by Michael Dean
When dinner was over, I helped the family clean up while they insisted the whole time that I didn’t need to, being that I was their daughter’s guest. The sound of humorous banter and the clanking of dirty dishes ended and we all retired into the living room. This was a very uplifting get-together for me, made me feel like I was a part of a real family moment.
“Richard, I’m going outside for a cigarette. Leo, would you like to join me?” Anne called to her husband, who was getting comfortable in his recliner, all the while looking at Shade with a watchful eye.
I knew what her mother was up to. “No thanks, Ma’am, I don’t smoke.”
“Well, that’s very good to know, and didn’t I tell you to call me Anne?” She winked at Shade. “I need to join you in becoming a non-smoker. But something about a good meal always leaves me craving a smoke.”
“I’ve been on to her for years to quit,” Mr. Lewis added.
“As have I.” Shade backed her father’s sentiments.
“I have cut way back, I’m making progress.” Shade and her father both nodded sarcastically in approval. “But my main purpose in going outside is to talk to our new friend here. Is that okay with you, Leo?”
“It’s fine with me.” I smiled.
Shade’s mother looked at her daughter for her approval and she gave it to her.
“Take it easy on him. Watch her, Leo, she’s very crafty.”
“That’s right, I am.” Her mother reached over and slid her arm around mine. “Richard, you may need to keep an eye on me with this cutie.”
“Do me a favor, Leo,” her father joined in, “if you take her away, there’s no return policy.”
We all started laughing out loud as Mrs. Lewis tugged on me, giving her family a one fingered salute and a smile. I was chuckling pretty hard as we walked outside to the porch. Although I was acting on the surface as if I had no concerns, I was quite nervous deep down, especially since I was getting those suspicious glares from her all through dinner. Anne sat down on a small chair next to a tiny table and another empty chair. She pointed at it, telling me to have a seat as she reached over to an open pack of cigarettes on the table and pulled one out. Her lighter flame hit the cancer cane and she sucked in a puff before comfortably sighing out a cloud of smoke.
“Much better. If the smoke bothers you, let me know and I’ll go stand by the end of the porch,” she added.
“No problem, it’s fine.” I cracked a half smile at the irony.
She sat speechless for a few moments, staring out into her yard as she took long drags from her smoke. I anxiously looked around and made small talk sentiments about how beautiful her yard and home was. Instead of thanking me for the polite comments, like most people usually do, she casually got to the point about what was really on her mind and why she brought me out here alone.
“Tell me something, Leo, what is it about my daughter that you like?” She took another hit and slowly glanced over at me.
I cleared my throat and spoke from the heart. “She’s the most beautiful, spirited girl I’ve ever known. Whenever I see her, it’s like a dark space within me becomes filled with light. She makes me feel alive, she makes me feel…” I paused, looking for the right words to say. Anne peered at me with a bewildering smile. “Well…she makes me feel.”
She smiled, hovering the butt of the cigarette near her lips, “Now see, right there, I believe that.”
I tilted my head in confusion.
“All those things you and Shade were saying at dinner, where you’re from and so on, you know, all that life stuff, didn’t seem as sincere as what you just said regarding your feelings towards my daughter.”
I didn’t know what to say. I tried to answer, but only a short sentence fragment came out of my mouth before she saved me from sputtering out a deflection.
“Listen, I’m not here to attack you, honey. My daughter looks at you with a desire that could burn through steel. There’s no doubt in my mind that she loves you, and if she cares for you as much as I know she does, then you must have qualities like none other. If Shade loves you, truly, then I know you are a good…person.”
Her hesitation before saying ‘person’ really grabbed my attention. But I bypassed her verbal oddity and thanked her for the assessment.
“Darryl wasn’t right for her. I could sense something sinister, dark, within him.” She glared at me hard. “I constantly warned Shade that he would show his true colors, and he did.”
I wasn’t sure just how much she really knew about the ‘Shade and Darryl’ situation. When she said that Darryl would show his true colors, did she mean that she knew about Darryl trying to kill Shade or did she know about Darryl’s constant mistreatment of Shade, which was common knowledge? I knew Shade didn’t tell her family about what Darryl tried to do to her on the last night of his life.
“Yeah, I didn’t like him much, either.”
“Just like him, Leo, you have a dark side in you, I can see it all around your being, and I can feel it in your touch. But yet, you have a passion inside, a passion that burns so hard, so hot, and so powerful, that even the strongest of men would cower to it.” She stopped to take another drag as I listened intently for her next words.
“You teeter on a sword’s edge, young man; constantly in danger of being pulled into what you’re supposed to be, or blossoming into what you can become. If you stray, just a little, the darkness I see that’s trying to consume you will forever pull you under. My advice, child, don’t get distracted, keep your head above the water, and breathe strong. Stay the course to what it is that you’ve chosen to change about your life, and in that path, the answers you seek will surface.”
I was completely locked into every word she spoke. Shade’s jokes about her mother having special abilities were anything other than comedy at this point. She really did know some things. How extensive her knowledge was, was unclear, but she had some kind of insight, for sure. Anne was reading me like a book.
