed the cup of coco to Kris, "Careful, it's still hot."
Kris took the cup gratefully, "Thank you. " She said as she sipped at the hot broth with a smile on her face. Her aunts always had a way of making her smile no matter how much her heart ached inside. She remembered having Melissa's coco on wintry nights and a frown crossed her face at the memory.
"Is there something wrong?" Melissa asked, "I didn't put in too much coco, did I?" She said with worry in her tone.
"No no!" Kris protested, "It is perfect... as always. I was just... remembering the first time I tasted your coco is all." She said with a sigh.
"Ahhhh..." Melissa gazed out the window, "Yes, I remember that day too. You appeared on our door step on a night just like this, didn't you?"
"Is that why you are here?" Sophia asked, "You still have no place to stay?"
Kris nodded as she stared into her cup, "I..."
"What if I told you I might know where your friend is?" Sophia asked, crossing her arms across her chest.
"You do?!?" Kris nearly spilled her drink, "Where?!?"
"She should be arriving in the clinic by now." Sophia checked her watch, "We will be checking in on her along with another Returner sometime in the morning."
"Another one?" Kris glanced up curiously from her mug, "Someone I know?"
"She was before your arrival." Sophia gazed at the fire, "A real mystery."
"She is adorable." Melissa said, "The cutest little red head with fiery red eyes that you'd ever seen."
"Red!?!" Kris blinked, "What is her name?"
"Kimberly Harrison." Sophia said watching the expression on her niece's face, "Do you know her?" She asked curiously.
Kris lowered the mug to her lap, "How is it possible?" Kris starred dumbfounded at her aunt, "She was just there with Jenn? I mean I saw her."
Sophia set an elbow on the arm of her chair and rested her chin on her hand, "That girl is filled with mysteries." She sat up, "For now why don't you get some rest. You'll find your room is still in order."
"But what about Jenn?" Kris started to stand.
"She will be fine." Sophia stood up, "Finish your drink then we'll talk in the morning." She promptly left the room.
Melissa stepped up to Kris and set her hand on the girl's shoulder, "I'm sorry, Kris. Sophia can be so cold at times."
"Jenn is back..." Tears streamed down her cheeks, she wrapped her arms around Melissa and buried her face in the woman's shoulder, "and I'm home." She let out a tired sob.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 17
Title: Part 4: Chapter 17
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Four: Through the Glass Darkly
Chapter Seventeen - A Bundle of Sadness
The breakfast bell rung throughout through the halls of the Whispering Hills Eastern Dorm and hungry crowd of girls, many still clad in pyjamas and nightgowns, began to fill the halls. One girl among them walked against the flow of girls, her short, dark brown hair bouncing with each step, a pair of black plastic barrettes held the left side of her hair from falling into her eyes, as she ascended the dorm stairs, carefully weaving her way through the crowd. She watched each girl, in search of someone that she already knew would not be among them. It didn't take long for the halls to clear, leaving her standing alone. With a sigh of disappointment, she continued to climb the stairs to the third floor where she found the halls were quiet apart from the occasional straggler breaking the silence while chatting with a friend or two about the day's events.
"Hey Cherilyn," A passer-by calls out to the girl, "Aren't you going to eat?"
"I will," She replied apprehensively, "Have you seen Tanya around?" Cherilyn asked, gazing down the hall. She already knew what the answer would be, but she held a slight hope that she would be mistaken.
Long faced, the group of girls glanced down the hall and one of them turned back to Cherilyn, "She still hasn't come out of her room." She replied with a note of concern in her voice. Tanya had not been out of her room in a long time, and everyone in the east wing was beginning to worry.
"Thanks," Cherilyn said, trying to force herself to smile at the girls, but only managing to get the corner of her mouth to twitch slightly. The girls mirrored her uncomfortable smile before continuing along their way to the cafeteria. Cherilyn watched until the girls disappeared down the stairwell, only when they were gone did she scan up and down the hall to see if anyone else was still lingering. When she was certain that the floor was empty she march down the hall, this time with more urgency then before and stopped at the door marked E212 at the far end of the hall, where she proceeded to knock.
At first there was no response and Cherilyn was about to knock again when she heard a tired voice speak, almost in a whisper, "I don't want to eat... thanks."
Cherilyn felt her fists clench, just hearing the pain in her friend's voice was like knives in her heart. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before reaching out to open the door, "Tanya, it's me..." She said as she entered the room.
A gloomy feeling permeated the room; the firmly drawn curtains didn't help matters. Two beds, each set against either wall, took up a large portion of the tiny room. A pair of desks faced the walls between the heads of each bed and the far wall, which comprised of one large window that started about waist height and reached to the ceiling, with a small nock for someone to sit upon when they wished. Two Wardrobes took up the ends of the beds and filled the last of the room, leaving only a small amount of space to move around. The left hand side of the room was neat and obviously had not been used in some time while the other bed's covers were rumpled into a tight ball, and a small bit of light brown hair could be seen poking out of the side. The blankets began to shift, and a teenaged girl in baggy blue pyjamas covered in cat paw prints emerged like a butterfly from a cocoon. Her shoulder length hair was a tangled mess, and there were dark circles under her bloodshot eyes, showing that she had been crying for days. She blinked several times and glanced around the room, wavering back and forth where she sat, almost as if she was unaware of her surroundings.
"You weren't in class again yesterday." Cherilyn noted to the girl, while sitting down gently on the corner of the bed.
"I was tired..." Tanya said softly, unable to look at her friend.
"You look more like you're dead." Cherilyn stated. She tried hard to laugh, but the look of despair on Tanya's face made her laughter die before it escaped her lips, "Are you ever going to come back to school?" She asked while she leaned back to stare at the ceiling, planting her hands on either side to support herself.
"What's the use?" Tanya flopped back down on the bed and closed her eyes.
Cherilyn turned her head to glance at her friend, wishing there was something she could say, or do, to help relieve her of some of the sorrow she was feeling. She shifted her hand and felt something hard under the blankets. Reaching underneath the covers, Cherilyn found a small picture frame, which held a year old photo showing Jenn and Kris happily holding each other, smiling cheerfully at the camera. Cherilyn glanced up from the photo to gaze upon the empty bed across the room, where not long ago she used to see Jenn curled up asleep.
'How long had it been? Weeks? Months?' Cherilyn had lost track of the time, but ever since that day... 'Oh sweet Jennifer.' Cherilyn thought to herself while tracing a finger along the outline of the photo. Jenn was not like any of the other East Wingers. She always stood tall and proud, as if the fact that she lived in an orphanage of sorts didn't bother her nonetheless. She had a strength to her that was felt by all those around her. It was no wonder that so many secretly crushed for the girl. While May's passing only made a slight ripple among the school dwellers, Jenn's near death spread through out the school like a tidal wave. It was like a sullen shadow fell over the school, and one by one everyone was being affected by it. No one felt it more than Tanya, who was not only one of Jenn's closest friends, but Cherilyn was certain that at one time Tanya had feelings for Jennifer, just as Cherilyn was feeling for Tanya at that moment. No one really knew how much pain Jenn must have been hiding behind that warming smile of her's. Or how many sleepless nights the girl must have endured before running cold steel across her wrists.
Cherilyn's eyes dropped to her own hands. Her parents had been swiftly taken from her whilst she was away at school. She had arrived at home only to discover their lifeless bodies lying on the living room floor. Her mind simply shut down at that time. Soon after she was sent to Whispering Hills and was told that many of the girls have also survived horrifying events. On more than one occasion had she considered dying, however, the close bonds she found to the many friends she made at the school kept her alive and, to some extent, even sane. She could not fathom what could have happened to Jenn. The girl was known to keep quiet on those details. Not really on purpose. It was like the girl could not remember and Cherilyn could understand that, however the death of May must have been too much for Jenn's mind to handle and finally pushed the girl over the edge.
"It's not fair." Tanya said her voice muffled by the pillow she clenched close to her head, "We should all be eating together like always. It's just not fair." Tears soaked the pillowcase as she buried her face deeper into the pillow and let out an intense sob.
Gingerly Cherilyn placed one of her arms over Tanya's legs and softly set her head on the girl's lap, "I know... I know..." She could not think of anything to say that would soothe her friend, and watching Tanya like this was squeezing on her heart more and more as the days passed by, "I wish I could take the pain away." She mumbled.
"I just want everything to be the way it was." Tanya pulled the pillow off her head, leaving her eyes covered by her arm, "May, Jenn and Kris... " She sniffled.
Cherilyn pulled herself closer to Tanya until she was looking down at the girl. She turned the girl over and pulled her arm away from her eyes so that she could look into them. For the first time Tanya truly noticed Cherilyn. A small tear welled up in the corner of Cherilyn's eye, "I hate seeing you like this." She set her head on Tanya's shoulder.
Setting her hands on Cherilyn's cheek Tanya spoke in but a whisper, "I'm sorry..." Tanya didn't realize until now just how much her friend was hurting. Every day Cherilyn would visit her and watch over her while she slept, only leaving to go to classes or get something to eat. More than once Cherilyn had snuck a snack into Tanya's room, just to make sure the girl ate something, but until now Tanya was too blinded by her own misery to notice. The two girls lay listening to each other's breathing, neither knowing what to say to the other.
Abruptly the intercom crackled to life, "Vitt... Tanya Vitt, telephone for you... Telephone for Tanya Vitt." The intercom shut off.
Cherilyn sat up, "Do you want me to get that for you?" She asked.
"No, that is alright." Tanya unravelled herself from the blankets and dropped her feet into her slippers before standing. She glanced over at her friend, "I'll be right back, alright?" She grabbed a robe off the desk chair and threw it over her shoulders.
"Sure thing," Cherilyn rolled over on the bed and watched Tanya groggily shuffle out the door, leaving Cherilyn alone once again.
After a few moments, Cherilyn got to her feet and pulled the curtains open, flooding the room with the new morning's light. She then opened the window to let in some fresh air. She took a deep breath, feeling the cool autumn air fill her lungs and let it out. Some birds chirped in a nearby tree that a few girls sat in the shade of while eating. Off to her left the school could be seen stretching into the distance. The academy itself is a monolithic structure. The central wing itself is something to behold. Stone steps lead up to a set of massive wooden doors that greet the students as they enter the school. A long row of windows, which belong to the head mistress' office, can be seen overlooking the front schoolyards, and above that sits the school's extensive library. The auditorium occupied the rest of the wing. While the east wing looked like any other modern day school with its clean grey brink walls and lines of steel framed windows running the entire length of all five floors, the west wing had a style that was almost Victorian. The walls were made of a red brick, which looked like they had seen one to many days in the sun. Long branches of ivy spread across much of that side of the building framing wooden windows with old shutters that lined the walls of each of the seven floors, giving the wing an eerie and haunted look to it. Both dorms reflected the uniqueness of their respective wing of the school. At the far end of the school grounds the Western Dorm could bee seen looming on the horizon. Even from this distance the wing held a creepy quality to it, and made Cherilyn shudder.
No one knew, or even understood, why the school was divided in such a way. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to why some of the girls were chosen to live in such a desolate place as the West Wing. Many East Wingers protested when they got their move notice, however once they were settled they seemed quite happy with the idea. It sometimes made Cherilyn curious as to what exactly went on in that end of the school and yet no one would talk about it to the East Wingers. It was not like they were rude about it or anything. They just didn't seem like they wanted to talk much about why that wing existed. Cherilyn felt she grasped, to some extent, the reason for the West Wingers. There was something about those girls that was so much different then all the others. She was almost certain that it was something within their eyes, almost as if some kind of gloom was trying to eat at their very souls. As if their suffering was much more than anyone in the East Wing could ever comprehend.
She was glad she didn't end up as one of the West Wingers, because she was not sure she would be able to live in that old building. Secretly Cherilyn feared the day she too would be called to that hideous wing. She dreaded that her mere feelings for Tanya would damn her to that decaying place. It was well known that many of the girls of the West Wing felt the pleasures of softer flesh. Yet of the East Wingers there were so very few that Cherilyn could count them on her hands and with Jenn and Kris's disappearance that number had greatly diminished.
Her eyes drifted across the landscape to fall upon the black trees of the Western Woods that surrounded most of the west side of the grounds. It looked as if the woods would swallow the entire West Wing dorms in any given minute. Its dark, dense brush stifled all light that tried to enter its boundaries. On the brightest of days the forest only seemed to get that much more dismal. The students were warned of the woods the moment they set foot on the grounds. It was a forbidden place and Cherilyn didn't have to be told twice to stay clear of that area. To her, it felt like the woods itself were alive and she was almost certain that the forest had actually grown larger in the past few months, growing in strength. The longer she stared at it, the more she became convinced that the woods were pulsating and that the gnarled branches of the trees were reaching out towards her, wanting to pull her in and eat her alive. She quickly turning away so she didn't have to look at the thing any longer, only to find Tanya standing in the middle of the room, staring at the photo with tears in her eyes. She glanced up at Cherilyn while wiping at her eyes with the sleeve of her pyjamas.
Cherilyn broke away from the window and pulled the girl into her arms, "Shhhh... It is all right... Just let it out." She whispered softly, while stroking the back of the girl's head.
"I'm sorry." Tanya said between sobs, "I'm just so happy."
"Happy?!?" Cherilyn stepped back so she could look the girl in the eyes, "Huh???" She was clearly confused.
"They're back." Tanya said with a smile, holding the picture frame up, "Their finally back." There was a shimmer in the girl's eyes as if something breathed life back into them and she wrapped her arms around Cherilyn's neck. Cherilyn standing stiff as her mind pinwheeled around what she was hearing. Could it really be true? Jenn and Kris had returned? Her mind struggled with this thought as she stared down at Tanya’s head as she nuzzled into her shoulder. She had to force her arms to encircle the girl and return the hug for in her heart she felt something worrisome about their friends sudden return, but did not wish to ruin her friend’s new found will to live so kept her worries to herself and just enjoyed the hug.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 18
Title: Part 5: Chapter 18
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Five: Innocent Pains
Chapter Eighteen - Unbelievable Reality
Kim struggled with a scream caught in her throat, images of the undying demonic May hovered before her eyes and she clenched at the sheets tossing and turning as she tried to fight off the nightmares. She startled awake drenched in a damp sweat. Her eyes darted around to find herself in the middle of a large room filled with many other beds similar to the one she sat upon, all small and covered in white sheets. There was a line of long tall windows above each bed and she would see a multitude of trees outside and the early morning sun shone through their leaves. Next to her bed, sitting in a hard backed chair, slept Natalie in a black t-shirt and jeans. Kim rubbed her eyes in disbelief.
"Na... Natalie???" She whispered, almost afraid that if she were to awaken the girl the dream would end.
"Unnn...?" Natalie's eyes opened a crack and peered around. They snapped opened the moment they fell on the red head's face, "Kimberly?!? You're awake!!!" Natalie sat upright.
"It really is you this time." Kim continued to stare at her friend in astonishment, "I mean... I'm not dreaming again, am I?" She stammered.
"No," Natalie leaned closer to the girl, "This is no longer a dream." She gave the girl a small smile.
Tears formed in the corners of Kim's eyes, "I can't believe it is really you." She shakily reached out a hand and touched Natalie's cheek then noticed a dark bruise under the girl's eye. Question began to form in her head only to be swept away as Natalie suddenly taking her hand in her's.
"I told you. No more dreams." Natalie squeezed Kim's hand tightly.
"OH Natalie!!!" Kim suddenly jumped forward and wrapped her arms around the girl, "I've missed you so much." She hugged Natalie so hard that she nearly fell out of the bed.
"Wah there girl." Natalie caught Kim and helped her back into the bed, "You have to be careful."
"Is Jenn here?" Kim glanced around so excitedly that she ignored her friends concerns. Her eyes fell on Jenn sleeping soundly in the bed across from her, "Jenn!!! Is she alright?" She jumped to her feet and was about to run the other side of the bed when Natalie tightened her grip on her hand.
"I would like to ask that same question to you." Natalie pulled Kim back to her, turned her around and looked her in the eye, "What about you?" Her voice was calm, yet held an edge nevertheless, "How are you feeling?"
Kimberly forced herself to smile, "I'm fine. Really!"
"Is that so?" Natalie set her blue eyes on Kimberly's.
Kim felt nervous under Natalie's penetrating gaze. Those where not the same eyes she remembered, "Uhhh.. Of course..." She stammered, nervously pulling on her nightgown and was surprised to find she was now in a hospital gown.
Natalie stood up from the chair and pulled the girl closer so they were almost nose-to-nose and stared the girl in the eyes. Kim noticed that although Natalie was younger her eyes showed that she had grown a lot since they last met, "Don't lie to me Kim. You were never good at it so don't even try." Natalie said coldly.
Kim's fake smile quivered, "I'm perfect! Couldn't be be-" before she could finish her sentence Natalie grabbed Kim's gown and pulled it over the girl's head, "Eeep!" Kimberly wrapped her arms around her body to cover her bandaged chest. Blood could be seen seeping through the damp wrappings near her shoulder, along with the numerous bruises, cuts and blood that covered her arms, legs and stomach.
Natalie blinked for a moment in disbelief, trembling as she tried to keep herself calm, "LOOK AT YOU!!" Anger could be heard in her voice, "Here you're worried about your friend, and you're worse off than she is. Black eye, cut, bruised... and... and THIS!" She gestured at Kimberly's bandages.
Kimberly cringed at the sound of Natalie's voice "I... I'm sorry." her voice came out in a quivering whispered.
Natalie watched as the girl began to shake and Nat closed her eyes, forcing her anger away. She could no more blame Kim anymore then she could blame herself for not being there for the girl. She opened her eyes and let out a sigh. She watched the redhead she had searched for trembling with fear. Nat placed a hand under the her friend's chin, raising it so the redhead would have to look her in the eyes, "Listen." Kim pulled away only to have Natalie take a firmer grip on her chin, forcing Kim to look at her, "Look at me!" Natalie snapped, scaring the girl so badly that she had to respond to the command, "I'm sorry I yelled," Nat said softly, "I was just so worried about you," She wiped one for the tears off the girl's cheek with her other hand, "Please don't cry."
Kimberly wiped at her tears with the back of her hands, "I'm sorry... I..." she said between sniffles.
"No, I should be apologizing," Natalie said softly, as she hugged Kim closely to her body.
"Now isn't this a touching sight." A voice said from the other side of the room. The girls turned to see a short young girl, in her early teens that the very least, with very short, scruffy black hair and a white lab coat that was a little to big for her approached the girls, "Now Nat, you know to keep things PG in the clinic." She said with a sly grin.
Natalie blushed and handed Kim her gown, "It is nothing like that, Amy" She protested, "I was just checking her wounds."
"Well, I'm the specialist so it will be my place to say." She eyed Kim as the girl frantically tried to pull on the gown, "You will not be needing that." Her grin broadened.
Embarrassed, Kim stopped with her head and one arm in the nightgown, "I won't?" She inquired in confusion, and embarrassment. The girl could not have been over sixteen years old. How could she possibly be a specialist in anything, Kim thought. Kim glanced at Natalie in search of some kind of answer only to get a shrug from the girl and nervously Kim again removed the gown.
"Good now come sit down." Amy requested patting on the bed. Kim did as she was told and sat as still as possible as Amy examined the girl, "I'm guessing you think it is weird for someone my age to be looking you over, am I right?" She asked while pulling a pen light from her pocket.
"Sort of...." Kim admitted tensely, her eyes darting from the girl to Natalie.
"They decided it would be best if the girl's here were taken care of by someone similar to them." Amy said while shining the light in Kim's eye, "and I am qualified. My parents had me studying a lot of medical information while I was in school. Guess they wanted me to become a doctor." She shut off the light and shrugged.
"Are your parents here?" Kim asked curiously.
"No, I'm alone like the rest of you." Amy admitted nonchalantly.
"Alone?" Kim blinked, "Everyone here is alone?"
"Yeah," Natalie said, gazing out a window, "Pretty much everyone at the academy is on their own."
"Enough about us, “Amy pulled a small note pad from her pocket, "Can you tell us how you got those bruises?" She asked cautiously.
Kim wrapped her arms around her stomach and looked down at the ground, "I..." She rubbed the side of her head with the palm of her hand, "I can't remember."
Amy set her hand on the girl's shoulder, "It's alright." She gave Kim a warm smile, "Most of us here have missing memories." She stood up, "Listen, I need to take some blood and replace those damp bandaged, but afterwards why don't you and Natalie go out for a bite to eat at the mall. How does that sound?"
"Sounds good to me." Natalie smiled, "We can also get you a nice dress too." Kim slowly nodded. She didn't know what to think anymore.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 19
Title: Part 5: Chapter 19
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Five: Innocent Pains
Chapter Nineteen - Stomach Revenge
Cherilyn watched in amusement as Tanya ran around the room with a towel around her body. Tanya had already taken a quick shower and now searched for clean clothes while another towel, wrapped around her head, threatened to fall off at any given moment. Tanya saw her friend snicker and tossed the wet towel off her head at Cherilyn who caught it in mid air.
"You could stop laughing and actually help." Tanya demanded as she dug through the wardrobe.
"Why? It's more amusing to watch." Cherilyn said with a smile in her face, "I haven't seen you like this in a long time and I'm savouring the moment." She let out another giggle.
A shirt landed on Cherilyn's head, "Well stop it." Tanya said, trying to act seriously, "You could at least try to help."
Cherilyn got up, "Yes ma'am." She walked over to the girl and set her head on Tanya's shoulder while they both studied the contents of the wardrobe that stood before them, "How about that one?" She said, pointing at an orange skirt, "I've always liked that one."
Pulling out the skirt Tanya looked it over, "You do, do you?" She smiled at Cherilyn, "I just don't like the tank top that goes with it... I don't know why...."
"Why don't you just wear that white long sleeved one under it then?" Cherilyn said as she pointed to one of the several shirts that lay strewn across the bed.
Tanya picked up a shirt and examined it, "You think that would work?" She raised one eyebrow at the set of clothes she had gathered.
"I think," Cherilyn pulled Tanya into her arms, "That Kris will not care as long as you're not late. What do you think?"
"Late?!?" Tanya glanced at the clock on her desk, "Ohmygod, I'm supposed to be at the mall in thirty minutes." She started to shove Cherilyn out of the room, "OUT! I need to get changed."
"Awww... What does it matter, you're already naked..." Tanya glanced at herself and turned a deep red; she had lost the towel that was around her body in the chaos of finding something to wear. Cherilyn laughed as she allowed herself to be kicked out, stopping at the door and turning around to look Tanya in the eye, "Good to see you're back to normal." She smiled at the girl while holding the door open with one hand.
"Thanks..." Tanya smiled while hiding behind the door.
"Thank me when you bring those girls back, alright?" Cherilyn poked Tanya on the nose with a finger, "You'd better hurry now." She stepped out of the way of the door.
"I'll talk to you later." Tanya said as she turned and let the door close behind her.
It took Tanya only minutes to throw her clothes on, but she had to struggle with her hair for a bit longer. She tried her hardest to towel it dry but it seemed to stay damp. She finally gave up and pulled her hair up into a pair of pigtail and looked at her attire one last time, and then ran out the door, down the stairs and out of the dorm.
Behind the school stood a small mall designed to give the girls something to do on their days off. It was run by some of the people in the nearby town and held a small restaurant, hair stylist and clothing shop among other things. Tanya quickly ran past the Head Mistresses house, and then passed through a small park filled with picnic tables for those warmer days, and by the time she reached the mall she was panting heavily, even though it was a all down hill. It didn't help that she had not been outside in months and not eaten much either, but she felt like she could run miles if it meant seeing Kris and Jenn again.
She flopped on a bench near the mall and scanned the area in search of Kris, and then prepared to wait. There was no one else around so Tanya began worried that maybe Kris had already left. She checked her watch again to find it was now fifteen minutes past the time Kris said she would arrive at. She listened to her watch to make sure it was working then began waving her arm around wildly praying that it was not broken.
"Is that some new kind of exercise?" A voice said from behind Tanya, causing the girl to jump.
"EEEIIAAAA!!" Tanya yelled as she jumped to her feet and spun around.
Kris was standing only a foot away from Tanya, "Good to see your lungs are still working." She said as she rubbed a finger in her ear, "I'm not to sure about my ears."
"I'm sorry Kris," Tanya quickly apologized, "I didn't realize it was you."
"I forgot how easy it was to scare you." Kris took the finger out of her ear, "I should know better."
"I thought you said you'd be at the north entrance?" Tanya rambled nervously, "I didn't make a mistake, did I? Was I at the wrong entrance?"
"No," Kris glanced around, "I just needed to get some money first. Sorry for the confusion."
"Ahhhh," Tanya said letting out a sigh of relief.
"Listen, have you eaten yet?" Kris asked glancing at the mall entrance.
"Not really... why?" Tanya asked while eyeing the girl.
"Good, then you won't mind us stopping for something to eat." Kris offered with a smile.
"I guess." Tanya looked the girl over carefully, noticing that even though Kris appeared the same as the last time they met, there was something about her that had changed as well, mostly it appeared that the girl had not slept in a long time. Also there was something in her eyes and her voice, almost as if she was holding something back. This was not like the Kris Tanya remembered so dearly, but Tanya realized that whatever it was her friend must have a reason for keeping it a secret, so she remained silent, and simply watched the girl as they approached the mall entrance.
"Then let's get going." Kris said and Tanya jumped into step beside her friend, "How does a sundae sound to you?" Kris asked, opening the mall's doors.
"Great!" Tanya said with smile, "I'm starved."
Kris stared at Tanya in shock, "I thought you would have been at breakfast when I called?" She asked while holding the door for the girl.
Tanya nervously stared at the ground guiltily, "I sort of missed breakfast... and dinner...." she whispered ashamed of herself.
"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Now it was Kris’s turn to study her friend and for the first time she noticed just how pale the girl was, and worn down she appeared, "Have you even been going out at all? You don't look to hot." There was a note of concern on her voice that reminded Tanya of the old Kris that she knew.
"Ummm..." Tanya nervously rubbed the back of her neck.
Kris grabbed the girl's arm, "In that case we're going to get some food in you, understood?" She said as if there was not going to be any arguments about it.
For some reason, hearing Kris talk to her like this made a smile break out across Tanya's face and she suddenly wrapped her arms around the girl's neck, "Kris! I've missed you so much." Tears filled her eyes.
"Me too, kid." Kris spotted a few people watching them and she began to usher Tanya through the door, "Let's find a place to eat so we can talk." She pulled the girl along and entered the first place that looked quiet and served some form of food.
A waitress in her mid twenties approached the two girls, "Is there anything I can do for you?" She said with a warm smile.
"A table for two, please." Kris said, still dragging Tanya behind her, "And could we have a quiet place in the back?"
The waitress blinked for a moment then smiled, "Alright miss, if you would follow me." She pulled out two menus from a slot on the wall and began to weave her way to the back of the restaurant, the two girls following closely behind her. She stopped at a table for four at the far corner and set the menus down on the table. Kris nodded in approval of the table, which had a short wall covered in plants surrounding three sides of a small square table, a small yellow lamp swinging slightly overhead providing a soft glow that was not too dim, but not harsh either. Kris gestured for Tanya to take one side of the table as she moved to the other.
"Would you like anything to drink before ordering?" The waitress politely asked.
"Water." Kris requested as she sat in the chair closest to the wall.
"Ummm..." Tanya thought as she pulled out the chair directly across from Kris, "Can I have a strawberry banana milkshake?" she asked.
"Sure thing." The waitress wrote the order down on a small pad, "I'll be back to take your orders in a few." She turned around and left the two girls on their own.
"Milkshake?" Kris gave Tanya an amused look.
"Well, you owe me, so expect to pay big time." Tanya stated, as she crossed her arms and leaned against the back of her chair, pushing two of the chair’s legs off the ground until the back of the chair rested against the wall behind her.
"I guess it's the least I can do, considering..." Kris let out a deep sigh as she placed her elbows on the table, laced her fingers together, setting her chin on her hands and watching Tanya, "So how have you been?"
"Horrible." Tanya glared across the table, "First May dies, then Jenn tries to commits suicide and then she disappears from the hospital. Soon after you up and disappear without so much as a goodbye. How do you expect me to feel?" Tanya growled.
Kris lifted her head in shock, "Didn't you get my letter?" She asked concerned.
"Oh you mean, 'I'm off to find Jenn, Kris.' That letter?" Tanya let the chair fall back to the floor as she felt herself struggling with the urge to stand up and scream, "You never even called once to tell me how you were doing."
"I'm sorry," Kris let out another sigh, "I never meant to hurt you or anyone else. I just..."
"Your milkshake." The waitress appeared out of nowhere and placed a tall glass in front of Tanya, "And one water." Setting another glass by Kris, "Are either of you ready to order?"
"No," Kris said not looking up, "I'm not very hungry right now."
Tanya quickly skimmed over the menu, "I'll have a cheese burger with fries and a banana split for afterwards." She smiled over the menu at Kris, "Is that alright with you Kris?"
"Sure," Kris rubbed her forehead. The pain in her head had been growing since she returned and didn't seem to be letting up. She had an idea this was going to be a long morning, but was not prepared for Tanya's stomach revenge, "Anything you want." She waved her hand in Tanya's direction.
Smiling, Tanya set the menu next to herself, "In that case I'll keep this for now." She said to the waitress, who gave the girls a confused look.
"One cheese burger and fries then." She stepped back from the table, and again ran off.
"I guess there is no way you'll forgive me?" Kris said softly.
"I don't know." Tanya said smiling at Kris, "Seeing as I was so worried about the two of you for the past while that I haven't eaten much of anything, I think your paying for the tab will at least get you back in my good books. That is if I get to see Jenn anytime soon. You mentioned on the phone that she is also back, is that true?"
There was a soft thud as Kris hit her head on the table, "You will." She said without lifting her head, "She's sleeping in the clinic right now."
"So what happened?" Tanya said in excitement, "How is she? And where have you been all this time?"
"Hard to explain..." Kris rolled her head to the side while curling an arm under it, "It's like some weird dream or something. I'm not sure how to explain it all."
"Well, strange things are known to happen around here." Tanya was again scanning the menu preparing for what she would order next before her hamburger even arrived.
"This was just..." The more Kris tried to think, the more her memories became confused, "You know that feeling you have right after you wake up, where you're not sure if you were dreaming the moment before or not?"
"Yeah, I have that feeling all the time." Tanya peered over the top of the menu, "But what does that have to do with you running away?"
Kris looked up at her friend, "I had a feeling." There was a dreamy look in her eyes, like a cloud was forming over them.
Tanya gave her friend a puzzled look, "A feeling?" She said in dismay.
"I entered the western woods." Kris whispered.
"YOU WHAT!?!" Tanya stood up in shock, nearly knocking her chair over, "What made you enter that place?"
"Shhhh...." Kris tried to calm the girl down, "Will you sit down." She half commanded.
Tanya slowly sat back down, "What do the woods have to do with Jenn?" She asked more confused than before.
"I don't know. It's so weird." Kris continued, "It was almost like falling asleep, and I was dreaming about Jenn, and May and everyone else. It was like I'd entered Jenn's dreams of how she wanted the world to be. Then there was this other girl I'd never seen before who suddenly appeared out of nowhere."
"Another girl?" Tanya sipped on her drink, "Do you know who she was?"
"Her name is Kimberly and..." Kris sat up straight as she struggled with her memories, "She and Jenn seemed to get along rather well." At that moment the waitress returned with Tanya's meal, but this time she quickly set the plate down and ran off without a word. When the waitress was gone, Kris looked at Tanya with a serious look on her face, "You've been a friend of Jenn's almost as long as May. Do you remember any girls with long fiery red hair hanging around her?"
Tanya raised her hamburger to her mouth then stopped and thought, "Not that I remember." She opened her mouth to take a bite then stopped again and looked at Kris curiously, "Why do you ask?"
"Something about the way those two reacted to each other. Like Jenn knew the girl or something." Kris stole a fry from Tanya's plate; "Jenn took notice to the girl very quickly too."
Tanya lowered her meal. Her hamburger now forgotten, "She did?" Tanya sat back in her chair staring at the ceiling, deep in thought, "That doesn't make sense." She looked back at Kris, "Jenn doesn't usually talk to girls she doesn't know closely."
"That is what I thought, but Jenn remembers her. She remembered this girl, but not me or anything else. Nothing. Not even May's death." Kris said with a sigh, "That's why I wanted to meet up with you first."
"Have you told her anything?" Tanya asked, eyeing the girl.
"No," Kris said sheepishly, "I don't know what to say to her. I can't just blurt it out, now can I?"
"You do realize what you're suggesting?" Tanya said almost calmly, "This is not like keeping a present a secret. If she finds out you have been lying to her..."
"I know, I know." When Kris looked up at Tanya a small tear formed in her eye, "Do YOU want to be the one to tell her?"
Tanya closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "No, but still..." She looked down at the hamburger, "I think I lost my appetite again." She set her cheek in her hand and turned towards the entrance of the restaurant to see Natalie waiting to be served with another girl hiding closely behind her, "Oh my god. It's Natalie!!!"
"Who?" Kris asked, munching on another stolen French fry.
"You don't know?" Tanya cowered low in her seat, "It's The Natalie Harshaw! Prince of the Western Wings!!" She said in a low whisper.
"You know her, I guess." Kris gave Tanya an odd look.
"Kris dear," Tanya patted the girl's hand, "After you disappeared Natalie took over your spot as the second most popular girl in the academy. Second only to Alyshione Dalfort, leaving you in third place." Tanya glanced back at Natalie and let out a sigh, and then a puzzled look crossed her face, "What is she doing with that other girl. Last I heard she was dating Alyshione."
Kris set her face in her hands, "Not this again. You girls never change." She glanced up to get a look at what was so special about this girl Tanya was going on about. Her eyes fell on Natalie who appeared, to Kris, like an ordinary teenager. She had a bit more of an athletic build than average, but nothing special, other then the fact that she wore a thick buckle covered leather jacket with a short jean skirt. Kris's eyes widened a moment later as Kimberly stepped out from behind the girl, dressed in a long blue short sleeved dress with a black turtle neck underneath covering the girl's entire arms to her finger tips.
"Is there something wrong?" Tanya asked, curiously watching the expression on her friend's face.
Kris abruptly stood up, "It's her!" She exclaimed.
"Who?" Tanya munched on her burger again, trying to get a clear look at who Kris was looking at.
"It's the girl I was just telling you about." Kris said, still astonished to see the girl right before her.
"Really?" Tanya could see Natalie and Kim walking towards them, " She is a cutie." Tanya said with a grin.
"I..." Kris glanced from Tanya to Kim, "Give me a moment." Kris scrambled over a chair, knocking it to the ground, and ran over to the two girls, "Kimberly, is that really you?"
"Kris?!?" Kim seemed startled to see the girl.
"You know this girl?" Natalie asked Kim, keeping a suspicious eye on Kris.
"I..." Kim rubbed her head, "She went to school with Jenn."
"What are you talking about?" Natalie inquired, "What school?"
"I..." She clenched the side of her head, "I can't remember."
"It's okay." Kris said with a smile, "You at least remember me right." Her smile quickly faded as she noticed Kim's blackened eye, "What happened?!?" She exclaimed, then turned to Natalie to see the girl had a similar yet slightly faded bruise.
"Don't look at me." Natalie said defensively, "She will not tell me what happened."
Kris shuffled her feet nervously and glanced over at Tanya, "Why don't you two join us?" She offered.
Kim looked brightly at Natalie, "Can we?" She asked, genuinely smiling for the first time since they left Amy’s clinic.
Natalie shrugged, "It is up to you. Do you want to join them?"
Kim slowly nodded.
"Good then." Kris clapped her hands together and led the group over to Tanya, where she fixed the chair she only recently knocked over. "This is my friend Tanya." She gestured to Tanya, "Tanya, this is Kimberly and... Natalie was it?" Kris asked the blonde.
"How do you know my name?" Natalie eyed Kris, "And how do you know Kim for that matter?"
"Long, hard to explain story." Kris slid back into her seat with Kim sitting next to her and Natalie sat next to Tanya, who could not take her eyes off the blond, "As for your name, Tanya here seems to be a fan of yours." Kris explained with a nod at the pigtailed girl.
"Kris!!" Tanya exclaimed, "Why'd you tell her that?" She asked worriedly.
The waitress nervously waited for the girls to get settled, "Here are you menus." She set the menus in front of the girls and Natalie quickly picked up her's while Kimberly simply stared at the cover of her's. "Do you what anything to drink?" The waitress inquired.
Natalie glanced over the menu quickly, "We'll have two glasses of milk. I'll have a hamburger and Kim will have a plate of eggs with toast." She peered over the top of the menu at her friend, "Does that sound alright to you, Kim." Natalie asked and Kim slowly nodded in agreement, "That will be all for now." Natalie handed the menus back to the waitress.
"Al... alright then." The waitress took the menus and rushed off to get their orders. The table was surrounded in silence as they all waited for their order to arrive.
"Where is Alyshione?" Tanya asked curiously.
"At home more than likely." Natalie yawned, "She came home late the other night and crashed pretty quickly. More than likely she is still sleeping."
Kim's head perked up, "Who is Aly...Alyshione?" She asked, curious about what her friend had been up to the past while.
"Just a girl," Natalie stated, looking to see where their food was, "She helped me find you in a way."
"Just a girl?" Tanya said excitedly, "Alyshione is more then just any girl. She is amazing, athletic, smart, charming, and so cool.
Natalie smirked, "Is that how you girls see Alyson?"
Tanya gave Natalie a sly look, "You would be the one to know the best. From what I've heard you are very close."
"That is none of your business." Natalie glared angrily at the girl causing Tanya was startle and cringed in her chair.
"So you are a West Winger then?" Kris inquired, understanding Natalie's discomfort with the current interrogation.
"Yeah," Natalie set her head in her hands, "Only been for a few years now."
"Really?" Tanya suddenly spoke up, finding her voice again and coming out of the corner, "What is it like?"
"Nothing special I guess." Natalie picked at the table clothe, "It seems creepy at first, but everyone is really nice." She lifted her head to gaze at Kris, "What about you? I've not seen you around before."
"I've been here a few years." Kris stated, munching on another fry.
"Kris is lucky." Tanya said with a foxy grin, "She is the niece of the Head Mistresses."
"Don't tell them that!" Kris exclaimed.
"Now I know you." Natalie stated pleased, "You are quite popular in the East wing. Didn't something big happen to you and some other girls."
"Our friend went missing." Tanya said sadly, "We were just talking about her return."
"Are you talking about Kim's friend?" Natalie asked curiously, "Jennifer was it?"
"Yeah." Kris said, "We are going to see her after we eat."
"She was still sleeping when we left." Natalie said.
"You saw her?" Tanya asked excitedly, "How is she?"
"Hard to tell." Natalie said as the waitress arrived with their food, "These two nearly drowned to death in the pool last night if I had not arrived. I won't be surprised if they taste chlorine for a week. "
"I'm sorry..." Kim lowered her head in shame.
"The pool?" Kris asked aghast, "What were they doing there?"
"Who knows," Natalie picked up her burger, "It is a good thing I was passing by when I did."
"What were you doing in the pool at night?" Kris eyed the girl suspiciously, "Isn't it usually locked at night?"
"Why does it matter?" Natalie took a bite of her burger, "You can ask her when you see her."
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 20
Title: Part 5: Chapter 20
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Five: Innocent Pains
Chapter Twenty - Scarred Denial
Jennifer kicked out in her sleep and abruptly sat bolt up right in her bed. She clenched at her chest as a feeling of dread welling up inside her heart. She squeezed her eyes shut against the nightmarish images that plagued her mind. Flashes of May, Kris, Tanya, her mother and she could vaguely remember a small red headed girl.
