The Shadows- Fire's Hope
Page 31
For an hour drive, Emilie remained chipper, and now that she had four small zucchinis in her lap, she seemed a little less as if she were about to jump from the car window and fly away. However, once they came to a stop, and Emilie saw the little house hidden among the overgrown garden, she stopped herself. Her expression fell blank, her face went pale, and her eyes grew dim. It wasn’t so much that the house disappointed her, it was fine, and any four walls would make her feel cramped.
Mark noticed her demeanor, and somehow, he knew it had nothing to do with the sight of the house.
Emilie’s feet planted on the ground, unwilling to take a step farther than the car door. “I can’t do this,” she whispered, her voice coarse and jumpy.
Mark came around the car to stand beside her. “Come on.” He tugged her sleeve, meeting her gaze just long enough to see she was terrified. “Just see her,” he beckoned, comforting her despite how afraid she was. “If you don’t like it, we’ll leave.”
Clenching her fists, Emilie stared onward at the house making out through the outgrown garden that the door was painted forest green and it blended in like a hole in the forest canopy. “All right…” she breathed, “but you lead.” Drawing up the zucchinis and other ingredients in a plastic bag, Emilie held them tightly and waited, proceeding after Mark took two steps ahead of her.
Emilie’s elbows graced the scratchy thistles which made the walkway to the little house narrower. Though everything was overgrown, there was evidence of old flowers that would look magical in the summer. Now everything was brown and dying. Emilie sighed to herself, preparing her heart for the person she was about to meet. It caused her to panic, but she kept her feet firmly planted to the ground.
Marissa knocked on the door and the silence that followed made Emilie want to tear her eyes out. Each second the green door didn’t move, made it seem more like a hole in the forest and it made Emilie want to scream, “What is taking so long?” Mark felt her distress in the Realm, as if she broadcasted her thoughts to him and he chuckled, taking her hand to give her something to keep her grounded.
The door creaked open, unoiled, and unused. The woman who lived here was a shut in, and the house they could see into was unnervingly dark. Marissa beamed when the door opened fully and declared endearingly, “Happy Birthday, Nini!”
The woman with light brown hair shuddered and her expression couldn’t be further from happy. “It’s not my birthday,” were the first words Emilie heard from her, dark and depressed like the bags under the woman’s eyes.
Marissa struggled to remain cheerful for her sister. “It’s soon, and we brought you something.” She moved aside from the door and gestured to her niece invitingly. “Emilie?”
Abruptly, Emilie found herself overcome by the first full sight of her mother’s face. It only took one utterance of Emilie’s name for the woman to look at her the same way.
Hellen tried to jump back but stumbled and clung to the door. This woman was broken and she had been lost for the last fifteen years, ever since she let go of her daughter. Emilie’s arms sank around the four zucchinis she held, but she stopped herself from dropping them and inhaled sharply. “I brought you these. I’ve got a good recipe I’d like to make for you.”
The words were empty, and it became evident that Emilie was the exact opposite person her mother was. Hellen sputtered, her breaths shallow until she finally choked out the faintest, “Emilie?”
Her eyes grew sad, her lips taut with worry over this first impression. Emilie stroked her thumb along the smooth skin of a zucchini then she looked up, forcing herself to face her mother. Adopting a serious posture, because all other emotions felt weird, Emilie took a step forward, “Yes… I’m here.”
Hellen’s eyes widened, for it was all she needed. The klutzy woman, clattered past her older sister and before Emilie could rise from the ground, she threw her arms around her fourteen-year-old daughter. Holding her tightly, as if for the first time, Hellen sobbed uncontrollably, her tears dripping onto Emilie’s clothes as the four zucchinis slipped to the ground, bruising their flesh as Emilie stood motionless and terrified.
“I thought you’d never find me!” Hellen said, muffled within Emilie’s coat, and she could feel her mother’s teeth as she wept.
Emilie sank, her feet lifting off the ground but her mother held her in place and with their weak legs the two of them drifted to the concrete walkway, and finally, Emilie gave in. Reluctantly, Emilie allowed herself to lower her guard just long enough to bring her arms around her mother’s waist and in this fateful moment, she let her emotions flow. Tears welled in her eyes and she whimpered, stifling a cry as she pushed her mother away.
It was all to see her face, to look into her eyes, and to know this was her mother. Once she knew for sure, once the emotions rattled through her form, putting gravity over her body, Emilie gave up, tightening her grip around her mother’s back as she wheezed gracelessly.
“I already have.”
EPILOGUE
Ocie stepped into the dark room quietly, peering through the flickering lights and the smoke in the air. “Dad?”
Within a few seconds a soft cyan light illuminated through the soot sodden air and Keller appeared. “What?” he spat bitterly, broken.
Ocie gulped her fears and stepped through the doorway. “Someone is here to see you, someone… you know.” Her nervousness shone through her hesitation.
Perking up a little, Keller looked past his daughter to see a man who was older than him, wearing a dark hood. Keller didn’t move or say anything. All he did was send a tone through the Realm to beckon the man into the dim light to see who he was.
The man’s emerald green eyes pierced the dark. “It’s you!” Keller tensed and started to rise up, but then cowered. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again after… after…” he couldn’t finish knowing his decision to make the ASH had blown back into his face as predicted.
Suddenly the man caught him off guard when he removed his hood and hurried to him. “You’re hurt!” he pointed out seeing blood on Keller’s forehead. A gentle green mist emanated from the man’s hand over Keller’s injury and in seconds it was healed. “You’ve aged, Ian. Has it really been twenty years?”
Tears welled in Keller’s eyes. How could this man still show him kindness after all he had done? He bit his lip, dropping his gaze. “You haven’t aged a day…” He never felt so ashamed, but somehow, he managed to be happy seeing his old friend.
The man grinned, the same dimpled smile. He never changed, always looking for ways to help. That was simply who he was. “I told you this would happen…” He smirked gently. “But I had to let you go through with it. That’s how the Shadow works.”
Keller felt where the cut had been on his forehead and was amazed as always to feel it was gone without any scarring. “What are you doing here?” he asked, trying not to sound skeptical.
The man gestured around, producing a light chuckle. “Look at this place. I’m here to help you pick up the pieces, and to help any Shadows who need a home,” he offered.
Keller sighed, affording himself a smile. “Thank you…” He exhaled. “The Shadows wouldn’t ever accept that help from me anymore.”
The man gleamed brightly with a wrinkle in the corner of his eye. “All right, I can pay for any expenses you can’t afford, and I’ll be out of your hair before tomorrow!” he assured, stepping back gleefully and leaving the room.
Ocie stepped in after him, crossing her arms, a bit confused. “Who was that?” she wondered astonished that he would offer to contribute any sum of money to the ASH.
Keller picked himself up trying to do what his friend would do, put the pieces back together and let this place be a home for Shadows. “Not that it matters to you…” he whispered, stepping out of the room. “His name is William.”
ABOUT E. KATHRYN
Writer, Illustrator, musician, humanesque creature who doesn’t get enough sunlight and lives solely on tea, E. Kathryn started writing
The Shadows when she was thirteen years old. Brought up in northern Virginia with her six siblings and tons of animals, she was homeschooled and given the freedom to write to her heart’s content. When she’s not writing incessantly, E. Kathryn enjoys drawing, playing the violin, and collecting and consuming way more tea than she needs.
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BOOK 2 OF THE SHADOWS:
Lævatein’s Choice