“I think your meeting my daughter was no accident, either. When you’re together, your auras shine so bright in the spiritual world that it’s hard to look at the two of you when you’re in close proximity of one another. I feel your spirits are one. I’ve never seen anything like it. Whatever is going on, honey, know this now. Shade is the final piece in your life collage. You will need her, but not necessarily in the way you think you will. This is what I sense.”
She reached down and stamped out the cigarette in the ashtray with her gaudy ring-filled hand, blowing out the last puff of smoke as she did so. In a friendly, but stern fashion, she leaned over the arm of her chair and said, “Stick with the path you’re on, Leo. Do not stray, do not hesitate, because if you do, I see darkness swallowing you. Stay strong.”
She looked away from me in serenity. I couldn’t think of anything to say in reply, I was stunned at her insight and feared volunteering anything further about myself since I wasn’t exactly sure if she knew I was a demon.
“If you should ever need me, don’t be afraid to call. But…if you get my daughter hurt, I’m going to beat you like you stole something.” An air of tense silence filled the space between us before giving way to Anne’s belly-shaking laugh. I began laughing hard with her, releasing some of my inner tension. Suddenly, the front door opened and Shade poked her head out of it.
“What are you two villains laughing about?” she teased.
“Nothing, my dear, this is a good one here.” Anne patted me on my leg before standing up to go inside. “He’s all yours.”
“Is he?” Shade kidded her mother.
“Yes, for now.” She winked at me.
Shade came over and sat down in the same chair her mother was just in, waving her hand around, batting away some of the lingering smoke. With a disgusted look on her face, she reached over and grabbed the ashtray, placing it on the ground under the table.
“I hate the smell of that stale ashtray.”
“Welcome to my world.” I grinned.
“I
couldn’t imagine…so, how did it go? What did you guys talk about?”
“Well, I certainly think your mom is a sensitive of some kind.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Let’s put it this way, she had a touch of deeper insight about our relationship and my journey.”
“You mean…she knows?”
“No…I don’t know…maybe. One thing is for sure, she’s very aware that something is off about me, and for that matter, us.”
“You think she likes you? Not like you, like you, but likes you?” She flashed a flirty, joking smile at me.
“I don’t know. You know her best.”
“I think she does, but I’ll know for sure after you leave. She’ll let me know. Let’s go back inside, I don’t want Dad to think we’re avoiding him.”
We went back inside and joined her parents in front of a rustling fire and chatted while we watched television for the evening. It felt good. We laughed and joked all night. I felt accepted by her family, like I was a part of it. My mind wandered, sometimes in the middle of conversation, wondering if I didn’t have this demon problem, would it be possible to be a full fledged member of their family one day? That thought was both refreshing and depressing. It could never truly be that way, but it was nice to dream about it.
Like most fun nights, this one passed in a rush. Before I knew it, it was getting slightly late and thought it best to call it a night. I was well-wished by Anne and Richard before being walked out to my car by Shade. We decided to just hug goodbye this time as her parents watched us intently from the porch with their arms around one another’s hips. I waved to them one last time as Shade made sure to advise me that our usual nightly plans were still on the table by saying, “Go get my Shadow kitty.”
I drove to my spot and waited a little while before I went back. As I stalled, I thought about what her mother had said. I did need to stay on track. I had delayed long enough, it was time to go after Agrelia. I loved staying with Shade, and training while I did so, but taking my time wasn’t going to make the council go away. If I stalled too long, then they all could come after me at once; I wouldn’t stand the most remote of chances. The time had come. I would have to head out for Tombstone at some point the following day. This is about to get serious, real fast. With that final thought, I scooped up Shadow and took flight.
Like usual, I crept up to her candle-lit, cracked window, but this time I didn’t turn to smoke before I got there because I was holding Shadow and didn’t want to freak him out by disappearing. I made sure to make as little noise as possible as I tapped on Shade’s window, letting her know we had arrived. Shade flew out of bed, realizing that I couldn’t enter in the ‘usual’ fashion because I was hauling precious cargo. It looked like she was about to scold me before she realized why I was still very visible.
“Oh my god, I totally forgot that you would have to carry my Shadow,” she whispered.
“So did I. Here you go.” I handed my furry buddy to an over-anxious Shade.
“Hey, baby.” She cooed at the loving Shadow, who has rubbing the top of his head against her chin.
I crawled into her darkened room and sat on the bed. Shade put Shadow down next to me and very quickly jumped back into the warmth of her covers. I sat quietly, just briefly, before I let her know that I was finally going to be facing the inevitable.
“The time has come for me to confront Agrelia.”
Shade sat up and scooted next to me, sitting Indian style under her covers, shyly replying, “I know.”
Her voice sounded worried, and she started scratching my back. “You know just how real the possibility is that I may not come back to you…right?” I looked at her.
Her head dropped and she fiddled with the material on her covers, “I can’t even think about that, Leo. You have to come back to me.”