After a moments time her breathing began to steady and she felt she could face reality once again. However, when she opened her eyes she was not prepared for what stood before her. She rubbed her head, trying to recall how she ended up in the small clinic, when she noticed matching bandages covering her wrists. She turned her hands over and studied the bandages carefully. She lifted her trembling hands to eye level and stared in disbelief at them. Shakily she touched the bandages. It couldn't be real. She couldn't have... She began to pull at the bandages. Slowly at first, then sped up until she was tearing the bandage off, sobbing as she frantically pulled on the cloth.
Soon she came to the last layer and stopped for there was dried blood upon this layer ahd Jenn felt her heart sink. Jenn hesitated, not sure if she wanted to see what was under that last layer. She swallowed hard and while clenching her teeth she pulled the bandage off in one swift movement, closing her eyes against the slight pain that rose up as the cloth tore away from her wrist. Warily she opened one eye; there was an angry cut across her wrist with ugly black stitches holding the skin together with bits of dried blood clinging to the stitches. Jenn began to shake uncontrollably and her breathing grew unsteady as a pain swelled inside of her heart and head. She wrapped her arms around herself and curled up in to a tight ball as the room filled with the sounds of Jenn's sorrow filled sobs.
"Jennifer?!?" Kris burst into the room with Tanya and Amy close behind her. Jenn glanced up at her friends and blinked. Both her friend looked miserable, Kris’s eyes showed a deep sadness to them, while Tanya looked pale and thinner then she last recalled seeing the girl, but there was smile upon her face and tears in her eyes. The mere sight of her friends sent Jenn into another wave of sobs deep from within the depths of the girl's soul as tears overwhelmed her.
Kris half ran, half stumbled to her friend’s side, "Jenn!!!" She called out again as she knelled next to the girl’s bed.
Jenn forced herself to sit up a little, still visibly trembling, "Kris...?" She blinked at Kris and shakily reached out towards her friend, holding out her wrists to the girl, "I..." She chocked on her sobs, tears streaming down the girl's cheeks.
"It's alright." Kris reached out and took Jenn into her arms, "Everything will be alright." She said calmly.
"What... What happened to me?" Jenn stammered as she clenched at Kris's shirt, "I... " She looked down at her wrists in disgust.
Kris let out a pained sigh, "I..." Kris took a deep breath and turned to the young nurse, "Is she going to be alright, Amy?" She pleaded with desperation in her eyes.
Amy crossed the room, "Well that all depends on what our friend here can tell us." She smiled down at Jenn, "How are you feeling?"
Jenn rubbed at her head, "I... don't know." She stammered, her lip quivering as she tried to control her tears, "I'm so confused..." She sniffled and wiped at her eyes.
"So are we." Amy said, while pulling a chair up close to the bed and sitting upon it, "From what I hear you have been missing for quite some time now. Care to fill us in a little? Do you remember anything?" She asked soothingly.
Jenn glanced between Kris and the nurse, "I... I don't know...." Jenn stated, her head hurt and the harder she tried to think the more confused she felt, "I'm sorry..." She clenched the side of her head as a wave of pain filled it, "I... I can't remember..." She struggled with her memories.
"Hmmm..." Amy tapped a pen on the side of her leg. There was a long silence as the nurse took in what she was just told, then turned back to Jenn, "Do you have any idea how you got in the pool??"
"Pool?" Jenn thought for a moment, she had a faint taste of chlorine in her mouth and a sudden realization that she was now clad in a hospital gown, "I... I remember going to school with Kris and Tanya...." She turned to Tanya; "Yesterday we walked to school together and were teasing Kris about not yawning..." Jenn stopped when Tanya’s eyes moved at the ground, avoiding her friend’s gaze, "We did walk to school together, didn't we?"
Tanya glanced around at the other girls in the room for an answer when she got none she turned back to Jenn and gave her a nervous smile, "I..." She closed her eyes and shook her head.
"How can that be?" Jenn started to become frantic, "I remember. You were teasing me about Kim..." She suddenly hauled, "Kimberly...?" She scanned the room, "Where is Kim?"
"She is with her friend." Kris stated, "She said they would be here by now." Kris glanced at her watch.
"Friend?" Jenn gave Kris a confused look then her eyes widened, "Na... Natalie?"
"That was her." Kris exclaimed, "How do you know about Natalie?"
"Someone called?" Natalie entered the room with Kimberly, hugging closely to her friend. Kim seemed rather scared and would not stand further than an inch from the girl. Jenn stared mystified by the girl's appearance.
"Well, if it isn't our little heroine." Amy stood up and smiled at the girl, "How is our other patient?" She inquired.
Natalie gave Kim a quick glance, "She is a little on the frightened side, however she will be fine."
"Kimberly!?!" Jenn scrambled across the bed, "You are really here. Is this some kind of dre_?" She stopped abruptly seeing the girl's bruises, "Did he really..." She rubbed suddenly felt exposed and pulled at her gown.
"Did who?" Natalie asked, interested to learn what happened to the girls, "Do you know who did this to Kim? Tell me!" Anger filled the girl's eyes.
Jenn glanced at the scared look in her friend's eyes; there was a look in the red head's eyes that almost pleaded with Jenn to keep quiet. Jenn lowered her head, "I... I can't remember..." She rubbed her head, "What is going on? Why can't I remember?" She began to tremble again and looked up at the redhead, "Do you remember, Kim?" She asked desperately.
Kim nervously glanced around at all the eyes that turned on her, "I..." She clung onto Natalie's arm, "I don't know." She began to quiver and rub her head. "Nothing makes any sense anymore." Kim tears formed in the corners of her eyes.
"That is why you are here." A serene voice spoke from behind Kim and everyone looked up to see Head Mistress Sophia enter the room with Melissa next to her. Sophia was dressed in a fashionable business suit with a set of files in her hands, while her twin sister wore faded jeans and a baggy orange sweater covered in bunny prints. Sophia gave the girls a gentle smile as she stepped further into the room, "Morning to you all." Sophia greeted the group.
"Head Mistresses!" Amy stood to her feet, "I though you were not going to be here until this evening?" She asked uneasily.
"I had a feeling that we were needed earlier than usual." Sophia set her hand on Kim's head; "Don't stress yourself too much right now. Just try to relax." She warmly smiled at Kim, making the tears mysteriously wash away and the girl shyly returned the smile, "Things will come to you soon enough." Sophia empathically stated.
"But..." Jenn shakily looked at her hands, suddenly recalling the blood that had seeped out from under the sleeves of her shirt during school and pooled up in her hands and all of a sudden understood what the vision meant, but shook her head as she tried not to believe what she knew in her heart.
Sophia crossed the room and knelt beside Jenn, "You will remember in due time." She wiped a tear off the girl's cheek, "We are here to help."
"NAT!" Melissa squealed and rushed across the room, passed her sister, and wrapped her arms around Natalie's neck, "Where have you been?" She exclaimed excitedly, squeezing the girl in her arms.
"Help!" Natalie struggled against the woman's grasp.
"Hello, Head Mistress." Tanya finally said, keeping herself out of arms reach of Melissa.
"TANYA!!!" Melissa squealed again, "I'm so glad to see the both of you." She reached out with one arm to hug the girl, without letting go of Natalie, only to have Tanya step back out of reach.
Sophia straightened up and scanned the group of girls, "We seem to have quite the gathering this morning." She turned to Tanya, "Good to see you are up and about as well, Tanya." Sophia nodded to the girl, causing her to blush in embarrassment.
"You.. You know me?" Tanya asked in astonishment.
"I know all the girls here." Sophia stated, turning her attention to Natalie, "Even those who sneak around in the late hours of the night."
"Help! I'm being accosted!!!" Natalie choked as she squirmed against Melissa's hold.
"I would not go as far as to say that." Sophia stifled a chuckle, "Missy, would you let the girl free?"
Melissa pouted and dropped Natalie back to the ground, "I was just excited to see Nat again."
"I know you are," Sophia said with a sigh, "I wish you would calm down a little for once in a while."
"I'm sorry..." Melissa hopped onto a nearby bed.
Sophia continued to eye Natalie, "I'm hoping that the return of your friend means that you will be staying with us again."
Natalie blushed, "You knew about that?" She asked shyly.
"I know everything that goes on at our Academy." Sophia said with a sly grin, "Including your ventures into the Alleys with your lady friend, Miss Alyshione Dalfort."
"I... that is..." Natalie's face only reddened that much more.
"You've been in the Alleys?" Tanya said astonished, "That place gives me the creeps." She shivered at the thought of the dark reassess of the city's slums. She had heard many stories of the things that lived out there and could not fathom what would make Natalie want to enter such a place.
"We know your reasons are just." Sophia reassured the girl, "I only wish you would be a little more careful. Alyshione's brother is a dangerous man to be near. I would feel a lot better if the both of you would stay at the academy." She let out a slight sigh, "I worry about you girls so."
Natalie stared at the floor. She knew Sophia was right. Needless to say she had tried to get Alyson to move into the dorms with her, however the girl's brother made it extremely hard. It was as if he had a leash around Alyson's neck that keeps tightening every time Alyson tried to free herself and yet she acts as if nothing was wrong. Natalie wished she could free her friend from that man, but didn’t know where to start.
Sophia patted the girl on the head. "Don't worry yourself to much. I feel that soon Alyson will be joining us again." She gave the girl another welcoming smile then turned back to the others, "Now how about we assign you to your dorms." She opened up one of the folders she had been holding in her hand.
"Ummm..." Tanya stepped forward and nervously fiddled with her fingers, "Will Jenn still be in my room? I've kept all her things together and..."
"I'm sorry." Sophia let out a woeful sigh, "She is being moved to the West Wi-"
"NO!" Tanya screamed, trembling, "She is supposed to be coming back with me." Tanya clenched the chest of her shirt, "It... it was going to be like... before..." She stammered, struggling with the tears that threatened to engulf her, "What about Kris?" She pointed at the girl with hopelessness in her eyes.
"I'm sorry. She is going too." Sophia stepped towards the girl, "I'm not the one who chooses these things. These things just happen."
"No no no!!!" Tanya violently shook her head, "It's not fair!!" She cried out in disapproval.
"Now, Tanya." Sophia went to pat the girl on the head only to have Tanya duck out of the way and run out of the room crying.
"Tanya!!!" Kris started after her friend.
Melissa wrapped an arm around Kris's shoulders, "Let her go." She whispered in the girl's ear, "She needs to face this on her own."
"She's right..." Kris hugged her aunt, "It's not fair."
Sophia took a long breath, "Well, shall we get you four settled then?" She opened the folder again.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 21
Title: Part 5: Chapter 21
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Five: Innocent Pains
Chapter Twenty-One - Lonely Tears
Cherilyn lay in her bed staring up at a small photo she held at arms length. The photo was old, but one that she held close to her heart. For it was a photo of Tanya and right now she was beginning to wonder what her friend was up to. She rolled over on her side keeping her eyes close on the photo and let out a deep sigh.
The door to her room unexpectedly burst open at that moment as her roommate came bowling into the room, a spunky little kid at least four years her younger with short cut dark brown hair, which was held back by four little pink hair clips. Cherilyn was about to tell the girl to be quiet, when she was attacked by the child, "Cherilyn, You have to come quickly!" The girl shouted, while pulling on Cherilyn's arm, "You are needed!!!" She said enthusiastically.
"Kid," Cherilyn had no time to deal with this youngster so didn't even bother to remember her name. Even with them being roommates and all, "What could be so important that you must shout loud enough to wake the dead?" She allowed herself to be pulled into a sitting position while letting out a fake yawn, pretending that she had been asleep the whole time.
A frown came across the little girl's face, "It's Tanya." She had worry in her eyes, "I was in the lobby and she came running through crying."
"Oh no..." Cherilyn let out a deep sigh as she stood with the kid still pulling her arm. Part of her expected this. She knew things were too good to be true.
"Come on!" The little girl pulled on her roommate's arm as Cherilyn let herself be lead down the hall.
"All right already." Cherilyn always found this the most interesting thing about the students here. For the most part they were very selfless, always thinking of others well being. It never ceased to amaze her how many would come to your side when you were in need. Not to say they all were like this, just a fair number. The academy had its fair share of self-centred girls. Most of which lived on the fourth floor and kept to themselves.
Cherilyn found herself not being lead to Tanya's room, like she suspected she would be, instead she was brought to the first floor where she was dragged through the lobby and into the Cafeteria washroom where could see a small group of girls standing near the door, whispering to one another. One of the girl's turned to see Cherilyn and came running towards her.
"Oh, Cherilyn I'm glad Shelly brought you." the girl nervously played with the hem of her skirt.
"How is she?" Cherilyn inquired glancing passed the girl at the washroom door.
"She locked herself in and won't talk to anyone."
"Let me take care of this." Cherilyn walked up to the door and knocked softly.
"Leave me alone." A muffled sob came from behind the door.
"Not likely." Cherilyn replied, "It’s me so open the door." She waited in silence for a moment, then a faint sound of ruffling movement could be heard followed soon by the lock clicking open and Tanya peeked through a crack in the door. Just from that small amount Cherilyn could tell that Tanya had been crying a lot. The girl's eye was red and tears could be seen still brimming in the corners of her eyes.
"Cherilyn..." Tanya spoke softly afraid that she may break into another wave of tears.
"Hey there." Cherilyn forced herself to smile, "Can I come in?" She requested. The door opened part way, only allowing for Cherilyn to enter before it was quickly closed again. Tanya huddled in the corner behind the door, her eyes on the ground, unable to look at her friend, "So what happened?" Cherilyn bluntly asked, "Were you able to see Jenn?"
Tanya slowly nodded as she wrapped her arms around herself. She opened her mouth to speak only no words ventured forth.
"What is it, Tanya?" Cherilyn took a step closer to her friend only to see the girl shrink into the corner ever so much more.
"She's gone..." Tanya finally managed to whisper.
"Dead?" Cherilyn gasped and clasped her hand over her mouth.
Tanya shook her head, "West wing..." she mumbled, "All... all her things are gone..." She stammered.
Cherilyn leaned heavily against one of the washroom stalls, "Geez, She might as well be then." She heard a small sob escape her friend’s lips and wished that she had not said anything, "That is not what I meant..."
"Yes it is..." Tanya slid down the wall and hugged her legs, "No one ever returns from the West Wing."
Cherilyn let out a deep sigh. She could not think of any way to reassure her friend. No one in the East Wing knows what lies within the Western walls. She would love to be able to tell her friend that everything would be just fine, however she was not sure if that would be true. Cherilyn approached her friend and sat down next to her, "Come here." Gingerly she placed an arm around the girl and held her tight. Wishing for some way to relieve Tanya of her newfound pains.
Tanya sobbed into her friends shoulder, "It's just not fair." She mumbled, "They should be here. I'm all alone again."
"That is not true." Cherilyn lifted the girl's chin and looked the girl in the eye. There was so much sadness and pain in the girl's eyes that it caused Cherilyn's heart to ache. She leaned closer to Tanya until she could smell her hair, "I... I'm here for you..." She moved a little closer until her lips brushed against Tanya's, "and I love you." She gently kissed the girl, softly at first then deeper. Tanya's arms wrapped around Cherilyn neck, being pulled into the kiss. Cherilyn set her hand on Tanya's knee and began to slide it down the girl's thigh, under her shirt.
Tanya abruptly pushed Cherilyn away, "I... I'm sorry." She quickly got to her feet and ran out of the washroom, pushing her way through the crowd of girls still waiting outside.
"Tanya, wait!" Cherilyn dashed after the girl, however just as she was about to catch up to Tanya she slammed her bedroom door in Cherilyn's face, "Tanya!!!" Cherilyn knocked on the door, "Tanya, let me in."
"Leave me alone." Tanya yelled through the door, "Just leave me alone."
Cherilyn backed from the door, "I..." This was the first time Tanya had ever yelled at her and it tore apart her heart, "I'm sorry..." She mumbled then ran off to her own room, buried her face in a pillow and let out a sorrowful scream.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 22
Title: Part 6: Chapter 22
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Six: When Darkness Calls
Chapter Twenty-two - Western Dorm
The group of girls exited the clinic and walked along the paths behind the school. Jenn, now dressed in a baggy long sleeved shirt and a long dress that the Sophia had brought for her, silently watched the scenery pass as they went along. For the most part everything seemed like the way she remembered it. Although things looked the same something seemed different. Like the fact that she didn't remember there being a West wing to the school for instance or the little mall out back or even the dorms. She tilted her head to the side... nope, that didn't seem right either. Her head felt hazy and she rubbed her eyes.
"You alright Jenn?" Kimberly asked softly, there was concern in her voice.
"My head feels weird." Jenn mumbled, "It all feels like I'm in some weird dream."
"Yeah, so do I." Kim admitted shyly.
"Don't strain yourself." Kris said, "It will all come back to you."
Jenn gave the girl a curious look, "What about you?" She finally asked, "How do you remember Kim as well?"
"Beats me." Kris shrugged, "It's not all clear to me either. I mean how do either of us know Kimberly."
Jenn could not take her eyes off the west wing as it loomed overhead to her left, tall walls of irregularly shaped red bricks stacked one on top of another, windows framed with crudely carved grey stone arches and old wooden shuttered and long vines of ivy stretching its way up the wall as if it were reaching for the sky. Why could she not remember being here before? She slowly turned to look at the eastern dorms in the distance and her eyes widened. She quickly glanced around the area again as apiece slipped into place. She remembered a picnic area that lay off to the right of them and as her eyes scanned the area they fell upon the same bench that Kris and her would sit and chat away the evenings and there was the tree she loved to rest under on warm days. It was all the same and yet it wasn't.
"Jennifer?" Kim asked gently, not wanting to startle her friend.
"I remember..." She continued to study her surroundings and then her eyes fell on the small house down the path. She tilted her head and squinted her eyes, "That house..." She stumbled forwards to get a better look at it. It was a small two-floor building with white panelled walls and green-framed windows and doors. A small patio took up the front of the building with a small swing bench outside and a yard surrounded by a small white picket fence. She was certain she knew that house from somewhere; her eyes fell on Kris, "KRIS!!!" She called out excitedly.
"What is it?" Kris was startled by her friend's sudden outburst.
"That house!?!" Jennifer uttered, "You lived there... didn't you?" She uncertainly pointed at the tiny house.
Kris stopped in her tracks, "You... remember?" Kris began to tremble ever so slightly.
"I don't know." Jenn replied rubbing her head, "I just saw you in front of that house and... it was like... you belonged there..." She whispered still confused by her own muddled thoughts. She could feel tears threatening to overcome her.
Kris took a deep breath, "I did live here..." She smiled looking back at the building; "It is the Head Mistresses’ home. They let me stay there for a time."
"Really?" Natalie eyed Kris closely, "I didn't think any kids lived here with the Head Mistresses."
"I'm their niece after all." Kris stated, dodging Natalie's hunting glare.
"Uh huh..." Natalie said, not fully accepting the girl's answer, "You love being the little mystery don't you?"
"What about you?" Kris returned the girl's gaze, "You still haven't explained how it is that you happened to be at the pool last night or how Jenn knows you."
"That is my secret." Natalie crossed her arms behind her head and gazed up at the sky.
"Now who is being the Mysterious one, Hmmmm?" Kris taunted the girl.
Kim giggled softly, "You two are cute together."
"Now don't be pairing us up." Natalie playfully warned the girl, "What about you two?" Natalie give a sly grin, "I hear you two are getting along rather well."
"Who told you that?" Jenn demanded, her eyes falling on Kris, "Kris?"
Kris raised her hands in defence, "I didn't tell her a thing." A smile formed on her face, "However you have to admit she is right."
"I could tell just by the way you look at each other." Natalie stated, "You are both easy to read."
"I am not!" Jenn protested, "Kris, am I really?" She partly pouted.
"I'm sorry again," Kris tried hard not to laugh at her friends pouting, "Natalie is right again."
"You two are so mean." Jenn crossed her arms while Kris and Natalie laughed.
"Well here we are." Kris announced as they approached the West Wing Dorm. It was a four floor L-shaped Victorian building that looked very much like the Western wing of the school, with a set of stone stairs leading to a pair of glass doors framed in red oak and large picture windows along the ground floor.
"We are living here?" Jenn asked in astonishment as she gazed up at the massive structure, "It looks kind of deserted if you ask me."
"Don't let the outside fool you." Natalie leaped up the stairs, pulled the door opened and bowed, "After you ladies." She said with a grin.
"Thank you." Jenn passed through the door closely followed by Kim.
"You are such a gentleman." Kris teased Natalie.
"I am not." Natalie half objected with a slight chuckle, letting the door close behind her.
Inside the dorm had an open, airy feel to it, the walls were an pale off yellow with deep red wood framing the large windows that covered two of the walls. There was another set of oak double doors at the far end of the room. To the left were groups of black leather couches set in three circles around wooden coffee tables. One group closest to the door had a stereo; the one furthest away had a TV while the middle one had a small shelf of books and magazines. Several girls sat on the couches; a pair of girls was curled up on one couch, listening to the stereo that was softly playing "Runaway Train" by Soul Asylum. To the right two girls stood near a set of two pool tables set on angles from the wall. There was a stairwell leading to the second floor next to the entrance they had just entered and at the far end was a small office with a long sliding window on the side of it. Everything was silent as a number of girls stopped what they were doing to look up at the newcomers.
An older teenaged girl peeked out of the window in the small office and quickly came out of the room towards the group of new girls. She was clad in worn jeans and a camouflage t-shirt, that cling tightly to her frame. Her hair was in an extremely short military cut and a pair of wire-rimmed glasses were perched upon her tiny nose, "You must be the new recruits." She said with a broad grin, "I'm Jessica, the Dorm head, it is nice to meet you all." She said glancing over the group, "Now don't tell me, let me guess." Not waiting for any replies as she crossed her arms behind her back and turned to face Kris and studied her closely, "Hmmm... tall, curly blue hair, lady killer eyes. You must be the Head Mistresses’ niece, Kris." She said with a smile.
"Yeah." Kris nodded, slightly amused by the girl's antics, "Nice to meet you." She smiled.
"Same I'm sure." Jessica smiled brightly at Kris before moving to Jenn and stopped as she gazed down at the girl and placed a hand on her chin in thought, "You must be the one who created the Hen Club in the East wing, Jennifer right?"
"Ummm..." Jenn blushed deeply, "Yeah... but how did you know that?"
"Slightly Asian with short black hair and an adorably cute blush." Jessica leaned closely to Jenn's ear, "Plus I keep tabs on all the young lesbians in the East wing. You never know when they well move the cute ones out to our end." She ran a finger under Jenn's chin, making the girl shiver and step back, which in turn caused Jessica to break out in laughter.
"Is everyone here like you?" Jenn nervously asked, curiously looking around at the other girls who were covering up their own snickers.
"You may find you are not as alone as you felt in the Eastern Dorms." Jessica explained with a glimmer in her eye, "And we are very glad to have you as part of our group." Jessica pulled herself away from Jenn to look down at Kimberly, "Well, aren't you a little beauty. That red hair and those eyes." She said, letting out a sigh of content, "Now, who would want to hurt such an innocent lovely like yourself?" She asked, reaching out to touch Kim's cheek so she could get a better look at the girl's injuries only to have the girl back away and hide behind Natalie.
Natalie stepped between Jessica and Kim, "Leave her alone, Jessie." Natalie snarled.
"Well if it isn't Natalie," Jessica crossed her arms in front of her, "Why am I not surprised to see you all banged up? Where's your girl?" Jessica asked cynically, while glancing around the room, "Or have you replaced the boi for a girl?"[3] Jessica teased craftily.
"I said leave her alone." Natalie took a step closer to Jessica and Kim hide behind Jenn, "She is off limits."
Jessica watched as Jenn wrapped her arm protectively around Kim, "I seee..." She said knowingly, "She is already called for. Understood." She patted Natalie on the shoulder, "She is off limits iffffff..." She turned to face Jenn, "Jennifer says she is." She gave the girl a broad grin.
Jenn glaced from Jessica, to Natalie then at the frightened look on Kim's face and back to Jessica, "She is." Jenn said protectively.
"Okay then!" Jessica stood up straight and turned around, "Do we have any doubles left?" She called out across the room.
Another girl walked over to the office and reached through the window to grab a large book and flipped through it, "Hmmmm... We have one on the second floor. Room 2-3." The girl stated.
"Good," Jessica beamed and turned back to Jenn, "I'll let you two share the same room." She winked.
Jenn felt herself flush, "Ummm..." She stammered, "Where is Kris going to live?"
"Oh?" Jessica glanced at Kris reflectively, "That is correct. The niece was your second in the club, now wasn't she? I'll leave the choice up to you." She turned and started across the room, "Let me show you around the dorm. Please take your shoes off before entering. You'll receive indoor shoes later."
The girls did as they were told as Jessica continued her introductions to the dorm, "If you didn't already know we are all given a weekly allowance. The amount depends on how well you do in school and if you don't skip too often." She glanced at Natalie, "Like some of us." She approached the office with the girls following close behind her and a few other tag alongs, "Also, you will be expected to help out with the chores from time to time. You'll find a schedule posted on the side of the office wall." She tapped a bulletin board next to the door, "The Cafeteria can be found through those door." She pointed at the double doors at the end of the room, "We have three scheduled meals and you can grab a snack from time to time, just make sure you mark down what you've taken on the pad next to the fridge, so we know to get more. Breakfast is at-"
"Jenn?" Kim pulled on Jenn's sleeve, "Can I..?" She whispered to embarrassed to finish the question.
Jenn turned to face Kim, "Do you want to stay with me? I mean you could always stay with Natalie."
"But..." Kim looked up at Natalie.
"You worried about her?" Jenn asked concerned, "She seems alright."
"But she has someone." Kim mumbled, "It is not like before."
Jenn thought she understood, "You don't want to be in the way." She asked.
Kim shuffled in place, "Sort of..." Her eyes shifted around.
"Are you two with us?" Jessica called out from near the cafeteria doors.
Jenn took Kim's hand in hers, "Come on." She started towards the other girls, "Jessica?"
"Yes?" She grinned almost as if she knew what was coming.
"Kim wants to stay with me." Jenn stated, avoiding Kris's disappointed gaze.
"Is that so?" Jessica looked at the red head, "Do you want to stay with Jenn?" She asked gently.
Kim nodded shyly, "Please..." Her voice was almost a whisper.
"Alright then." Jessica walked over to the office and opened the book on the windowsill, "You two can have 2-3 and Natalie can have her old room. So that only leaves... Kris..." Jessica flipped through the book then suddenly closed it, "Kris can stay with me." She leaned on the windowsill, beaming at the girl.
"Oh great." Kris placed a hand upon her head.
"I'm sorry Kris." Jenn apologized.
"No, it's alright," Kris said with a reassuring smile, "And I think it is a good idea."
"Well shall we visit your rooms?" Jessica asked gleefully. The group followed the girl on the rest of the tour.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: [3] Jessica was referring to the fact that Natalie was dating Alyson, who is very boiish, and now is with Kimberly, a very girlish girl. Some people have a problem with boi-boi relationships in the lesbian community and will make fun of those who are boiish and lean towards boiish girls. In Jessica’s case she is just noting that Natalie has had a change in taste and this interested her.
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 23
Title: Part 6: Chapter 23
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Six: When Darkness Calls
Chapter Twenty-three - Coincidental Underwear
Jenn flopped on her new bed. The tour of the dorm had drained her of most of her energy and before they knew it, it was time for lunch. Jenn never felt so hungry in her life. It felt like she hadn't eaten in weeks. She finished off two bowls of Kraft Dinner before nearly getting sick and now she was regretting eating so fast.
Kim sat on the bed across from Jenn’s, "Are you sure you are going to be alright?" she asked for the fourth time since they adjourned to their rooms to get a better feel for them.
"I'll be alright." Jenn placed an arm over her eyes, "I just need to rest a moment."
"You rest then." Kim stood up and scanned the room curiously, "I'm going to take a look around." There was a small sound of excitement in the girl's voice that made Jenn smile.
Jenn propped herself up on her elbows to watch the girl curiously open the small wardrobe in the corner. There was a glow to Kim that wasn't there before. Almost as if the new environment was already doing the girl wonders. Then Jenn had a flicking memory of Kim's father and a frown spread across her face. Anything would be better then living with that man. Jenn felt her hand's clench at the thought of what that man could have done to such an innocent child.
"Check this out!" Kim called out while pulling a long red dress with a white trim out the wardrobe, "The closet is filled with clothes." She peeked at the collar tag, "This is my size too!" She exclaimed excitedly then knelt and pulled open one of the five drawers at the bottom of the wardrobe, three small ones at the top and two larger ones stacked below. Her face turned crimson with a blush as she opened one of the smaller drawers and closed it quickly.
"What is it?" Jenn inquired, getting up and crossing the room. Jenn pulled open the drawer that Kim just closed, much to the girl's protest, to find it filled with cotton underwear with small cat prints on them and She held a pair up, "Cats?" She was baffled, and then glanced at the several shades of red her friend had turned, "Do you like cat prints?" Jenn inquired with a sly grin.
Embarrassed Kim grabbed the underwear and stuffed them back in the drawer, "How could they have known?" Kim stammered embarrassed, holding the drawer closed.
"It is probably just a coincidence," Jenn chuckled lightly, "There is no way they could know something like that or the fact that we would end up in this room or that you would choose the left side of the room."
"How do you explain that box and the suitcase?" Kim pointed at a cardboard box that was sitting on the desk at the right side of the room when they arrived, with “Jennifer’s things” scrawled across one side of the box.
"I don't know what this is." Jenn scratched her head as she approached the mysterious box. Jessica said it was probably her things from the East Wing Dorm, however Jennifer didn't even recall living out there, even if Tanya claimed she did at a time. Carefully she began to open the lid of the box to find it filled with clothes, some books and a small picture frame laying face down on the top of the pile. Jenn picked up the picture and turned it over to look upon a photo of Kris and her in a warm embrace. Jenn sat in the desk chair and stared at the photo. She had no memory of the photo ever being taken. Moreover it appeared as if the photo was taken from before the two of them had ever met. She pondered how such a photo could exist when Kim spoke.
"What is it?." Kim started curiously across the room and peeked over the girl's shoulder, "What a nice photo." She said with awe.
"Yeah," Jenn replied still lost in her thoughts.
"Can I see what else is in there?" Kim asked curiously.
"Sure," Jenn set the photo on top of the desk shelf, still not able to take her eyes off of Kris's image and the smiles on their faces.
Kim pulled out a black t-shirt and started to read the lettering written across the front, "'I got kicked out of Girl Guides for eating th-'"
"Wait!" Jenn said, suddenly alarmed, "Don't read that!" She snatched the shirt from the girl's hands. Jenn was almost certain that shirt had gone missing years ago, ‘How did it get here?’ She thought to herself, ‘And Kim almost read it!’ She felt herself turn beat red as she remembered the end of that saying.
"Why can't I see it?" Kim reached for the shirt, "You saw my Kitties!"
Jenn held the shirt out of the girl's reach, "No, it's embarrassing." She hopped up on the bed.
"And my underwear isn't?" Kim argued, carefully climbing up onto the bed. Jenn laughed as Kim tried to get the shirt from her and tripped on the edge of the bed to fall into Jenn's arms, causing the two girls to come tumbling to the bed in a heap, giggling and laughing.
"Well you two seem to be in a good mood." Kris smiled at the girls from the open door of the room, "Can I come in?" She requested.
Jenn let go of Kim, "Sure Kris. What's up?" She straightened her skirt as she rolled to the edge of the bed and sat up.
"I just thought I'd see how things are going." Kris said as she entered the room and sat sideways upon one of the desk chairs, "So what was all the commotion about a moment ago?"
"Jenn won't let me see what her shirt says." Kim pouted as she fixed her hair and too sat at the edge of the bed.
"Shirt?" Kris looked up curious, "Which one?" Kim repeated the part she read and Kris burst out in laughter, "Oh! That shirt. 'For eating the Brownies.' is the rest of the saying."
"Kris, don't tell her that!" Jenn exclaimed.
"I don't get it." Kim cocked her head in confusion.
"How do I explain?" Kris smiled at Jenn.
"No you don't!" Jenn jumped up and covered Kim's ears, "Don't teach her that kind of thing." Jenn pleaded, "Please Kris?"
"Why can't I hear?" Kim protested as she struggled against Jenn's strong grasp.
"Alright," Kris said with a laugh, "I won't tell."
Jenn let out a sigh of relief and let go of Kim, "Thank you." She said gratefully.
"I'll just leave it up to you to teach her." Kris chuckled.
"Kris!" Jenn flushed yet again, "You are as bad as that Jessica girl." She snarled.
"You think so?" Kris mused setting her head on the back of the chair, "I'm sorry." Her eyes fell on the photo and she startled into a seated position. Her shock was distracted by Jenn's voice.
"Say, Kris?" Jenn dropped back down on her bed and gazed up at the ceiling, "Do your Aunts really know everything about everyone here?" Jenn inquired a little disconcerted.
"Pretty much." Kris stated, turning away from the photo, "They are strange that way. Mind you my whole family is weird, pretty much." Kris let out a woeful sigh.
"What happened with them?" Kim asked curiously.
"They kicked me out for falling in love." Kris declared flatly as she turned to glance out the window.
"Oh..." Kim glanced at her hands, embarrassed by her question.
"Knock Knock?" Came Amy's voice from the door, "Am I interrupting?" She asked.
"Hi, Amy." Kris got up from the chair, "We were just talking."
"Is it alright if I come in?" She asked carefully.
"Sure." Jenn replied, "Is there something wrong?"
"No no," Amy replied, "I just forgot to give you two some sleeping pills. You should try to get some rest so you will recover faster. You need to rest up before returning to your studies in a week."
"I’m already a little tired." Jenn admitted, "Do we need to take drugs?" She asked warily.
"They will help you sleep more soundly." Amy pulled out a small bottle of pills from one pocket, "You don't have to if you don't want to." She opened the pills and poured a couple of pills in her hand.
Kim hesitated for a moment before taking two of the pills from the girl, "They are just to sleep right?" There was concern in the tone of her voice.
"Nothing more." Amy put the pills back in her pocket and produced a bottle of water from the other pocket. She handed the water to Kim who quickly popped the pills in her mouth and took a long drink. Amy offered the remaining pills to Jenn, "Jenn?"
Jenn took a deep breath, "I guess." She picked up the pills in her hand and stared at them. Part of her really didn't want to take the drugs, but she couldn't turn them down now, so she set them on her tongue and took the water from Kim and drank half the bottle in one swallow. The taste of pills always made her sick and she wanted to get rid of the chalky flavour quickly so she downed half the bottle, “That was horrible.” She stated, sticking her tongue out.
"Thank you for humouring me." Amy said with a smile, "I'll let you two get some sleep now." She started to back out of the room, "If you need anything I'll be at the clinic."
"Thank Amy." Kris said and turned to the girls, "Guess I should be getting out of your hair too." She started towards the door, "I'll check on the two of you later, alright?"
"'Kay!" Jenn yawned, not sure if it was the pills taking effect or if she really was tired.
"Sleep tight girl." Kris slowly closed the door behind her.
"Thanks." Kim called out as the door clicked shut. She turned to see Jenn had started to strip off her shirt, "Ummm..." Kim turned around.
Jenn stopped with her shirt half off, "Is something the matter?" Jenn asked, then noticed the way Kim's eyes kept darting at her and to the floor. Jenn looked at herself and felt embarrassed. She had changed in front of Kris and Tanya so many times that she didn't even think twice about it making Kim feel uncomfortable, "I... I'm sorry..." She stammered pulling her shirt back on. She looked around the room trying to figure out how they were going to handle this situation.
"No," Kim let out a deep sigh, "I'm sorry... I just..." she clenched at her dress.
"It is alright." Jenn said, "I'll just get changed in the washroom." She got up and opened her dresser to find her Pyjamas in the exact place she would put them. She shook her head and decided not to think too hard about it, "You can use the room."
"No, wait!" Kim stood up, "It is..." She fiddled with her hands, "I... I lied earlier...." Kim said quietly, " When I... said I didn't remember... about how I got these bruises..."
"You do remember. I thought so." Jenn said sadly, "It was your father wasn't it?"
Kim nodded slowly, "Also... do you... remember this?" Kim started to strip off her dress.
"Kim you really don't have to-" Jenn's voice lost strength as Kim pulled off her turtleneck to reveal her bruised and bandaged body, "Oh… my..." Jenn stammered and cupped her hand over her mouth, while trying to fathom how the girl could have withstood such punishment, she then noticed the bandages on the girl's shoulder, "Wait... didn't I..." She had a fleeting image of dressing that wound herself, "But..."
"Remember what I told you." Kim said while pulling a night gown from the wardrobe, "About my falling off a cliff and waking up in a hospital?"
"Yeah," Jenn felt herself sink onto her bed, unable to tear her eyes from the girls body, "You said you were with Lauren and... Natalie!" She suddenly understood, "It was all a dream, wasn't it." She glanced down at her own bandages.
"I don't know." Kim pulled the nightgown over her head, "I didn't want to bring it up around everyone, however I do know one thing." She turned to face Jenn, "You are the first person to believe my story and understand. I think we were meant to find each other." She said with a small smile.
"You think so?" Jenn questioned the logic in that, however was there anything logical about anything anymore, "Maybe you're right." She yawned as this time the drugs did take effect.
"Jenn?" Kim spoke softly, almost painfully.
"Yes?" Jenn glanced up at the girl to see her staring at the ground while rubbing her arm, "What is it?"
"You... what did you really think when you saw..." Kim nervously wrapped her arms around her chest.
"You mean back when I bandaged your shoulder?" Jenn asked, sitting on the bed.
Kim only nodded.
Jenn pulled on her sleeves, "Remember how I told you that you reminded me of someone?" She asked guardedly.
"Yeah," Kim sat upon her own bed, "You never told me what you meant by that."
Jenn closed her eyes, "I am that person." She pulled her sleeve up to the elbow and showed Kim her white arm covered with slowly healing cuts and the bandages upon her wrist, "It would seem we both have our demons we are dealing with." Tears rolled down the girl's cheeks and she felt Kim's hand set lightly upon her shoulder.
"Thank you," Kim whispered, "For watching over me back then and for trusting me." Jenn opened her eyes to see Kim give her a weak smile and Jenn wrapped her arms around Kim, holding her tight.
"You're welcome." Jenn smiled into the redhead's shoulder.
"Jenn, can I..." Kim bit her lip, trying to think of the right words. Jenn pulled back to see Kim's eyes darted from her bed to Jenn's.
Jenn smiled, "You want to curl up with me?" She asked with a grin and patted the bed, "Come on, just let me change first." Kim jumped into the bed as Jenn began to strip off her clothes and climb into her pyjama.
"I'm really glad we met." Kim said with a yawn.
Jenn lifted the blankets and crawled into the bed next to the girl, "So am I." Jenn agreed, snuggling close to the redhead.
Kim set her head on Jenn's shoulder, "Thank you for believing me." She nuzzled into Jenn's shoulder.
"Thank you for trusting me." Jenn stroked the girl's hair as she drifted off to sleep.
Kim watched as Jenn closed her eyes, "Sweet dreams." She whimpered, her heart hurt and she felt the urge to kiss the sleeping girl arise inside of her. She closed her eyes against the thought and silently cried herself to sleep.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 24
Title: Part 6: Chapter 24
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Six: When Darkness Calls
Chapter Twenty-Four - Concerned Apologies
"But Daddy, I love her!" Kris cried out.
"Impossible!" Her father countered, "There is no way you can understand the meaning of that word."
"But Father!!" Kris dropped to her knees trembling, "Can't we just-"
"Never!" Her father snapped, "You knew the consequences when you went to her. Julie will make things right again."
"NO!!" Kris pulled on her father's sleeve, "Please don't harm her. She means everything to me."
"You should have thought about that before hand." Her father pulled his sleeve from the girl's grasp.
