by Vera Strange
He glanced at his parents to see if they had witnessed the flash of light, but they were too busy watching his brother play his new trumpet. They weren’t even paying attention to Jamal.
His heart thumped in his chest as he stared at the skull. Had it really just…glowed? Or were his eyes playing tricks on him?
He had to find out.
Clutching the skull necklace to his chest, Jamal snatched the wooden box and note from the table and bolted for his room. Fortunately, his brother was playing another old jazz tune on his new trumpet. That meant his parents would be distracted and Jamal could be alone.
Jamal shut the door behind him. His heart thumped fast in his chest, reminding him of how he had felt when he saw those dolls watching him from the shop window. He flopped down onto his bed to examine the necklace closer. He ran his fingers over the skull, feeling the indentations of the eye sockets.
“Come on, do it again,” he whispered to the necklace, looking for a button or switch or battery chamber that could explain the flicker of light. But the skull’s eye sockets remained dark.
No flash of light.
Nothing.
It was just a weird necklace. He studied the note again. Beware of the shadows. This will protect you. He read it over and over until the words blurred together, but still no meaning revealed itself to him. He checked the box, too. Maybe there was a secret panel? Or some other clue about the necklace and why it glowed with red light?
But still nothing.
Disappointment coursed through him for the thousandth time that day. Maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him after all. Just like with the dolls. He sighed.
“Stupid hunk of junk,” he muttered, feeling angry. He shoved himself off the bed and stood over the trash can. He just wanted to be rid of it. “What do I need with a gross, ugly skull necklace anyway?”
He hit the trash can’s pedal with his foot and the top gaped open. But the second he thrust the necklace over the can, the eye sockets began to glow again.
Jamal froze, afraid to move in case it made the light die out. He stared at the skull, making sure what he saw was real. The eye sockets glowed with eerie red light, like something demonic.
“How in the…” Jamal removed his foot from the trash can pedal. The lid slammed shut.
Only then did the necklace stop glowing. The light slowly faded until the eye sockets were dark again. But this time, there was no mistaking what he had seen. The necklace had definitely been glowing with mysterious light. He couldn’t explain it, but it was real.
On impulse, he fastened the chain around his neck, feeling the weight of the skull dangling from it. He remembered his mother saying that his grandmother had never taken it off.
“Protection, huh?” he said, his eyes flicking back to the strange note.
Even though he didn’t understand it, he could use some protection, right? He thought of Colton bullying him. Maybe the necklace could help. Not like he had anything left to lose. He tucked it under his shirt to hide it. He didn’t want anyone to see him wearing it. After all, it looked weird.
Still he felt uneasy, remembering the skull’s glowing red eye sockets. If it could do that, then what else could it do?
* * *
“Hey, wait for me!” Jamal yelled as the school bus’s door began to close. But the door slammed right in his face and the bus left without him, speeding off in a noxious cloud of exhaust. He ran after it, but he wasn’t fast enough to catch up. The driver didn’t even notice him.
What else was new?
The last thing he saw was Riley watching him through the back window as the bus careened around a corner, leaving him alone on the curb in front of the school. His heart sank.
“Invisibility powers strike again,” Jamal muttered, staring at his own shadow stretching across the asphalt. He wished more than anything that he could be sitting on that bus next to Riley, bantering away about their school day.
The bus vanished from his view, swallowed up by the busy city streets. The sun beat down on his back without mercy, clinging to the pinnacle of the sky. That hurricane was still building in the Gulf, but no one would know it from the clear blue overhead.
Even though it was one of those classic sweltering New Orleans days, Jamal would have to walk home. His mom had to pull a long shift at the hospital where she worked as an administrator, and his father was at the car dealership where he worked as a salesman. Barring a real emergency, they wouldn’t be able to pick him up. Missing the school bus certainly didn’t count as an emergency in their books.
He could already hear his father’s stern voice: Son, maybe if you walk home, you’ll learn not to be late for the bus.