“I can’t guarantee…”
“I know…I know…but promise me anyway that you’ll return.”
“Shade, I…”
“Just promise me, Leo…I just need to hear it. I know what the odds are, I’m not stupid. I have to believe that I will see you again.”
I held my breath briefly, knowing that it was highly likely that I would not return to her. But I knew all she wanted was a flicker of hope. I picked up her chin and looked her straight in the eye, kissing her very softly.
“I promise. I will come back to you.”
She smiled, not confidently, but in a manner that told me she appreciated hearing those words. “I’ll wait for you to come back to me, every day, at your tree.” Just then Shadow jumped in between us and started rubbing against our arms, causing us to giggle. “And so will Shadow.”
“Sounds good. So, what was said after I left?” I changed the subject in an effort to get away from the pressing thoughts.
“They frickin love you.” She seemed ecstatic.
“Really?” I felt taken back in a pleasant shock.
“Yeah, they thought you were very polite and were one of the most respectful boys I have ever dated. Funny, they think a demon is best for me.” We chuckled.
“What can I say, I’m loveable.”
“Easy, lackey, don’t let it go to your head, because we have a small problem.”
“And that is?”
“They want to meet your parents soon or we might not be able to date, at least to their knowledge, any longer.”
“Great. How the hell are we supposed to pull that off?”
“I don’t know, but we’ll have to come up with something. But first, you have to come back to me safely.”
“I’ll do my best.” I received a stern look from her. “I promise, I mean, I’ll be back.”
Much like every night before, we talked away the night in a snuggle while managing to fit in some heated kissing and hugging. But this time, she stayed up all night with me, and shortly before dawn, I escaped her warm embrace and got ready to face my destiny. We stood at her window and hugged for quite some time. Nothing was spoken, we just held onto one another. When we did break hold, we kissed so passionately that it indeed felt like a goodbye kiss.
“Please…”
She couldn’t finish, but I knew what she was going to say. I said nothing, just rubbed my hands against her cheeks and kissed her a little more. I didn’t want to leave her lips. The pain I felt in our passion was nothing compared to the misery I feel in her absence. The thought of never seeing her again tortured me inside. Our foreheads and noses rested against the others. I looked deep into her eyes.
“Surround me with your wings. I love when you do that.”
I did as she requested.
“I love you, Shade. I promise to return. Do you believe me?” I didn’t believe myself, but that didn’t matter as long she did, or pretended as much anyway.
“I love you too, and yes, I do believe you.”
We pecked one more time before breaking our embrace. We held onto one another’s hands briefly before finally parting.
“Besides, you have to come back anyway, for more than just returning for me.”
“Oh yeah, why is that?” I raised an eyebrow with a half grin.
“You have to take me to junior prom.” She bit her bottom lip playfully.
“Is that right?”
“Yes…that’s right.”
“Well, then, I guess that leaves me no choice.” I smiled.
She shook her head in approval. Joking like this has kind of become our way of shaking off the tension of being in our extraordinary situation. It was most definitely a defense mechanism Shade had to help her cope with the dark times in life.
“I’ll make sure there will be plenty of food for Shadow at our tree. I’ll also park the Mustang where it can’t be seen so easily, just in case people come around. I’ll also leave the cat food inside the car. It will be parked somewhere near my spot in the forest. You’ll find it. Take care of yourself and my little buddy.”
Shade nodded. Her eyes watered up and a single tear rolled down h
er cheek. Again, she kissed me.
“Just know, if I don’t…”
“Shut up, Leo,” she swallowed hard, “you will. Now go.”
I ran my hand through her hair one more time, looking at her beautiful face over once again. Without delaying further, I instantly turned into smoke and went out the window.
I went home first and made sure everything was in order in the best way I could. I pulled a blanket out of my car, folded it, and placed it next to the bag of Shadow’s food in the back seat. I knew Shade and Shadow would spend some time here together while I was gone and I wanted to leave them with something that helped keep them warm, even though I knew Shade would likely bring stuff, too. It was just my final way of telling her that I would be thinking about her every moment that I was away.
I took one last look around my spot, knowing that this could be the last time I see it. Although all the vegetation was dying off around the area, it was still a warm place of solitude for me. This was the only home I had ever known. Some amazing things had happened here, destiny changing things. I would truly miss this place. I soaked in as much as I could and looked up into the sky before sucking in a nerve-packed breath. In seconds, I was in the stratosphere above the clouds, watching the sun completely rise over the beautiful environment below. I was on my way. No looking back now. I would be in Tombstone very soon. The collision course with Christian’s council has officially begun.
Chapter 5
GUNSLINGER
I flew just above the clouds at a steady pace. I was in no hurry, at least right off the bat, to get there. I needed to get my head into survival mode and battle ready. Rushing into a fight with Agrelia could end this whole thing before it even got started. So, as I flew, viewing the scenery below, I focused on the impending fight. I watched as the breathtaking, rolling green mountains of Colorado slowly began to blend into the sparsely covered red dirt hills and valleys of the Arizona desert below. I was getting close to my destination.