"I hate you!!" Kris cried, "I hate all of you!!!" She ran from the house.
******
Kris sat backwards in her desk chair, watching the sun slowly move across the sky. Very little seemed to have changed since she was last at the academy. Even with moving from her Aunts place to the Western dorms things were pretty much the same. It might have been because she spent so much time at the Eastern dorms before, she remembered visiting the dorms first thing in the morning of every weekend, just so she could be with her friends.
However things were simpler back then. She turned her head to look upon the photo on her desk. The exact same photo as Jenn had. She dug it out of her suitcase the moment she got back to her room. She let out a deep sigh and buried her face in her arms.
The door opened and Jessica entered the room, "Evening there, Kris!" She cheerfully greeted the girl.
"Evening." Kris mumbled her face still obscured by her arms.
Jessica quietly closed the door and scanned the room. Kris's suitcase lay open on the girl's bed, yet nothing seemed disturbed. Jessica walked across the room and pulled her desk chair over to Kris, "Are you planning to mope the entire week?" She asked, placing a hand on her hip. Kris simply shrugged, "Listen, I wanted to apologize about earlier." Jessica said as she rubbed the back of her neck, "I was having a weird couple of days and you know..." She walked over to the other desk.
"Yeah," Kris lifted her head enough for her eyes to be seen, "I've had my fair share of those days."
"I hope you are not bothered by staying with me." Jessica asked, "I know you are used to having a room to your own and I'm usually down in the office so I thought... I don't know..." she let out a deep sigh and leaned against the window, glazing out at the sunset.
"You should be apologizing to Kim." Kris said distantly, "She is the more sensitive one."
Jessica crossed her arms, "Don't tell me you are not the sensitive type. I saw the hurt look in your eyes when Jenn choose Kimberly over you. I know all about you two." She nodded at the photo, "So don't try to tell me there isn't something between the two of you."
Kris sat up abruptly, "You know nothing." She angrily said, "You have no idea the things Jenn has suffered through."
"I was not talking about Jenn." Jessica stated point at the girl, "I was talking about you. You can't keep burying your feelings for the girl like that or it is going to bury you."
"What would you know about it?" Kris snapped, "You haven't lost someone you love."
"You are not the only one who has suffered." Jessica countered, "I never thought you to be so stupid. Have you been so blinded by that pain of yours that you can't accept why you are here? There is a reason your aunts sent you to live in the Dorms and they personally asked that I'd watch over you for them."
"They did?" Kris seemed started by this thought.
"They thought this place would do you some good," Jessica stated calmly, "However, know this, if you plan to hide away in here like you did at your Aunts, after Jenn tried to kill herself, I'll be right here to drag your butt out of the room. I'm not going to let one of my girls just let themselves spiral into darkness. Not while I'm the head of this dorm that is."
"But..." Kris gazed out the window again, "She can't love me anymore... it is forbidden," Kris stammered" "... and she... she has some... Someone else..." she buried her head in her arms and sobbed.
Jessica slid her chair closer to the girl, wrapped her arms around her and gave her a hug. Kris unravelled her arms, enfolded the girl and squeezed her tight, finally letting herself cry.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 25
Title: Part 6: Chapter 25
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Six: When Darkness Calls
Chapter Twenty-Five - Determined Spirit
The sun slowly set over the Eastern Dorm and Tanya had spent most of the day crying into her pillow and now she stared at the white ceiling, yellowing from the soft glow of the sun, listening to the silence. The room felt even emptier than before now that Jenn's things were gone. Before she would just open the closet to remind herself of her friend. Some rough nights she would pull out one of Jenn's sweaters and curl up with it, however now there was only the picture on the desk and that didn't feel like enough to Tanya. She lay still, thinking to herself about the past and the present as well as how to get her friends back. She sat up in the bed and glanced out the window at the Western Dorms and wondered what Jenn and Kris were doing right that moment. Would they be eating? Maybe they were sleeping, dreaming about the past, dreaming about Tanya.
She frowned at the building. She hated the cursed building. Loathed its very existence and the fact that it took her friend from her. She glared at the building when something moved in the corner of her eye. She shifted her sight to see what it could be; yet all she could see at this time of day was the blackness of the Western wood. Her eyes grew wide as she recalled Kris’s stories from earlier; suddenly she decided what needed to be done. She turned to her desk and pulled out a piece of paper and a pen, and then quickly she scrawled out a note on the page and set it on her pillow, then placed the photo on the paper to make sure it didn't blow away.
Next she opened the closet and pulled out a pair of worn jeans and a sweater, for the nights were known to get cold in these areas. She quickly got dressed and rushed to the door. It was just past dinner call, so the girls should be in the cafeteria at this time. Cherilyn didn't come to visit her, so Tanya figured the girl was going to leave her alone for the time being. Her friend would more than likely be back to check on her in the morning, so that gave her the entire night before anyone would notice she was missing. If she were lucky they would not notice until next dinner hour. Cautiously she slipped out and crept down the hall and swiftly descended the stairs to the front lobby. As she suspected, there was no one about. She grabbed her shoes from the front door and snuck out into the night. She waited until she was under the cover of some trees before trading her shoes. She picked up her indoor shoes and held them close to her. She didn't want anyone to find them too early so cared them with her for a bit.
Tanya kept close to the school for fear that someone would spot from the dorm windows and no one ever entered the school on Sundays. She dashed through the grass with only one thought in mind. She would enter the Wood and when she emerged they would have to let her move to the West Dorms. It was a perfect plan and the closer Tanya got to the academy border the surer she was of herself.
Before long she found herself standing at the mass of dark tangled trees. The sight of the trees made a slight tingle of doubt enter the girl’s minds, however the thought of never being with her friends overwhelmed her ever so much more. She swallowed the last of her uncertainty and stepped into the dense brush to be instantly swallowed by the woods. Within a couple steps it appeared that the forest opened up for the girl allowing her to venture deeper into its depths. Tanya could not figure out why so many were so afraid of the woods. There wasn't anything to fear. They were just a bunch of old twisted trees. Then one of the trees appeared to move and yet another. It started to feel like the trees had eyes and were watching her. She turned around to see that the trees were devouring the path behind her. She held her shoes close to her. Maybe it would be best to stay on the path. She began to wonder if she was being lead somewhere, but where? With every step the girl took her bravery was eaten away by the forest.
Tanya felt her ears become more aware of her surroundings, acute to every solitary noise. She found herself beginning to jump at the sound of her very own footfalls. Suddenly she was aware of the sounds of other footsteps approaching her from the left. Tanya quickened her pace in an attempt to lose her stalker, however the person only sped up along with her. Tanya suddenly bolted from the path and crashed through the forest. She ran with all her might. Terrified of the thing that was following in her wake. She stumbled on a tree root and tumbled to the ground. The footstep got closer until they were upon the girl. Tanya let out a terrifying scream, which only the trees would hear.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 26
Title: Part 7: Chapter 26
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Seven: Crimson Nightmares
Chapter Twenty-Six - Frightful Confrontations
The sun peeked over the rooftops greeting a new day and Alyson squinted at the infernal light. She had been up all night thinking and she was not ready to greet the sun as of yet. It had been two nights now since Natalie's disappearance and Alyson was beginning to worry. She could not find the girl anywhere in the Alleys and today when she returned from her ventures she found the girl's clothes missing without a single note or word from the girl. She paced in her room as distress built up in her stomach when she heard the sound of the front door and burst out of the room to see whom it could be. Her enthusiasm died the moment she stepped into the living room to see her brother removing his cloak.
"Good morning Alyson." Drake said in his usual monotone voice that didn't tell anything about the man's emotional being.
"Morning brother." She replied as she entered the kitchen, pretending she came out to find something to eat.
"How was your day?" Drake leaned against the doorframe to the kitchen.
"Fine," Alyson opened the refrigerator, pulled out a carton of milk and set it on the counter.
Drake scanned the house, "Where is your little friend?" He inquired.
"I don't know." Alyson shrugged, pulling a glass out of the cupboard, "I haven't seen her in days." She turned around and was startled to find her brother standing right next to her.
"Is that true?" He asked, his eyes boring into Alyson.
"Y… yes..." She stammered, It was rare to witness Drake's anger, however when he shows it the one who receives that anger should beware not to provoke him any further.
"I allowed you keep that child around here for your amusement and it would seem she is interfering with my work." Drake grabbed Alyson by the arm, "I was hoping that it was not your pet, however seeing that she is unaccounted for makes me wondering where my little sister's alliances lie." He squeezed the girl's arm.
"Owww!!!" Alyson screamed out in pain, "I don't know where she is. She just left while I was sleeping. I didn't know she would get in the way." She cried out, "Truly brother, I didn't know."
Drake pushed the girl up against the counter, knocking the milk over and causing it to spill across the counter, "Remember, you are mine and I can break you as quickly as I made you." He let go of the girl and shoved her into the counter corner, "If I find you little friend interfering again I will make certain that she bleeds and her screams will be heard by the Lords themselves." He quickly exited the room, leaving Alyson to lick her wounds.
Milk dripped from the counter, splashing upon the ground and soaking the girl's socks. After a moment's time Alyson began to move. She pulled a dishtowel off the stove and started to sop up the milk off the floor, then moved along the edge of the counter. She picked up the carton and tossed it in a garbage pail near the door. Returning to the counter she dropped the towel in the sink and rinsed it out before cleaning up the rest of the mess. Only when she was finished did she tend to her wounds, bruise marks that had taken on the shape of fingers along her forearm. Alyson opened the freezer, grabbed some ice and dropped them in the centre of the towel, folded it up and set the pack on her arm, wincing slightly against the pain. Quickly Alyson grabbed her jacket and pulled out a sword from the umbrella stand before carefully exiting the house.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 27
Title: Part 7: Chapter 27
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Seven: Crimson Nightmares
Chapter Twenty-Seven - Libraries, Blood and Broken Mirrors
Jenn stood at the top of a dark set of stairs clad only in her blue pyjamas. She shivered as her bare feet stepped down upon cold hard wood floors. There was no railing to be found, so she reached out to brace herself with the wall, walls that were covered in old posters that were so faded it was impossible to read them in the dim light that shone from the entrance at the bottom of the stairway. A cool breeze could be felt running down the stairs over Jenn's feet causing her to shiver even more. She wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to warm herself but no matter how hard she tried the chill seemed to seep deeper into her body and touch her soul. Her heart began to pound furiously as she reached the last set of steps, sliding a hand against the postered wall she began to creep slowly forward. Her fingers were the first things to exit the hall as they encircled the corner.
She blinked a few times as she poked her head out of the hall and looked around. As her eyes began to focus she could see that shelves lined all the walls and she was now inside a small bookstore or library, a bright light streaming from a line of small windows over the shelves. Jenn stepped into the room to get a better look around. Libraries always had a warming feeling to the girl and the sight of all the books made her smile. She glanced around at a couple small round tables that were low to the ground and remembered when she was young how she would spend hours sitting at those tables reading until they kicked her out. Gingerly, she touched the tabletop almost afraid that the table would crumble before her. She smiled as her fingers ran across the table's polished surface.
She lifted her head and took another look around. There was an eerie silence over the room, not like the usual silence that Jenn had become accustomed to in a library. Something seemed very wrong with this silence. Jenn spun around and noticed that there was not another person anywhere in sight. She scanned around again and again in hopes that someone would step out from one of the many halls of shelves, but not even the sound of feet could be heard.
She then noticed something unusual about the shelves. There appeared to be something splattered across the books. Jenn approached one of the shelves to get a closer look. It was almost as if someone had splashed red paint across the room. She reached out and ran a finger along the spine of one of the books noticing that whatever it was it was still fresh. She looked at her fingers and began to shake as a faint coppery smell reached her nose; her fingertips were covered in blood. Her eyes widened and she started to look around the room more only to see that the blood was splattered across all the books.
She started to back away from the shelves when she distinguished one thin book sticking out from the middle of all the others. It looked so out of place from the rest that Jenn felt a need to find out what it was doing there. She reached out her hand and grabbed the book, taking a deep breath before pulling it off the shelf. The book was tall and very wide and yet seemed to be only a few pages thick. Jenn did a quick flip of the pages to see that it was a picture book of some sorts. She turned back to the front to find that the cover was missing and a few of the pages had been torn out. The first page she could see showed a dark sketch of a burnt house. She turned the page to see yet another dark sketch, however this time of a girl kneeling with slashed wrists and what appeared to be a carpenters knife in her hand. Jenn looked closer and blinked a few times at the picture. The girl in the book looked just like her. Jenn turned the page to see a picture of the same girl lying strapped down in a bed with an IV bag hanging on a pole next to her. The next page still showed yet another picture of the girl this time curled up in a small room with a single window that was covered in steel mesh wiring.
The book tumbled from Jenn's hand and landed face down. There was a picture on the back showing a set of small gravestones and the caption "Dreams of Death." under the picture. Jenn stared down at the book, clenching her hands tight and suddenly she realized that she was holding something in her right hand. She glanced at her hand to see a grey carpenter’s knife with the blade extended and coated in blood. She grasped it firmly in her hand as drops of crimson fell to the carpet floor. Stunned, Jenn raised her right hand until her sleeve fell back to show a set of deep cuts running across her wrist, blood flowing steadily down her arm, soaking her pyjamas. Shakily she turned her other hand over to see that it too was covered in blood. She felt her knees grow weak as she collapsed to the floor and leaned against the bookshelves, the knife slipping from her hand as she felt her life begin to drain away.
******
Jenn abruptly opened her eyes, her breathing coming out in quivered masses and she could feel her body shaking with fear. She tried to move only to find she was pinned by something. Raising her head she could see a head of red hair resting upon her chest. It took her a moment to realize that it was Kim curled up next to her with her head and arm resting upon Jenn’s body. Relieved she let her head drop back down onto the pillow and stroked the girl's hair as she tried hard to slow her heart down. Kim let out a soft moan and rubbed her face deeper into Jenn's chest. The feeling comforted Jenn's nerves and she wrapped her other arm around the girl, pulling her closer. Jenn needed the feeling of a body resting on hers.
"Mmmmmm..." Kim mumbled in her sleep while squeezing Jenn tightly in her arms, wrapping one arm under the girl to get a better grip.
"Shhhh..." Jenn softly kissed the top of Kimberly's head, "It's just me."
A smile played across Kim's lips as she squeezed Jenn even tighter while rubbing her cheek on Jenn's breast. Jenn felt a rush of pleasure from Kim's movement and Kim seemed to notice this because she pressed harder against Jenn. Jenn clenched her eyes shut and tried hard not to make a sound, however it became increasingly harder the more Kim rubbed up against her. Jenn then felt Kim's bare leg begin to move up her thigh between her own legs. Jenn rolled her head and let out a soft moan. Part of her knew that she should put a stop to this, yet another part of her didn't want to let Kim go.
Her eyes flung open when she felt Kim's fingers slide up under her Pyjama top and gently ran along her tummy. Jenn could not help herself, she moved her hand along Kim's back, running a finger long the girl's spine. Her heart began to race as she watched Kim to see if the girl would pull away, however Kim only snuggled even closer, rubbing her leg up against Jenn's. Jenn shakily placed a free hand upon Kim's bare leg and traced it along her thigh, pushing the girl's nightgown further up, listening closely to the pleasant sounds that softly arose from the redhead.
Jenn swallowed hard. She didn't know why, but she had this deep urge to touch the girl more. She struggled with her emotions, trying to sort out what she was doing when her thumb ran along Kim's inner thigh and she felt the girl's panties. Jenn could not resist running her hand along Kim's soft cotton underwear and mouth started to quiver. Her nose filled with a sweet smell and she licked her lips. She wanted more and became terrified of this feeling that welled up inside of her.
"Ummm.. Kim..." Jenn spoke softly, not wanting to startle the girl. She felt Kim's hand begin to run under her pyjama bottom and along her panty line and gently stroke her crotch. A tear filled Jenn's eye and she suddenly sat up and began to crawl backwards in the bed, "Kim, wait. Don't." Jenn's voice was shaky and she felt weird all of a sudden.
The redhead sat up while rubbing her eyes, "Lauren, what is wron-" She groggily started to say when her eyes fell on the scared look on Jenn's face, "Jenn?!?" She glanced around the room, trying to remember what had happened, then she noticed where she was, "I..." She began to speak as she realized what she had just been doing, "I thought..." She stammered.
Jenn shook her head, "You were dreaming." She found it hard to look Kim in the eyes, "It is alright. I..."
"I'm sorry..." Kimberly could feel her body begin to tremble. She felt dirty and wrapped her arms closely around her body, "I didn't mean to... I'm sorry... I didn't mean to hurt you." Kim fell onto her side and curled up in a tight ball, "I'm sorry... I'm... dirty..." She sniffled.
Jenn stared down at Kim, who had now buried her face into her arms and was crying. Jenn moved closer to the girl and knelt beside her, setting a hand gently on Kim's shoulder, "Shhhh... It is alright." She whispered.
Kim shook her head in her arms violently, "NO, it isn't..." She mumbled into her arms, "I... I..." Another sob could be heard from deep inside of Kim's chest.
Jenn put an arm around the girl and pulled Kim into her lap. Kim protested and tried to fight Jenn, but was to weak and finally gave in and wrapped her arms around Jenn's waist as Jenn gently stroked the girl's soft long hair, "Shhhh... it is alright."
"But I.. I..." Kim spoke into Jenn's tummy, clinging to the girl, "I made you dirty."
"Shhhh... You didn't do anything wrong." Jenn continued to talk in soft whispers, "I..." She thought about how good it felt to have Kim so close to her, "I like being close to you... I just..." Images of what she wanted to happen entered her mind and she closed her eyes against them. The thought of touching Kim like that made her feel no less than the girl's father. Kim rolled over in Jenn's lap so she could look up at the girl. Jenn let out a breath and gazed down at Kim, softly stroking the girl's cheek, she felt Kim shiver at her touch and Jenn started to lean over wanting nothing more then to taste the girl's lips when at that moment the door opened and Natalie entered the room.
"Kim, are you alright?" She strolled over and dropped down on the bed next to the girls.
Kim glanced up in embarrassment, "I… I'm alright, Nat." She found it hard to look the girl in the eyes.
Natalie gave the two girls a curious look, "What were you two up to about just now?" She asked giving Jenn an interrogating glare.
"Nothing," Kim replied giving Jenn a quick glance.
"That's right... Nothing." Jenn said with a smile. She then turned to Natalie, blinking, "Hey what are you doing here? Why didn't you knock?"
"I came by to tell you that breakfast is ready, when I got a feeling that Kim was in trouble." Natalie glanced between the girls, "I guess I was wrong. Sorry to disturb you." She stood up, "Everyone is already in the Cafeteria so if you want to have a shower in peace now would be the time." She suggested.
"Thanks." Kim said, smiling at her friend, "I think I will take one." She started to stand.
"I'll see you down stairs." Natalie gave Jenn one final disapproving glare before leaving the two girls alone.
"She is quiet protective, isn't she?" Jenn asked, still watching at the door as she sat up.
"That is Nat for you." Kim said with a sigh, "She is harmless... or used to be..." She said a little concerned about her friend.
"It is nice to know someone is watching over you." Jenn stated, "I just hope she doesn't see me as the enemy." She nervously laughed.
"Why would she think that?" Kim asked, digging through the closet for some clothes.
"I don't know..." Jenn flopped back in her bed and watched Kim's back. She wanted to wrap her arms around the girl and pull her back into the bed, however shook the thought out of her mind. For some reason she felt that if she approached the girl, Natalie would barge back in there again. Kim returned to Jenn then gave Jenn a quick hug, "What was that for?" Jenn asked, looking up at the redhead.
"Nothing," Kim forced herself to smile, "I'm going to have a shower." She began to leave the room, then stopped at the door, "Thank you..." She said without turning around. Before Jenn could respond, Kim disappeared out the door, leaving the girl to her own thoughts.
*****
Kim walked down the hall until she came across the bathroom. She approached the threshold of the room and looked within.
The room was large, with a long counter of sinks running along one wall with a set of small mirrors were hung above each sink and toilet stalls along the other side of the room. Kim set her things on the counter and took a better look around. She found an opening in the wall at the end of the toilet stalls. She peeked through the opening to see and adjoining room with a line of shower stalls running along both walls. As Natalie said, there was not another soul in sight.
Kim stepped into the shower room, opened one of the stalls and turned on the water. Kim smiled as warm water pelted her hand and stepped out of the stall as she proceeded to take off her clothes when she noticed her panties felt wet. She put her hand in them and pulled them out to see a clear substance over her fingers, "No..." She mumbled as she sunk down the wall next to the shower, wrapping her arms around herself. Tears began to fill her eyes as she thought about Jenn's touch. She wanted to feel the girl's lips against hers, yet she tried to convince herself it wasn't like that, but she knew it had to be true, that she really did love girls.
"I told you so." An echoing voice suddenly said.
"Who's there?" Kim nervously asked and glanced around, holding her dress close to her body.
"And here you kept insisting that it was just because Lauren looked like boy." The voice again spoke, "What a laugh."
Kimberly suddenly stood up her eyes scanned the room, searching the other room until her eyes fell on the mirror and her own refection.
"Nice to see you are enjoying yourself." Her refection said with a smile.
"No..." Kimberly stumbled backwards, "Get away from me..." Her voice now distant and scared.
"Now now." Her refection stepped up to the mirror, "We know that IS impossible." It's grin broadened, "You know we're stuck with each other. Just you, me, and guess who else is here?"
From the left side of the mirror stepped May, "Hello again. I see you are having fun with my friend." She reached out her hand, blood dripping from her slashed wrists, touching the mirror and leaving a bloody handprint, "Be sure that I will return for her... and you."
"Leave me alone." Kim cried, "It isn't my fault!"
"First you said it was because Lauren was boyish." Her reflection sneered, "Now you are blaming someone else."
"You are the one who asked to sleep with her." May snarled, "You wanted to be with her."
"No!" Kim protested, "Not like that... I just..."
"More excuses?" Her reflection taunted the girl, "Next you are going to say it is because Jenn has short hair."
"Leave me alone." Kim covered her ears, "I didn't mean to, honestly." Tears flowing steadily down her cheeks.
"That is not how it seemed to us." May continued, "You seemed to be quite enjoying yourself. I bet you wanted her to continue. Wanted to feel her inside of you."
"Shut up!!!!" The ghost girls voice filled Kim's ears and she struggled against the sound, "LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!" She screamed.
*****
"Do you always wear that jacket?" Kris taking account of Natalie’s leathers as she picked up her tray of food and follow the girl across the cafeteria.
"Why not?" Natalie asked coldly, "It was a gift fro-" Natalie abruptly stopped in her tracks, causing Kris to lightly bump into her.
"Natalie, is there something wrong?" Kris asked, concerned as her new friend unexpectedly abruptness.
Natalie was trembling and held her food tray so tightly that her knuckles became white, "Kim..." She whispered her tray tumbled to the ground followed closely by Natalie herself.
"Natalie!?!" Kris dropped to the side of the girl, when Natalie carefully got to her feet again.
"Kim’s in trouble." Natalie swayed slightly, before starting towards the exit while holding her arm.
Kris began to follow when she set her hand in something wet. She lifted her hand to see it was covered in blood, then she noticed a trail of blood dripping from Natalie's right arm, "Natalie, wait!" Kris called out after the girl.
At that moment Jessica stepped into the Cafeteria and was about to give her usually moring greeting when she noticed the pained expression on Natalie’s face and all playfulness died upon her lips, "Natalie, what is wrong?" Jessica grabbed hold of the girl as she nearly fell yet again. She saw the trail of blood, "Someone get me the first aid kit!" She commanded, “Quickly!!” Just as one of the girls got up the dorm filled with the sounds of screams.
******
Jenn was pulling on a tank top and a jean shirt when she heard a loud crash from down the hall. She ran out into the hall to see a couple other girls standing around, confused by the sound. Then came the screams, they were piercing and filled with such terror that Jenn could feel in her heart. Jenn quickly followed the sound and arrive at the bathroom. The moment her hand touched the door the screams cut off and the halls filled with an eerie silence. Swallowing hard Jenn pushed through the door to find each and every mirror was broken and shards of glass scattered across the tile floor, mixed with drops of blood. She could hear the shower was still running mixed with the sounds of sobs. Double-quick she tiptoed through the field of glass and entered the shower room to find one stall open. Inside Kimberly was curled up on the ground shaking violently and mumbling incoherently to herself. A trail of blood could be seen running from the girl, spiralling down the drain.
"Kim!!" Jenn stepped into the shower, ignoring the fact that she was still dressed and turned off the water.
"Is everyone alrig-!" Kris's voiced yelled out as she came running around the corner with Jessica close by. Kris stopped when she saw the mess, then trail of blood, "What happened?" She said, concerned more about the girls then the mess.
"Get some bandages!" Jenn called out without looking at whom she was giving the order to. She pulled Kim's arm away from her body, the girl was to terrified to resist, and looked upon a large gash that ran along Kim's right forearm from wrist to elbow.
Jessica knelt down with a first aid kit already in hand, "Move over." She commanded, taking Kim's arm from Jenn. Jenn stopped for a moment and blinked at the girl, then moved out of the way. Jessica glanced at the wound, "Someone get Amy!," Jessica called out at the small crowd of girls that began to gather, "HURRY!" She added more urgency to her command
"I will!" One of the girls replied and dashed out of the room.
"What happened here?" Jessica asked calmly as she opened the first aid kit and grabbed some gauze.
"I... I don't know" Jenn stammered, "She seemed fine when she left our room."
"What is going on here?" Natalie weakly pushed her way through the crowd, clenching her own arm to her waist, "Kim, are you alright?"
"Natalie!" Jenn called out to the girl, "Something happened to her."
Natalie grabbed a bathrobe from a shelf, while stepping around Jenn, "Kim! Kimmy? Are you alright?!?" Worry could be heard in Natalie's voice as she joined Jessica in the stall and wrapped the robe around Kim's shoulders.
"Nat?" Kimberly seemed to be pulling herself together again. She blinked a few times and glanced around at all the girls watching her with concern in their eyes. Her eyes then fell on Jenn, "May..." was the only word that escaped her lips.
Jenn glanced at Kim, "May? What about her?" She asked confused.
Kim shakily lifted her other arm and pointed at the remains of the mirror, "In the mirror. Blood... so much blood." She whispered.
Jenn turned around to see what Kimberly was pointing at with a puzzled look across her face, "Mirror? How could she be in the mirror?" She turned to Natalie, "What is she talking about?"
"She must have remembered something frightening." Jessica said, with as much calm as she could muster, but was having troubles with the amount of blood that continuously seeped through the bandages as quickly as she applied them.
"Where is May anyway?" Jenn turned to ask Kris. "Is she here?"
"No..." Kris lowered her head, avoiding Jenn's eyes.
"Where is she? Is she in the Eastern Dorms?" Jenn rose to her feet, "If she hurt Kim in any way I'll..."
"Isn't she the girl that committed suicide last year?" Came from one of the girls from the crowd. A few girls murmured, then noticed the pale look on Jenn's face and everyone fell silent.
"Killed herself?" Jenn scanned the crowd, "What do you mean?" All the girls were now looking at the ground and Jenn turned to Kris, "What do they mean 'suicide'?" She glanced down at Kim who was still curled up in the stall next to Natalie, "How could she... I mean I just saw her the other day... When?" She glanced down at her own bandages. "How? WHY?!?"
"I'm sorry." Kris said, approaching the girl's side.
"Why didn't you tell me?!?" Jenn yelled, looking up at her friend with tears in her eyes.
"What did you want me to say?" Kris countered and turned to face the ground, "I was hoping you would remember on your own time."
"So I've been living in a dream all this time?" Jenn was losing her grip on her emotions. Part of her knew what they were saying was true, but another part didn't want to believe it, "This can't be happening. You're lying!!!" She pushed her way through the crowd and ran out of the washroom cutting her foot on a piece of mirror but not really noticing. Tears welled up in her eyes as she ran down the hall to her room and slammed the door shut.
Kim stumbled to her feet, "Jenn, wait!" She called out after the girl.
Natalie grabbed the girl by the hand, "Let her be." Natalie said.
"No!" Kim cried out, "She is my friend and she needs me." Kim broke free of her friend's grasp and chased after Jenn, the last of the roll of bandage fluttering after her. She opened the door to find the girl curled up in the corner of the room sobbing, "Jenn?"
"Leave me alone!" Jenn wept.
Kim closed the door and crossed the room till she stood before the girl, "Would you leave me?" She asked calmly.
Jenn looked up at the girl in her bloody stained house coat, "No... no..." She stammered, "but... How... how could she... she was my best friend... Why... didn't she come to me...?" She sobbed.
Kim sat down next to the girl, "Maybe..." Kim tried to put things into words, "Maybe she didn't want to bother you with her problems." Kim said sheepishly.
Jenn turned her hands over and stared at her wrists and the bandages that covered them, "I..." Tears rolled down her cheeks and Kim wrapped her arms around the girl, pulling Jenn into her lap, letting the girl sob into her chest.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 28
Title: Part 7: Chapter 28
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Seven: Crimson Nightmares
Chapter Twenty-Eight - Pale Comparisons
The school bell rang and the many occupants of the dorm started to shuffle out the door on their way to their classes, leaving the new girls alone in the eerie quiet. Jessica picked up a mop from the storage closet, "Thanks for helping me clean up, Nat." Jessica gratefully said, handing a mop to Natalie.
"Anything." Natalie took the mop, "I do feel sort of responsible for Kim." She stated, "Thanks for staying behind."
"No problem." Jessica said while grabbing a broom and dustpan, "I actually will be graduating soon so only have a couple of classes, easy stuff to catch up on. Probably why I'm the Dorm head and all." She shrugged and started towards the washroom with Natalie close beside her, "How is your arm, by the way?" Jessica asked, genuinely concerned.
"It felt better," Natalie plainly admitted, "but I've had worse." She gingerly placed a hand on her arm.
"I'm guessing that you and Kimberly are intertwined, aren't you?" She asked bluntly.
"Ummm..." Natalie stammered, trying to think of what to say.
"That explains a lot really." Jessica said more to herself then Natalie, "I never pegged you for the violent type, however when you kept showing up at school with those bruises..." She stopped in her tracks, "That means..." She turned to Natalie, "Who would do such a thing to an innocent beauty like her?" She asked even more concerned then before.
Natalie lowered her head, "I don't know." She admitted sorrowfully, "At first it was her father, but as far as I know he is dead."
"Her father?" Jessica looked down the hall towards the redhead's room, "Is that what I saw in those eyes?" She asked softly, "When I peered in those eyes there was so much fear and pain that I wanted to hold her tight and protect her."
"Kim is like that." Natalie said with a sigh, "You have to be careful or you'll be swallowed by those eyes."
"So that is what happened?" Jessica half asked, while trying to get a look in Natalie's eyes, "How do you feel about this new girl entering the picture?" She asked curiously.
"As long as Kim is happy then I am." Natalie admitted then opened the washroom door to look upon the mess and let out a long pained sigh, "For I can't seem to save her no matter how hard I try."
"Don't tell me you are giving up on her," Jessica let the door close behind her.
Natalie shook her head, "No, I'll watch her to the very end."
"You are a true friend." Jessica patted the girl on the back, "Now how about we get this mess cleaned up, what do you say?"
Natalie nodded. She knelt down and began to pick up the larger pieces of glass. She tried hard not to cry when she came across some of the more blood soaked chunks. She picked up one fragment and looked into the mirror, "What did she see?" Natalie thought out loud, "What could have scared her so much?"
Jessica lifted her head to look at where the mirrors used to hang, several shards still clinging to their metal frames, "Who knows," She replied with a weak shrug, "We all have our shadows haunting our souls."
"I wish I could release Kim from hers" Natalie said with a sigh.
"Jessica, are you here?" Amy asked as she opened the door, a small black bag in hand, "Sorry I took so lo-" She stopped just inside of the door and stared aghast at the sight before her, "What happened here?" She asked astonished by all the blood.
"Amy, you made it." Jessica dropped some of the glass she held into a trashcan and washed her hands, "We've had a bit of a morning adventure."
"I can see that." Amy entered the room, careful not to step on any of the glass, "Who got hurt?" scanning the blood to see several handprints and foot prints in the blood.
"Well one is right here." Jessica nodded to Natalie who was still picking up glass, "I managed to bandage her as best I could, however it is only a quick fix."
"Morning Natalie." Amy set her bag down on the counter, "Can I take a look at your wound?" She requested.
Natalie stood to her feet and pulled off her jacket as she approached the young nurse, "It isn't that bad, really?" She slightly protested.
"I'll be the judge." Amy said as she unravelled the bandage, and then peeled back the gaze. There was only a small amount of blood on the bandages and the cut had already begun to heal, "You're right." Amy said examining the girl's arm, and then looked down at the blood on the ground, "This wound couldn't have produced this much blood. Was someone else hurt?" She asked concerned.
Jessica nodded, "Kimberly was cut pretty deeply. Which is why I called for you."
Amy sprayed Natalie's arm with a sterilizer, "In that case can I see her?" She asked as she applied new bandages to Natalie's arm and tapped it in place, "Don't work your arm to hard and it will be fine." Amy stated to Natalie as she dropped the items back into the bag.
Natalie nodded, “Alright.”
"Kim should be in her room." Jessica said as she opened the door for the nurse with Natalie close behind, rolling her sleeve back down.
"Do you know what happened?" Amy asked.
"We are not sure." Jessica confessed, "We found her in the washroom shaking and covered in blood." Jessica approached Jenn and Kim's room, and then knocked lightly on the door, "Kim? Amy is here to look at your arm." She paused for a moment, "Can we come in?" she politely asked.
The door slowly opened and the red head peered out at the group.
"Can we come in?" Amy said giving the girl a warm smile.
"I.. I guess..." Kim said quietly and moved out of the way of the door, allowing for the girls to enter.
"What do you want?" Jenn glared coldly from her spot curled up on the bed.
"I'm just here to check on Kim's arm." Amy said, dodging the girl's stares, "Now Kim, do you mind rolling up your sle-" She suddenly noticed the housecoat Kim wore was spotted with blood with one arm completely soaked. The bandages Jessica had only recently applied to the girl's arm was soaked crimson and slowly unravelling, "You're still bleeding?!?" Amy exclaimed, quickly dropping to her knees, opened her bag and pulled out a pair of scissors, then began to cut away at the bandages.
"What?" Natalie rushed over to Kim's side and stared down at the girl's arms, "Kim, why didn't you say anything earlier?"
"I feel fine." Kim stated almost in a daze. For the first time they noticed how pale Kim was.
Natalie turned to Jenn, "Were you going to let her bleed to death?"
Jenn seemed startled, "We were just resting. She seemed fine." Jenn threw off the blanket to find more blood on her shirt, "I..." She suddenly realized she was so deep in her own despair that she didn't even notice that Kim was slowly bleeding to death in her arms.
"It is not as bad as you make it sound.” Amy pulled the last of the bandages off the girl's arm, "She is not going to die." She started to dab at the wound with a disinfectant and Kim winced and tried to pull away from Amy, "Hold still." Amy commanded and the redhead stopped squirming and bite down on her tongue against the pain.
Natalie knelt down next to Kim and wrapped her arm around the girl, "Everything will be alright." She said, pulling the girl's head into her shoulder so she would not see what Amy was doing.
Jenn sat on the bed shaking her head in disbelief, "How could I...?" She mumbled, clenching the sides of her head.
Jessica sat down next to Jenn, "It's not your fault." She hugged the girl, letting Jenn cry on her shoulder.
Amy used some surgical tape to hold Kim's wound together, "It's alright. It is not as bad as it seemed." She applied some gauze and wrapped the girl's arm tightly in bandages, "I want you resting up and not using that arm for a bit alright?" She commanded, letting go of the girl's arms and standing to her feet without waiting for a reply.
"Thanks for helping." Jessica said, still hugging Jenn.
"How are you doing, Jenn?" Amy asked approaching the two girls and seeing her bloody foot, then kneeling to examine her injury as well.
"I..." Jenn shakily broke away from Jessica, "I don't know..." she stammered.
"Don't worry yourself too much." Amy reassured the girl as she wiped away some of the blood to find only a small scratch upon her big toe and applied a bandage to it, "Kim will be just fine. Here." She pulled out a pill bottle from her pocket, "These should weaken the pain in her arm. Can I trust you with these?" She asked seriously.
"I... I don't know..." Jenn's eyes darted around the room then back to Amy, "Amy can you tell me... what happened to a friend of mine?" She nervously asked.
"Maybe, depends on who it is." She began to gather her things, “I’ve been here for a while so might know who they are.”
"Ma..." Jenn found it hard to form the words and swallowed hard, "May Young..." She spat out.
Amy dropped the bandage roll that she just picked up and gave Jenn a shocked look, "You remember her?" She asked with a gulp.
"Someone said she..." Jenn sniffled back another sob.
"You can visit her if you like." Amy placed the last of her things in her bag and stood, "I can take you to her."
"Really!?!" Jenn got up, "You really know where she is?"
"Amy, is this such a good idea?" Jessica asked concerned for Jenn.
"We can't just keep dodging the question now can we?" Amy said calmly, "Come along if you wish." She started out the door not waiting for an answer.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 29
Title: Part 7: Chapter 29
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Seven: Crimson Nightmares
Chapter Twenty-Nine - Deathly Reunion
Kris lay upon her bed staring up at the ceiling, Jenn's accusation still ringing in her ears. Should she have kept May's death a secret? Should she be keeping her feelings a secret? Where was this all leading her? She rolled over in the bed, with her back facing outwards and curled her knees close to her chest as an overwhelming pain filled her heart.
"Now this is a sight I missed" A voice said from behind Kris, "You huddled in bed like you used to do all the time."
Kris did not turn around to see who spoke, "What are you doing here, Gwen?" She asked while she rolled over and crossing her arms behind her head.
The Angel of Death sat upon the desk chair, her wings faded away leaving only a few glowing feathers drifting through the air. One floated near Kris and she reached out to touch the feather only to have it disappear in her hands. Gwen gazed upon the photo on the girl's desk, "Angelina told me you were back, so I thought I would give you a bit of a holler." She said as she leaned her back in the chair and looked, upside down out the window as the sun crossed the sky.
"I don't care for your company, so why don't you just go away." Kris said, wrapping her arms over her eyes.
"Now that is not the Aigneis that I remember so dearly." Gwen said, getting up and walking over to the girl's side.
Kris uncovered her eyes to glared angrily at the Angel, "I'm not Aigneis, and you know it, so stop bothering me." Kris's word where like acid to the angel and she winced in pain.
"Oh, that is right," Gwen spoke more to herself, trying to cover the hurt, "You changed your name didn't you... what was it? Crystal or something like that?" She watched Kris in amusement.
"Kris Tallet!!" Kris was getting angrier every moment she had to look at this girl whom she once considered her sister, "Now if you don't have anything better to say, then I have things to do." She sat up and started to get out of the bed.
"Actually I do have something you would have an interest in." Gwen said with a grin.
Kris stopped on the spot, "Please... I am not in the mood for games right now." She said softly, almost dismally.
Gwen pointed to herself, "Me? Games? I think you have me confused with little Carey. When have I ever played any games on you?"
Kris let out a deep sigh, "Never... I just..." Kris slowly shook her head, "I just want to be left alone."
Gwen appeared beside Kris with an arm around the girl's shoulder, "You know full well that I defended you against Father. He had no right to treat you the way he did."
"Please don't remind me." Kris let out a deeper sigh then looked at the girl, "Didn't dad forbid you all from visiting me?" Kris asked curiously.
"Yeah, but when have I been known to listen to father?" Gwen said with a slight chuckle.
"True." Kris smiled, "You and Angelina were always getting into trouble with him."
