Shadow

A car whizzed by, splashing water up onto her tattered jacket.  The faded green darkened as the dirty puddle water seeped into her core, causing her to shiver.  She peered up at the clock tower, barely visible in the heavy mist.  A deep sigh escaped her tiny lips.

She reached up and tucked a loose strand of dark hair behind her little ear, dragging dampness across her pallid cheek.  Pulling her hood forward again, as it was much too big for her tiny frame and kept slipping back, she set off in the direction of the tower.

There was a bridge, like an archway, that carried pedestrians across the river.  As she approached this bridge, a feeling of dread weighed down her already heavy boots.  She trudged along the dingy street.

A figure hovered near the base of the bridge.  She could not see its face, but she knew it was an old man.  He was crying.  The tears were not visible; it was more in his posture, the way he moved.  The air seemed to grow even more dense, and it was as if she were underwater now, for the fog was so thick.  The man's silhouette was so blurred that he now appeared more like a ghost, a shadow, than a man.

He glided closer and closer to the water's edge.  The figure paused, as if hesitating, thinking.  She watched with a weighted heart, wanting to call out to him.  Finding control of her muscles once more, she stomped towards the figure, reaching out to him, trying desperately to utter some sound, but the air was so thick that it suppressed her efforts with ease.  The figure shook with sobs.

In an instant, the figure was gone.  An outline of a shadow floated down the river.  Only she saw it.  All other passersby simply grasped their umbrellas, heads down, unaware.  She shed a tear for this lonely shadow.  The clock tower 's bell pierced through the fog like needles.  It shrieked twelve times, then only echoes were left to fill the now empty space under the bridge.

Date Night

            With slender, pale fingers, he buttoned up a faded blue shirt, leaving the top few buttons open. He placed a silver chain around his neck, careful to fasten the clasp tightly. A flattened gem rested between his collarbones; within it, shades of red and orange danced, intertwining with one another in an endless sphere. He flashed a brilliant smile at his reflection, then smoothed back a couple dark, stray hairs. He turned away from the mirror, patting his hips for keys and his wallet.

                        “Got ‘em,” he mumbled under his breath. Turning on his heel, he strode through the bathroom door. A wickedly perfect grin played on his lips.

                        “It’s date night.”

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            She waited patiently on the bottom step of the apartment stairway, fumbling aimlessly with her long, gold chain. She leaned forward, as she already had a dozen times, scanning the street with light, grey-green eyes. Just as she began to lean back again, a generic ‘84 style Honda pulled around the corner onto her street. She bounced up, short mousy brown curls coiling around her thin shoulders.

            He rolled down the window as he pulled up to the sidewalk, where she had planted her feet to wait.

                        “Get in,” he bade her with little emotion. Her smile wavered slightly, but she opened the car door and climbed in. His smile was gleaming in the dim light, yet it wasn’t…happy. A sparse tremor shot up her back, and she was thankful to be wearing a jacket.

                        “Shall we?” he suggested, voice hanging in the air like a tolling bell. She swooned, growing noticeably light-headed. She noticed his necklace, its flaming colors illuminating the area around him. He pressed on the gas, and the car inched forward.

            Her vision grew blurry, and she became limp in the passenger seat.

            He chuckled airily, and turned off onto an old dirt road. The trees became thicker as the car rolled over the gravel. The tires crunched over the rocks, twigs snapping under the weight.

            Minutes passed, and he pulled into a driveway; at the end of the drive, he came to a calm stop, and sauntered around to the passenger side.

            He opened the door. Her still lifeless body slumped over, onto the ground with a soft thud. Her face turned up, eyes fluttering open. Her face was a mask of horror, and a tiny yelp escaped her throat.

            His eyes met hers, and they were cold, icy even. His necklace flamed, sparks shooting out as he bent over her. She covered her face and tried to squirm away as he grabbed her wrists and dragged her, flailing, into a run-down old shed a few feet away.

                        “Wait here…and I might not kill you,” he whispered in her ear. He thrusted her against the wooden wall. Dust floated away from the ceiling at the impact, covering her hair and face in a cloud of gray.

            A single tear slid down her dirty cheek.