But it wasn’t his fault. For some reason, the bus driver never seemed to notice him, even when he was there on time. This was just the final insult in another terrible day at school.
“Lot of good you did today,” he said, feeling the skull necklace under his shirt, his fingers slipping over the eye sockets. He’d worn the ugly thing to school, keeping it hidden under his shirt, in hopes that it would help.
According to his grandmother’s note, it was supposed to protect him.
But protect him from what?
Certainly not getting left on the curb by the school bus and having to trudge home in the oppressive heat. Even worse, Colton had been giving him the evil eye all through gym class. Clearly, he was still furious about the previous day. Only Malik’s presence had prevented Colton and his crew from doing something about it. But his brother wouldn’t always be around.
Sooner or later, Colton would get Jamal alone. And then all bets would be off.
Jamal felt his stomach churn at that thought. He tried to push it from his mind and cheer himself up. Maybe walking home would clear his head and rid him of those worries for a while. Also, if there was one good thing in his life, it was the city where he lived. Despite the humidity and threat from hurricanes, he loved New Orleans—the parades, the food, the music, even the tourists who crowded the cobblestone streets in the French Quarter, who were always good for the people-watching that helped him create characters for his writing. There was no other place like it in the world.
He passed through Washington Square. As he walked by Tiana’s, the most delectable smells drifted from inside. Jamal’s mouth watered as he cut through the crowds, weaving down the busy streets. But even the vendors selling beignets and steaming cups of gumbo and musicians playing jazz music couldn’t brighten his mood.
With each step, more sweat dripped down his back and the skull necklace thumped against his chest. Demoralized and overheated, he rounded the next corner and cut through a back alley—where he bumped right into the bullies from school.
“Look, it’s Invisible Boy!” Colton sneered when he saw Jamal.
They were eating beignets, their lips dusted with powdered sugar.
“Where’s your big brother now?” Colton said, tossing his blond bangs out of his face and advancing on Jamal.
The bully clenched his fists.
Jamal tried to back away, but the other kids flanked Colton, blocking any escape route. He was trapped. He glanced around, but the alley was deserted. There was nobody nearby to help. Not that anyone would have noticed him anyway.
“He’s not here to protect you now,” Colton said. “Whatcha gonna do?”
“Look, I really don’t want any t-trouble—” Jamal stammered, scared. His back hit the brick wall. There was nowhere to run.
“You should’ve thought of that yesterday,” Colton growled, “and taken your punishment for making us lose.”
The other kids circled around, trapping Jamal. Adrenaline rushed through his veins, making his heart pound. Desperately, he reached into his shirt and pulled out the skull necklace. He thrust it up in front of Colton.
“Okay, do your thing!” Jamal muttered to the necklace. “Protect me!”
The skull dangled from his hands, swaying slightly. But nothing happened. The necklace didn’t glow. The
bullies burst out laughing. Colton most of all.
“Look, he’s wearing a necklace,” he said, doubling over with laughter.
But the necklace did one thing that helped—it distracted the bullies. While they were busy catching their breath, Jamal ducked around Colton and bolted down the alley. He ran as fast as he could, but he heard their pounding feet behind him.
Fortunately, he knew those streets like the back of his hand. He darted into the next alley, tore around the corner past street vendors and befuddled tourists, and ran into another alley. This one was darker and completely deserted. It snaked past the shop he’d seen from the bus the other day. The one with the creepy dolls in the window.
But he didn’t have time to worry about that. There was a large dumpster in the alleyway. It smelled like…bad things. Rotten things. Putrid things.
Jamal ducked behind it anyway and held his breath, pinching his nostrils shut. Sweat slicked his skin and dripped down his face, stinging his eyes. His feet sloshed into an oily, stinking puddle. He felt the water seeping into his sneakers.
Please, run past me, he thought in desperation. If there was ever a good time to be invisible, this was it.
Sure enough, a few minutes later, the bullies bolted past the alley.
“Hey, where’d he go?” Colton yelled as they ran by. He sounded furious. “He’s gonna pay for this!”