"We all love you." Gwen added, "I wish that Julie and Dad would stop being so closed minded about everything."
"Did you come here just to reminisce?" Kris asked still suspicious of her sister.
"No, I brought a gift for you." Gwen started to dig in her pockets.
"What ever it is you can keep it." Kris started to walk towards the window. Below she could see Amy, Jessica, Natalie, Kim and Jenn leaving the building, "Where are they all going?" She said, a sense of unease wormed into her soul, then watched the girls for a moment and noticed the direction they were moving, " No..." She whispered then turned and started out of the room.
"Are you sure you would not want this?" Gwen pulled her hand out of her vest pocket and opened it. In the palm of the girl's hand was a small glowing light.
Kris turned around and stared at the light with eyes wide open, "Is that?" She refused to believe what she was seeing, but it just had to be. She could feel it deep inside of her, "You didn't?
"Angelina and I thought you would want this back." Gwen took Kris's hand in hers, "I hope you can one day forgive us."
"What have you done?" Kris exclaimed, "You can't just waltz into someone's mind and take what you want. Even if it is locked away."
"Well then, it is now up to you to do as you like with it." She placed the light in Kris' hand and watched her sister's eyes close as the soft glow washed over her, "Throw it away, keep it or give it back. It is all up to you." When Kris opened her eyes, Gwen was gone. She opened her hand and the light was gone as well, but she could feel it inside her chest. She felt as if she were holding Jenn close to her. She could almost smell the girl's hair and feel her skin next to her. She shook her head slowly, "What have you done...?" She mumbled to the empty room.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 30
Title: Part 8: Chapter 30
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Eight: Grave Convictions
Chapter Thirty - Tangled Heartache
Alyson dragged her feet dismally as she entered the Academy grounds. She had spent the morning searching the town for Natalie and still had no idea where the girl could be hiding. She wanted to find her friend before her brother did, however was starting to worry that maybe the girl was already beyond reach. Perhaps the "Sisters" already got to her. She shook her head at the thought. Although she tried hard to deny it she did feel very deeply for Natalie and the thought of some kind of harm coming to the girl wrenched at her heart. Her head hung low as she walked the school's many paths. She found she could think clearer when surrounded by the many trees found on the grounds. Today was a different story and the longer she wandered the more lost she felt. She couldn't even face going to class worried that Natalie may wander by without her knowing.
The sound of a tiny voice jarred Alyson from her thoughts, "Come back here!!!" A young preteen aged girl called out as she ran towards Alyson. A bundle of papers where clenched to her chest as she was trying to pounce on a page that had escaped her, "Oh please stop!" She pleaded; sounding as if at any moment the girl would start to cry in frustration.
Alyson stood perfectly still and watched the sheet of paper tumble across the ground only a step out of the girl's grasp. The moment the white prey came into range Alyson lifted her foot and stamped onto it, stopping the sheet's gleeful escape. The little girl was startled by the sudden movement and froze in place like a rabbit before a wolf. She had been unaware of Alyson’s presence until that moment and watched as Alyson bent over and picked up the paper, "You lose something Nicole?" She asked the child.
The girl slowly moved her eyes from the paper to who had captured it and a smile broke across her face, "Alyson, thank you!" She said gratefully and took the paper in hand, "Sometimes I think these things have a life of their own." She grumbled as she added the page to the pile in her arms.
"What are you up to?" Alyson asked watching the girl fumble with the papers as they tried to escape again.
"The elementary kids are supposed to have a physical soon," Nicole replied, still fighting with the papers, "and... I was asked to take these papers... to Amy, but she is not at the clinic so I don't know what to do." Nicole said in a huff.
"Here let me help you." Alyson took half the pile from the girl as they were about to leap from Nicole's hands, "Maybe we can find her together."
"Thanks!" Nicole let out a sigh of relief, "I hear she might be at the Western Dorms." Nicole stated rearranging her remaining pile in her arms, "Some new girls arrived the other day. Everyone is in a fuss about them." She rolled her eyes at the thought.
"New girls?" Alyson was intrigued by this notion, "It has been sometime since anyone new has arrived."
"I haven't got a chance to meet them, but Natalie is watching over them so everything should be fine." The girl said cheerfully.
"Natalie?" Alyson froze in her spot, "She has been here the whole time?" A frown crossed her face.
Nicole turned to look up at her friend, "She didn't tell you? Opps!" She placed a hand over her mouth.
"That girl!" Alyson's frown turned to a scowl as she stormed across the Academy grounds towards the Western Dorms, "She has a lot of explaining to do."
"Wait up Alyson!" Nicole called out, trying to keep up with the older girl.
Alyson rounded the corner and spotted a group of girls leaving the dorms. Among them was Natalie walking close to a small red haired girl. Alyson stood dumbfounded not sure what to do. Something inside of her said that this redhead must be the one that Natalie had been searching for all this time. Alyson darted back around the corner and leaned against the wall not wanting to be spotted just yet. Could it be that Natalie doesn't need her anymore now that she has found her friend? That was the real reason she never called or left any notes? Alyson hugged the papers to her chest as many doubts danced through her mind.
Nicole cautiously approached the girl, "Alyson?" She asked, unsettled by the sudden change in her friend's mood, "Are you alright?" She glanced at her friend with curious concern.
Alyson dropped to the ground in a heap while holding a hand to her head, "I... I don't know..." So many emotions were running through her mind at that moment. She had never felt such a heart ache however the moment she saw Natalie with Kim it was like something was crushing her.
Nicole peered around the corner then returned to her friend, "Don't you want to catch up to them?" She asked with her head cocked to the side with more curiosity then before.
Alyson ran a hand through her curls, "What if she doesn't want me anymore?" She mumbled nervously.
"Course she does." Nicole innocently responded, "I can't think of you and her apart."
"What about that redhead?" Alyson asked, realizing how silly it was to ask advice from a twelve year old, but found out long ago that age meant very little around this place.
Nicole thought over the question carefully, "I heard that Natalie is very protective of her and even snarled at Jessie for flirting with the girl." Alyson's head lowered, "However," Nicole continued, "The redhead is rather close to one of the new girls and is rooming with her."
"She is?" Alyson's head rose, "Then that means Natalie..." She stood to her feet, "Come on, and lets get these papers to Amy." They started around the corner to be greeted by Kris's worried face as she exited the dorms. The three girls stared at each other for a moment.
"Have you seen a group of girl's who just left here?" Kris asked anxiously looking left then right.
"They passed her only a moment ago." Alyson stated, pointing down the road, "We need to give these files to Amy so we were heading that way. Are you new here?" Alyson asked curiously.
"Sort of..." Kris admitted as she fell in step along side the girls.
"Sort of?" Nicole asked, "How can you be 'sort of' new?"
Kris scratched her head, "I used to live here and have been... away... for a while." She nervously said, then noticed Alyson leaned close to her with her eyes shut and sniffed the air around her, "Ummm... is something wrong?" Kris asked, even more troubled about this girl then before.
Alyson opened her eyes. There was something about Kris that Alyson could not quite place. She knew that scent somewhere before. It was not like her brother’s; he had a dark strength to him. No, this was very different. There was strength to the girl that was certain, however it was more like... "The head mistresses..." Alyson said under her breath as her eyes narrowed and she glared defensively at the girl.
Kris anxiously laughed, "They are my Aunts. I used to live with them." She blinked at the girl, "How did you know that?" She then noticed the sword on the girl's back and her black leathers "Wait! Are you Alyshione?" She asked shocked that she didn't notice it before from the description Tanya had given her.
Alyson backed off a little, "How... how do you know my name?" Now it was her turn to feel nervous.
"Natalie told us about you..." Kris said then thought to herself, "Sort of... she likes to play things mysteriously." She looked at Alyson, "You sort of remind me of her a bit."
"I do?" Alyson straighten up and blinked at Kris then turned to Nicole, "Do you find us anything alike?" She asked the girl.
Nicole thought for a moment, "In some ways, I guess you could say that." She then smiled up at the girl, "But you are way cooler."
"And who are you, little one?" Kris asked Nicole.
"I'm Nicole Harshaw," Nicole said, "I'm the head of the Elementary section." She said proudly.
"Harshaw???" Kris said shocked, "Are you related to Natalie?"
"Yep!" The girl nodded, "She is my big sister, but Alyson pays more attention to me then she does." Nicole kicked at the dirt.
"Well, I'm Kris," Kris said with a smile, "Pleasure to meet you."
"Same!" Nicole smiled.
Alyson stopped where she was and nodded forwards. The two other girls looked up to see they had caught up to the other group.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 31
Title: Part 8: Chapter 31
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Eight: Grave Convictions
Chapter Thirty-One - Childish Worries
"Here we are." Amy stopped at the foot of a large tree and gestured to a plaque that lay at the foot of the tree.
Jenn ran up to the tree and looked upon the plaque, "In Memory of May Young, let her rest soundly and her heart finally be at peace." A tear rolled down her cheek as Jenn's knees started to give way and she crumbled to the ground, "Oh May!!!" She sobbed, "Why didn't you come to me?"
Kim dropped to her friend's side, "I'm sorry Jenn." She could not take her eyes off the plaque. It was just like the one she saw only the other day, just a lot cleaner.
Jenn clenched onto Kim's bathrobe, "Why? It makes no sense." Kim held her friend tightly letting Jenn continue, "I just saw her the other day." Jenn buried her face in the girl's robes, "Why didn't she say anything?"
Kim let out a sigh remembering the scene she had witnessed only the night before. May's confession and in turn her death, "I..." Kim found it hard to speak. She wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't form in her mouth. How could she tell her new friend the reason behind May's death?
Jessica stepped forwards, "I'd only heard stories about that day." She said quietly, "They say she was found in the washroom. No one knows what brought her to doing such a thing." She spoke so softly, almost as if she didn't want to wake to girl that slept so far under the tree.
"Why wasn't I told?" Jenn cried hysterically, "Why???" She looked around at the girls that stood around her.
"We have a rule around here." Jessica said gazing up at the tree, "'Let those discover for themselves what is trapped within their hearts and minds.'" She looked down at Jenn, "It is hard to tell someone when you know it will only hurt them more."
Jenn stared down at the plaque once again, "Why can't I remember?" She whispered.
Kim suddenly glanced up to notice Kris and a couple of others approaching, "Who are they?" Kim asked part out of curiosity and part wanting to protect her friend from prying eyes.
Natalie followed Kim's gaze and was startled to see Alyson standing there, "Alyson?" She said, discontentedly at way her friend was staring at her, yet not moving towards them. Then she saw her little sister running towards them, " Nicole?" Natalie blinked, even more surprised then before.
"Hey Natalie!!!" Nicole called out as she skipped their direction, "Amy! I have those files for you." as if on queue Alyson started after the girl, leaving Kris nervously leaning against a tree. Jenn glared angrily at the girl from where she sat.
Amy stepped towards the bouncing girl, "I completely forgot about those." She said shaking her head, "I'm sorry, you must have searched everywhere for me." She apologized to Nicole.
"Alyson helped me." Nicole stated happily, "And I met a new friend." She grinned handing the files over to the nurse.
"I see." Amy said returning the girl's grin, "Thanks for bringing the files." She took the papers from the girl, and then turned to Alyson, "And thank you also Alyson. It has been a while. How are you doing?" She asked taking the papers from Alyson.
"I'm fine." Alyson stated unkindly, it was very apparent that Alyson didn't stand for Amy's presence.
"I'll be the judge of that." Amy flipped through the papers; "I would like to see you for a check up sometime soon." She stopped on one of the files and became lost in her thoughts. She peered up from the papers for a moment, "I need to get going. I'll talk to you all later." She turned and started heading towards the school without waiting for a reply or goodbyes.
"Thanks again Amy!" Jessica called out after the nurse only to receive a small wave in return.
"Hey Alyson," Natalie finally found her voice.
Alyson glared irately at the girl, "I don't know if I should hug you or hit you." She stated, both anger and tears could be seen in the girl's eyes.
Natalie cringed at Alyson's harsh words, "I'm sorry... It was sort of an emergency... I found Kimberly." She nervously pointed to the redhead.
"I see that." Alyson said not so much as giving the redhead a simple glance, "We need to talk." She took the blonde by the hand and hastily pulled her away from the group.
"Ohhh... lover's quarrel?" Jessica teased.
"Shut up Jessie." Alyson snapped then dragged Natalie to a set of trees in the distance.
"What's wrong Alyson?" Natalie asked uneasily, "Are you mad at me?" She suspected that Alyson would be a little angry at her disappearance, but was not too sure what to expect out of the girl.
"I don't know what I feel." Alyson bluntly stated dropping to the ground under a tree and watching the group of girls that they just left, "So you finally found her?" She asked dismally.
Natalie sat down next to her friend, "Yeah," She admitted looking over at the redhead, "It was like you said. I followed those feelings and it brought me to her. It was rather weird though."
"Weird?" Alyson broke from watching the girls to face Natalie, "How so?" She asked genuinely curious, she always had an interest in the disappearances and reappearances of the residents of the Academy.
"I don't know..." Natalie thought about how to describe that night, "I found her and that black haired girl sitting next to her in the school pool, but not exactly."
"The pool?" Alyson turned her head to look in the direction of the pool, "Do they have any idea how they got there?" She asked puzzling over the situation.
Natalie shook her head, "Nope, and stranger still was the shadow that was trying to pull then under. It was bigger then anything I'd ever seen before and more then that there was a strange feeling of loneliness coming from the creature and I could feel another presence too. Something strong and dark with an intent to kill."
Alyson looked down at the ground not saying a word.
"Alyson, are you alright?" Natalie leaned over to get a closer look at her friend, "You seemed rather down." Natalie suddenly got an idea. She produced a couple of small throwing daggers from the inside of her left sleeve. Smiling at the knives the girl gazed up at the tree to spot a few apples hung overhead. She tossed the daggers into the air and when then returned to her hands they protruded through two apples. She handed one of the apples to Alyson who took it and rolled the apple over in her hands. Natalie proceeded to extract the knife from her apple and began to peel it.
"Natalie..." Alyson took a deep breath while staring at the apple, "I'd like you to stop fighting the shadows." She said quietly.
"Why?!?" Natalie was startled by the girl's requests and cut deep into the apple nearly cutting her own thumb, "Haven't I been of use to you?" She flustered.
"It is not that." Alyson tried to pick her words carefully, "I don't think it is safe."
"And what if I refuse?" Natalie was frustrated, why would Alyson suddenly be pushing her away like this, "I want to be with you. I was going to come back as soon as Kim was settl-."
"YOU CAN'T!!" Alyson stood up sharply.
"Why not?" Natalie countered, "Don't you love me?" Natalie said bluntly then regretted her words when she saw the shocked look on Alyson's face. The fact was that neither of them had talked much about their feelings didn’t help and Natalie clenched her shirt where she would feel the necklace against her skin, "I... I'm sorry... I thought..." Natalie stammered. The two of them had spent so many nights together that she could not help falling in love and she genuinely thought that it was the same for Alyson, "Forgive me..." Natalie dropped her apple and ran off towards the Dorms.
"Natalie!!" Alyson called out to the girl, but couldn't find the strength to run after the girl. She slowly picked up the apple Natalie had just dropped, "I'm so stupid..."
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 32
Title: Part 8: Chapter 32
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Eight: Grave Convictions
Chapter Thirty-Two - The Protection of Trees
Nicole watched as her sister and Alyson sat under a tree and began to talk. She figured that the girls probably wanted time alone so she decided it would be best not to disturb them. She turned to Jenn, who was shakily hovering over May's plaque with Kim close beside her. She approached the girls and looked down at the plaque.
"Did you know her?" She asked with true concern in her tone.
"She was my best friend." Jenn said sniffling back the sobs.
"I'm sorry..." Nicole fell silent. She placed her hands behind her back and gazed up at the tree, "I was told that these trees protect and kept souls happy. I wonder if there is a tree near my mom and dad."
"Your parents died?" Kim asked sadly.
"Nicole." Jessica had a warning tone to her voice.
"Actually..." Nicole turned to look at the redhead, "no..." She then looked up at the tree again, "I just wish that a tree was watching over them." She glanced around at the other trees, "I always feel safest around the trees... I don't know..." She shrugged then glanced over at her sister, "Sis always told me that she could feel them watching over us... maybe I shouldn't believe her..."
"Sis?" Kim followed the girl's gaze, "Alyson?"
Nicole shook her head, "Although I really wish she was at times. Nat is my real sister... though she is never around much to act like one."
"Your sister?" Kim stood and stared at her blonde friend who seemed to be in a heated discussion, "She never told me..." Kim said astonished by the news.
Nicole blinked at Kimberly, "Have you known my sister long?" She asked curiously.
"We met a few years back." Kim nervously looked from Natalie to Nicole. The two looked nothing alike. Natalie was athletic with long silky blonde hair while this child was skinny with short black hair cut cleanly at the neck and across her brow. The only similarity was in the girls' eyes, which held the same intense blue. Nicole had her eyes currently fixed on Kim and seemed to be sizing the girl up.
"I know you now." Nicole suddenly said, "You are that girl that went missing after her parents were murdered."
"Murdered?" Jenn stood to her feet unsure if she heard the girl correctly.
Kim, however, felt her blood turn cold, "Who... Who told you that?" She nervously swallowed hard.
"Nicole!!!" Jessica's warning this time came with an edge of anger, "You know better!" She walked over to the child and set a hand on the child's head.
"I'm just telling her what Sis told me." Nicole stated, "She is the girl Sis has been searching for, isn't she?" She asked innocently blinking at Kim with her big eyes.
"She has?" Kim looked over at the blonde to see her suddenly get to her feet and run away, "Nat?" Kim was about to go after the girl when she felt a small hand take her own.
"Stay..." Nicole said softly, gripping tighter onto the redhead's hand, "She is only filled with hurtful words when upset."
Jenn knelt next to the girl, "Has she hurt you before?"
A smile suddenly came across the girl's face, "Nope, I just said that to keep you here." She said, however the smile didn't stay long as the girl turned to watch Alyson start to stand and Kris run to the girl's side, "Do you love my sis?" Nicole asked Kim bluntly without moving her gaze from the two girls in the distance.
"Ummm..." Kim stammered glancing from Nicole to Jenn, "That is... she is... just my friend..."
Jenn's face turned long at the way Kim stuttered over the answer. Nicole was the one to voice the thoughts in Jenn's mind, "Then why did you hesitate?" She asked, then let go of the girl's hand and started towards Alyson, "You'd better not get between them or else." She let the threat hang in the air and she ran over to Alyson and gave the girl a hug.
"That is one scary girl." Jenn admitted once the child was out of ears length.
"Just ignore her." Jessica declared, "She is a trouble maker. Always protective of her sister and Alyson." She shook her head in displeasure "I don't know what I'm going to do with that group."
"She seems nice enou-" Kim started to say when she felt her strength slip away from her all of a sudden.
"Kim?" Jenn asked watching her friend sway, "Are you alright?"
"I don't feel to good." Kim mumbled, holding her head, she started to slip to the ground as she felt darkness envelope her.
"KIM!?!" Jenn slipped her arm around the girl to help her stand.
"Easy there..." Jessica wrapped an arm around the other side of the redhead, "You should be in bed like Amy ordered." She stated with a snicker.
"I... just..." Kim struggled to speak.
"I know." Jessica grinned at Jenn, "You just wanted to be with your love."
"We are not!" Jenn protested with a blush as she struggled to help Kim to her feet only to find herself still exhausted from the past days events.
"I'm just kidding." Jessica defended worried by the anger in Jenn's eyes.
"What happened?" Alyson asked as she approached the girls and began to assess the situation, with Kris and Nicole followed closely behind.
"She is just dizzy from the loss of blood is all." Jessica said lightly, "We just need to get her back to bed."
"Let me help." Alyson grasped Kim's wounded arm and recoiled from it as if the girl's arm was on fire. She quickly took Kim by the hand instead and pulled the girl's sleeve back to see the set of bandages that covered her entire forearm and gave Jessica an intense look, "What cut this girl?" She asked sternly.
"Just some glass from a mirror." Jessica replied with a shrug, "Nothing much, however it did cut her rather deeply."
"Hold these!" Alyson commanded as she dropped the apples into Nicole's awaiting hands, with the dagger still protruding out of them and then took Kimberly from the girls, "Show me to her room." She lifted Kim into her arms as if the girl was nothing more than a small child and started towards the dorms with everyone following closely behind her.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 33
Title: Part 8: Chapter 33
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Eight: Grave Convictions
Chapter Thirty-Three - Council of Lords
Sophia sifted through a pile of paperwork that she found sitting on her desk the moment she arrived in her office first thing that morning. Small glasses perched on her nose as she tried desperately to find some order to the insanity. It was nearly lunch hour and she felt nowhere close to being finished when there was a light rapping upon her office door.
"Come in." She called out, not looking up from the papers.
"It's just me, Sophia." Amy said as she entered the room. The office was large with high ceilings that only made the room seem all the more overwhelming. The entire room was covered with deep crimson carpets. Two desks sat at the end of the room near a large window that covered the entire far wall. Bookcases stretched across the length of the walls to either side, with long rolling ladders stretching to the very top shelves. Melissa could be seen sitting at the top of one of the ladders reading a large, thick old book.
"Hey there Amy!" She waved from her spot and slammed the book shut before sliding down the ladder railings, nearly tripping and falling face first to the ground, recovering at the last moment to land on her feet.
"Melissa, I wish you would stop doing that." Amy shook her head slowly, "I have enough trouble taking care of these girls that I don't need you taking up a bed."
"Sorry." Melissa said with a giggle and added the book she found to the mound that already was piled up on her own desk, "What brings you?" She asked while sifting through the pile in search of another tome.
"Well for one we need to arrange the Elementary grade examination." Amy stated leafing through the papers in her hands, "A few of these girls are in need of a check up. A couple seemed to have avoided the last one."
"That is right." Sophia peered up from her papers over the rim of her glasses, "You did say you would be dropping by about that." She stretched in her tall leather chair, "I'm sorry I completely forgot about it."
"And here I thought I was behind schedule and all after the incident at the Western Dorms." Amy said let out an exhausted sigh and flopped down in one of the high backed plush chairs set opposite the Head Mistress, "This is going to be an interesting year."
"Are those girls already getting into trouble already?" Sophia asked taking off her glasses and rubbing her eyes, "You are way to kind to those girls at times."
"No, there was no problem." Amy said, "At least not for me. I do, however, wish I could do more for them. I wish there was some thing I could do to cure their tattered hearts."
"So do I." Melissa agreed with a sigh and sitting upon the only edge of her desk that was not already occupied, "There must be more we can do than just sit around here. Why can't we get involved more?"
"No," Sophia said sternly, "You know the rules. We just observe and are an ear for them to talk to. We are not allowed to interfere, and that especially goes for you, Missy. We don't want another incident like last time. I'm still trying to sort everything out." She motioned to the pile of papers in front of her, "We still don't know the full extent of the damage that was caused."
"True." Amy agreed then thought for a moment, "Which reminds me, I wanted to talk to you about something else as well."
"Yes?" Sophia inquired.
"It is that red haired girl." Amy said milling over her words, "She got a strange cut this morning and doesn't seem to respond to pain in the usual ways. Sure there are many who shut off the pain but the extent in which this child does is so extreme and supposedly she saw May Young in a mirror."
"May?" Melissa glanced up from the book she had just opened.
"You should not have to worry about the child any longer." A deep voice said from a shadowy corner of the room.
"Milai, what are you doing here?" Sophia asked, more amused to hear the sound of the man's voice then anything else.
Out of a dark corner the masked man stepped into the light. His long cloak appeared more like an extension of the shadows than fabric, "I hear that Aigneis has rejoined your lodgings and envisioned I would see how she was at."
"She is doing just fine, Milai." Melissa said cheerfully, "I'm glad to see you visited."
"I'm delighted to hear that she is alright, however I can only stay for a time." He stated tonelessly, "The Halls await me. I do bring a warning; my sisters have been neglecting their duties to visit this place. They may be near and far. Thus bring troubles with them."
"Thank you for the news." Sophia said with a smile, "We'll keep and eye out for them. Please give your Father my regards."
Milai bowed deeply, "I will see to that." He then drifted back into the shadows, "It was good to see you all again. Aunt Sophia, Aunt Melissa and you too Amy." He vanished into the darkness.
Sophia dropped heavily into her seat, "So we have a couple more girls to watch out for it would seem." She spun the chair around and gazed out the large window, "We have our work cut out for us it would seem."
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 34
Title: Part 9: Chapter 34
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Nine: Shattered Glass, Broken Hearts
Chapter Thirty-Four - Shards of Fate
"Is... is she going to be alright?" Jenn asked nervously glancing down at her friend as Alyson placed the redhead gently onto her bed.
Alyson took another look at Kim's bandaged arm, and then sharply gazed up, "Where did she get cut?" She quickly demanded.
"The washroom..." Jessica stated pointing down the hall, "We still haven't cleaned it up so-" She was startled by Alyson unexpectedly getting up and pushing past her in the direction she had just indicated. Nicole followed close behind the girl. Jessica took one last look at Jenn and Kim before venturing after the girls, leaving Kris standing in the doorway.
Kris tried to find her voice as she stood in the threshold, one hand on the doorframe. She observed as Jenn slowly sat upon the bed next to Kim and gingerly brushed the redhead's hair out off her face. Kris felt her heart ache at the mere sight, however she could not take her eyes off the two of them. Jenn finally looked up from Kim to see her old friend watching her. She glared at the girl.
"What do you want?" Jenn demanded coldly.
"I..." Kris struggled with the word inside her head. There was so much she wanted to say, but didn't know how to convey them, "I'm sorry..." She guiltily said, lowering her head to avoid Jenn's gaze.
"You're sorry?" Jenn asked the anger she had for the girl could be heard clearly, "You lied to me!" She exclaimed.
"I..." Kris tried to look at her friend, but found it hard.
"You knew all this time and didn't even tell me." Jenn vexed, "Where you going to just pretend that May didn't exist or something?"
"No!" Kris countered, "I just..." she thought to herself for a moment, "I just..." She was no longer sure why it was that she lied. She clenched at the chest of her shirt with a trembling hand, "I..." Her eyes lowered to the ground.
"I don't want to talk to you right now." Jenn said bluntly and turned back to Kim's sleeping face.
"But..." Kris started to enter the room with one hand out reached towards Jenn.
"LEAVE!!" Jenn shouted, startling Kris so badly that she staggered backwards out of the room to lean again the far wall of the hall, "I... sorry..." She slowly righted herself, pulled the door shut before heading back downstairs.
****
In the washroom, Alyson set her sword next to the door before she hoped through the mess of glass. She watched her step carefully, making sure not to stir up any of the broken mirror or blood. She knelt low to the ground and peered closely at some of the splatters of crimson, then glanced up at the line of broken mirrors.
"Did she do this all on her own?" Alyson inquired quietly, almost as if she was afraid of waking someone, "Was anyone else in the room?"
"Not as far as we know." Jessica stated leaning against one of the stalls with her arms crossed, "As far as I know she came in here alone. Something must have really frightened her because she was shaking something fierce and rambling to herself."
Alyson stood up and approached one of the mirrors, "What did she say?" She continued to probe while examining the edge of the glass.
"Just that she saw May in the mirror." Jessica replied, "Maybe she really did see a ghost." She said with a shrug.
"But how did she know it was May?" Alyson asked, one eyebrow rose, while looking over at the dorm head, "She just arrived here, didn't she?"
Jessica was startled by this question. She never considered that before, "But Jenn believed her and said she saw May the other day."
"Maybe she did." Alyson returned to the mirror's frame and stopped. She abruptly turned around and surveyed the scene before her and then turned back again and gazed into the sinks. There was not a single shard of glass in any of them, "Did you clean the counter already?" She asked with a note of concern.
"No, why?" Jessica stepped around Nicole, who was standing near the door, carefully removing the daggers from the apples. Jessica patted the girl on the head before approaching the sinks herself and tried to find what was interesting Alyson so much.
"When a mirror breaks," Alyson explained pointing at the frame of one of the mirrors, "Most of the shards would have just toppled and come crashing down on the sink." She turned around and studied the glass of the floor; "This looks more like the mirrors exploded outwards at the girl."
"Are you saying the mirrors attacked Kim?" Jessica asked with a chuckle, "No matter how much people think this place is haunted, it isn't." She stated confident with her beliefs, "I've been here most of my life and not once have I seen a ghost."
Alyson knelt close to the ground to examine the blood trail, "I never said it was a ghost." Alyson stated.
Jessica merely shook her head, "Well, you continue to play detective. I need to check the office to see if there were any calls while we were gone." She began to leave the room and turned to Nicole before leaving, "Make sure Nancy Drew here doesn't get herself into to much trouble for me, alright?" She said with a smile.
"Sure!" Nicole said cheerfully.
"Just stay away from that glass." Jessica added. She took one last look at the room. She may not believe in ghosts or spirits but something about that glass made her shudder. She quickly turned away and left the room.
"Can I help?" Nicole asked excitedly as she wiped one of the daggers off with a paper towel and placed it in her pocket and the apples on the counter.
"Unnn..." Alyson was too lost in her thoughts to notice the girl. She was starring at a large piece of glass that was so thoroughly soaked that it turned flush. She leaned closer to the shard and blinked and then glanced at yet another and another, "Nicole, come here!" She called out to the girl.
"'Kay!" Nicole carefully crept across the room, avoiding the glass the best she could and knelt next to Alyson, "Yes?"
"Look at the glass and tell me what you see?" Alyson asked politely.
Nicole didn't understand, however she did as she asked and stared upon the shards of glass. Millions of multiple images of herself stared back up at her, "I see... mirrors..." She stated bewildered as to what it was the girl wanted her to see.
"Look over here." Alyson pointed at an area of glass covered in blood.
Nicole, yet again, did as she was asked, she expected to see the same things, however, "Where am I?" She asked even more confused. Several shards of glass in that area didn't show any reflection of the girls. One could see the reflection of the walls and the ceiling, but nothing of themselves. Almost like the fabled Vampire with no reflection. Nicole glanced at another shard and there she was staring back at herself, "What?" She queried.
Alyson looked back up at the middle mirror frame, a single shard still held firmly to it. She stood up to take a closer look only to find that this fragment too held no reflection, "We need to find Natalie." She said urgently, as she backed away from the glass, "Quickly."
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 35
Title: Part 9: Chapter 35
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Nine: Shattered Glass, Broken Hearts
Chapter Thirty-Five - Ghostly Intrusion
Jessica listened to the answering machine, jotted the messages down on a pair of post-its and proceeded to the bulletin board when she saw a fleeting glimpse of someone entering the Cafeteria. She stuck the postings next to their respective names and ventured into the cafeteria herself. The room was dark and void of any life. Lines of long tables with a number of chairs covered most of the main dinning hall. The only light was provided by a long string of windows that stretched from floor to ceiling and on good days could be opened to bring in the fresh air. Outside, a small patio could be seen; it was filled with umbrella-covered tables that would soon have to be taken back inside before the first snowfall. Many trees provided enough shade so the patio and hall didn't get too hot in the summers, however at this moment, with the sun still high in the east, it meant that the room was much darker then it could have been.
Jessica checked her watch to see that it was only a quarter past ten and the caterers from town would not arrive with lunch until eleven-thirty at the very earliest, girls would not be arriving to eat until twelve thirty or so. It had been a very long morning for Jessica and she was almost certain that she had to have missed lunch by then, however the emptiness of the hall proved to her that her watch wasn't lying. Yet her tummy was telling her that food was needed, if not anything but a light snack. She entered the large kitchen off to the side of the hall and found the fridge at the far end of the room. The door slowly swung on its hinges causing the light inside to blink off and on. Jessica flicked on the overhead lights and blinked in the brightness of the fluorescent lighting.
"Hello?" She called out only to have her echo return her greeting. She felt a shiver of fright run up her spin; all the talk of ghosts was starting to get to her. She laughed at herself and crossed to room to close the fridge door. The moment she did so the sound of the kitchen door slamming shut filled the room, causing her spun around startled by the sudden sound. Quickly she rushed across the room and flung open the steal shutters to the buffet area. With the shutters open she could get a full view of cafeteria hall. Her heart pounded as she scanned the room in search of any sign of the intruder. She was only greeted by silence. An unsettling feeling began to creep over the girl. She pushed through the door of the kitchen back into the dinning hall. Still not a soul in sight, not even a single chair was out of place. She scratched her head and started to walk down the aisles of tables.
Occasionally she glanced under a table to be certain that no one was hiding, puzzling as to how someone could have just disappeared from the hall without her being aware of it. She looked out onto the patio and noticed someone sitting at one of the tables with her feet up on the table. She was sitting with her back to Jessica and her hands crossed behind her head so it made it hard to identify who it was. Jessica cautiously crept across the hall to one of the patio windows that had been left partly opened in an attempt to get some air circulating in the large room. She stepped out onto the patio and circled around to get a better look at who it could be and let out a sigh of relief when she saw that it was only Kris and approached the girl to see that her eyes were shut as if she were sleeping. It was impossible for Kris to run through the hall and be so relaxed like this. Jessica circled around the girl, watching Kris’s chest rise an fall in a slow rhythmic fashion, not panting as if she were out of breath, just resting.
"Kris?" Jessica whispered softly, not wanting to startle her roommate.
Kris opened one eye a crack to look up, "Oh, hi Jessie." Kris said with a yawn and a stretch, "I didn't see you there."
"How long have you been here?" Jessica asked nervously scanning the patio.
"For a bit," Kris sat up straight in her chair, "Why? You look pale, did something happen?"
Jessica pulled out a chair and sat down heavily, "I think my mind is playing tricks on me is all." She pushed her glasses up onto her forehead and rubbed her eyes, "This is turning out to be quite a day." She said with a sigh.
"You can say that again." Kris leaned back and gazed up at the sky. Kris opened her mouth and let out a sigh, then without moving she spoke, "I... I think it is time for me to leave..."
Jessica glanced up at the girl in shock, for the first time Jessica notice that Kris had been crying for quite some time, "Go, where?" She asked confused by Kris's sudden remark.
"I mean leave the dorms." Kris replied with another sigh.
"You want to talk about it?" Jessica asked softly.
Kris slowly shook her head then set her eyes on her hand, which rested upon her lap, "It... it is to hard to explain."
"Try me." Jessica replied sternly, "You never know I might understand more than you think."
Kris clenched her fist to her chest and took a deep breath, "I... I'm sorry... I can't..."
"Why?" Jessica was starting to get annoyed, "Ever since the day you appeared here years ago, you have been acting like mystery girl. Why don't you just drop the act? We all have our set of problems around here what makes your problems so special?"
Kris stood up quickly, letting her chair bang into another chair behind her, "What business is it of yours anyway? You keep poking your nose into everyone's business like you run the place." Her hands fell to her side as she set her eyes on Jessica.
"Listen, I've spent a long time here." Jessica stood to return Kris's glare and bared her teeth, "I've watched as girls were pulled deep into their own despair and no one was willing to even bat an eye at it. Well, I'm not that type of person. I told you I'd be here for you and yet you still keep that wall around you. Can't you understand I'm trying to help here? I want to help." Her voice became more sincere and her eyes pleaded with the girl to stay.
"FINE!!" Kris slammed her hands on the table and leaned closer to Jessica's face, "You are so curious what is going on then have a good look." She turned her back to the girl, unbuttoned her vest, took off her tie, and then proceeded to strip her dress shirt off.
“Uhhh… Kris…?” Jessica blinked in confusion as she watched Kris toss the vest on the chair next to her and then pull her shirt up off her shoulders showing her bare back. Jessica stared up at a tattoo of a pair of black wings that covered each shoulder blade then intertwined along the girl's spine, "You... you're a... Sis… sister of Death?!?" She stammered as she fell back into her chair.
"I used to be..." Kris pulled her shirt back over down around her waist and sat back down, not bothering to button the top up again, leaving her black bra to be seen, "I'm not anymore. My wings were clipped. Or at least they have been for the past few years."
"But... but..." Jessica was still trying to get over what she just saw, "How is it possible?" She asked in stunned bewilderment.
Sighing Kris again looked up at the sky, "Have you ever been in love?" She asked softly.
"Wha?" Jessica shook her head, not sure if she heard the question correctly, "In Love?"
"Yes," Kris gazed down at her hands again, "Really in love. I'm not talking a crush or anything like that. I'm meaning the real thing."
"I'm not sure." Jessica leaned back in her chair again, "I guess you could say I have... I'm not sure if it was real." Jessica was known throughout the school for her fleeting romances and breaking hearts, however she never really loved any of those girls. She kept her heart protected from all and only bared it for those very few she trusted. She blinked a few time, "Am I really talking about love with an angel of death?" She mused more to herself.
"Well, I know it is the real thing." Kris's voice was just a whisper and Jessica had to strain to hear her, "The Sisters are not allowed to fall in love. It is part of the rules..."
"And you did." Jessica glanced up at the windows above the cafeteria and she was beginning to understand, "Is that why you lived with your Aunts?"
“Yes," Tears began to fill Kris's eyes, "I know it was wrong, but I couldn't help it. Just the thought of her was enough to send my heart pounding out of control. No matter how much I tried to tell myself I could not fall in love it was already to late."
"So what happened exactly?" Jessica crossed her arms on the table, interested to hear more.
"I... She..." Kris could feel the pressure on her eyes become unbearable. She wanted nothing more than to run and hide, but for some reason she felt a need to tell someone. Her mouth quivered as she glanced up at Jessica, a large lump welling up in her throat, "We... I was told that because I feel for her that I would have to take her soul..." Her hands began to shake uncontrollably, tears escaped her eye and rolled down her face, "They wanted me to kill her. It was my punishment for falling in love, for revealing who I was. My punishment for being... happy."
"Hell..." Jessica let out a deep breath, "I knew some parents were strict, but... just because you fell in love?" She thought about how her foster parents reacted to catching her with another girl. How infuriated they got and how quickly there love for their daughter turned to hate and Jessica found herself in this place.
Kris nodded, "But... but I couldn't do it. How could one do something like that? I loved her and she loved me. I didn't care what they thought so I ran off with her to be with her, but they are powerful and we were given a new punishment." She stared down at her trembling hands, "They banished me, telling me I can stay here with my love... however..." Kris gazed up at Jessica, "She would never remember the love we had for each other. Only I would remember those days." Kris let out a deep sob and dropped her head into her arms, "And..." She sobbed, "If she were to ever fall in love with me again she would forget the very next day..."
Jessica stared at the sobbing girl and looked up at the windows then back to Kris, "So... that is why you want to leave?" She asked ever so softly.
"I'm sorry." Kris said between sobs, raising her head a little she looked at her hands, "Jenn, I'm so sorry."
Jessica got up and walked behind Kris, "Why don't you tell her how you feel?" She asked setting a hand gently upon the girl's shoulder, "Everyday."
"I want to." Kris glanced up at Jessica, "I really want to but..."
"It is Kimberly?" Jessica asked gently.
Kris nodded slowly, "You can see it in their eyes too, right?"
Jessica silently rubbed the girl's back, but didn't answer. She was beginning to wish she had not put those two together, however it was too late now.
Sitting up Kris cleared her throat, "Can I ask you a question?" Kris asked taking a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
"Mmmm?" Jessica continued to give the girl a back rub, slipping Kris's dress shirt off her shoulders ever so slightly.
Kris leaned back enjoying the feeling of Jessica's touch, "If... if someone you love forgot who you were..." She stammered as a shiver came over her, "then you were given a chance... a chance for her to remember your love again, would you?
Jessica stopped her hands and thought hard, "Well, I have never been in love. I don't know what I'd do if I lost someone I loved that deeply. However, if I did love someone that much I guess I'd..." She thought for the right words and looked down into Kris's red eyes.
"Mmmm..?" Kris encouraged the girl to continue.
"If I was in love..." Jessica gently brushed her fingers across Kris' neck, "And found that she had fallen in love with another person. I would have to think how much remembering the previous love would hurt her and if it did, then I would rather be the one in pain instead of her." She finished the sentence in a soft whisper, setting her hands on Kris' shoulders.
Kris reached up and set her hand on Jessica's, "Thank you."
Jessica stood back, "For what? Being a nosy pain?" She asked with a grin.
Kris looked up at the girl, "For listening."
"Oh, no problem," Jessica said, still smiling and leaned over, giving Kris a gentle hug, "Anytime." She stepped back again, "So tell me, are you really going to leave?"
Kris let her eyes drift down to her hands, then to the cafeteria hall where she remembered spending so many meals with Jenn, "No, if you don't mind, I think I'm going to stay a little longer."
Jessica hugged Kris again; "I know it will make at least one girl happy." She abruptly turned and started to walk towards the patio door, "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. You want something?"
"Sure." Kris started to fix her shirt when she saw Jessica again smile at her before disappearing into the cafeteria, then jog through the aisle towards the kitchen. Kris watched the girl for a moment and felt a heat build up around her neck. She glanced at her own reflection in the glass and noticed that she was blushing. Embarrassed she rubbed her face with her hands, and then shook her head a few times before grabbing her tie and vest and entering the cafeteria herself.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 36
Title: Part 9: Chapter 36
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Nine: Shattered Glass, Broken Hearts
Chapter Thirty-Six - Blurred Vision
The sound of Meatloaf's tell tale voice softly drifted throughout Natalie's room as the "Bat out of Hell" CD played on a small CD player on the desk as Natalie sat upon her bed, staring at the ceiling. She had stopped crying only moments earlier, however now she just had her circling thoughts to contend with. More than once she had asked herself why she never told Alyson how she felt and why she believed the girl felt the same. Natalie thought for certain that the girl would have known her feelings. She seemed so knowledgeable of the world at large that Natalie genuinely thought the girl would have caught onto her advances. And yet now that Natalie thought more about it she realized how stupid she had been in believing there was more to Alyson's actions than just being protective of her.
Pulling out the necklace from within her shirt and letting it sway before her eyes, she considered tossing the thing out. All this time she thought of the gift as so much more then just a simple protection pendant, however at that moment she felt that she, herself, was dense for not noticing how Alyson shrugged away her affections. The necklace was nothing more than a rock and Natalie suddenly felt ashamed of herself for thinking it was something more. She proceeded to pull off the necklace and tossed it onto the bed opposite her own and watched the stone bounce across the bed into the corner and slide down the crack between the bed and the wall. For a moment she was about to get up and retrieve the thing when there was a knock at the door.
Natalie just watched in silence as the necklace finally disappeared behind the bed, until another knocking at the door jolted her out of her thoughts and she finally spoke, “Who is it?" She asked, not really wanting company and yet didn't really want to be alone either.
"It's me..." A soft voice said from beyond the wooden door, "Kim."
"Come in!" Natalie called out, quickly sitting up and wiping at her eyes with the bottom of her shirt. The door opened and Kimberly entered the room still in her bloody bathrobe, "How you feeling?" Natalie asked, trying hard to cover her own pain, "How's your arm?"
Kim rubbed her left arm, "It is alright, I guess." She said with a shrug and she crossed the room and sat on the bed next to Natalie and gazed in the girl’s eyes, "Were you crying?" There was concern in her tone and eyes.
"No!" Natalie lied, "Just something in my eyes."
"Oh," Kim studied at Natalie closely, "I missed you." She said softly.
Natalie blinked at the girl, "I missed you too." she repeated the sentiment.
"Really?" Kim moved closer, forcing Natalie to lean back slightly. Part of Kim's robe fell opened and Nat could not help, but to peer within their folds. Nat wondered what she would have seen if the redhead didn't have so many bandages covering her body then shook her head and returned her eyes at the girl's.
"Really!" Natalie admitted. Kim had a look in her eyes that was unsettling to Natalie, then the redhead suddenly sat back and Nat gave out a short sigh of relief.
The CD changed tracks and "Two out of Three" began to play. Kim glanced at the stereo then back to her friend, "You didn't have something in your eye, did you?" Kim asked boldly, "You are laying here, alone, listening to Meatloaf. Don't tell me everything is perfect."
Natalie was startled by Kim confronting her like this, "Well," She rubbed the back of her head. Kim was never the type to question her, even when Natalie's lie was so transparent. Usually the girl would just leave things as they were with no questions asked. Natalie tried to think of how to deal with this change and flopped backwards upon the bed with her arms behind her head, "Sorry, I just didn't want to worry you." She lightly closed her eyes.
"What is bothering you?" Kim asked, leaning back on one elbow and setting a free hand softly on Natalie's tummy.
Natalie opened an eye and looked at the girl who smiled down at her, "It is nothing." She propped herself up on her elbows and cocked her head, "Since when have you been so full of questions?" She inquired.
"Oh," Kim lightly traced a finger across the tummy of Natalie's t-shirt, "A lot has changed since we last met. You could say I've grown up more."
"Is that so?" Natalie gave the girl a curious look, "Is something wrong? You are acting weird."
"I'm just concerned about you." Kim lightly placed her head on Natalie's stomach, "I missed you dearly." She said softly.
Natalie lay back again, "I'm sorry to worry you." She said, staring up at the ceiling, "I just have a lot on my mind." She closed her eyes and set a hand upon the girl's head, stroking her hair.
"Maybe I can help." Kim stated, her hand gently pulled Natalie shirt up to expose her belly, "Remember when we were younger," Kim trace a finger around the girl's belly button, "and we would lay like this during lunch hour. Just the two of us."
Natalie could feel her temperature rise as goose bumps rush across her flesh, "Yeah..." She swallowed, recalling the memory, "I sometimes wished the bell would never ring." She smiled at the thought.
"It won't ring here." Kim said, she unzipped Natalie's jean skirt and slipped her hand into them.
"Wait!" Natalie sat upright forcing Kim to do the same, "What are you doing?" Natalie stared at the girl confused by her sudden forwardness, "This is not like you. Anyway, I thought you liked Jennifer?" She asked nervously.
"What gave you that impression?" Kim grinned seductively at Natalie and proceeded to crawl closer to the girl, forcing her against the headboard.
"Kim, stop it." Natalie nervously tried to find a way to escape, "What is wrong with you?" She stammered.
"Nothing is wrong." Kim leaned in closer to the girl, "I just want you." Her lips touched Natalie's and she gave the girl a deep kiss while skidding her hand down Natalie’s thigh, under her skirt.
The door suddenly burst open and Nicole entered the room, "Sis, there is a prob-" She stopped in tracks and stared at the scene before her. Her sister was laying half across the bed with an arm around Kimberly, whom in turn had a hand up Natalie’s skirt. Nicole glanced from one girl to another, trembling, "Natalie..?" She was confused by what she was seeing, "How... how could you?" She muttered.
"It is not what you think!" Natalie began to free herself from Kim's folds, trying to keep her skirt from falling down, when Alyson entered the room.
"Jessica wasn't in the office-" She stopped in the door. Her mind try to make some sense of what she was seeing, "I... I'm sorry..." She quickly turned and left the room.
"Alyson wait!" Natalie pushed Kim off of her and zipped up her skirt as she ran after the girl.
"Alyson, would you wait up!?!" Natalie called out after the girl as they ran down the stairs to the second floor and back to the washroom where Alyson found her sword still laying where she had left it. She unsheathed the blade and turned it on Natalie who stopped dead in her tracks, "Now wait a second here." Natalie put up her hands in protest.
"Stay away from me!!" Alyson shouted, holding the sword between them, "Here I was beginning to believe your lies about love." She mumbled, "You are no better then everyone else around here."
"Now that is not fair!" Natalie countered angrily, "Won't you let me explain?" She pleaded.
"What is to explain?" Alyson asked waving the sword to keep Natalie at bay, "I caught you literally with your pants down."
A door opened down the hall and Jenn stepped out into the hall, "What is all the yelling about? Kim is still sleeping you know?" She said in a hushed voice.
Natalie turned to look at Jenn, "Sleeping?" She asked in confusion, "Kim, is still with you?" She inquired.
"Yes, why?" Jenn glanced between the girls as they ran to the room to look upon the redhead's sleeping form, "Is something wrong?" Jenn asked.
"The mirror..." Alyson slapped herself on her forehead, "Why didn't I see it before?" Her eyes widened and she approached Natalie, "Where is your necklace? Are you not wearing it?" She was almost in hysterics.
Natalie touched her shirt, "I... I took it off... only a moment ago..." She looked around, "Where is Nicole?"
"Is something wrong?" Jenn whispered softly, glancing from Natalie to Alyson and back again.
"You... you stay here..." Natalie nervously whispered, "Keep an eye on her..." she quickly, yet quietly left the room and closed the door.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 37
Title: Part 9: Chapter 37
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Nine: Shattered Glass, Broken Hearts
Chapter Thirty-Seven - Malicious Encounter
Nicole stood at the doorway to Natalie's room staring at the redhead. Kim's robe had fallen open and she was pulling it back closed and retied the belt before getting up to leave. Nicole put up her arm to stop the girl, "What were you doing with my sister?" She demanded with a snarl.
"Now little girl," Kim patted the girl on the head, "You are too young to understand." She proceeded to try and leave the room when Nicole produced one of the daggers from her pocket and she pointed it at the redhead with malicious intent, causing Kim to back away from the blade.
"Where are you going?" Nicole sneered at the girl, "I told you to stay away from my sister." She held the knife tight in both of her hands, "I told you to stay away!!!"
"Now be a good little girl and drop the knife." Kim nervously backed away from the girl, keeping her eyes on the sharp point of the dagger.
"Why should I?" Nicole slowly advanced on the girl, backing her into a corner, "You are dirty and you made my sis dirty too."
"Now now that is no way to talk to your elders." Kim said looking for a means of escaping the room when a thought entered her mind and she grinned mischievously at the girl, "You know the truth better then I. Your sister is the dirty one. She wanted to touch me. You can see it in her eyes." She said slyly.
"You lie!!!" Nicole cried out, "Sis, would never do that."
"Are you so certain?" Kim asked stepping forward, "She never told you about me before now did she?"
Nicole's eyes darted about as she considered what she was told. It was true that Natalie never told Nicole much of anything about her life, but could she believe this girl? She began to lower the knife and Kim sprung upon the girl, grabbing her knife hand by the wrist and slamming the girl up against the windowsill making Nicole squeal out in pain.
"You should not play with knives." Kim slammed the girl's hand against the window frame again, causing her to drop the dagger to the ground and she smiled down at Nicole while holding the girl's hands against the window, "You should also not believe everything you are told. Children are so naive. She leaned closer to the girl, "And innocent. Shall we have a taste of that innocence?" while holding the girl's hands with her right hand Kim place her left under the girl's chin forcing Nicole to look at her, "Maybe just a small kiss?" She asked Nicole as the girl squirmed against her hold.
"Get away from her!" Natalie commanded from the doorway with Alyson standing at her side.
"Natalie!" Kim said in surprise, "I was just helping the little one to her feet."
"Sis, help!" Nicole yelled.
Natalie clenched her fist, "I said let her go!" she skirted over to the bed where she had dropped her necklace and reached down the corner to pull out the pendent. The moment that light hit the crystal Kim released Nicole and covered her eyes, hissing as she retreated back into the corner.
Alyson stepping further into the room and wrapping an arm around Nicole to comfort the terrified girl, "I thought I told you never to take that off?" She stressed to Natalie.
"I'm sorry..." Natalie held the necklace towards Kim, "Now, who or what exactly are you?" She asked the double of the redhead.
"I am Kimberly Harrison." The girl boasted, "Your best friend and love slave if you wish." She blushed.
Natalie shook the necklace at the girl, "Stop lying!" She commanded, "Kim is in her room sleeping soundly."
"Only part of her is." The twin stated, "What about the part of her that she locks away every day so none will see?"
"What are you talking about?" Natalie looked at the girl in confusion.
Kim sighed as she gazed out the window, "I thought you would understand, but I guess I was wrong." The sun began to pass behind a cloud and a grin crossed the girl's face, "We'll have to talk another time." The moment the last of the light faded away from the crystal Kim took to her feet and pushed past everyone, fleeing the room and disappearing down the hall before anyone could react.
"Dimmitt! Someone stop her!" Natalie cried out, but it was a little too late, "What the hell is she?" Natalie asked, slipping her pendent around her neck, “The pendent only seem to partly work on her.”
"She is the reason we came to get you." Alyson stated, returning her sword to its sheathe with a clank, "I think she came from one of the mirrors that cut Kimberly." She knelt down next to Nicole and produced a handkerchief from her back pocket then dabbed at the girl's tears, "You are safe now."
Natalie crossed the room and scooped up her dagger off the floor, "Mirrors? What are you talking about?" She picked up her jacket from the back of a chair and returned the knife to one of the sleeves.
Alyson recalled to Natalie what herself and Nicole discovered in the washroom, "She might actually be a part of Kim just like she claimed."
Natalie approached her sister, "Sorry about that, kid. That was rather stupid of me." She said, only to have to girl cower into Alyson, "What's wrong, Nicole?" Natalie asked stunned by the girl's reaction to her.
"It's alright." Alyson reassured the girl, "Everything will be alright."
Nicole glanced between the two girls, "Aren't you still angry at sis?" She asked Alyson, taking the handkerchief from the girl to blow her nose.
Alyson stood up and gazed down the hall, "We'd better do something about this double," She stated, ignoring the question entirely, in turn causing Natalie to finch in pain, "Before something bad really happens."
"Like having your friend's reflection come to life is not bad enough." Natalie stated.
"What do you think will happen if that double meets up with the real Kim?" Alyson posed, "They say that it is bad for one to meet their double."
"So what do we do?" Natalie entered the hall and scanned them; "You have any idea where she went? Or what we do when we catch her?"
"You know her the best, so I'll leave the catching up to you." Alyson patted the blonde on the shoulder, "You think you can handle that?" She asked Natalie.
"Finding one sexually repressed and hormone driven Kimberly." Natalie sighed as she ran a hand through her hair, "I think I can manage."
"We'll see what I can find about Mirror ghosts or whatever this is." Alyson stated, gesturing to Nicole.
"I get to help?" Nicole asked instantly forgetting the events that just transpired.
"I'll need all the help I can get." Alyson explained, "We need to search the school's library."
"Sounds like such fun." Natalie said sarcastically, "Glad I only have to catch a girl... who seems to be super fast."
"She is only an illusion of Kim so be careful." Alyson warned, "and do not remove that pendant again. I didn't just give it to you for no reason." She straightened the pendant around Natalie's neck.
"I'm sorry." Natalie suddenly felt ashamed of herself for doubting Alyson and touched the crystal as it dangled against her chest, a smile crossing her face.
"You better hurry." Alyson said, "Lunch time will be soon and it will be that much harder to find her double in a crowd of hungry girls." They hugged before heading off on their separate ways.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 38
Title: Part 9: Chapter 38
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Nine: Shattered Glass, Broken Hearts
Chapter Thirty-Eight - Fragmented Reflections
Natalie came crashing down the stairs into the lobby to find Kris laying on one of the couches while Jessica leafed through some papers in the office. All seemed quiet yet Natalie knew that soon enough the lobby would be filled with girls as they headed in search of food. Her mind raced as she tried to think of where Kim's double could have hid.
"Jessie!!" Natalie rushed over to the office window and peered in at the girl, "Have you seen Kim?" She asked still panting from running down three flights of stairs.
"I thought she was still in her room with Jenn." Jessica replied confused by the question.
"Sort of..." Natalie nervously glanced at the clock above the office, ten to eleven, less then an hour to find Kim before lunch hour.
"Sort of?" Jessica was puzzled by the look of urgency on Natalie's face, "Is there something wrong, Nat?"
"Maybe..." Natalie set her head on the frame of the window, "I don't think you'll believe me if you tried."
"Well try me." Jessica stated, irritated by Natalie’s attempt to dodge her questions, "There is nothing that can surprise me today." At this time Kris was sitting up on the couch interested to find out what the commotion was about.
Natalie took a deep breath, "There is a mirror double of Kim running around the dorm and we need to find her before lunch." She blurted out in one breath.
"A what!?!" Kris leapt over the couch unsure of what she'd just heard, "A 'Mirror Double'?" She repeated in disbelief.
"It would seem so." Natalie said with a nod, "She approached me in my room then attacked Nicole and disappeared. The real Kim is still in her room sleeping so it has to be a double. She is an exact copy down to the cut on her left ar-" She stopped abruptly then touched her own right arm that reflected the wounds on Kim's arm.
"What is it?" Jessica quickly followed the girl with Kris closely behind.
"How stupid of me..." Natalie muttered.
"What is wrong?" Kris repeated the inquiry.
"When I asked the double how her arm was, she rubbed her left arm." Natalie recalled, "However, Kim was cut on the right arm."
"You certain that you didn't just dream this?" Jessica asked suspiciously.
Natalie retold the girl's what Alyson had only recently told her and what she experienced with the double, leaving out some of the more incriminating details. "If we don't hurry the double will just disappear in a crowd and we may never find her."
"Do you know how to return it to Kim?" Kris asked worriedly.
"Why would I want to do that?" Natalie asked a little disgusted at the idea.
"You can't just remove a part of someone." Kris stated, "They will never be the same. You might not have noticed that side of her, however it was there, in small ways, but still there." Kris clenched at her chest, "You can't just leave her like that."
"Well, first we need to find this double." Jessica admitted, "Then we can figure out what to do with her." The girls nodded in agreement. They all decided it would be best to split up and search the entire dorms and meet back in the lobby.
****
"This is ridiculous." Jessica said as she returned to the lobby and approached Natalie who was standing near one of the windows, "How are we supposed to find this girl. She could be hiding anywhere in the dorms."
Kris entered the room, "I could not find her anywhere."
Natalie was in deep thought while gazing out the window, "Maybe we are thinking too small." She leaned on the windowsill and turned her head to the side; "If she is not in the dorm then she must be somewhere close by." She spoke more to herself.
Alyson and Nicole came rushing in, "Have you found her?" Alyson panted, trying to catch her breath.
"Did you discover anything?" Kris asked the girls.
"Not much," Alyson glanced over at where Natalie stood, "I found a book that references something called 'Fragmented Reflections' that seems to be in the right direction. It says that she might be the repressed memories and emotions from the original Kim and that it is probably she is scared and lost looking for something or someone she feels comfortable around."
Natalie lowered her head, "So, she came to me and we scared her off." She punched the frame of the window, "How stupid of me. I should have known better."
Kris approached the girl, "How were you to know?" She asked sympathetically.
"All she wanted was to feel safe." Natalie said ashamed of herself for pushing the girl away, "I forgot she can sometime act that way." She knew Kim so well and yet she didn't realize that this was her friend's deeper side. She glanced out the window again and watched the wind playing with the trees, "The trees!!" Natalie suddenly stood up straight and started to head out of the dorm.
"Where are you going?" Alyson asked.
"She mentioned sitting under a tree during lunch." Natalie glanced at the clock; "It is almost lunch time now."
"Do you think she will stay put this time?" Alyson asked, "We did attack her..." She too felt foolish for jumping to conclusions.
"I'm not sure," Natalie said shaking her head. This Kim knew so much about herself that Natalie should have realize it wasn't some fake, "Have you figured out a way to put her back?" She asked, starting towards the doors of the dorm.
"Sort of..." Alyson admitted lightly.
"Sort of?" Natalie stopped just before the door, "You either did or you didn't?" she said baffled by the answer Alyson had given.
"Well... there wasn't much written on the subject." Alyson reiterated, "and only so much time to research the problem. I'm certain this will work." She said confidently, "Maybe..."
Natalie rubbed her head, "Have you ever tried to save a 'Shadow" or whatever?" She asked not to sure about trusting her friend, "You did say that she was a part of Kim so I don't want you to hurt her or anything."
"Don't worry so much." Alyson reassured the girl, "I promise to not harm her in any way."
Still not certain Natalie grudgingly exited the building with the entourage close at her heels. Before they rounded the front of the school the lunch hour bell rang, calling the end of morning class. Natalie doubled her pace around the Academy to the front of the school and across the lawn. Within moments they approached a large oak and as Natalie expected she could see the redhead's legs sticking out from behind the tree. She signalled for the others to stop where they were and began to step towards the girl, and stopped again, quietly she took off the necklace. The worry in Alyson's eyes was evident however she didn't protest verbally as Natalie handed the necklace over to her sister.
"Hold this for me will you?" Natalie asked ever so quietly.
Nicole nodded as the necklace dropped into her small hands. She smiled up at Alyson who forced herself to return the smile. Only when Natalie was sure no one was following did she advance towards the redhead's twin, whom was sitting on the ground with her back against the tree.
"So I find you again." Natalie said soft enough not to startle the girl.
"I knew you would come here." Kim said watching a couple of birds in the sky, "You remembered after all."
Natalie slowly lowered herself beside the girl, however making sure that she was not too close as to scare off the girl, "How could I forget? I spent every lunch here even after you disappeared."
Kim lowered her head and gazed down at her hands, "I'm sorry... I worried you." She said sadly, "I... I didn't mean too."
"Now, there is an understatement." Natalie chuckled lightly, "I find your parents dead and you missing for over a year. Of course I was worried."
"I..." Kim continued to stare at her hands, "I killed him you know..." She whispered so quietly that Natalie almost couldn't hear her words.
Natalie turned to the girl in shock, "You did?" She said, "but I thought..."
"He found out about our sleep over." Kim began to quiver ever so slightly, "He got angry and pushed mom... she didn't move... then he came after me and I... I..." She buried her face in her hands, "I am dirty... I'm sorry... Kim even locked me away." She sobbed, "I don't mean to be a bad girl. I just didn't want him to touch me anymore. I couldn't stand it anymore."
Natalie lifted her arm and wrapped it around the girl's shoulder, pulling her in close, "You are not dirty and you didn't do anything wrong." Natalie held he girl tight, "Your father was evil and to tell you the truth I might have killed him myself." She said bluntly.
"But..." Kim choked on a sob, trying to sort out her thoughts, "He keeps... keeps returning... keeps coming after me. I see him in the night... He is always waiting..." Tears streamed down her cheeks, "Nat, I'm scared. I just wanted him to go away." She let out a deep sob and clung onto her friend's shirt; "I'm sorry..." she wept.
"It’s alright." Natalie hushed while gently wrapping her arms around the girl, "You are safe now. I'm sorry I was not there to save you earlier..." Natalie let out a deep sigh then glanced up in time to see Alyson creep around the tree, revealing a metal large hand mirror from behind her back. Natalie became aware of what the girl was about to do a little too late and was only able to deflect the mirror with her wrist so it merely tapped Kim on the head instead of coming crashing down. The mirror very heave and even with Natalie’s metal blade housing under her sleeve the mirror hit hard enough to hurt and Natalie winced at the sting it caused her own arm, and head, as the mirror also hit Kim in the head.
"Owwww!!!" Kim cried out as she clenched her head.
Natalie snatched the mirror from Alyson's hands, "What do you think you are doing?" She tossed the infernal thing to the ground and rubbed her own head. It would have seemed that her link to the real Kim worked with this version as well, "Was that your brilliant plan?" She growled.
"The book said you could return her to the mirror just as simply as she appeared." Alyson explained in confusion, "I thought... I thought it would work..." She nervously stepped backwards and glanced at the ground.
"Well, it didn't!" Natalie snapped, "All you've done is hurt her even more. Nice work."
"Are you alright?" Kris ran up to the girls with Jessica and Nicole at her side. She stared down at the crying redhead in Natalie's lap, "I guess it didn't work." Kris said shaking her head, "It seemed a little silly to me."
"A little silly!" Natalie vented, kicking the mirror further from her, "I can't believe she really did that." She gently and kissed the top of the girl's head.
"So now what do we do?" Jessica inquired kneeling next to the girls, amazed that the redhead before her wasn’t the real Kim, "We can't just leave her running around like this."
"She is coming back with us." Natalie stated firmly, "She will stay with me if she wishes."
"Nat?" Alyson shuffled her feet in shame.
"I don't want to talk to you right now." Natalie said without looking at the girl.
Jessica brushed Kim's bangs out of her eyes to have her cower into Natalie more, "How do we explain this to the Head Mistresses?" She asked.
"We don't." Natalie answered, helping the girl to her feet, "They don't need to know about her."
"What about the real Kim?" Alyson interjected, "She should not meet her double."
"Did you read that in the same place you read that hitting someone with a mirror will trap them in the mirror?" Natalie asked coldly.
"No... but..." Alyson found herself lost for words as Natalie started to usher Kim's double back to the dorms.
Jessica rubbed the back of her head, "Things are definitely gotting to be interesting around here." She stood up and followed Natalie to the dorms.
Kris glanced from Alyson to Natalie and back again and took a step closer to Alyson, "Listen, she'll get over it. It was an honest mistake." She patted the girl on the shoulder before following the other girls, leaving only Alyson and Nicole standing under the tree.
Nicole picked up the mirror and brushed it off, "I thought it was a good idea." She said as she handed the mirror back to Alyson.
Alyson took it and gazed at her reflection in the mirror's surface, "Maybe I'm the one who belongs in this." She whispered bitterly, "I'm no better than that reflection." She turned away from the school and started to leave the dorms.
Nicole was left standing on her own unsure if she should follow her sister or Alyson. She sat upon the ground, curled her legs close to her chest and stared at her sister's necklace in the palm of her hand. After a time she slipped the pendant over her head and smiled at the way the sun caused rainbows to appear on her shirt, "I thought it was a great idea." She stated gazing up at the trees, "Don't you?" She asked the branches and smiled as if someone spoke to her.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 39
Title: Part 10: Chapter 39
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Ten: Struggles Twofold
Chapter Thirty-Nine - Lunch Time Conversing
Kim sat up abruptly in bed, "Owww!!!" She cried out, holding her head.
Jenn dropped the book she was reading, "Kim, are you alright?" She asked, concerned the way her friend was wobbling about where she sat, "Did you have a nightmare?" She asked.
"No..." Kim held her head, she felt rather dizzy, but could not recall what woke her, "If feels like someone hit me on the head." She stated still rubbing her head.
Jenn cocked her head in confusion, "No one hit you." She said, "I was here the entire time."
Kim shook her head again and nearly fell out of bed when Jenn helped her lay down again, "You should rest more." She said gently, "I heard the lunch bell a moment ago... would you like something to eat?" She asked, brushing a lock of the redhead's hair around her ear.
Kim slowly nodded, "I'll come with you." She started to try to sit up again, only to be overcome by another wave of dizziness.
"No-you-don't!" Jenn ordered, "You are staying in bed this time. I'll bring something for you."
"Can we eat in our rooms?" Kim asked shyly.
"I don't know." Jenn thought for a moment, "They will probably let you considering you are not feeling to good." She smiled down at the girl, "Just rest up, alright?"
Kim nodded again and watched her friend begin to stand, "Thank you." Kim whispered.
"No problem." Jenn stretched before starting towards the door, "I'll be right back, alright?"
Kim gave a small smile as she watched Jenn leave the room. Her smile quickly turned to a frown as the door closed and she rubbed the bump on her head. Something didn't feel right, but she could not quite place what it was. She closed her eyes and decided to forget about it for now.
******
Kim's doppelganger sat upon the floor in the corner of the lobby near one of the circles of couches. Her legs pulled up close to her body and her eyes darted from Kris to Jessica, who were both sitting on the sofas watching her closely. Natalie suddenly came rushing out of the cafeteria with a tray of foil wrapped hot dogs.
"Lunch is served!" Natalie declared, setting the tray on the coffee table in the middle, "I got a couple for everyone." She stated with a smile, then grabbed one of the hot dogs and approached Kim, "You should eat something." She said softly while handing the food to the girl.
Kim cautiously took the hotdog and started to unwrap it, "Thank you." She said in a soft whisper before hungrily biting into it.
Natalie smiled and ruffled the girl's hair, "If you want more I can get you some."
Jessica grabbed for a dog, "Is this such a good idea?" She asked nervously, glancing around the lobby as couple more girls entered the building and headed straight for the cafeteria. For the most part everyone was already eating in the cafeteria and no one took notice to the strange doppelganger. Kim seemed afraid of the crowds so they all thought it would be best to eat in the lobby for the time being, however the occasional straggler passing by worried Jessica. "I mean, what if the Head Mistresses find out about her?" She asked, unwrapping the hotdog and taking a bite.
"Knowing my Aunts," Kris swallowed a bite of her food; "they will be ecstatic to have another girl on the grounds. They are weird that way." She explained shaking her head in disapproval.
"Still..." Jessica stared at her food.
"Stop worrying." Natalie grabbed a dog for herself and sat on the sofa chair next to Kim, "Nothing is going to happen."
Just at that moment Jenn came down the stairs and into the lobby and approached the group of girls, "Hi!" She said with a wave, "How's everything going? You all had me worried for a while."
"Hey Jenn!" Jessica waved to the girl, "Going to get some lunch?"
"Yeah," Jenn replied, "and could I bring some up for..." She arrived at the couches to see Kim's double still sitting in the corner munching on her hotdog, "...Kim...?" She blinked in confusion at the sight.
Kim glanced up at Jenn and smiled, then gave the girl a little wave, "Hi." She said shyly.
"But how?" Jenn spun around and stared at the stairs she had just descended, then back at the redhead, "I thought I told you to stay put!?!" She asked confused.
Jessica dropped her head in her hand, "Oh boy..." She said with a sigh.
"Ummm..." Natalie tried to think of an easy way to explain things as she glanced between the redhead and Jenn, "That is..."
"She isn't the same girl." Kris said bluntly.
"Huh?" Jenn stared at Kris, "What do you mean? She looks exactly like her."
"I am and I'm not..." Kim said sadly.
"I'm confused." Jenn rested a hand on the back of the sofa, "What is going on here?"
"There are two Kims." Natalie said with a sigh.
"That is impossible." Jenn stated firmly, "There can only be one real Kim."
Kim stood up and walked over to Jenn's side, "I'm Kim and so is the one you left sleeping upstairs."
"How can you be the same?" Jenn demanded.
"It is a long story." Natalie said, "You want a hotdog?" She tried to change the subject.
"I want to know how this could possibly be Kim when I just left her?" Jenn stated getting annoyed with everyone dancing around the subject.
Natalie finally stood, "Jenn, I'd like you to meet Kim's ummm... repressed half..." Not really sure if she made much sense.
"Repressed half?" Jenn glanced at Kim again, "You are trying to tell me that this is another Kim?"
"The side of her she hates." Kim stated sadly, she signalled for Jenn to come closer. Hesitantly Jenn approached the redhead, whom leaned close to Jenn's ear and whispered, "I'm sorry if I've acted inappropriately in the past and I know what your t-shirt means." She half grinned.
"You..." Jenn stammered, stumbling backwards in shock, "How?" She blushed deeply.
The other girls watched the conversation with intent interest. "Did something happen between you two?" Jessica asked slyly.
"No no..." Kim said, giving Jenn a knowing smile, "Nothing special."
"Anyway," Natalie interjected, "This really is Kim's double and she is going to be staying with us until we can find a way to get the two Kim as one whole again." She explained.
Jenn was still bewildered; "This is going to be confusing with two Kims walking around."
"I could get my hair cut if that would help." Kim suggested, pulling her hair back into a pony tail, "It is always hot on the back of my neck I just have not had the courage to cut it before."
"But what about her name?" Jessica asked, "We can't just call you 'Kim's double' now can we?"
"We could always call her Kay... or something." Natalie suggested.
"Key-ma..." Jenn said softly, still blushing.
"What was that?" Kris asked, wishing for the girl to clarify herself.
Jenn thought for a moment, "Kima is Japanese for Kim. It is spelt K-I-M-A." She stated, "I don't know why but the name sort of sprung into my mind just now."
Kim hugged Jenn, "I love it!" She declared more so because it was a nickname that Jenn thought up.
Jenn's blush deepened somewhat as the girl squeezed her tightly.
"So Kima it is." Jessica affirmed with a smile, "Let's just have you added to the books so we don't forget someone is rooming with Nat." She said as she went over to the office.
Jenn seemed surprised, "You are going to live with Natalie?" She asked Kima.
Kim blushed, "Yeah. I'd love to stay with you, but two Kims would get crowded."
"Maybe you could borrow some clothes from Kim's room." Jessica suggested, "If you want a haircut I don't think you can go to the mall dressed in a blood covered house coat of all things."
"But what about Kim?" Jenn asked nervously, "Isn't meeting your double kind of bad?"
"She is not a doppelganger." Kris reassured, "and they need to meet each other soon. It is not like we can keep this a secret for very long."
Jenn scratched the back of her head, "I guess... this is so confusing." She suddenly remembered the original reason for her coming down stairs, "I almost forgot. I was going to get something for Kim to eat."
Natalie picked up two hotdogs from the tray before her, "Here you are." She offered with a smile.
Jenn took the food gratefully, "Thanks." She really didn't want to fight through any line-ups at that time.
"Shall we go?" Natalie gestured towards the stairs with a bow.
Jenn took another glance at Kima who was in turn was watching her carefully, "You sure Kim won't get hurt?"
"Not physically at least." Kima said with a forced smile.
Reluctantly Jenn started up the stairs with Natalie and Kima following close behind her.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 40
Title: Part 10: Chapter 40
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Ten: Struggles Twofold
Chapter Forty - Conflict of Images
Kim didn't realize she had fallen asleep until she became aware of the sound of soft voices. She slowly opened her eyes and rubbed at them to see Jenn sitting, dazed, at the foot of her bed, two hotdogs in her lap.
"Jenn?" Kim asked wiping the last remnants of sleep from her eyes, "I'm sorry I fell asleep."
Jenn shook her head, "That is alright." Jenn handed one of the dogs over to Kim as the girl pushed herself up into a seated position. Kim hungrily unwrapped the food when she noticed that Jenn was not looking at her and followed the girl's gaze to see her reflection smiling back at her.
"Hey there!" Kima said with a little wave.
Kim dropped her food and frantically scrambled backwards into the corner of her bed, "Leave me alone!" She cried out.
"Kim is it alright!" Jenn reached out to touch her friend only to have the girl cower closer into the corner.
"Go away!" Kim sobbed, "Leave me alone!"
Natalie stepped out from her spot near the door, "Kim, everything is alright. She is not going to hurt you."
Kim’s eyes darted around wildly, "What?" She glanced from Natalie to Jenn then back to Kima, "You can see her?!?" She asked, both in astonishment and fear.
"Yes." Natalie replied softly, trying to sooth the girl's worries, "You know who she is? Have you met before?"
"She's from the mirror. She taunts me all the time." Kim said trembling, "She is evil." She stated coldly.
Kima cringed against her other halves words, "I'm sorry... I just..."
"You were always laughing at me." Kim cried, "Always toying with me."
"That is not what I was trying to do." Kima stood to her feet, "You kept locking me deeper and deeper away. Of course I was angry. I was trying to explain things to you and you would not listen."
"Why should I?!?" Kim voice began to rise, "You have done nothing but cause me trouble all these years. I'm not like you!"
"You are and why do you keep denying it?" Kima replied, trying to keep herself calm, "You're just afraid of accepting that I am right for once in a while."
"You are never right." Kim screamed, "You are always messing things up. Why can't you just leave me alone?!?" She exclaimed teary eyed
"Why can't you just admit for once that you like girls?" Kima countered.
"I do not!!!" Kim cried out, "I'm not disgusting like you."
"And you say I'm the one who keep hurting people." Kima stated, glancing at the pained look in Natalie and Jenn's eyes. It was as if Kim didn't even notice the way her words were affecting those around her, "You should look at yourself sometime and stop blaming me." Kima turned and left the room.
"I... I..." Kim stammered glancing at her friends who both looked away from her.
"I know..." Natalie said solemnly, "Can Kima borrow some of your clothes until she gets some of her own?" She asked.
"Clothes?" Kim was confused, "She is staying here?"
"Until we get the two of you back together that is." Natalie opened the closet and looked upon the many dresses, "She will be staying with me for a time."
"With you?!?" Kim sat forwards, "but she... I mean..."
"I've always known that side of you existed." Natalie stated, "I only wished you would stop torturing yourself about it." She took two dresses from their hangers, "I'll be borrowing these. I'll bring them back in a bit." She left the room quietly, not waiting for a response.
Kim watched her friend leave then turned around to see Jenn staring at her food, "Jenn?" She whispered softly.
"Do you..." Jenn took a deep breath as she tried to find her voice, "Do you really feel that way?"
"What way?" Kim was finding it hard to think and wasn't entirely sure what she'd said to hurt her friends’ feelings.
Jenn took another breath, "That lo… loving girls is... is..." Her voice trailed off.
Kim suddenly felt ashamed of herself, "I..." She tried to find the words to describe how she was feeling. How her inner self, now outer self, made her feel.
Jenn rose to her feet and started out of the room, "I'm sorry..." She ran from the room.
Tears of frustration rolled down Kim's face as she tried to sort out the mixed up feelings she had lingering inside of her heart.
*****
"Don't you feel you were a little harsh with Kim?" Natalie asked Kima as the girl pulled on a long red dress.
"I never liked these things." Kima flatly stated, smoothed the dress against her body, "Dad always said it looked cute on me..." She shivered at the thought then stripped off the dress and grabbed for a blue one.
Natalie turned her head for a moment, not able to get over how much more open this girl was than the Kim. She knew that the only reason it embarrassed her to look at the girl was that she knew Kim would have been shyer about changing in front of someone, "We can find you some new clothes at the mall." Natalie said, staring at the door to her room, "Then we get your hair cut... if you still want to go about that."
"What do you think?" Kima asked straightening the dress, "Do you like hair long or short? You like that Alyson girl's hair, don't you?" She asked curiously.
"Alyson is cute, yes." Natalie agreed turning around again, "But that is different. The boiish look suits her."
Kima walked over to Natalie and gazed into her eyes, "What does Alyson mean to you anyway?" She asked bluntly.
Natalie rubbed the back of her head and let out a deep, sad sigh. "I have no idea anymore."
"Do you love her?" Kima asked emotionlessly.
Natalie found it hard to look away from the intensity of Kima's eyes, "I... ummm... I..." She managed to break away and look at the ground, "I don't know."
"What about me?" Kima leaned in closer, pushing Natalie up against a wall.
"Kima..." Natalie squirmed out from around Kima, "You are one dangerous girl, did you know that?" Natalie nervously chuckled.
"I'm sorry." Kim sat upon her bed fiddling with her hands, "I don't mean to... push... I just..."
"It's alright." Natalie sat down next to her.
"I really am... pathetic... aren't I?" Kima grabbed a pillow and hugged it; "I can't help it at times. When I try to think about how to show how I feel everything gets all muddled."
"You aren't pathetic." Natalie stated, thinking of how many time she nearly kissed Alyson in the past couple of months alone.
"Kim is right." Kima stated, "I keep messing everything up. Just like I did with Lauren..."
Natalie sat down on the bed next to Kima, "Who?" She was surprised to hear this name.
"Lauren..." Kima flopped back on the bed, still gripping the pillow; "She was a girl who saved me when I ran away." She let out a sigh.
"What happened to you two, anyway?" Natalie asked while scooting back until she was up against the wall, "Kim is always shy and quiet about everything and her friend seems rather hush-hush on the subject as well. Where have you been all this time?" Natalie felt a flood of questions wanting to rush out, but she forced them back away, not wanting to scare the girl now that she is finally talking.
Kima clenched the pillow even tighter, "It is a long story..." She said in a pained voice.
"I'm here if you need to talk." Natalie reassured, "I am curious who this Lauren girl is."
"She was...." Kima slipped into a deep thought, "Very boiish, adorably cute, brave, charming and sooo handsome." She said with a deep dreamy sigh.