Jamal’s stomach dropped. The next day at school would be even worse, but he would have to deal with that later. He held his breath and waited to make sure they were gone; then he crawled out from behind the dumpster.
Maybe Riley was right about invisibility powers being stronger, he thought. They did just save him—but at what cost? His shoes were soaked and stained black from that nasty puddle. His clothes were wet with sweat and smeared with grime from crouching behind the dumpster.
The necklace dangled uselessly from the chain around his neck. He ripped it off and held it up. The skull stared back at him.
“Protect me?” he sneered at it. “Yeah, right! Useless piece of junk. I’m not falling for that dumb trick again.”
He was about to toss it into the dumpster when suddenly the eye sockets flared with light again. Much brighter than before.
“What the…? Why now?” Jamal cried.
Suddenly, the shadows in the alley started to move and contort into monstrous shapes, like they were alive. Jamal froze in fear. Shadowy jaws snapped at him. The necklace flared brighter in response. The flare of light lit up the alley—and made the shadows vanish.
It was actually protecting him.
“What in the—” Jamal said, but then a dark silhouette suddenly stepped into the alley, blocking the entrance.
In the light cast by the necklace, the shadowy man slowly came into focus. He had dark skin, a thin black mustache, and a gap in the middle of his toothy smile. His arms and legs seemed impossibly long, giving him a skeletal appearance. He wore a black top hat with a skull and crossbones on it, as well as a purple feather sticking out of a sash tied above the brim. His purple coat with tails hugged his thin arms, his long black pants ended in a pair of shiny white shoes, and he held a cane with a purple crystal sphere on top.
Jamal stared at the strange man, terrified. His heart thudded, matching the pulsing light emanating from the necklace. The man’s eyes fixed hungrily on the necklace. Quickly, Jamal fastened it around his neck again and tucked it under his shirt. He could feel heat emanating off it, singeing his skin and making him sweat more. It had never glowed so brightly before.
Jamal swallowed hard. “Who…who are you?”
“Greetings. Enchanté,” the strange man said, tipping his hat toward Jamal. “A tip of the hat from Dr. Facilier.”
He grinned, exposing all his teeth, but it looked predatory. Jamal stared at the necklace around the man’s neck. It had two white fangs hanging from it. Everything about him sent chills down Jamal’s spine.
“Little man, what’s wrong?” Dr. Facilier said. “Cat got your tongue?”
Jamal knew it wasn’t polite to ignore him. However, not talking to strangers—especially in scary back alleys—was the number one rule his parents had instilled in him. Also, the strange man gave him the creeps. There was really no other way to explain it. He felt like things were literally creeping all over his skin and making all the hairs stand up.
Not to mention the skull necklace around his neck continued to flare with light, even under his shirt, like a warning. It also felt hotter, like it was searing his skin.
Jamal started to back away. Suddenly, he wanted to be anywhere but standing in that deserted alley. The man’s eyes narrowed, still fixed on him.
“Going so fast, little man?” Dr. Facilier said with a frown. “Don’t be afraid. I just wanna talk. Were I a bettin’ man—and I’m not; I stay away from games of chance—I’d wager I’m in the company of a very important person.”
“Important? Who…me?” Jamal said in surprise. He had never been called important before. The necklace continued to flare with light, but he ignored it.
“That’s VIP for short,” the man added with a chuckle. He stuck out his hand. “You’re Jamal, aren’t you?”
“Wait, how do you know my name?” Jamal asked, wide-eyed.
“I know many things,” Dr. Facilier said, resting his hands on his crystal-topped cane. “Including that you have something that belongs to me. A necklace. And I want it back.”
Jamal stammered. “N-n-necklace? What necklace?”
“Don’t waste my time, little man,” he said coolly. He held out his hand. His long fingers looked skeletal. They reached toward Jamal’s neck. “Your grandmother’s necklace, please.”