"What happened to her then?" Natalie coaxed Kima on, "Where is she now?"
Kima opened her mouth and closed it, "She..." Tears built up in the girl's eyes, "She died..."
"Geez..." Natalie suddenly wished she had not pushed her friend, "I'm sorry..."
Kima continued, "She tried to save me from a strange man and..." She buried her face in the pillow and let out a soft sob.
Natalie felt lost, all this time she never knew what had happened to her friend and now she understood a little more of the pain behind the girl's eyes, "Come on." Natalie said with a smile, "Let's see if we can find you some clothes to your liking," She pulled the girl out of the bed, "You are right. Those clothes might have suited Kim, but you are something else."
Kima allowed herself to be pulled to her feet and out of the room.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 41
Title: Part 10: Chapter 41
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Ten: Struggles Twofold
Chapter Forty-one - Uncontrolled Affection
Alyson stormed into the house and straight into her room where she slammed the door hard and turned up her little stereo so the sound of Tori Amos would drown out the sounds of her own sobs as she leapt onto the bed and cried into her pillow.
"That bitch!!!" Alyson cried, "How could I ever love you?" She screamed curling up into a ball clenching the pillow tightly in her arms, "I hate her! I hate her!" She mumbled into the corner of the pillow, and then suddenly sat up and walked across the room. Upon her dresser she found a small-framed photo of Natalie. She picked up the photo and stared at it for a moment before dropping the photo, frame and all, into a near by waste paper basket.
"Is everything alright?" A voice asked from behind the girl.
Alyson spun around to find her bother standing in her bedroom doorway, "B...brother!?!" She stammered, frantically wiping away her tears.
"I could not help to hear your music and figured that you must be stressed about something." Drake said as he entered the room and sat upon the girl's bed.
"I'm fine." Alyson said, trying to put up a strong front.
"Would this have anything to do with that friend of yours?" He asked with a sign of concern in his voice.
Alyson nodded, "That slut was just using me till she found her friend." She growled angrily, "I caught her with that redhead at the dorms."
"Redhead?" Drake stood to his feet, "You found her then?" He asked with more interest then before.
Alyson looked at her brother curiously, "Natalie found her a couple of days ago. She is now staying with her at the Academy."
"I see..." Drake began to think deeply, "This does make things intriguing." He muttered.
"Who is she?" Alyson asked curiously, "At first I didn't think she was anything special and then..." She remembered the heat she felt from the girl's wounds, "She is not normal."
"That she is not." Drake started out of the room, "I have some research to do. I hope things turn out well with you and that friend of yours."
"Brother? Haven't you been listening?" Alyson asked desperately.
"I'll talk to you later." Drake was already lost in his own thoughts as he left the room.
Alyson blinked several time at her bedroom door. She could never really figure her brother out. He seemed so distant at times, always in search of something. She flopped onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. She felt more alone at that moment than she had ever felt before. Rolling on her side she looked down at the waste paper basket and the corner of the frame that stuck out of the scrap papers. She sat up and gazed into the basket. Carefully she pulled out the picture frame, a small crack had formed on the corner of the glass however the photo itself was all right. Alyson had a strange felling come over her as she stared at the photo. She glanced at the bed where the two of them had slept so many times and remembered how they used to curl up together. So innocently and yet she wanted more, just didn't know how to voice what was inside her mind for fear the girl would laugh at her. She felt so foolish, she was the one who pushed Natalie away when she should have been keeping the girl close to her side.
Then fear crept into her heart as the memory of her brother's threats that very morning entered her mind and the way he squeezed her arm so violently, along with his sudden, and new, interest in Nat and Kim. The idea of losing Natalie for real entered her mind. What would her brother do if he found Natalie? Would he hurt her, or worse, kill her? Alyson's heart began to pick up pace as worries raced throughout her mind. She needed to do something. Losing Natalie to another girl was one thing; however losing her entirely was something she could not bear with.
Attentively she peered out into the hall, from her room she could see her brother pulling on his cloak and head out the door. Double-quick Alyson ran back into her room, and flung open the closet, grabbed a duffle bag and tossed the photo into one of the side pockets, and then proceeded to grab whatever clothes she felt would be needed and pitched them into the bag as well. Pausing only for a moment when she noticed that the drawers Natalie used were bare. She didn't recall the girl returning for her things, yet pushed that to the back of her mind as she pulled out more of her own things and stuffed them haphazardly into the bag and zipped it shut.
Afraid her brother might be still nearby, she dropped the bag next to the patio door, behind the sofa, before returning to the front door to obtain her leather jacket and her swords, a pair of Katanas that her brother gave her for her birthday years ago. She was in the midst of grabbing her winter jacket when the door opened and her brother entered. He stared down at the girl as she stumbled backwards, falling over the umbrella stand with swords, umbrellas and coat tumbling to the ground.
"Alyshione?" He stared down at the girl as he entered the house.
Alyson back-pedalled, grabbing one of her swords, "B... brother..." She stammered nervously.
"Are you alright?" Drake asked, glancing at the coat and swords, "What were you doing in the closet?"
"I..." Alyson tried to think quickly. Her eyes darted over to where her bag was hidden, to make sure that it was not visible, "I... I was looking for Natalie's jacket." She blurted out, "I'm tossing out all of her things. You... just surprised me."
"I see..." Her brother studied her curiously, "I'm sorry. I forgot something in my office." He walked past the girl to his room. Alyson let out a deep sigh as she stood the umbrella stand back up and began to carefully replace the swords and umbrellas one at a time. Her brother came back into the room, "I'll be back late so don't worry about dinner." He stated opening the door, then stopping for a moment and looked down at his sister, "And don't let that girl worry you. She will not harm you any longer." He said with a look in his eyes that made Alyson shiver, and then he proceeded to exit the house, closing the door behind himself.
Alyson flopped to the ground as she tried to control the shiver that overwhelmed her entire body. Something about the way he looked at her made her fear for her friend even more. She didn't know what he was implying, but she somehow knew it was not good. She quickly got to her feet, threw on her jacket and grabbed the swords, then ran to the sofa to retrieve the duffle bag, which she threw over her shoulder.
Cautiously she pulled the curtains of the patio open enough for her to peer outside. She could see her brother walking along the opposite side of the street until he disappeared around a corner in the opposite direction of the academy. Alyson let herself breath a little easier when she saw this, At least she knew that she would not run into her brother on the way to the school. For the most part Drake stayed far away from the school, always claiming that something about the school gave him an unsettling feeling. Alyson hoped that this would mean that her friends were safe from her monstrous brother's intents.
She waited a few moments to make sure that her brother had no intent on another surprise return, and then she slipped out of the house, across the backyard and out into the back alleys.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 42
Title: Part 10: Chapter 42
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Ten: Struggles Twofold
Chapter Forty-Two - Recollecting of Old
Jenn wandered around the academy grounds, not really sure where she was going, just needing to get away from everything. So much had happened in the past couple of days and she was beginning to find her head was spinning out of control. Kim, Kris, May, Kima and all the others; everything was getting confusing to a point that her heart could no longer handle it all.
As she roamed the grounds she found herself forgetting her worries for the strange wonders that surrounded her. Everything had a familiar feel to it and she found herself piecing together bits of what she could remember. It was astonishing how much the school reminded her of the one from the past, and yet at the same time was so new to her. After a time she found herself in the Eastern end of the grounds and stopped to stare up at the building before her, appeared to be exactly like her old school, the one from her dreams, there was no doubting it. This was the school she had attended for as long as she could remember. The special academy that she had grown so proud to be part of, even the girls inside the school wore the same uniforms bearing the same crest she so happily wore upon her own chest, but for some reason before the crest was never clear and not it was vivid as a reflection in the still waters of a shallow pond. It was a simple design, a shield with a tree taking up the middle and a bird, a raven she thought, in the left hand corner and a book in the other. As she gazed up at the structure her eyes moved to her left, at the west wing and shook her head. Nothing about of that wing seemed to have an ounce of familiarity to it and yet it held such uniqueness to it that she felt she should have remembered the building. The way the ivy crawled up the walls intrigued her, why none of the vines touched the East wing was a curious think indeed and she found herself searching for any trace of the vines reaching the East Wing as she circled around the building. She rounded another corner, still in search for vines, to be startled by the sound of someone calling out to you from one of the windows overhead.
"Jennifer?" A puzzled voice called out.
Jenn glanced around to see Cherilyn leaning out of one of the first floor windows, "Cherilyn?" She gave the girl an equally puzzled expression, "You're here too?" She inquired curiously.
"You don't remember?" Cherilyn asked, feeling slightly disappoint that her friend had forgotten her. "I've been here longer than Tanya or you. We met the other year. Don't you remember anything?"
Jenn rubbed her head, "I'm sorry..." She apologized, "My mind is still a little fuzzy."
"Understandable." Cherilyn claimed, "What are you doing around this area? I hear you are a West Winger now." She noted leerily.
"I..." Jenn ran a hand through her hair nervously, "I don't know..." She scanned her surrounding appearing lost.
"Listen," Cherilyn said, "I have a spare this period so why don't we catch up on things? Unless you want to be alone."
Jenn shrugged, "Sure." She was not really sure what she wanted, but being with someone sounded like a better idea than being alone with her own thoughts.
"One sec." Cherilyn disappeared back into the class.
Jenn walked up to the window and peered inside to see her old Clubroom, "It's still here?" She said baffled to see the sofa and recliners just the way she remembered them. A couple of girls were studying at the table and glanced up to see who was peeking in was them.
Cherilyn gave Jenn a smile, "Tanya and I have tried to keep things the same way you left them." She said shyly, "We are not you and Kris so could never bring in as many members as you did, but we try to keep it a welcome place."
"You and Tanya?" Jenn asked, "Where was Kris?" She added to the inquiry.
"Looking for you." Cherilyn explained while packing a few books into her backpack, "Wasn't she with you all this time?" She asked confused.
Jenn lowered her head, "I guess she was..." She closed her eyes, "Then again... so were you and Tanya so... I'm a little confused by everything." She admitted.
"Cherilyn, who is the cute girl?" One of the girls at the table asked, watching Jenn dreamily over her textbook.
Cherilyn glanced at the girl in surprise, "You don't know... oh that is right it has been a while." She stood up and gestured towards Jenn, "Girls, I'd like you to meet the founder and head of the Hen club, Jennifer North. Originally one of the East Wing's two Princes until she was whisked away to the Western Wingers on us."
"I'm not that special." Jenn protested, "I didn't do anything that important."
"I disagree." One of the girls exclaimed, "If the Hen club wasn't created than I would feel so alone here. The West Wing seems to be the only place that accepts girls like us and by that point people think you are insane beyond belief." The girl blushed, "Not saying that you are Miss. North."
"Please, just call me Jenn." Jenn smiled at the girl, "I'm glad the club helped."
"More than you would believe." Cherilyn admitted as she approached the window, "If you had not created the club then I would never have met you, Kris or Tanya."
"Oh..." Jenn backed away from the window as Cherilyn stepped on the windowsill.
"Girls," Cherilyn said to the other club members, "I'll talk to you later." She jumped out of the window to join Jenn. The girls inside shouted their good byes to both Jenn and Cherilyn as they walked away from the school.
"So what brought you to the East Wing?" Cherilyn asked curiously as she hauled her backpack over her shoulder, "It is not everyday we get a West Winger over here."
"Why do you keep referring to me like that?" Jenn asked tensely, "I'm no different than before."
"Sorry." Cherilyn apologized, "After a few years you get used to referring to people from the West Wing like that simply because it is so rare to see those girls at this end of the school."
"Why is that?" Jenn asked glancing over her shoulder at the West Wing, "They are no different than everyone else, are they?"
Cherilyn flopped down on a nearby bench, "That depends." She thought to herself, "Some of the girls in the East Wing find the West Wing girls creepy in an unexplainable way."
"And you?" Jenn asked worriedly.
Cherilyn let out a sigh then gazed at the West Wing and back to Jenn, "I don't think the girls are creepy but that building..." She shivered.
Jenn glanced down at her friend, "It is nothing special." She admitted, "Just old looking on the outside. Haven't you ever gone inside the West Dorms?"
"No." Cherilyn exclaimed nervously, "I've never had any friends from those dorms."
"And now?" Jenn asked, raising an eyebrow curiously, "Would you not visit me or Kris?"
Cherilyn thought about this question carefully, "I don't know." She replied, "Enough about me. What is up with you? You seemed deep in thought when I saw you."
Jenn finally sat upon the bench, "I don't know." She thought about the insanity of that day and shook her head, "Have things around here always been so... weird... around here?" She asked shyly, feeling embarrassed that she didn't remember much about the school.
"Weird?" Cherilyn cocked her head sideways, "In what way?"
"Strange..." Jenn tried to think of how to explain things without sounding like she was going crazy, "Like this whole thing about the school being split into two parts and what have you."
"Well... the only thing I really find weird around here is that forest." Cherilyn nodded towards the Western Woods, "Something about that place is even scarier then the West Wings."
Jenn followed the girl's gaze, "What is in there?" She asked, feeling a darkness permeate from the forest that made her quickly turn away, "We were told not to go near there by the Head Mistresses, but what is so special about it?"
"I have no idea." Cherilyn confessed sheepishly, "I've never gone close enough to find out."
"Hmmm..." Jenn the thought of the forest being out of bounds made her more curious.
"Don't think about it." Cherilyn warned.
"Huh?" Jenn glanced up to face her friend.
"I remember you had a curious streak." Cherilyn eyed the girl closely, "I'm telling you that that place is nothing but bad news. Please don't go near there." She pleaded.
"I promise." Jenn agreed, "Say, where is Tanya? I haven't seen her since I arrived."
Cherilyn's face grew long; "She has not come out of her room since she returned." She stated sadly.
"She hasn't?" Jenn said in shock, "Why not?"
"She was upset by your moving." Cherilyn explained with a sigh, "I tried to comfort her but she refused to talk to me and locked herself in her room."
"Can you take me to her?" Jenn asked, standing up.
"I guess," Cherilyn seemed leery of the idea, "I don't know how the dorm’s head will handle a West Winger on the grounds." She said worriedly.
"You say that I used to be an East Winger so there should be no problem." Jenn stated boldly, "Anyway, maybe I'll remember more if I see my old room." She started towards the dorms without waiting for further delays.
"If you insist." Cherilyn fixed her backpack on her shoulder and followed her friend.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 43
Title: Part 10: Chapter 43
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Ten: Struggles Twofold
Chapter Forty-Three - Brand-new You
Natalie and Kima exited the mall with several bags in their hands. A fresh spring breeze rushed passed them, causing their hair to flutter. Kima smiled at the feeling and ran a hand through her newly cut hair, "I wish I'd cut my hair earlier." She exclaimed, then ran off across the field with her arms out stretched and spinning around, "Do you really like it Natalie?" She asked her friend.
Natalie surveyed her friend's new look once again. Kima's hair was cut shoulder length with the back layered, she left the front with intent to let the bangs grew out, Natalie thought the hairdresser going to have a heart attack when Kima told her how short she wanted it. Kima also sported new attire comprised of a pair of baggy brown cargo pants and a tight black tank top. Natalie still found it hard to keep from staring at the girl in astonishment over the transformation. Even though she had been there during the whole process Natalie still found herself stunned by how different her friend looked and how well this new style suited her, "You really look great." She finally mustered to say, "Really."
Kima blushed and spun around one last time then gazed up at the sky, "I never felt so free before." She smiled and closed her eyes while staring at the sun, a small tear formed in the corner of her eye, "Too bad it won't last." She said sadly and lowered her head.
Natalie approached Kima and set her hand upon the girl's shoulder, "Everything will work out, you'll see."
"But what if I don't want to go back?" Kima said in almost a whisper, "What if she never accepts me?" She rubbed her eye with the back of her hand.
Natalie watched this for a moment. No matter how different the two Kimberly's acted they were still very much alike. She wrapped her arm around the red head and pulled her close, "It is alright." Natalie said ever so softly, "She just needs some time to sort things out. She'll come around. You'll see. You both are a part of each other."
Kima pulled back a little, "Yeah, you're right." She wiped at her eyes one last time then took a deep breath, "She needs me." She said with a smile, and then spun around and started to run towards the western dorm, "Come on Nat. I want to show Kim our new look." She exclaimed excitedly.
Natalie rubbed the back of her head. She felt it was not going to be easy to get used to this new Kim, "Hey wait up!" Natalie called out as she ran after her friend. The two of them laughed as they crossed the grass towards the Western Dorm and bust into the building still laughing and giggling however their cheerfulness died away the moment they stepped into the lobby.
Sitting upon one of the couched was Kimberly, Kris and Jessica and across from them was none other than Head Mistress Sophia. She turned to watch the two girls as they entered the room, "I'm glad to see you are enjoying yourselves." She said with a smile.
"H... head Mistress!?!" Natalie nervously glanced from the head mistress to Kima, who was now hiding behind her, "Jessica!?!" She glared at the dorm head.
"Don't look at me." Jessica put up her hands defensively.
"I came of my own accord. "Sophia stated as she stood, "I was worried about Kim here, after Amy told me about her wounds I wanted to check on her myself. Then I received this." She tapped on a brown folder in her lap; "I thought something was unusual for I have never received a double copy of any file before." She peered around Natalie, "However, this is a little unexpected." She smiled at Kima, "I will not harm you. Let's have a look at you." Kima nervously stepped out from behind her friend.
Kim abruptly stood in shock, "You cut my hair!?!" She exclaimed, stunned to see herself with short hair, silently she had always wanted to have short hair, to feel the breeze on her neck but was too afraid to ask. Now here was her other half, a braver half, doing all the things she only wished she could do, exposed arms and a tight sure that showed off just how much she had developed over the years, along with a new haircut. Sadness filled the girl's eyes that Kima noticed and was about to open her mouth when Jessica jumped to her feet.
"Wow!!!" Jessica said in astonishment as she approached Kima, eyeing her up and down, "I thought you were a cutie before, but now this sight really makes my heart ache." She reached out to run a hand through Kima's hair, causing her to shivered at the girl's touch and gave Jessica an intense look that Jessica could only describe as hunger. Kima bit her lip and reached out to caress the girl's cheek with the back of her hand and it was Jessica turn to step back from the red head, swallowing hard and blushing.
"Carefully Jessie." Natalie said with a sly grin, "This girl can give you a run for your money." She chuckled softly.
"I... I can see that..." Jessica had to shake her head, "Maybe we should put a sign around her neck warning the other girls."
Kima blushed, "I'm sorry..." She turned her gazed to the ground, ashamed of herself.
Sophia approached Kima and examined her over closely, "This is definitely something." She remarked, "You look exactly like Kimberly and at the same time." She took the girl’s chin in her hand to raise her eyes to meet her own, "There is something there that was not present in your counterpart's eyes." Sophia herself found it hard to pull away from those ruby red eyes. She too needed to shake her head to clear it before proceeding to open the file she held in her hand, "It never ceases to amaze me how accurate these files can be."
"What does it say?" Kim asked curious what was written about her reflection.
"Nothing special." Sophia said lightly, "Just that she has a fresh cut along her left arm." Nodding towards Kima's arm, causing the girl to wrap her arms around her stomach, "The most interesting thing is the photo." Sophia turned the file around so that the others could see. Upon the upper right corner of the first page was a small picture. It showed Kima with the same short hair and clothes that she wore at that very moment.
"But I just cut my hair!" Kima stated in confusion, "How could...?"
"How can a reflection come to life?" Sophia simply returned.
Kima nervously fiddled with the bottom of her shirt, "I don't know... I just..." She felt cornered and was looking for a place to hide when Sophia gave the girl a reassuring pat on the head.
"No need to worry." She said with a grin, "You are both welcome here. No one is going to take you away."
"Really!?!" Kima's eyes brightly light up, "I can stay here???" She asked excitedly.
"Yes, you can stay as long as you like." Sophia stated with a nod, "However, I would like you and Kim to see Amy tomorrow if possible."
"Why me?" Kim protested.
"You got cut as well did you not?" Sophia replied.
Kim shyly gazed at the ground, "yeah..."
Sophia knelt next to Kim, "I know that you may not like your reflection, but try to get along with her, okay?" She gave the girl a wink, and then stood up, "Now that you all are aware that we know of Kima's presence you don't have to worry about hiding her anymore. She is welcome here just like the rest of you."
Jessica let out a sigh of relief, "I was really worried about how we were going to handle that." She said.
Sophia turned to look at Jessica, "The next time you find a new girl here don't be afraid to tell us. We more than likely already are aware that they will be arriving, we just need to be told when they get here. Alright?"
Jessica felt embarrassed, "Sorry Head Mistress"
"No need for apologies." Sophia assured, "Which reminds me. You will have a new addition to the dorms sometime soon. I hope there is enough room."
Jessica ran over to the office and brought out the book of room listings, "We still have some openings, however it is becoming a crowded year." She expressed a bit concerned.
"That it is." Sophia said with a sigh, "I'm sorry if this is a rough year on you all." She apologized.
"Nah." Jessica closed the book and glanced at the group of girls that she'd just made into friends. Her eyes fell on Kris and she smiled then returned her gaze to Sophia, "I think this is going to be a great year." She said enthusiastically.
"I'm glad." Sophia said, "Myself or Missy will return from time to time to check up on things. Have a good evening girls." She started out of the building with the girls saying their farewells at her feet.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 44
Title: Part 10: Chapter 44
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Ten: Struggles Twofold
Chapter Forty-Four - Missing, Presumed Insane
"Jennifer!!!" A teenaged girl ran over to Jenn from the Eastern Dorm office, "It has been so long. How are you?" She exclaimed excitedly.
"Um..." Jenn tried to force her mind to work. She could not remember who this girl was. The girl was small with long black hair and a smile that Jenn was sure she would not forget, however she was having troubles remembering the girl's name.
"Wendy," Cherilyn interrupted, sensing Jenn's nervousness, "Have you seen Tanya today?" She asked, glancing at the clock to see that school would not be letting out for a bit yet.
Wendy stopped in the midst of giving Jenn a hug, "Tanya?" She thought to herself, "Nope, is she back to hiding in her room? And with Jennifer back and all?"
Cherilyn let out a disappointed sigh, "It would seem so."
"Is she alright?" Jenn asked stepping away from Wendy before the girl regained her senses to give her that hug.
"When you and Kris disappeared she went into a bit of a decline actually." Cherilyn stated miserably, heading for the stairs, "I thought your return would make things better, however..."
"I was moved to a different wing." Jenn stated dismally.
"She couldn't handle the new arrangements, it would seem." Cherilyn shook her head and mounted the stairs, heading for Tanya's room. Upon reaching the door she knocked, "Tanya? Jenn is here to see you." She called out. No answer returned, "Tanya?" She called out again with no answer, "You better be dressed because I'm coming in." Cherilyn stated boldly as she opened the door.
The room was silent and had emptiness to it, like that of a place never lived in. Cherilyn quickly entered the room and searched around. Jenn slowly crossed the threshold of the room. As she did so she felt a cold wave rush over her flesh and a sickening feeling that she didn't want to be in that room any longer. She glanced around to see Tanya's bed, the blankets still rumpled in a heap; her eyes fell on the desk in the opposite corner. She approached the desk and ran a hand across its surface. A flickering recollection tried to enter her mind, but the door to that memory seemed to slam shut the moment it tried to open and Jenn recoiled from the desk as if burnt.
"Oh no..." Cherilyn said from the other side of the room.
"What’s wrong?" Jenn asked, turning around to see her friend pale as a ghost as she slumped into the desk chair, a piece of paper was clenched firmly in her hands, her eyes never veered from the page as her hands began to tremble. Jenn stepped closer to the girl, curiously cocking her head to get a look at what was written on the paper.
“I can't stand being apart from Jenn. We were meant to be together and I will make sure that we are. Cherilyn, I'm sorry, I'm going to the Western Woods. Hopefully the Head Mistresses will accept me into the West Dorms when I return.
Tanya"
"What?!?" Jenn exclaimed in confusion taking the paper from Cherilyn's hand to get a better read.
"That twit..." Cherilyn mumbled, "That stupid twit..."
"What's wrong?" Jenn asked still confused by what the letter meant, "How can going into that forest effect which wing she stays in?"
"That forest is death..." Cherilyn stated shakily, "Only people who wish to die enter there. I'm never going to see her again..." She buried her face in her hands and cried.
Jenn wrapped an arm around the girl, "We don't know that yet." She tried to think of what to do, "Maybe we can go find her. She couldn't have been gone long."
"That is impossible." Cherilyn declared, "No one has ever returned from the forest. It is unnatural."
"Maybe Kima will know." Jenn said.
"Who?" Cherilyn gazed up at Jenn with red eyes.
"It’s hard to explain." Jenn stated uneasily, "Come on. We have to try." She grabbed the girl's hand and dragged her out of the room.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 45
Title: Part 10: Chapter 45
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Ten: Struggles Twofold
Chapter Forty-Five - Simple Bonds
Kima and Kim sat in the lobby, staring at each other, while Natalie sat anxiously next to Kima. Anyone who entered the room could feel the tension between the two redheads. Neither spoke, and yet volumes were expressed. Frustrated, Natalie tried to think of some way to break the atmosphere, but found it very hard to think when these two girls didn't seem to want to give an inch to the other. To make matters worse Natalie felt that some of Kim's rage was being directed at herself and she had no idea why.
At that moment Jenn burst into the western dorms, pulling Cherilyn by the hand. She saw Kima and quickly ventured over to her, "Kima!" She panted.
Kima broke from Kim's gaze to look at her friend, "Jenn?" She asked, concerned by Jenn's uncontrolled breathing, "Are you alright? Did something happen?" She got to her feet and noticed Cherilyn standing close to Jenn with fear in her eyes, "Who is this?" She asked with a smile.
Kim abruptly stood to find out what was going on, peering around Jenn at the new arrival.
"A... friend...” Jenn said between pants, "Cherilyn..." She swallowed hard.
Natalie got to her feet, "I'll get you some water." She stated, running into the cafeteria.
Jessica appeared from the office where she was working, "Cherilyn? From the East Wing?" She asked looking at the girl.
Cherilyn nervously nodded without saying a word.
"Something must be up if you are here." Jessica continued.
Natalie returned with two paper cups of water, "Here." She handed one to each girl.
"Thank you." Jenn accepted the cup gratefully drained her cup in an instant, “This school is too dammed big.” She said between swallows.
"Where'd you run from?" Jessica asked.
"The East Dorms." Jenn explained, "Tanya is missing. She left a note saying she went into the woods."
"The Western Woods?" Jessica exclaimed in shock.
Jenn nodded and retrieved the letter from her back pocket to have Natalie take it from her, "Why would anyone go in there?" Natalie asked skimming over the note.
"She thinks the Head Mistresses will allow her to move here." Jenn explained, finishing off the last of the water.
"What?" Jessica shook her head in confusion, "What would make anyone think something silly like that?" She stepped closer to Natalie to get a better look at the note.
"I don't know," Jenn replied, "But that is where she is." She then turned to Kima, "Kima, do you know anything about the woods?" She asked, her eyes pleading to the girl for some kind of answers.
Kima nervously glanced around, avoiding any eye contact, "I..." She tried to think of how to put things into words, "I'm from the mirrors. I know nothing about the woods. I'm sorry." She said with a sigh.
"I know..." Natalie said grimly, glancing up from the paper, "Alyson taught me about the Alleys and the Woods. It is linked to the realm of death and guarded by three of the nine angels of death. It is supposed to be a place where the shadows enter our world from another. Sort of like a doorway of sorts."
"You have got to be kidding me." Jenn exclaimed, "How can a place like that exist?"
"How can a mirror reflection be standing beside you?" Natalie retorted, nodding towards Kima, causing the girl to nervously play with the bottom of her shirt.
"You're not her twin?" Cherilyn finally spoke up in amazement.
Kima rubbed the back of her head as Cherilyn looked from her to Kim and back again, "I'm not sure what I am."
"So what do we do?" Jenn asked, "Tanya is alone out there and we need to find her."
"Entering the Western Woods is not that easy." Kris's voice spoke up from across the room. Everyone spun around to find Kris standing near the pool tables, an air of gloom hung around the girl, "You don't want to enter there." she said in a weak voice.
"Why not?" Jenn demanded. When Kris turned the pain her friend's eyes was so clear that Jenn could feel her own heart drop.
"It is a place where those who wish to die go." Kris looked at Jessica for a moment and let out a deep sigh, "I didn't think you would understand. You have too much to live for now. You once understood, so maybe part of you still does."
"Kris, what are you talking about?" Jenn gave the girl a puzzled look, "You are not making any sense."
Kris turned to gaze out the window, "I'm the only one who can go get her." She set her forehead upon the glass of the window, "Only those wishing for death can find those of the same nature."
"Come on, Kris you have to stop beating yourself up." Jessica pleaded, stepping closer to the girl.
Kris clenched at her chest, "This is how things must be. I know that now." Kris pushed off of the window frame and turned around, "I don't want any of you to follow me."
"Why shouldn't I?" Jenn returned angry and confused, "Why do you always have to be so damn chivalrous and princely all the time." She cried, "You are always being like that. Is this what you want? Do you really want to die?"
Kris touched her chest, "I'm sorry... I never meant to hurt you..." She started towards the door when Jessica stepped in front of the door, blocking her exit. She glared angrily at Kris, only to have the girl avoid her gaze by glancing at the floor. Jessica then turned to look at the group of girls that had gathered in the lobby that day. Each she only knew for a couple of days, but had grown so fond of. The anger melted from her eyes as they returned to Kris again.
"I'm going with you." Jessica said in a determined matter.
"What?" Kris glanced up to see if the girl was kidding only to be greeted by a sad smile, "You can't go in there. You might not come back."
Jessica nervously clenched and unclenched her fist, "You are all family to me and I can't just watch you leave." Jessica exclaimed, "I can't stop you, but I can at least try to be of some help and maybe we both will return."
"I'm sure as hell not staying behind." Jenn added stubbornly, "I don't believe in all this business about the forest equalling our deaths. I just want my friends back." She gazed at her feet, "All of them." She muttered softly.
"Jenn?" Kris looked at her friend, "I thought you hated me?"
"I'm mad at you." Jenn stated, "I don't want you to die on me." she declared, "I..."
Kima looked coldly between Jenn and Kris, "I'm going too." She affirmed, "What about you Nat?" She turned to the blonde.
"Do you realize what you are all planning?" Natalie rose with a sigh, "No one has ever returned from that place, ever."
"I have." Kris stated grimly.
Just then the door to the dorm opened and Alyson came crashing in, dropping her things onto the ground as she toppled after them. Jessica was in time to catch the girl before she hit the ground.
"ALYSON!!!" Natalie called out in surprise as she ran to her friend’s side, "What happened to you?"
"I ran..." Alyson took a deep breath, "From home..."
Natalie looked curiously at the duffle back in the foyer, "Did you bring all your stuff with you?" She asked confused.
"I decided." Alyson struggled to her feet, "I'm staying here with you." She gave Natalie a weak smile.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 46
Title: Part 11: Chapter 46
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Eleven: Lost and Found
Chapter Forty-Six - Into the Woods
The group of girls cross the academy ground, following closely behind Kris as they headed towards the one place they were forbidden to go near and for most of them dreaded the idea of entering. The forest loomed in the distance growing larger with every step they took, seeming to be itching in anticipation of the girl's arrival, hungry for a taste of their fears and prepared to fill them with a new meaning to the word terror. None of the girls could take their eyes off the mass of foliage, as it appeared to move around them, almost encircling them, leaving only one route of escape and that was back to the Academy dorms where they belong. If the woods could smile it would be doing so with a hideous grin that would cause anyone to shiver in fright. It would be a face that looked as if it was ready to bite into you at any moment and rip out a part of your soul.
"I'm confused." Alyson said, her weary eyes darting from the forest to Kris, "How are we planning to find this girl? I mean those woods are filled with Shadows and other unknown nightmares."
Natalie nodded towards Kris, "She said she had been in there and returned." She said doubtful of the truth in that statement.
Alyson gave Natalie a look of unease, "and you believe her?" She asked anxiously.
"There is something about her." Natalie stated, not letting her eyes off the girl, "Maybe she really did enter those woods. That would explain a lot."
"She does have a strange strength to her." Alyson agreed, "Like something I've come across before but forgotten." She shook her head as she tried to remember what was so familiar about the girl.
"I believe her." Jessica interjected with pride.
"Is there something between you two that we don't know?" Natalie inquired curiously.
"No..." Jessica bluntly replied.
"This is news." Alyson added her own curiosity to the conversation, "Jessie actually falling for someone." She said with scepticism.
"Who says?" Jessica demanded.
"It is written all over your face." Natalie said with a sly smile, "Come on, before you wouldn't dare come near this forest and now you are risking your life for someone you barely know."
"Forget it." Jessica remarked bitterly, "Think what you like." She stomped off to be closer to Kris.
Kris didn't seem to notice that she now had company as she abruptly stopped at the edge of the woods and peered beyond its border. She skirted along the margin between the safety of the academy ground and the dangers that lurked beyond the forest's dark boundaries, carefully examining the foliage as if looking for something.
"What are you looking for?" Jessica asked with immense curiously.
"If you enter the forest at the wrong place you can end up anywhere." Kris explained quietly, not wanting to waken the creatures of the wood of their presence, "However..." She stood up, then placed one foot lightly into the brush and the forest mysteriously part before her. Tree limbs and branches tangled together creating a living hall about the width of a single grown person and high enough to brush at the tallest girl’s hair, in this case enough for two girls to walk side by side, "If you know what you are looking for the path will appear." Kris said with a smile.
Jessica was amazed at the way the trees curved overhead creating a long archway of intertwining limbs, "How did you do that?" She asked in astonishment.
Kris shrugged, "You just have to know where to look." She stepped lightly into the forest. A few of the roots flattened and shifted below her feet making the path all the more easier to travel upon.
"Wow..." Cherilyn stared up at trees, "I didn't know they did that." She peered into the dark tunnel. Only a small amount of light entered though the branches overhead and the rest was stifled out by the shadows, "Do we really have to enter there?" she asked nervous of what might lurk in the darkness.
"You don't have to go." Kris insisted, "I told you I can handle this." She started to move deeper into the forest with Jessica following closely beside her.
Jenn took a tentative step onto the earthen ground then inched forward to get a better look at the walls, "And we said we are not letting you go alone." She reiterated, marvelling. It appeared that the branched were alive as they shifted and twisted when Jenn moved closer, pulling Cherilyn along with her.
"And how did you know where?" Alyson inquired suspiciously as she following the other girl's lead, "It is not like there is a sign telling you where the entrance is." She too could not take her eyes off the ever-shifting wall of limbs.
"A few years back I stumbled upon this door and several others." Kris explained nonchalantly, not even bothered by a branch that moved past her face from one wall to another and disappeared "It is safe... as long as you keep to the paths. For the most part the trees will not harm you. Just don't taunt them."
Kim peered into the darkness of the tunnel and took a step backwards, stumbling into Kima, "It reminds you of something, doesn't it?" Kima whispered in Kim's ear, while staring into the pit.
"The hall of doors...." Kim swallowed hard, remembering that dark hallway and the weird faceless people that inhabited it.
"Looks like it will be fun." Kima said with a sinister grin, "Come on." She took Kim by the hand and started to pull her into the forest, Natalie taking up the rear as the group ventured deeper into the depths of the unknown. The woods closed in around them as they proceeded further along the path.
"Uhhh... Kris..." Kima pointed at the opening behind them as the trees closed in over the entrance until there was no sign of where they had came in.
"Don't worry." Kris reassured everyone while keeping her eyes ahead of her, "Keep close and you will be fine." There was very little sign of sunlight, even though outside the sun was blazing high in the sky, however a small amount of light allowed the girls to see the path ahead. A strange cold began to creep out from the darkness like thin tendrils that crawled over the girl's bodies and penetrated their very souls causing several of them to shiver and wrap their arms around themselves.
Cherilyn huddled closely to Jenn, as the trees seemed to grow ever closer. More then once she thought she could see faces in the branches and felt as if they were watching her, "Jenn, I don't like this..." She shivered in fear as something out of the corner of her eye moved through the shadows.
"Everything will be alright." Jenn said, patting her friend's hand, keeping her eyes on the shadows. She too was beginning to worry about what they had just stepped into. The shadows seemed to be playing tricks on her, she was not sure if they were being followed by some dark force or was it was just the movement of the trees as they drew in closer with every step. The stitches on her wrist began to ache and tingle under her bandages and she rubbed at them, feeling her grip on reality starting to come apart. If girls can come out of mirrors and trees could move then what else could be out there. Kris suddenly stopped dead in her tracks and clenched at her chest.
Jessica placed a hand on the girl's back, "Are you alright?" She asked startled by her friend's abrupt stop.
"It... feels like.... my chest is on fire." Kris said in agony, there was a strange glow emitting from the centre of Kris's chest that grew hotter with every moment. Jessica stepped back unsure what to do.
"Kris?" Jenn rushed over to her friend’s side, "What's wrong?" She reached out and touched Kris's arm. The very moment her fingers touched upon Kris a white light enveloped her and quickly all the girls were swallowed by the warmth. As rapidly as it started the light faded away, yet there was no sign of the girls or of their very existence.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 47
Title: Part 11: Chapter 47
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Eleven: Lost and Found
Chapter Forty-Seven - Silent Nothingness
"Ohhkaayyy..." Alyson spun around, trying to discern how she came to be standing in the middle of a circular patch of grass. The grassy patch was only a few metres in diameter, no more then ten at the very least, and was encompassed by a cobblestone traffic circle that branched off in several directions. Across the road lines upon lines of small sidewalk cafes could be seen, tables set out on the stone walkway awaiting costumers, each with its own unique Victorian flare. The smell of a bakery making bread for the afternoon rush hour filled the air and everything seemed perfect, except for one tiny detail, there wasn't a soul in sight aside from herself.
She could see plates of food set upon tables, waiting to be savoured by some invisible patron. If they were invisible, maybe Alyson could have handled the situation a little better, however the sight of cups of steaming tea simply sitting around empty tables, only left an unsettling feeling in the girls stomach. The whole situation has a surreal quality to it and Alyson found it hard not to suddenly yell just to break the unnerving silence.
She wandered around the shops in search of someone who could give her some kind of hint as to where she was, and which direction would be the best to travel, when her tummy began to grumble at the sight of all the treats. During all the chaos of the day she had completely forgotten about lunch and now her stomach was reminding her that she was well overdue for a snack. She entered one of the cafes that had a savourable smell drifting from its open windows. Inside the lights were all on and she found several tables with many forms of food upon them. A large plate of pasta caught her eyes and Alyson swallowed hard at the scene. Making sure there was no one in the store and that the food was not spoiled, the girl sat down and bid a silent prayer before hungrily digging into the meal.
****
Kris lay upon the grass with her eyes closed. A gentle breeze brushed against her cheeks and ruffled her hair ever so slightly; memories of a day long gone flickering in her mind. A sense of warmth, love and pain. A tear filled her eye as the memories arose and a grey feeling washed over her heart and mind.
"Kris, are you alright?" A voice called out through the fog of Kris's mind. She reached out towards the voice with her mind and slowly opened her eyes, before her knelt Jessica, an intense amount of worry drawn upon her usually bright face.
"Jessica?" Kris tried to sit up only to feel an insane amount of pain rush through her heart. A sound emitted from the depths of Kris's being that could only be described as someone tearing out a part of her soul. Kris curled up into a tight ball, clenching her chest tightly as a scream ripped from her throat. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she kicked at the ground as if trying to hide under the earthen floor itself.
"What's wrong?" Jessica asked in a panicked state, she reached out to touch the girl on the shoulder when another wave of sobs overtook Kris's body and she began to cough and sputter, then laugh.
"Gwen..." Kris giggled hysterically, "You... little…" She punched at the ground and forced herself into a seated position, her head raised to stare up at the blue sky, "I should have known..." She cried and laughed.
"Kris?" Jessica finally found the courage to set her hand upon the girl's shoulder, "What happened?"
Kris tried to regain her sanity as giggles turned to gasps for breath, "It feels..." Kris swallowed hard, "Like someone just ripped out a part of my heart." She said with a chuckle and smiled in a way that scared Jessica a little.
"Are you going to be alright?" Jessica nervously asked once again.
Kris rubbed her temple and shook her head, "I don't know..." She slowly gazed around herself. All around them the eerie black forest had been replace with a large, open park with deep green grass lightly covered with a sprinkling of colourful leaves, paths intertwining their way about them and a bench could be seen here and there, "Where are we?" She asked stunned by the change in setting.
"That is what I was going to ask you." Jessica said while looking around.
"How... perfect..." Kris flopped back down on the grass and covered her eyes with her arm, "Just Perfect!"
****
Kima ran across a playground and jumped onto a swing, standing up she pumped the swing hard and smiled as the wind rushed though her hair.
"Not again." Kim wept and dropped to a swing next to her double, "Why does this keep happening?" She mumbled.
"Will you stop crying?" Kima demanded pumping the swing again, "Why can't you face a problem without breaking into tears?”
"Leave me alone." Kim sniffled, rubbing her eyes with the back of her sleeve. Ever since they entered the forest she could feel a well of sadness seep into her heart. She wanted to stop crying but she couldn't seem to find the strength to over come the tears, "You always act like you are so perfect. Now everyone hates me." She said between sniffles.
"I act myself." Kima retorted, "People would like you more if you would stop pretending like you are some kind of princess and stop blaming me about everything. We are the same person after all."
"I am-" Kim started to say only to have Kima interrupt her.
"-not like me." Kima continued, "I know, I know. I'm the, all so, evil half of you. The part you hate the most. I know the story." She said dismally, "For once could you stop forcing me away." She wrapped her arms around the chain, linked her hands together and gazed sadly into the distance, "I feel sorry for Jenn." She said, watching the setting sun.
"Leave Jenn out of this!" Kim stood to her feet, "She has nothing to do with this." Her tears were replace by anger.
"She has everything to do with this and you know it." Kima remarked coldly, "You just refuse to admit it wasn't entirely me that wanted to touch that girl."
"I wouldn't..." Kim mumbled uneasily, twisting her dress between her fingers.
"You would and you have...." Kima stated bluntly, "We were one, once before. Or don't you remember?"
Kim lowered her head in shame, "I just..." Kim's voice cracked on her words, "I don't want to hurt anyone anymore." She wailed as she burst into another wave of tears.
Kima let out a sigh and jumped off the swing, "I know..." She approached Kim and wrapped her arms around the girl, giving her a tight hug, "I don't want to either." She said, rocking the girl slowly in her arms, "Neither do I..."
******
Cherilyn walked the halls of the school. At first she was relieved to find herself no longer within those vile woods, however she soon discovered that her new situation wasn't much better. She searched one classroom after another to find each and every one to be empty. Not only void of the presence of other life, but of any sign that anyone had ever been in the school in years. There were no desks or any furniture anywhere that she went. Then she ran out onto the schools rooftop to find that neither of the dorms existed and the west wing was completely missing. What used to be a sprawling landscape of trees and fields had been replace with buildings and houses. She collapsed to the ground, staring out at her new surroundings, stunned silent. Tears started to fill her eyes as she wished to be back with her friends and away from this new nightmare of nothingness.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 48
Title: Part 11: Chapter 48
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Eleven: Lost and Found
Chapter Forty-Eight - Raggedy Terrors
Natalie took a step backwards, "Was it just me or did the forest just close up around us?" She asked nervously. She turned around to find she was entirely alone, "Hello?." Her mind reeled as she tried to piece together what exactly happened and how she was going to get back to her friends. She felt a cool breeze brush against the back of her legs causing her to spin around. Suddenly she was no longer surrounded by trees as four long white walls rose up around her, two long massive walls and two shorter ones creating a very thin rectangular room, the width of which could not have been over ten feet, while the length spanned five times that. A roof was the last thing to slide into place, blocking out the last of the sun. Natalie spun around as the room started to take on more personality. Windows began to open up here and there and a long patio window formed on the far wall as the walls themselves turned a stained yellow and a hallway, merely a few feet in width, opened up in the corner of one of the smaller walls. Then, slowly furniture started to appear, melting out of the ground. A sofa, night table, television first materialize in the centre of the room. A small kitchen formed next to the hallway behind her and lastly long curtains rolled out from the ceiling covering all the windows.
Natalie stood in amazement as the room came to life; soon she realized that she was standing in the mobile home that she used to live in with her mother. She had forgotten all about the place and ran to the patio window to see a long wooden porch extended along the entire length of the home. A barbeque could be seen against the rail where Natalie remembered enjoying roasted hotdogs that her uncle used to make, her mouth watering at the thought of the taste. A small plastic jungle gym sat down in the yard with grass growing around it due to it never being moved. Other mobile homes could be seen lined up along a dirt road and she suddenly remembered that Kimberly used to live just down the street and they would spend time together every now and then. Natalie smiled at the sights and memories, Placing her hand upon the patio door's handle to step outside when the suddenly television snapped to life and the room filled with the distinct sounds of Raggedy Ann and Andy: A Musical Adventure. She remembered the songs so clearly for she and her cousins would watch it every time they came over to visit during the autumn season.
Natalie crept around the living room to get a closer look and as she suspected there was that same old raggedy camel singing about how sad he was. Natalie watched for a moment when a sense of dread began to overflow her mind. She glanced around in search of what could have caused this uneasy feeling, however there was no one about. Not even the usual sounds could be heard, no neighbour's barking dog, cars driving by, or even children playing outside. Still she felt something was watching her. Then the volume on the TV started to rise until all she could hear were the sounds from the show. When she turned back to see what was happening Raggedy Ann and Andy were up against a giant sea of toffee. The sight of the monstrous blob made Natalie take a step away from the TV, almost as if the creature could see Natalie's movements it turned and watched her. Its big eyes stared out of the television gazing directly at Natalie, causing the girl to creep backwards even further away. She found she could not take her eyes off the TV as the blob moved closer and closer to the screen. Never did it once take its eyes off of the girl. It pressed up against the glass of the tub and Natalie was almost certain she could hear it tapping on the surface, trying to break out. Bits started to ooze out of the side of the tub and run down the screen as the creature pushed harder upon the glass. It let out a gurgled cry of frustration as it tried to break free of it’s confides. Further and further Natalie backed until she was up against the fridge in the corner of the kitchen. Her legs felt weak and she fumbled for the daggers she usually kept in her sleeves, trying desperately to find something to defend herself from that hideous abomination that was seeping from the television.
"Naaatttalieeee..." The creature hissed, still watching her.
Natalie tried to ignore the sound as she discovered that none of her throwing daggers where upon her person. She opened her jacket and searched the inner pockets; even her arm-mounted blade was missing. She could hear drops of the blob hitting the ground as she frantically searched her jacket. With a sigh of frustration she hit her head upon the fridge, feeling something warm and wet coat her hand and slowly turning around to find bloody handprints had appeared across the refrigerator. Her eyes moved to her feet where more blood had formed at her feet, pools of it seeping out of the floorboards in the shape of a human body. Abruptly her mind was filled with images of torn limbs and a shadow slowly creeping up upon her. Fear swelled inside of her heart as the memory of that dreadful night started to form inside her head, a night filled with murder and rape, her rape. She shook her head and screamed out as the nightmare took on a clearer form in her mind and then her eyes spotted something atop of the fridge, a set of kitchen knives. Hope rose in her heart at the gleam of those silver blades and she jumped to her feet and reached out for the knives, grabbing the one with the largest handle. Holding the blade in hand she felt confidence move through her fingertips as she scanned her surroundings once again, read to take on any adversary head on. That small ounce of hope and courage sunk to the pit of Natalie's stomach when her eyes set upon what was standing before her.
"Hello again Cousin." A tall figure hissed. Natalie found it hard to not let the knife slip from her hand. The man before her was tall and wore a black cloak with hood pulled over his head leaving only half his face visible. The lower portion of the cloak seemed to become more shadow than solid and parts of it melded with the shadows around his feet. He tilted his head and smiled at the girl, "You remember me, little girl?" He said with a grin that sent Natalie's heart racing in terror.
"G... get away from me!!!" Natalie screamed, waving the knife in an out stretched arm, "Leave me alone!"
"When I first saw you the other day I didn't realize it was you." The man placed a hand upon his chin, "Strange coincidence, wouldn't you say?"
"I killed you, Akaime!" Natalie snarled, "You are dead. How many times does it take for you to stay dead?"
"I guess I'm like a bad penny that keeps cropping up." Akaime admitted with a sly grin, "This time I am not sure how I came back, maybe it was thanks to my new friends." He pulled off his hood revealing that a porcelain mask concealed the upper left side of his face, concealing his cheekbone to the top of his head. A glowing red eye could be seen from a narrow slit in the mask that was off centre on his face. When he turned his head it became apparent that the parts the mask only covered the front portion of his face and what was behind the mask was entirely missing. Natalie could see a large hole in the side of the man's head allowing Nat to peer deep inside of him, which seemed almost hollow. As if his flesh was nothing more then a shroud covering darkness. Then Natalie realized that the mask was not hiding the hole, his skin was concealing the mask and had been torn away leaving it hanging in places, revealing his true nature to be seen. Another smaller hole could be seen in the side of his neck. He tapped the mask with a finger, "I still need to repay you for this little pain you caused me."
"No..." Natalie shook her head in disbelief, "This can't be happening, this can't-be-happening!!!" Suddenly Natalie realized that this was the same man that was chasing Kim and Jenn through the alleys. At a distance he appeared to be just another shadow and now that she knew who it was beneath that hood she was not sure she could have fought him off so easily again.
"Oh trust me it is." Akaime said with a sinister smile, "And in this place I'm not the weakling I was before." He quickly knelt to the ground, placing a hand upon the floor. Flames burst from his fingertips creating a circle upon the carpet that filled in and began to grow in size. Natalie watched in fear as the flames begin to take on a new shape. The fire didn't seem to actually burn the floor as it grew in size; it more twisted and took on the likeness of a clear membrane that rose to the roof of the building. The blazes appeared as if it was being projected upon the surface of some kind of skin stretched over a writhing creature and something unexplainably vile began to move beneath its surface. Teeth could be seen shifting and snapping to free itself from its confines. Natalie pressed up against the wall to distance herself from the creature before her. A smell of something sickening burning filled the air that made Natalie want to throw up. The cocoon broke open to reveal a large set of jagged teeth; the rest of the membrane formed itself into a monolithic dog with flames leaping off its body like ragged fur. Natalie did not move as the dog leapt forward and charged at her. Suddenly she screamed and tossed the knife at the creature before breaking into a run down the hall. The creature was so big that its shoulder got stuck on the wall as it snapped viciously at the girl's heels.
"You can't escape me!" Akaime called out after the girl, "You will be mine. Along with all your friends." His maniacal laughter could be heard throughout the house.
Natalie burst out of the mobile home and jumped a fence, hoping that she could find her friends before that monster did.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: <a href="http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/ " target="_blank">http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/ </a>
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 49
Title: Part 11: Chapter 49
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Eleven: Lost and Found
Chapter Forty-Nine - Past Remains
Jenn frantically ran through the forest, branches scratched at her face and arms as she tried to find the exit. She suddenly tripped over a root and fell to the ground, scrapping the palm of her hands and knees on the ground. The pain shocked her mind back into clarity. She sat up, staring down at the droplets of blood that had formed on her hands and the fragments of pebbles digging deep into her palms. She blinked a few times noticing that the bandages around her wrists were gone and quickly scanned around to find herself sitting in the middle of a strip of gravel that was a make shift road. All around her were mobile homes that she could faintly remember. She stared in a daze at the building when she heard footfalls upon the gravel road.
"Are you alright?" A small timid voice asked from behind Jenn.
Jenn turned around and was startled to see a very young Kimberly standing before her, dressed in a small pink dress and her hair pulled back in a ponytail, "Kim?" Jenn was dumbfounded, the girl could not be any older then ten or eleven and even at that age she looked as cute as ever. She stared in wonder at the little girl.
"Ummm..." Kim seemed to get nervous by the way Jenn was staring at her, "How do you know my name?" She asked her eyes darting around like a cornered animal.
Jenn stood to her feet and brushed the dirt off her knees to notice for the first time that she too was also younger, "Am I dreaming?" She stared down at her little jean overall dress that revealed her bare legs, which were scrapped up worse then her hands were. Suddenly she became well aware of the pain that her body was trying to tell her about and she winced in pain as she tried to move.
"I always ask myself that." Kim said sadly, "We should get off the road." She worriedly added glancing up and down the street.
"Yeah..." Jenn replied and started to hobble to the side of the street. It hurt to walk and Jenn found herself struggling to not cry in front of the girl for some reason. Kim offered her arm to the girl, Jenn took hold of it and Kim helped the girl to the side of the road. When they reached the lawn of one of the homes Jenn agonizingly sat down in the grass. Tears welled up in her eyes with the pain.
Kim sat down next to Jenn, "Are you going to be alright?" She asked examining the girl's knees, a trickle of blood had run down the girl's leg and was being soaked up by her socks.
"I don't know..." Jenn stifled back the urge to cry as she picked some of the rocks out of her flesh; "It just hurts... a lot..." she gave up, lay back on the grass and watched the clouds drift across the sky. The past couple of days felt more and more like a daze. She closed her eyes and let the sun wash over her. Kimberly lay next to the girl gazing up at the sky and Jenn turned her head too look at the girl she met not all that long ago, but now felt like an eternity away. Then that familiar feeling from the first time she met Kim entered her mind again. She pushed herself up onto her elbows and glanced around once more. She sensed that in some way she did know this place. The mobile homes held a familiarity to them, "Do you live around here?" Jenn suddenly heard herself ask.
Kim sat up and pointed across the road, "I live over there." She said nodding at a blue building with a green fence, "We just moved out here a couple years ago. I'm kind of shy so..." She lowered her arm and gazed down at the grass.
"What is wrong?" Jenn asked, feeling a sense of sorrow coming from the girl.
Kim shook her head, "Nothing..." Jenn could clearly see that Kim was covering something up, but before she could open her mouth to ask she heard someone calling out her name.
"Jennifer!!" A woman yelled out for her, “Jennifer, get your ass over here!" the woman was tall with long straight black hair surrounding a slightly Asian face. She was dressed in a long red dress and red high heels.
"Mom?" Jenn got to her feet quickly and gave the woman a confused look.
"I thought I told you to be back home by six." The woman angrily grabbed Jenn by the arm and pulled her to her feet. She stared at the red head for a moment before turning back to Jenn, "You told me that you would be home on time. I am late for my party because of you. Now get your butt home." She smacked Jenn across the butt causing the girl to jump forwards.
"I'm sorry mom…" Jenn cried out, she took one last glance at Kim before running ahead of her mother. She noticed the red head give her a small, shy, wave goodbye.
When Kim was out of sight Jenn's mother grabbed Jenn by the arm and spun her around, "What did you think you were doing with... with... that girl!!!" She yelled frantically.
Jenn cringed at the sound of her mother's voice, "I... I... I fell..." She held her hands out to her hands to her mother, showing her the cuts, "She just helped me off the road." She explained.
Jenn's mother let out a deep sigh, "Oh, Jennifer." she pulled out a handkerchief from her purse and dabbed at the wounds causing the girl to flinch, "You can be so clumsy. I don't know what I'm going to do with you at times."
"I'm sorry..." Jenn repeated again wincing at how violently her mother pulled on her arms. Her mother stopped wiping the girl's hands and dropped the girl's arms.
"I also told you to stay away from that girl or don't you remember?" Her mother warned and rubbed her temples, "I have no time for all of this. Get home. There is some food waiting for you on the table. I won't be back ‘til late so I hope you can remember to lock the doors for once." She stormed off to a small red Honda parked in front of a yellow mobile. She got into the car and started to pull out away from the house without even double-checking on her daughter.
Jenn grudgingly walked towards the house. The pain in her knees replaced by a feeling of loneliness and gloom, memories of the past day still running through her head. Could it all have been some strange nightmare or was she given some kind of strange second chance. It all seemed hazy to her and she wasn't sure what to think. All she knew was the pain in her heart felt real and she mounted the stairs to her home to search for some bandages for her wounds. Upon entering the house she found a TV dinner awaiting her on the table, the plastic still intact. She touched the food and found it was still cold; her mother didn't even spare the time to heat up her dinner for her. Jenn picked up the meal and brought it over to the oven, she turned it on and shoved the dinner within, then ventured down the hall to the bathroom. She retrieved the first aide kit from inside the medicine cabinet and proceeded to pour some rubbing alcohol upon her hand, clenching her teeth against the pain and then pulled the remaining pebbles from her skin with a pair of tweezers before returning to the kitchen to retrieve her dinner and brought it to the table.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 50
Title: Part 11: Chapter 50
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Eleven: Lost and Found
Chapter Fifty - Spectral Situations
Alyson took another bite of pasta. The flavour made her taste buds dance and she savoured every last bit, not even noticing as the sun drifted towards the horizon, nor did she pay any attention as the streetlights begin to turn on one at a time. She was not even aware when someone entered the building until a shadow fell across her plate. She stopped her hand with the fork before her mouth and slowly looked up to see a large cloaked figure standing in the doorway to the restaurant. The figure stepped into the room without making the slightest of sounds. It more slid across the floor then walked as it approached Alyson's table.
"Well, look what we have here." The shadow said, "If it isn't little Dalfort, Drake's adoring sister." A smile could be seen from under the hood of the cloak.
Alyson swallowed the last bits of food in her mouth, set her fork gingerly upon the plate and straightened her posture, "Akaime." She glared at the man while one of her hands dropped down the touch her sword.
"I'm impressed." Akaime drew back his hood then pulled out a chair across from Alyson and sat down, "You enjoying the food?" He asked, looking over the other plate of pasta that sat before him, "It looks good." He picked up a fork and poked at the food.
"What are you doing here?" Alyson demanded, taking a napkin and dabbed at her mouth.
"I should be asking the baby hunter the same thing." He took a bite of the pasta and dropped the fork in disgust as he picked up a napkin and spat out the food into it; "Food just doesn't have the same flavour to it anymore.” He said miserably as he balled up the napkin and tossed it atop the pile of spaghetti, “So, where is that brother of yours?" He inquired with a glance around the room.
"If I had a choice he would be far away from here." Alyson declared with a scowl, her grip on her sword tightening all the more.
"I would not bother with that." He said composedly, he pulled off his hood and pointed at the hole in the side of his head, "Your lover already tried that and it didn't quite work out to well. I must say that it did sting quite a bit and I had some fun trying to lose those angels, but a little red headed girl helped guide the way back. Do you happen to know where she is right now?" He asked with a smile.
"Red head?" Alyson gave the man a curious look, "Why would you be interested in her?"
"So your brother never told you." Akaime seemed amused by this notion as he leaned back in his chair, "Now that is very interesting indeed." He started to get to his feet, "I'd like to talk more but I have business to attend to. Enjoy your meal." He pulled his hood up and proceeded to leave the restaurant when Alyson called out.
"What is my brother up to?" Alyson asked, standing to her feet and knocking her sword to the ground.
Akaime glanced at the sword then to the girl and smiled maliciously, "Wouldn't you like to know." He quickly turned his back on Alyson, "Why don't you ask him yourself?" He left the café laughing.
Alyson stood where she was, confused by the man's words. She quickly snatched up her sword and ran out the door to find Akaime was nowhere to be seen.
*******
The silence of the Academy walls was beginning to take its toll on Cherilyn's young mind. She was too afraid to venture into the strange town that now surrounded the area and yet the nothingness of the school was not much of a comfort either. She had spent the last hour sitting upon the steps of a stairwell in hopes that someone would pass by. After the first while she was almost certain that no one was going to show up. She began to fear that she truly was alone in this new world and still she stayed where she was. Her mother used to tell her when she was little to stay still if she got lost and someone will find her, however at that moment she was unsure about her mother’s words.
With no clock to tell time by, all the clocks she did find seemed to have stopped, Cherilyn was finding the minutes were felling like hours and she began to lose track of time as well as her mind, just when she felt as if she would start to cry again she heard a door open from the floor below. Hastily, she got to her feet and leapt down the stairs in time to see one of the classroom doors closing. Excited at the prospect that there was another life around Cherilyn broke into a run. When she arrived at the door she could hear the sound of her own heart pounding in her chest. She didn't care who was behind that door as long as it was someone she could talk with or if she was lucky maybe they knew where the others had disappeared. Shaking with anticipation she reached out and took the knob in hand. Her hand felt clammy and a small ounce of worry entered her mind, but she shook it away. Anything would be better then this silence. She turned the knob and entered the room.
At first the room looked as empty as any of the others. Then Cherilyn heard the faint sound of sobs coming from a behind the door. She closed the door to find Tanya curled up in a tight ball, quivering and crying.
"Tanya!!!" Cherilyn cried out in excitement. She dropped to the ground and hugged the girl only to fall to the ground. She sat up again, confused by what had just happened. Cautiously, she reached out to touch her friend. Her hand passed right through Tanya's body and the girl didn't even seem to react to Cherilyn's presence, "T... Tanya..." Cherilyn began to shake in fear. This was worse then she could ever imagine, "TANYA!!!" She called out again. Yet no matter how much Cherilyn tried the girl just didn't react. Tears started to roll down Cherilyn's cheeks as she began to realize the situation before her. Her worst fear had come true. She had found Tanya, but Tanya could not see, hear or feel her. Cherilyn balled her hands into fists, "It's unfair!" She cried, "Why... why... why?!?!" She punched at the floor over and over again. Her frustration with the silence had turned to anguish as she curled up as close to her friend as she could without passing through her and let out a tired sob.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 51
Title: Part 11: Chapter 51
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Eleven: Lost and Found
Chapter Fifty-One - A Second First Kiss
"This place is giving me the creeps." Kima concluded.
"It’s like before, only where are all the people?" Kim noted scanning the street they now walked down the middle of.
"The stage is set only there are no actors." Kima looked up at the moon as it rose in to the sky, "Doesn't it feel like time is moving rather slowly or is it just me?"
"Where are we?" Kim asked gazing into the window of yet another passing house in hopes of spotting any sign of life, "I mean we aren't dead, but at the same time..."
"...The town is..." Kima finished Kim's thought, "I wonder if this is some form of hell."
Kim shivered at the thought, "Eternity alone with your reflection." She let out a depressed sigh.
"What is so bad about that?" Kima asked offended by her other half's remarks, "You are hopeless." She shook her head in disappointment; "You could try to get along with me seeing as we are 'stuck' together, as you put it so nicely."
"I just want to go home." Kim stated bluntly.
"Maybe we should." Kima suggest, "Our old house should be just around this corner somewhere. Don't you remember?" She pointed down the road; "You can see our school from here. We used to walk with Natalie along this strip everyday. Remember?"
Kim studied their surroundings, "I don't remember living around here." She said doubtful of her double’s memories.
"Yes, we did!" Kima exclaimed as she started into a sprint, "It was just around this corner."
"Hey!" Kim began to run after her twin, "Wait up!" She called out, she may have not liked her reflection, but she was right. It was better then being alone.
Kima began to round the corner then unexpectedly stopped in her tracks and ducked behind a brick wall that fenced off the neighbourhood she was about to enter. Nervously, her eyes darted around.
Sensing there was something wrong Kim crept up along the wall towards her twin, "What is it?" She asked in a whisper.
"Jenn..." Kima said seeming rather stunned then anything else.
"Jenn?!?" Kim jumped to her feet only to have her double pull her to the ground, "Hey!" Kim called out, perplexed by her doubles actions.
"Shhh..." Kima silenced Kim in a warning fashion, "Something is strange. She was younger..." She explained.
"Younger?" Kim asked confused, "How so?"
"A lot younger..." Kima stated then thought to herself, "She looked just like that girl we..." She blinked and stared at Kim, "She couldn't be?"
****
Jenn knew she was disobeying a direct order from her mother and she knew that she would be punished if she was caught, but she needed to see that redhead again. There was something about her and maybe she could explain to her what was going on. Why she was having dreams about knowing the girl in the future? She shook her head at the idea. It couldn't be possible. She looked down at her tiny hands. There was no way she could have gone backwards in time. It must have been a weird dream, however that still doesn't explain how come she remembered meeting Kim before this day. She glanced up at the house that the girl had pointed out only an hour before, She had been standing on the lawn staring at the house for the past ten minutes now trying to sort out her thoughts when the door opened and Kim stepped out.
"Hi..." Kim said shyly from the top of the steps to the patio, "Did you get into trouble?" She asked her eyes nervously darted around the neighbourhood, almost in search of something.
Jenn shrugged, "Not really..." She rubbed the toe of her shoe in the grass while trying to think of something else to say.
Kim glanced back towards the house then down the road and back to Jenn, "Would you... ummm... like some pop?" She asked timidly.
"Sure!" Jenn responded with more excitement then she intended, "Umm… That is if it is alright..." She blushed.
Kim gave the girl a cute smile, "You can come inside if you like." She said as she turned and started back towards the front door, "It’s dangerous to be out at night."
Jenn half skipped up the stairs and across the patio. Inside the house was pretty much like all the other mobile homes. There was a small couch and chair in the living room that appeared like it had seen one to many days of use and a TV that stood upon a metal stand, not much different from her own home. Kim opened the fridge, "We have orange." She stated picking up one of the cans and offering it to the girl.
"Thanks." Jenn took the can gratefully. She didn't open it right away; instead she rolled the cool can between her hands as she glazed around the room some more. The sound of the fridge closing caused Jenn to spin around and face Kim once again.
"You want to see my room?" Kim asked, her bashful nature seemed to be having an effect on Jenn and the idea of seeing the girl's room made her mind so muddled that she could only respond with a simple nod, "Okay." Kima passed by Jenn and turned down the long narrow hall that Jenn still found hard to get accustomed to in these places. Every single time she had to go down these halls she felt as if the walls were going to close in on her. When ever she could she would leave out the front door and come in the back entrance to avoid the hall entirely. Mind you Kim's room was near the beginning of the hall so the journey wasn't all that bad and before that unsettling feeling could seep into Jenn they were already out of the hall and she let out a sigh of relief as she entered Kim's room. The room itself was small, not unlike Jenn’s; there was a small pink dresser against one wall and a bed under the window, which was also pink with a pink blanket. Jenn glanced around the room in awe at the brightness.
Kim sat upon the bed and let out a weak sigh, "I know... It's too pink, isn't it?" She asked sheepishly, she picked up a stuffed teddy bear and hugged it in her arms.
"No." Jenn quickly replied she realized that had replied to quickly because Kim seemed saddened by the response, "I like pink! Really!" Jenn stepped closer to the girl while looking around the room. She noticed a few stuffed animals across the dresser and on the floor bears, cats a racoon and a pink panther. Her eyes again fell on the redhead before her and she found herself being drawn into the girl. She stepped ever so much closer, not able to take her eyes off that beautiful red hair and those ruby eyes, "Your eyes are beautiful..." Jenn said almost in a daze.
Kim blushed and glanced at the ground, "They are weird." She countered, rubbing her eyes in shame that the girl had been looking at them, "Dad always tells me that they are unnatural." She glanced up to find her own eyes trapped by Jenn's gaze.
"I don't think so." Jenn replied still not able to remove her eyes from the girl's. She was now standing close enough to Kim that if she wished she could reach out and touch the girl and she truly desired to do so. Since the first day she saw those eyes she wanted to looked deep into them and free the girl of all the pain that resides within her soul.
"I..." Kim too could feel something draw her towards the girl as well. As if something powerful was pulling them closer. She bit her lip and tried to pull back only to have Jenn raise her hand and touch the girl gently on the cheek. Kim shivered against the touch, Jenn's fingers were still cold from the can in her hand, "I... we..." She shook her head she could not understand the feelings that were rushing through her mind. Finally her eyes broke free of Jenn's and she place her pop on a night table next to her bed, "You don't want to get close to me... I'm... dirty..." She hugged her teddy closer and buried part of her face into it's head, "and nasty... always thinking of filthy thoughts... I try not to... I just..." She mumbled into the bear.
"What makes you think you are dirty?" Jenn set her pop next to Kim's and slid up onto the bed beside Kim only to have the red head move a slight bit away. Not far away, just an inch or so.
"I..." Kim lifted her head slightly and let out a sigh, "I've been watching you..." She admitted feeling ashamed of herself.
"You have?" Jenn was more amused by this idea then anything else, "How long?"
"Since we moved in." Kim's feet swung from the bed, "You didn't seem to notice me so I thought you already knew I was dirty and didn't want to be around me."
"I'm sorry..." Jenn's eyes shifted, it was now her turn to feel embarrassed, "I have been too busy with my own thoughts I guess." She let out a sigh and rubbed her head, and then looked at the red head, "Have you ever thought about kissing another girl?" She blurted out.
Kim turned a bright shade of red and started to squirm in place, "Ummm..."
"I'm sorry." Jenn quickly apologized noticing the discomfort she was causing the girl, "I didn't mean to scare you. I just... Geez... I can be such an idiot. I'll go..." She was about to stand when Kim grabbed her by the sleeve.
"No..." Kim said, still not able to look at Jenn, "I have... a lot..." She said in a whisper, almost too soft to be heard.
"Huh?" Jenn was a little confused by the girl's remarks, "You mean... is that what you meant by being dirty?" Jenn inquired. Kim simple nodded her head. A tear began to form in her eye and Jenn placed her hand upon the girl's cheek causing Kim to look up at her, "Then so am I." Jenn admitted.
It was as if a dam broke inside of Kim as the tears flowed down her cheeks, splashing down upon her teddy. She reached out and clenched at Jenn's shirt, letting the stuffed toy fall to the ground, "I'm sorry." She apologized with a sob.
"Don't be." Jenn patted the girl on the head, "I'm not." She stated with a smile.
Kim gazed into Jenn’s eyes to see if the girl was serious, "You don't think I'm dirty?" She shakily asked.
Jenn shook her head, "Not at all." She wiped one of the tears off of Kim's cheek and stared into those deep red eyes. Her heart began to pound out of control and it felt like it was being pulled towards the red head, "Not one bit." She repeated and placed a soft kiss upon the girl's lips. At first it felt as if Kim was going to break away, but instead she sunk deeper into the kiss and wrapped an arm around Jenn. A rush of emotions filled Jenn's soul as she experienced her first kiss for the second time. Jenn now knew why she felt she knew Kim when they saw each other walking to school, the reason why dreams of the girl felt so real. What was missing in her life? But the question still remained. Why would she forget such a wondrous moment as this? She got her answer with the sound of the bedroom door banging opened.
"What in hell do you two think you are doing in here?" Came a very burly and angry voice. Jenn quickly broke free from the kiss to turn and see Kim's father entering the room. She skittered backward away from the man, searching for a means of escape.
"Daddy!" Kim jumped to her feet and quickly approached her father only to be knocked to the ground by one of his muscular arms.
"I don't want to hear from you." He yelled angrily at the girl, "We leave you alone for one moment and what do I find you doing?" He turned to Jenn, "And you! Who do you think you are?" He snarled at the girl.
"I..." Jenn stammered trying to think of an explanation, but she was not fast enough and the man was coming towards her, reaching out for her. Fear welled up in her mind as she suddenly remembered the punishment this man would give her if he got his hands on her again.
"Dirty little bitch!" He snapped at Jenn as he grabbed for the girl. Jenn managed to slip under the man's large grasp and duck around him. Before he knew what was going on Jenn was already out of the room and running down the hall. She broke out of the house, leaped down the stairs, falling to the ground and scrambled to her feet wanting nothing more then to escape the nightmare from within that house.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 52
Title: Part 11: Chapter 52
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Eleven: Lost and Found
Chapter Fifty-Two - Greivous Revolations
"How stupid of me." Kris said as she crossed a field, approaching a large tree. She set her hand upon the trunk of the tree then placed her forehead upon it's bark and closed her eyes.
"What is it?" Jessica asked still bewildered by her surroundings. They had searched the entire park and had not found a trace of any of the other girls. She was starting to really become concerned when Kris started walking towards the tree they now stood before and would not stop staring at it. The tree looked like nothing special to Jessica. Sure it was big and old. One of those trees that she would have climbed as a child and sit within it's branches until the sun disappeared and she had to return home. However, she could tell that this tree held some kind of significance to Kris.
"I was afraid of this." Kris said without removing her head from the tree.
"Afraid of what?" Jessica inquired, "Do you know where we are?"
"I used to sit in this tree and watch over her." Kris muttered, "Day after day." She lifted her head to look up at the tree's massive branches, "Gwen..."
"Who is Gwen?" Jessica asked trying to cox some kind of answer out of the girl.
"My older sister." Kris answered with a sad sigh, "Remember when I asked you what you would do if you could return your loved ones memories after they had forgotten about you?" She asked.
"Yeah," Jessica cocked her head, "What does that have to do with this?"
"My sister gave me Jenn's fragmented memories." Kris finally admitted.
"What?!?" Jessica was more appalled then astonished, "She had no right doing that. It is up to Jenn when she will remember." She fumed.
"I think her heart was in the right place." Kris said turning to face the girl. Jessica's anger melted away at the sight of Kris's tired sad eyes, "I think we are in one of those memories. I just don't know which one."
"You said you remember this tree. Do you remember what happened around here?" Jessica asked.
Kris shook her head, "So much happened that I don't know which memory this could be. This might be here just because it is what I remember the most. Which might explain why you are here too. You were not part of Jenn's past so would not have a place here."
"Well that helps." Jessica shoved her hands in her pockets and looked around more, "What is over there?" She asked nodding behind Kris.
Kris turned to follow her friends gaze to see a long road in the distance, "I don't kno-" Suddenly the air filled with the sound of a car racing down the road. Kris stumbled forward, "No..." She searched the road and spotted the lights of a small car racing along towards a group of small houses, "No, it can't be..." Fear filled the girl's voice, "Don't let it be that. Anything but that." Kris suddenly burst into a run towards the houses.
"Wait!" Jessica called out, "What is the rush!" She rushed to catch up to her friend.
"Jenn," Kris answered, the fear had been replaced by panic, "She is about the remember the worst possible thing."
"What is that?" Jessica asked.
"You'll see soon enough. I just hope we get there on time." Kris left the question unanswered and Jessica could tell by the worried look on her friends face that it might not be something she wants answers.
******
"Is she really the girl we first kissed?" Kim asked in a daze, she lightly touched her lips remembering the moment, "I mean... I don't remember her face clearly and still..." she said dreamily.
"Neither can I." Kima rubbed her head in frustration, "Why can't we remember? What happened to us?"
"Her mother's death was caused by of your actions." A voice bluntly stated from behind the girls.
"Wha?" Kima and Kim both looked up to find Gwen looking down at them, there was a look of sadness upon the girl's face, "You!!!" Kim cried out pointing at the angel, the girl's wings were missing but Kim was certain that this was the same girl she met when she faced May.
"Hello again." Gwen said with a weak smile.
"What are you doing here?" Kima asked standing to her feet.
"I felt a strange presence in the forest and came to find out what happened. I got pulled in here along with the rest of you it would seem." She walked past the girls and looked down the street.
Kim followed the girl, "What do you mean by us causing Jenn's mother's death?" Kim asked warily, "What is going on here?"
"We are reliving your friends memories." Gwen nodded down the road as a car was speeding towards them, "Take a look."
*****
Jenn's mother pressed hard on the accelerator as she searched her purse for her keys, "God dammit!" She cursed as the purse fell off the passengers seat to the ground, "First that stupid kid makes me late and then I forget to bring my business cards with me. That girl is in a heap of trouble when I get home." She found her keys and sat up in time to see her daughter run out onto the street with tears in her eyes. Jenn didn't see her mothers car speeding towards her until it was nearly upon her. She stopped dead in her track like a deer in headlights. Her mother wrenched the steering wheel to the left skidding off the road. Just as she was about to crash head long into the her own house a giant flaming wolf leapt out from under the house, crashing it's way through the front of the car causing the car to burst into flamed. The car continued on it's death course finally slamming into the cement pylons that held her house off the ground. Now with the supports loosened the living room fell onto the roof of the car crushing the hood of the car flat and portions of the house fell upon the roof killing all within.
*****
"Mom???" Jenn stared at the flaming car. She was in to much shock to realize what had just happened. She simply stood on the street with a blank stare upon her face.
"Jenn!!!" Kima ran towards the girl with Kim in tow, "Jenn, are you alright?" She asked realizing far to well how stupid that question was seeing as the girl was nearly run over by her own mother. She took one glace at the car and turned away quickly. In that short moment she was sure she could still see the arm of the woman still burning up inside the car.
"Oh my..." Kim dropped to the road, "This can't be happening... not again..." Tears welled up in her eyes as she recalled the entire events that lead up to that moment.
"Snap out of it." Kima demanded, "We need to be here for Jenn." She turned to the girl to see that Jenn was still finally coming to.
"Mom..." Jenn started to move. One foot lifted slightly off the ground and slide forward, followed by the other, then they quickened in pace as she stumbled towards the burning wreak. Kima reached out to stop Jenn only to find the girl was to fast for her. Jenn reached the lawn when the car door fell off and for a moment Jenn could see her burnt mother still sitting at the wheel. Her upper body crushed under a portion of the house, "Mom!!!" She cried out when Kris suddenly appeared out of nowhere and wrapped an arm around the girl's face concealing the nightmarish image from her.
"It's okay." Kris cooed, "It's only a nightmare."
Jenn blinked then looked up at Kris, "Kris???" She asked bewildered, she went to rub her eyes with her hands when she noticed the cuts on her arms begin to reopen and bleed slightly, "What is happening to me?" She started to tremble then sink to the ground and fainted away.
"Nothing is wrong." Kris soothed holding the girl in her arms. She looked up to see her sister approaching, "You..." She snarled, "What do you think you are doing here? Have you not caused enough damage already?"
Gwen ignored Kris's pained remarks, "I go where I'm needed." She turned to face the wreck, "And I am needed here."
"No, you are not!" Kris exclaimed, hatred could be seen in the girl's eyes, "Why couldn't you let her be? Why couldn't you have just let her forget?"
"I'm not the one you should be yelling at." Gwen calmly stated, "Your answers lay there." She nodded towards the car. The corpse's arm began to twitch and move. It pulled off it's seatbelt and began to pull it's body out of the car, still partially burning. There was a sicken sound of bones cracking and flesh peeling as the body forced itself free of the car and turn to face the girls. It was now a rotting corpse with it's head tilted to one side and the right portion of her head was
missing. The undead woman smiled at the girls as it started to slowly stagger towards them only to find it's leg was still stuck in the car frame.
"This can't be real." Jessica stated not believing what she was seeing before her, "Tell me this isn't real."
"It is." Natalie approached the girls from behind them, "Something tried to get me earlier." She explained still trembling from the encounter, "I was hoping to find you all before anything else happened. I only heard the crash a moment ago."
"Nat???? Were have you been?" Kima asked in a worried tone. Nat was covered in dirt and looked like she had been running through a war zone to get there, "What happened to you?"
"Who is she?" Nat asked, ignoring Kima's questions and nodding towards Gwen.
"I'm just here to help." Gwen turned to face the zombie like corpse, "Time to clean up this mess." She cracked her knuckles and neared the creature. Wings spread out behind the girl causing the corpse to stagger backwards in confusion and fear of their brilliance, "You have no power over me, Ghoul." She said with a playful smile.