“Wait, how do you know it’s my grandmother’s?” Jamal said. He closed his fingers around the skull necklace under his shirt. It flared brighter and hotter.
“Didn’t you hear me? I already told you, I know many things,” Dr. Facilier said with a sigh.
“But she gave it to me,” Jamal said.
“Right, and now I’d like you to give it to me. It’s quite simple, really,” the man said. “Besides, what does a kid like you want with a necklace like that?”
“It’s not that I want it,” Jamal said. “My mom would kill me if I gave it away. She said this was my grandmother’s special necklace. She never took it off, until she died….”
“A real pity,” Dr. Facilier said, but something about his expression said he didn’t really feel that way. “But she’s passed on to the other side now. She won’t care if you give it to me.”
Jamal released his grip on the necklace. “I’m sorry, I can’t help you.”
“Fine, have it your way.” Dr. Facilier shrugged. “I mean, she gives your twin brother a trumpet, but all you get is that necklace? How did that make you feel?” He smiled broadly, exposing all his teeth again. “You can tell me about it. Your grandmother gave your brother a better gift, didn’t she?”
“But that’s impossible,” Jamal said in shock. “You can’t possibly know that.”
“I told you,” the man said. “I know many, many things. It’s not very fair, now is it?”
“Yeah, it stinks,” Jamal said, unable to help himself. He tasted envy like bitter medicine on his tongue. “Malik always gets all the attention. And I get…well…it’s almost like…”
Jamal knew he shouldn’t be talking to this stranger, especially in a dark, isolated alley. But he couldn’t help it. A compassionate look crossed the man’s face.
“Like you’re invisible?” Dr. Facilier said, arching his eyebrow and leaning forward on his cane. “Or more like you’re standing in your brother’s shadow. Am I right?”
He leered at Jamal from under his top hat. Suddenly, his shadow seemed to stretch out over Jamal and envelop him in darkness. How was that possible? It was like it had a mind of its own.
Jamal felt a surge of self-pity. “Yeah, it’s like Malik is standing in the light—and I’m stuck in his shadow.”
“That’s a terri
ble situation.” Dr. Facilier nodded sympathetically. “Just awful. But maybe I can help you out of your bind. I’m a doctor, of sorts.”
“What kind of doctor?” Jamal said, taking in his top hat, purple suit, and crystal-topped cane. “I’ve never seen a doctor that looks like…well…you.”
Dr. Facilier grinned. “A special one. And I have a bargain for you, one you’ll find hard to resist.”
“A bargain?” Jamal said. “What kind of a bargain?”
“What if I could fix your little invisibility problem?” Dr. Facilier said, twirling his cane. “What if I could help you step out of the shadows and stand in the light for once?”
“Wait, you can do that?” Jamal said. “But how?”
“Let’s just say I know things,” the man said. “Special things. Powerful things. Magical things. That’s why they call me the shadow man.”
Jamal froze. His nana—his father’s mother—used to tell him and Malik scary stories about someone called the shadow man when they were small. But he’d always thought that was all they were—stories. If this was really him, then this man had special powers. Hope overpowered his initial trepidation. Maybe I don’t have to stay in the shadows, he thought. Maybe Dr. Facilier can fix things.
But then his necklace flared with red light, snapping him out of his trance. It burned his chest. He remembered his parents warning him not to talk to strangers.
“Look, thanks for the offer,” Jamal said, backing away down the alley. “But I need to get home for dinner soon, or my parents will be worried about me.”
“Don’t disrespect me, little man,” Dr. Facilier said, suddenly sounding far less polite. “Don’t derogate or deride! My time is highly valuable. Besides, you clearly need my help.”
“No, I don’t,” Jamal protested. “I’m fine, I swear—”
“And don’t lie to me, either,” Dr. Facilier said, snapping his cane at Jamal. “What about those big ol’ bullies chasing you down the alley? The ones who pick on you in gym class?”
“How do you know everything about me?” Jamal said, his stomach clenching at the memory. “And why do you care so much about what’s wrong with my life?”