"A death angel..." Jessica was in awe at the sight of such beautiful wings it felt as if a strange calm had come over her by just looking at them.
Gwen reached out towards the creature when it suddenly regained it's composure and snatched out at Gwen, grabbing the angel by the arm, then hurling the girl over it's shoulder and sent her flying into the already destroyed mobile home. It then turned it's attention back on the girls, more specifically, Jenn. It opened it's decaying mouth and spoke, "Jeennniiffeerrr..." The words were choked and crackled. It freed it's foot and started moving towards the girl again.
"I'll never let you have her." Kris hissed at the creature while cradling Jenn in her arms, "Leave her alone."
Gwen burst out of the roof of the house, "I've had enough of this." She said as she flew upon the wind. She turned through the air then dove straight down on the creature when something hit her broadside and she came crashing down to the ground causing a long crater in the next door lawn. She could feel a heavy weight upon her chest and when she opened her eyes she found Akaime on top of her.
"Well hello there." He said with a sinister smile, "What do we have here?"
Gwen shoved Akaime off with such force that he flew backwards and crashed into a wooden fence, "So you finally show yourself." Gwen got to her feet and brushed herself off, "You really thought you could escape death did you?" She jumped at the man, crossed her arms in front of herself, and shoved him through a wall.
"This is insane!" Jessica stated watching the two fight, "I vote we get out of here."
"What about that?" Kima asked not being able to take her eyes off Jenn's mother.
"It's a zombie." Jessica said, "Zombies are slow." She patted Kris on the back, "Let's go!" She started to run down the street with the other following.
"Alright." Kris lifted Jenn off the ground and chased after the group.
Suddenly, Jenn's mother appeared in front of Jessica and knocked her to the side with one swift stroke of it's frail arms, causing the girl to skid across the road and roll onto a lawn.
Kim skid to a stop, "I thought she said they were slow?" She asked worried.
"This is a nightmare." Natalie said rushing over to Jessica's side to see if she was alright. Her arm was scrapped up badly and she was bleeding slightly.
"No kidding." Kima agreed.
"That is not what I mean." Natalie shook her head while helping Jessica to her feet, "It is Jenn's nightmare and we are reliving it. That thing has all the power of Jenn's fears behind it."
"Then how to we stop it." Jessica asked through the pain while cradling her arm close to her body.
"I could stall it if we had my knives." Natalie said in frustration.
"I'd wish for a large gun." Jessica chuckled.
"We have to get Jenn to face it." Kris stated with a sorrowful sigh and looked down at the sleeping child in her arms, "Or she will be haunted by this image til the end of her days."
Kima backed up as the zombie moved closer. She then abruptly stopped, "I'll hold it off." She said faking every amount of bravery that she could muster.
"Are you insane?" Natalie exclaimed, "That thing-"
"Is only after Jenn." Kima noted, "I know how these creatures of dream work. I'm part dream myself am I not?" She inquired not getting an answer, "Look it simply pushed Jessica and yet it didn't kill her. I'll meet up with you at the school."
"But?" Kim started to protest.
"Go!" Kima commanded then threw herself at the creature tackling it to the ground.
"Come on!" Jessica ordered, running off towards the school..
********
The air cracked with the sounds of commotion and battle. Alyson's ears perked up at the noise, she favoured anything then this inane silence. She found herself more and more overcome with worry since her encounter with Akaime and the longer she searched the more anxious she found herself becoming. She thought nothing could be worse then the silence until she heard the first crash followed closely by many others. These new sounds made her even more tense as she rushed down the street in the direction of the disturbance. Wishing with every step that her friends were unharmed. Then she saw some figures appear from down a side street, turn the opposite direction she was and continue to run away. She was about to call out to them when she saw another set of figures stumble after them and fall to the ground. As she got closer she realize that it was one of the twins fighting with struggling with someone or something. Sensing the urgency in the girl's movements Alyson quickened her pace as the two tumbled across the road. The red head grabbed the creature tightly as it tried with all it's might to toss the girl off. Alyson noted evidently that the girl had to be the reflection. She hesitated for a moment. Unsure if she should
bother to help and just continue on after the others, however something inside of her would not allow her to just run away like that. She let out a frustrated sigh and unsheathed her sword.
"Do you need some help there?" Alyson asked as she approached the struggle.
"A... Alyson..." Kima panted as the creature freed one of it's arms and Kima grabbed it again forcing it back to the ground, "Please..."
Alyson casually walked around the girl and twirled the sword around then brought the tip straight down on the creatures, piecing the head nailing it to the ground. The creature twitched a few times then stopped. Kima let it go and squirmed away from the thing while wiping her hands on her pants.
"That was nasty." Kima stated with a bad taste in her mouth, "Is it dead?"
Alyson shrugged, "I don't know." She made no attempt to remove the sword from the monster's head, "What is going on here?" Alyson asked.
"That is Jenn's mother." Kima explained while standing to her feet, "It is after Jenn and there is this other guy with some kind of mask fighting an angel over there." She pointed over her shoulder where the sounds of the battle could still be heard, "I stayed behind to stall that thing." She said with disgust.
"The masked man would be Akaime." Alyson replied scanning the battle scene as tree fell in the distance, "We'd better find the girls. That man is more of a monster then this thing." She nodded towards the corpse.
"Then what do we do?" Kima asked.
Alyson finally freed her sword from the creatures head, wiped it off with a rag she produced from her back pocket and tossed the rag upon the corpse, "We find the others and get out of here." She stated, sheathing her sword and starting in the direction she saw the girl's running.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the shadowlands, It's storys, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathyrn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish visit my site and see some of the art based on this series at http://www.KatAndNekoManga.ca
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at Kathryn@KatAndNekoManga.ca
Chapter 53
Title: Part 11: Chapter 53
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Eleven: Lost and Found
Chapter Fifty-Three - Is there anyone out there?
Cherilyn sat up at the sounds and crawled to an open window. She could not see anything at all, but some sound meant that she was not entirely alone. She turned to glance at Tanya, the girl had not moved very much in the time she had been there. All she seemed to do was sit in the corner and stare into space. It was beginning to drive Cherilyn mad. She watched the scenery for a while in search of anything that would give her a sign that there was life out there. She was about to give up when she could briefly hear the faint sound of voices in the distance. Below she could see the others running towards the building. She leaned out the window and tried calling out to them. Just then Tanya got up and joined her at the window. She seemed to have noticed the sounds as well. She opened a different window and looked down.
"HEY!!!" Tanya called out with so much excitement that tears rolled down her cheeks again. Cherilyn took a step backwards. Why was it that Tanya could hear them and not hear her. She backed up into the corner confused by what was going on. None of this made any sense to her at all. Tanya suddenly ran from the room to meet up with the other, unaware that she was leaving her friend alone.
Tanya jumped down the stairs in bounds, "Kris! Jenn! Everyone!!!" She cried out, nearly tripping on a step and stumbling down the last of the stairs.
Jessica was the first to enter the school and flopped down against a wall in a heap, panting and heaving. Kim rushed over to a fountain to get a drink and Kris and Natalie were the final ones to enter. Kris was carrying Jenn on her back, whom had grown back to her original age, while Natalie helped to keep the girl centred, all three of them collapsing in a heap. Tanya grabbed Jenn from Kris and helped her to the ground.
"Tanya..." Kris panted, "We finally found you." She took a deep breath and let it out.
"So that only leaves that other girl." Natalie stated glancing around, "and Alyson."
Kim studied the stairs; "I thought I saw another person in the room with Tanya?" She said curiously.
Tanya shook her head, "I've been there all alone this whole time. I thought I was going to be here forever."
"What gave you the dumb idea of coming into the woods anyway?" Jessica demanded, bluntly as she approached the fountain that Kim had just left to wash her elbow.
Tanya stared at the ground in shame, "Kris said she found Jenn here and now they are West Wingers so I thought..." She mumbled.
"I should have never told you that." Kris hit the back of her head against the brick wall, "That was so stupid of me."
"What is going on here?" Tanya asked glancing at Jenn's sleeping form, "What are you all doing here? What happened to Jenn?"
"We came looking for you, princess." Natalie illustrated, "and we found a lot more then we bargained for.
“Who was that man anyways?" Jessica inquired with a glance towards Kris.
"How am I to know?" Kris said with a shrug.
"You seemed to have known that 'Sister' back there." Natalie retorted.
Kris let out a sigh, "That is because she is my sister." She explained.
"You are a Death Angel?" Natalie exclaimed getting to her feet, "Well that explains a lot right there."
"Leave her alone, Nat!" Jessica snapped protectively, "She isn't an angel anymore."
"You've known all along?" Natalie turned on Jessica, "That is why you have been protecting her isn't it?"
"Will you cut it out?" Jessica demanded, "We have no time for all this bickering. There is still that man and that monster out there."
“If you want to know he is my cousin.” Natalie remarked in disgust.
“You are related to that thing?” Kima inquired in astonishment.
Natalie buried her face in her hands, “He is a monster. He killed my family and…” Her voice caught in her throat as she found herself unable to tell the rest of her story.
Kima knelt next to the girl and hugged her, “It’s alright. He will not get you. We won’t let him have you.”
The others nodded in agreement.
“Thanks.” Natalie said with a shy smile then she noticed for the first time that someone was missing, "Where's Kim got to?" Everyone glanced around and found it was true, the redhead had vanished.
******
Gwen slammed through a fence and collapsed to the ground, unmoving. Akaime stood over the angel, there were more tear marks in his face, peeling away more flesh and exposing more of the mask, and some carved so deep they cut into the mask itself. He touched one of the gashes and winced in pain, then glared down at the girl and kicked her one final time, causing her to roll over onto her back. She didn't seem to respond to the assault. Satisfied, Akaime turned away from the girl and gazed up at the large school in the distance. His eye narrowed as he started to head towards the building.
******
Kim slowly climbed the stairs. She was certain that she had seen another face in the window along side Tanya, but didn't want to interfere with everyone else for fear that she was just being stupid and it was just a trick of the light. Carefully, she crept up one stair at a time until she got to the third floor landing. She took a deep breath and glanced down the hall, first left and then right. A couple doors down she could see one was wide open. Kim cautiously approached the door and as she got closer she could hear the faint sound of crying.
"Kim!!" Natalie called out, startling the girl, causing her to spin around and see her friend came running down the hall, "Where do you think you are going?" She asked, unsettling by the girls disappearance, yet again, "You shouldn't wander off alone like that."
"But..." Kim glanced from Natalie to the door and back again, "I thought I heard something." She said quietly.
"Even more reason to not go alone." Natalie reiterated as she walked down the hall when an eerie chill ran through her body, "This place is creepy when it is empty." Her eyes nervously darted around the hall.
"There was someone crying." Kim continued to say, "In there..." She pointed towards the open door; "I think that is the same room we saw Tanya standing in."
"Hmmm..." Natalie cautiously step closer to the door, "You really believe you saw someone else with her?" She asked curiously.
Kim nodded, "I thought it was Jenn's other friend, but I couldn't tell."
"Wouldn't she have come down with Tanya?" Natalie added.
Kim shrugged, "I don't know."
Natalie glanced into the room, which appeared to be entirely empty, "There is nothing here." Natalie stated, entering the room a little more and then suddenly felt something move in the room. Her eyes swiftly moved around the room, in search of any sign of life. She stepped even further in the room, with Kim holding tightly onto her arm. She too searched the room to find it empty.
"I know I heard something." Kim spun around, "I know I did." she searched in vain for where the noise could have come from when she heard it yet again, it was very faint but she was sure that it was the sound of a person, "There is someone here!" Kim exclaimed excitedly, "I can hear her!"
Natalie peeked up her ears and strained to listen for what it was her friend was hearing, still she heard nothing. Kim however was now following the sounds. She crept softly one step at a time trying not to make any disturbance that could scare off the person, until she came to the window and stopped a few feet away. She tilted her head and squinted her eyes. Finally, she reached out and her hand touched upon something and looked again, she was certain there was nothing there and yet... Kim grabbed hold of the invisible object that felt warm and solid, then she felt the sensation of something clenching her hand. Kim wrapped her fingers tightly around the thing and a hand started to appear between her fingers. The hand was still transparent, but Kim could tell that it was definitely a girl's hand and it was gripping her hand firmly. Unsure, Kim pulled on the hand and Cherilyn began to form before her eyes. The girl wrapped her arms around Kim as she solidified and cried.
"Thank you!!!" She sobbed on Kim's shoulders; "I was so scared you would leave me here... Thank you..."
"Your welcome..." Kim said astonished by what had just occurred. She turned around to see Natalie walking towards them in awe.
"How in hell?" Natalie glanced between the two girls, "What did you do, Kim?"
"I don't know." Kim said with a shrug, "I just had this feeling."
At that moment Tanya and Jessica entered the room and Tanya rushed over to Cherilyn's side, "Cherilyn!!! When did you get here?" She asked dismayed.
Cherilyn moved from Kim to embraced Tanya tightly, "I've been here the whole time." She said through a veil of tears, "I could see you, but I couldn't touch you or talk to you or anything. I've been sitting by your side for such a long time. Then you left me here and... and..." She let out a painful wail, "I thought I was going to be left here all alone."
****
Downstairs Jenn started to stir and Kris knelt by the girl's side, "Jenn?" She spoke softly, so as not to startle the girl, "Jenn, are you awake?"
Jenn's eyes slowly opened and began to focus, "Unnn... Kris is that you?" She asked groggily, "Where are we?"
"In school." Kris sat upon the floor next to Jenn, "The others went to find Kim."
"Kim!" Jenn sat up straight only to be overcome by dizziness and flop back against Kris's shoulder. For the first time Jenn looked at her hands and saw that they were again bandaged and slightly older, "What is going on? I'm so confused..." She rubbed her eyes.
"It is... and it isn't... a dream..." Kris stated without giving more of an explanation.
Jenn turned around to gaze into the girl’s eyes, "What does that mean? Why don't you give me a straight answer?" She frustratedly glared at the girl.
Kris let out a sigh and leaned into the wall, "Because I don't want to hurt you and no matter how hard I try not it... I always seem to hurt you anyway...."
"Huh?" Jenn gave the girl a puzzled look, "You have been acting weird ever since we got to that academy. What is wrong with you?"
"It is not me. It is you." Kris returned the girl's gaze, "You've forgotten everything. You didn't even remember me. Or the school or..." She stopped herself from saying too much, "anything..." She whispered averting her eyes from the girl's gaze.
"Who are you really?" Jenn finally asked, "My memories are muddled but I now remember that we met over a year ago."
"Yeah..." Kris ruffled her own hair, "We met after your mother's death. I was an angel of death back then and was tagging along with one of my sisters."
"Death?" Jenn let out a chuckle then noticed the seriousness of the look on her friend's face and realized that she was not joking, "Your tattoos?"
Kris nodded slowly, "They are a symbol of what I used to be..." She finally admitted.
"Did... did you take my mother?" Jenn asked angrily.
"No... no..." Kris shook her head violently, "That was one of my sister's jobs. I'm actually not a death angel any longer. My family banished me." There was a deep pain in Kris's eyes that Jenn had only seen once before.
"Is it because of the girl you loved?" Jenn carefully asked, "The one who forg-" She stopped in mid sentence and her eyes widened, "Am I that the girl you loved?" She shakily asked.
Kris did not reply, however the way that she turned away from Jenn told her everything she needed to know.
"Why...?" Jenn tried to look the girl in the eyes only to have her turn away more, "Why didn’t you tell me before?" Jenn asked suddenly realizing that Kris's affections for her were not just some kind of cruel game. Everything started to make sense. She now understood that pain in her friend’s eyes, the pain that would always show when they got to close together. That pain was love and Jenn had been to catch up in her own life to notice it. She suddenly had so many questions to ask. So much she wanted to know and was about to voice them when Kim and the others came down the stairs. Jenn turned to look at the red head, which gave her a small smile and suddenly Jenn fully understood the reason behind Kris's sudden change in the ways she treated her. Jenn glanced from Kim to Kris and back again, trying hard to think of something to say.
"Jenn, you are awake." Kim said, hopping down the last few steps, "I was so worried about you. Are you alright?"
Jenn rubbed her head as the memory of their first kiss entered her mind yet again and she gazed at Kris who was trying hard to bury her face in her knees so the others would not see her pain, "I..." Jenn's head hurt, It felt as if many doors in her mind had opened at once and she was being bombarded with memories at every turn.
Kim knelt next to the girl, "I remember now..." Kim whispered with a smile, "Our first kiss. Do you remember?" she asked shyly.
Jenn spun around to face the redhead, "That really happened?" She shakily asked, unsure if she wanted to hear the answer.
Kim simply nodded her head and blushed, "I always remembered. I just could not remember your face." Kris suddenly got to her feet and left the girls.
"Kris?" Jenn glanced up at the girl with worry in her eyes.
"I just need to go to the washroom." Kris stated then ran off down the hall. Jenn was almost certain that she saw a tear rolling down the girl's eye. She was about to get up and follow her when Jessica shook her head and went after the girl herself.
Kris crashed into a washroom and rushed over to the sink. The moment she placed her hand upon the counter she burst into tears and let out a tired sob. Jessica slowly entered the room and approached the girl, "She knows..." Kris sobbed, "She knows everything now..." She said between the tears.
Jessica placed her arm around the girl and Kris turned to welcome the embrace. She cried more then she ever had since losing Jenn. All her sadness and pain that she had balled up and locked away, so she could be there for Jenn, burst free of it's bounds and came out like a tidal wave of tears.
Jessica only held the girl tight in her arms and stroked the back of her head. Allowing the girl to finally be let go of some of that pain.
******
"Hey everyone." Kima greeted the group with a grin as she entered the building, "You found Jenn's missing friends. Great!"
"Actually that was Kim's doing." Natalie said still in amazement over what had just happened, "She just reached out and pulled the girl out from nowhere. It was unreal."
"Good, then it looks like we are all together again." Alyson said with a reassuring smile, "I'm glad that mad man didn't harm any of you."
"Gwen might be in trouble." Kim announced.
"Who?" Alyson asked.
"That angel." Kim replied, "She saved me when I got lost in a nightmare once. Shouldn't we do something to help her?"
"She’s a death angel." Natalie affirmed, "She can handle herself."
"And what do we do if she doesn't stop him?" Kima asked, wrapping her arms around her stomach as an unsettling feeling formed, "That zombie creature was hard enough to stop."
"You killed it?" Natalie said, pleased to hear some good news.
"Not sure." Alyson answered, "It is just part of a nightmare after all so it could be still lurking about."
Kima sat on the stairs in deep thought, "It’s all part of each of our nightmares right?" Kima inquired.
"Sort of." Alyson replied while leaning against a wall, "It is hard to explain, but it seems to be comprised of dreams or memories of sorts.
"Well, we saw Jenn's nightmare." Kima stated with a shiver.
"I met mine." Natalie not to happily added.
"The same with me and Cherilyn." Tanya added hugging her friend close.
"That would only leave Kris, Jessica, Alyson and us." Kima thought out loud.
"I think Kris found her nightmare." Jessica said sadly as she returned to the group.
"How is she doing?" Jenn requested getting to her feet.
"She will be alright." Jessica said, "She just needs a moment to herself." Jenn lowered her head and sat back down.
Natalie watched the redhead carefully, "What is on your mind, Kima?" Natalie inquired, curious where her friend was going with this.
Kima glanced at Kim and almost as if something knowing passed between the girls Kim started to shake her head and step back, "N... no... no…" Kim stammered.
"What is it?" Alyson asked impatiently.
"Our nightmares." Kima said with a sly grin, "We have some real night terrors. Things that would scare a grown man... Maybe..."
"What?" Natalie asked even more inquisitive then before. Kima only responded with an even broader grin and Kim backed against a wall with fear drawn upon her face.
*****
To be Continued...
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
Chapter 54
Title: Part 11: Chapter 54
A Shadowlander's Dream - Book One: A Tale of Shadows
By Kathryn K Williams
Part Eleven: Lost and Found
Chapter Fifty-Four - Darkness Amongst Darkness
Akaime marched down the streets. He was beyond displeased with the way the situation had evolved out of his control. The girls should be cowering in a corner by now, too terrified to even raise a hand to him. Not even able to run and yet here they are scampering about, forcing him to search for them time and time again. He touched one of the freshly made cuts in the skin of his false face and winced as they stung. That angel was not part of his plans either. He was so deep in his thoughts that he almost didn't notice one of the girls as she darted down a road turning just in time to see a fleeting glimpse of red hair. The game was on again and a grin crossed his face.
*****
Kima ran around yet another corner to find Natalie awaiting her arrival.
"Are you really sure about this idea?" Natalie nervously asked, "I mean this is out of the ordinary."
"And so am I." Kima's smile made a shiver creep up Natalie's spin.
"You can be a very spooky girl. I never really realized that before." Natalie remarked.
"There are many side to me that you have yet to meet." Kima stated then jumped over a fence, "Come on, everyone is waiting."
"Just for the record: This is insane." Natalie then followed the girl just as Akaime came around the corner.
******
"So while the other two are playing bait, what do we do exactly?" Tanya asked, still not understanding what was going on. She walked along side Alyson with Cherilyn holding close to her side.
"We protect her." Alyson pointing at Kim while repeating what Kima had told her, "Kris is checking on her sister while we get Kim safely to those apartments." She pointed to some buildings in the distance.
"Then what?" Tanya asked.
Alyson shrugged, "We wait and see what happens."
"This doesn't sounds like such a great plan." Tanya admitted.
"Well, you have any other options to add?" Alyson encouraged, "We would be open to another way to resolve this situation."
Tanya thought for a moment then shook her head.
"Then we continue as we were told." Alyson stated, promptly ending the conversation.
Jenn walked along side Kim, not able get her mind off that kiss or off Kris. She glanced behind herself in search of her friend to find she was nowhere in sight, then turned back to look at Kim one more time. She found herself doing this several times over again. First searching for Kris and then returning to Kim. Her head felt muddled and confused, her memories were colliding into each other and contradicting each other. She had only met Kim a couple of days ago, however she now clearly remembered meeting her before that. She also was almost certain that she first met Kris just last year and yet her heart kept telling her it had been much longer then that, so many new thoughts and emotions that she felt a need to scream or just fall into a deep slumber. She turned to look at the girls behind her and her eyes fell upon Tanya, one of her oldest and dearest of friends and she suddenly back stepped so she was walking along side the girl.
"Tanya..?" Jenn asked timidly.
"Yes?" Tanya gave the girl a beaming smile. She seemed to be handling the whole situation rather well, or was just very good at concealing her own fears. Her smile faded when she saw the sad worried look in her friend's eyes, "What's bothering you?" She asked concerned for her friend.
Jenn rubbed her head, "I don't know." She said, struggling to keep her emotions under some kind of control, "Everything feels... so messed up. Nothing is making any sense and I don't know what is real anymore."
"Yeah..." Tanya lowered her head to gaze at her feet, "I know what you mean."
"We have been friends since Kindergarten, right?" Jenn asked, unsure of her own memories.
"Yeah." Tanya said with a smile, "We all were taken to that special school because we had 'problems'." She stated with a cynical giggle, "Like that would help. It just caused us more problems and worries. Being an out patient at that place just singled us out from the other kids in the neighbourhood."
"What school?" Jenn was startled by this notion; "I thought we went to an ordinary school together?"
"No." Tanya gave the girl an unusual look, "You really don't remember do you?" She asked cautiously.
Jenn shook her head, "Nothing is clear anymore. Things are coming back but are mixed up. I'm not sure what is real anymore."
"That is why we're at the academy." Cherilyn finally spoke up, her voice low as if she were afraid someone might hear her, "We all have some kind of darkness inside of us. A lot of us start by visiting during school hours and going home afterwards while many others end up living there soon after. Almost everyone can't remember why they are there at first." She shrugged and drew silent.
Jenn thought about this carefully, "They why do I remember other things?"
Alyson gazed up at the sky, "Because our minds will not let us face the truth." She stated, closing her eyes then turning and looking at Jenn again, "Our minds are trying to protect us and at the same time they are hurting us. We end up forgetting the good with the bad. Being haunted by nightmares without understanding their nature and in the end being torn apart by our own memories." She let out a deep sigh, "This is the nature of our souls and I guess why we are all here."
Jenn glanced up at Kim who looked back at her then turned away quickly. Now her mind felt more a mess then before and she fell back into silence, being consumed by her thoughts.
*****
After seeing Akaime follow Kima down the road Kris came from her hiding place beneath a large pine tree and quickly headed back towards the mobile homes. It didn't take her much time to back track and she was stunned by the amount of chaos that was left over from the battle. At least three houses were torn to shreds with pieces of plywood scattered across the road and Kris had to search some of the wreckage before she found her sister laying on her back with her eyes closed. If Kris had not known better she would have thought her sister to be dead, but there has yet to be anything that could kill one of her family... Hurt them, yes. Kill them... that was another story. She herself was unsure if death could come for her now that she was no longer one of the sisters. The idea had crossed her mind many times over the years, but she had yet to try to test that theory.
She lifted a few pieces of wood off her sister and the angel’s wings flickered and faded transparent a couple of time. Kris took this as a good sign that her sister was surely alive, "Hey sis?" She bent over the girl closely so she could listen for her breathing.
"Unnn..." Gwen muttered, "owwww..." she moaned again.
"Gwen!" Kris sat up, excited to see her sister starting to stir, "I was beginning to worry."
Gwen opened one eye and peered up at her little sister, "I'm not going to die if that is what is worrying you." She lifted a hand to her head and rubbed her forehead, "What hit me?" She asked groggily.
"A very big man." Kris replied, "I never thought someone could knock you flying like that. What is he?"
"A faceless." Gwen answered while trying to sit up. Her back ached and her arm hurt and she struggled to conceal her pain.
"I've never seen a faceless like that." Kris stated worriedly, "There is something strange about that one."
"He was a man, a dream ghost." Gwen corrected herself, "And somehow he merged with a Faceless becoming something else, a creature that grows with strength in dreams and feeds on fear. He needs to be stopped."
"How can such a thing exist?" Kris asked, helping her sister to her feet.
"It shouldn't..." Gwen stated shaking her head in dismay, "Morrigan said he was in a line-up to death's corridor when she stumbled upon that red haired girl and the next thing she knew he was missing. She thinks that he might have followed the girl and escaped."
"Kim?" Kris became more worried, "What was she doing there?"
"Searching for your friend." Gwen added trying to shake the last of the light-headed feeling from her, "Your friend was being haunted by a faceless for the past while, a faceless that had taken the shape of one of her dead friends. I thought you of all people would have noticed that girl was not real when you were in her dream."
"May..." Kris shook her head in dismay, "I felt she didn't belong, but I just thought she was another ghost of the dream."
Gwen shook her head in disappointment, "You were never any good at sensing those kinds of things. I shouldn't have allowed you to enter that girl's Dream Sphere in the first place."
"I'm sorry..." Kris apologized sadly, "I just wanted to be with her." She lowered her head in shame, "I thought I could help free her."
Gwen patted the girl on the shoulder, "I know... I know..." She scanned their surroundings, "Where are your friends by the way?"
"They think they can stop that monster." Kris stated, still unsure of their plans.
"How, in the name of our father, are they going to do that?" Gwen asked, shocked to hear about this turn of events.
Kris only shrugged, "We need to hurry. They are heading for those apartments." She pointed in the distance.
"Hang on." Gwen wrapped her arms around Kris's waist; spread out her wings full and took flight.
*******
"Hurry up!!" Natalie called out behind her as she ran down another back alley.
"I'm... trying..." Kima panted taking a glimpse behind herself to see Akaime was following close behind, "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." She remarked as the man closed in on her.
"You think so!?!" Natalie said with a snarl. The apartments could be seen just ahead of them, "We are almost there."
Kima stumbled and fell the to ground, scraping her knee and hands, "Nat!!!" She cried out as she tumbled to the ground.
Natalie spun around, "Kima!!!" Akaime was already upon the girl. He grabbed Kima by the scruff of her overalls and slammed her up against a brick wall with a thud.
"Enough of these game, princess." He snarled at the girl, "It is time for you to return to where you belong."
"I'm not going anywhere with you." Kima struggled against the man's grip, "Leave me alone!!" She yelled.
"Let... her... GO!!" Natalie flung herself at the man and kicked him in the side, having little effect.
Akaime glanced down at the girl, not even flinching at her efforts, "I'll deal with you later, cousin." With one swing of his arm he hit Natalie across the side of the head, knocking her into a pile of trashcans.
"NAT!!!" Kima cried out, "Don't you hurt her!"
"No worries." Akaime turned back to face Kima, "I have plans for her." He said with a sinister grin.
Natalie shoved the garbage out of her way and sprung to her feet. Her fear of the man had been replaced with a rage that boiled from the depths of her heart and a need to protect her friend. She clenched her fist and a long blade sprung forth from beneath her sleeve. Unlike her normal blade this one shimmered with glowing blue light. Akaime was to busy struggling with Kima to notice the blond approach from behind him and she jammed the entire blade’s length into his side with all her might. He screamed in agony as Natalie twisted the knife, blackness oozed forth from the wound. Akaime dropped Kima and turned on Natalie.
"You little..." He reached out for the girl only to have her produce three little daggers between the fingers of her other hand and stab them deep in to his leg. She pulled out the blade causing a tar like substance to come spluttering out then the darkness suddenly changed and became a tattered cloth, like some strange silk cloth a Magician would pull from his sleeve, but if the sleeve was a hole in the side of a man. The cloth fluttered for a moment then came free of the blade leaving it as clean as ever. She raised the blade high over her head and slashed the man across the face cutting a chunk of his flesh off and causing a crack to form in his mask. He fell to the ground writhing in pain, clenching his face and screaming. Natalie quickly grabbed Kima's hand and helped her to her feet and they both dashed out of the alley towards the apartments.
******
Kim and the others arrived at the fifth floor of the building and came to a stop in front of Kim's old apartment. She stared at the door uncertain about opening it in fear of what might linger within its confines.
"Kim?" Jenn set a hand upon her friend's shoulder, "You don't have to open it." She reassured the girl.
Kim shook her head in disagreement, "No... Kima is right... I have to face this." She took a deep breath and set her hand on the doorknob.
Jenn set her hand upon Kim's, "Then we'll do it together." She smiled at the red head.
"Guys, Nat and Kima are here!" Jessica called out from her lookout at the edge of the balcony hall, "It looks like they have company."
Kim nodded at Jenn and they both turned the knob and opened the door. The apartment was dark and a smell of death assaulted the girls causing them to quickly cover their mouths. The first thing Kim noticed was the silverware scattered across the floor and fear welled up on the girl as she froze in place. She suddenly wanted to run, wanted to hide. Anything, but enter that apartment again. Jenn stepped around her friend and entered the kitchen. She stepped around the clutter and took a look around then gestured for Kim to follow. Kim simply stayed rooted on to her spot. Jenn returned to her friend and took her by the hand, "Come on." She coxed, but Kim would not budge.
"Girls, you had better hurry." Jessica stated with a tone of worry in her voice.
"Hide!" Jenn commanded to the others. The girls did as they were told and ran back to the stairs, up one more level.
Tanya stopped before following the others and turned to Jenn, "You be careful." She demanded.
"We will." Jenn assured, "Now get going." Tanya hesitated for a moment then rushed up the stairs. Soon after Natalie followed Tanya and Kima appeared on the floor running towards the apartment.
"What are you two doing?" Kima asked anxiously, "Get in there." She took Kim's other hand and pulled her into the apartment, closing the door just as Akaime came stumbling up the stairs. Kima fumbled with the locks and just as she flipped the bolt they heard Akaime start banging on the door. Kima shakily latched the chain in place and spun around, "Quickly! Our bed room."
Kim was still frozen in place and shaking her head, "No no no... I don't want to be here." She protested.
Kima grabbed the girl by the arm, "We have to. Just remember this is only a dream." She reassured the girl.
"But it isn't a dream." Kim countered still shaking her head.
"It is if you want it to be." Kima stated boldly, "You can't keep being afraid for your entire life."
Kim glanced towards the living room, "But..." Images of her dead parents entered her mind, the blood soaking in the carpet and their dead eyes.
"You have too." Kima commanded, "For Jenn's sake."
Kim glanced at Jenn who had the same level of fear in her eyes, then back to the door that was bulging at it's hinges, "O...okay..." She took a deep breath and entered the living room. It was just as she feared. There lay her mother, a pool of blood under her head and there was her father with the knife still sticking out of his back. She began to shake her head and turned to leave the sight when Kima stopped her.
"Just look straight ahead." Kima ordered, "And DON'T look down." She commanded, and then turned to Jenn, "That goes for you too."
The group of girls quickly crossed the living room, stepping over Kim's father and ran to the end of the long hall to the bedrooms. Kima opened the door to their parent's room, "Jenn you hide under the bed." She ordered not leaving room for arguments.
"But..." Jenn began to protest when there was a large crash as Akaime broke the front door down.
"There is no time!" Kima shoved the girl into the room and closed the door. She then turned to her double, "You know what needs to be done."
Tears were streaming down Kim's cheeks and she trembled in fear, "I'm afraid." She sobbed while looking at her bedroom door.
Kima held Kim's cheeks in her hands and gazed into her eyes, "So am I... so am I... but we have to open that door."
Kim shook her head, "I..." She had an idea what was behind that door and it scared her more then anything else in this nightmarish world. She wanted nothing more then to hide under the bed with Jenn and forget all this ever happened.
"There you are!" Akaime snarled, holding his side while staggering down the hall. He stopped and blinked at the twins for a moment, "So there are two of you. No matter. I'll take you both." Used the wall to support himself he stumbled down the hall, dragging his wounded leg behind him.
Kima placed Kim's hand on the bedroom doorknob and waited until Akaime got a little closer, "Wait for it..." She whispered.
Kim let go of the doorknob, "No..." She retreated from the door.
"NOW!!!" Kima commanded, grabbing the girl's hand and forcing her to take the knob as they both turned it. The door was instantly sucked open and there was a black mass writhing upon the ceiling. Lines of jagged teeth could be seen twitching in hunger along the edge of the ceiling. It's tentacle like tongue with a forked tip dropped from the centre of the mouth and whipped around in the middle of the room and dripping saliva upon the carpet, then it noticed the girls and struck out at them. Kima glanced from the creature to Akaime, and then suddenly pulled Kim to the floor. The tongue speared Akaime through the arm just as he reached the girls. He screamed and pulled at the tentacle, trying to free his arm from the creature. For the first time he gazed into the room and was startled by what he saw. Two more tongues appeared from the darkness and shot out at the man, one piecing his shoulder and the other wrapping around his neck. The creature pulled Akaime into the room. He grabbed the frame of the door, but felt his grip slipping and could not hold on for very long. The moment the man was pulled entirely into the room the door slammed shut and the apartment became silent once again. The two girls lay on the ground panting. Kima finally found the strength to open her eyes and was relieved to find that there were alone again.
"Is it gone?" Kim mumbled into Kima's shoulder.
"They are gone." Kima said with a sigh of relief.
Kima sat up and glanced around. Her eyes fell on the door and she shrunk away from it. She could still sense that dark mass, feel it's saliva dripping upon her and the sensation made her shiver in disgust. She then turned to her parent’s room, "Jenn?" She quickly opened to door and found Jenn peering out from under the bed. Kima leaned against the doorframe and let out a long sigh.
"Is it safe?" Jenn asked from her hiding spot.
"He’s gone." Kima replied entering the room, "and I don't think he will be bothering any of us ever again."
Jenn crawled out from under the bed, "What did you do to him?" She asked curiously and at the same time not sure she really wanted to know.
Kima helped the girl to her feet, "He was eaten by one of our nightmares. I figured it would be there and thankfully it was satisfied with just taking him and not us."
"Is it still there?" Jenn asked nervously.
Kima shrugged, "Hard to say."
Jenn smiled at Kim who was still standing at the door. Kim pushed off the doorframe and glanced down the hall, her expression changed and she let out a scream of terror, "Kim?" Kima turned to see Jenn's corpse like mother grab Kim from behind and wrap its arms around the girl.
"Mother..." Jenn stumbled backwards until her leg bumped into the bed, "No..."
"Jeeenniffer..." The creature hissed, "You dishonoured me. You failed me... you KILLED me!!!" It snarled gripping Kim by the hair while glaring with one good eye at Jenn.
Kima ran at the creature, "Leave her alone!" She demanded only to be instantly knocked to the ground and rolled into a dresser.
"Mommy stop it..." Jenn was shaking with terror as her mother stepped into the room, partly carrying Kim, "Please..." Jenn weakly pleaded.
"First, I shall kill your little girlfriend..." The corpse said with a grin, "Then you will join me as well." It gripped the bony fingers of one hand around Kim's tiny neck and began to squeeze the life out of the girl. Kim struggled against the creatures grip only to find her strength slowly draining from her body.
"jeennn..." Kim tried to speak as she gasped for air only to feel the corpse's finger close tighter on her larynx, her eyes began to blur and she felt faint.
"MOTHER STOP IT!!!" Jenn screamed at the creature, "Leave her alone. Why can't you just leave us alone?!?" She cried in frustration as she watched the life of the first girl she ever loved slip away, "I love her..." she whispered.
Almost as if knives were driven into Jenn's mother she released Kim, letting the girl tumble to the ground, and staggered backwards, "You can..." The creature stammered, "You can only love me." The dead woman was becoming frantic as she watched her daughter rush over to Kim and wrap her arms around the red head, "You can't..." The corpse muttered again.
"I do!" Jenn cried, glaring up at her mother, "I always have... You never listened to me... always told me how to feel... Well I'm not your child, anymore." She felt strength build inside of her heart as she spoke the words.
The woman stumbled back out of the room in dismay, "but... you are my daughter... I love you... I know what is right..." It continued to ramble.
"Not anymore." Jenn's glare intensified with her new found courage, "You are dead!" She declared, "Dead, Dead, Dead!!!" She screamed at the woman.
Flames wrapped around Jenn's mother's legs and crawled up her body. For the first time the woman looked down at her hands and saw the corpse she had become. She gazed at her daughter and saw the hatred burning in the girl's eyes. She bowed her head as the flames enveloped her, "I'm sorry..." she whispered then the flames consumed her entirely and she dissolved into a pile of ashes that blew away in a passing wind.
Jenn watched the last of the ashes drift away as tears washed out her vision, "Goodbye... Mom..." She hugged Kim and let out a tired sob.
*******
Gwen glided down to the apartment balcony as Kim, Kima and Jenn exited the apartment. Kris ran over to her friends and hugged Jenn tightly. When she looked into the girl's eyes there was something different about her, "Are you alright?" She asked concerned.
Jenn gave the girl a weak smile, "I'll live... I finally said my goodbyes." She glanced back at the apartment then back to Kim, "Can we go back to the academy now?"
Kris nodded, "If you wish." She glanced around to see all the other girl's had gathered together. Everyone was hugging each other and listening to the tales of how they defeated their nightmares. She then turned to her sister, "Gwen?"
Gwen nodded, "Alright everyone. Time to go home." She walked down the hall to another apartment door, touched the door for a moment and when she opened it. Beyond the door they could all see the path that lead them into the forest and the exit back to the academy. The girls rushed down the path and out of the forest, each one grateful to be free of that evil place.
Kris stopped before leaving the forest to turn and see her sister walking in the opposite direction. She ran towards the girl and wrapped her arms around Gwen's waist in a warm hug, "Thank you." Kris muttered into the girl's back then ran off before getting an answer. The moment she stepped out of the forest the entrance closed up behind her and she saw her sister wave at her before being surrounded by the trees. Kris gazed up at the sun and smiled. She finally felt like she might have a chance at life after all. She heard some of the girls calling out for her and chased after them. Ready to begin her new life with her friend and new family.
*******
The end of Book One: A Tale of Shadows. Continues in Book 2: Policy of Love, online now
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts page at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts page at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
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