The Darkness in the Light

Chapter Six

We had to follow and wait for the husband, Harris, to be alone and near a drain. That was difficult, considering his wife had just disappeared into one. So, like most people, he was avoiding drains more than usual, and had more people around him than usual. Eventually though he came close enough. Jax lifted me up out of the drain and I scrambled to my feet. We were in a lonely alley way between two buildings, nothing more than a passage. I fell into step beside Mr Harris and his stride faltered.

"Sir?" I asked. He immediately leapt to the automatic response.

"What are you doing out here, miss? It is dangerous. You should be safe indoors."

I shook my head, placing my hand on his arm to get his full attention.

"Do you want to join your wife?" I asked. He blinked before tearing his arm away.

"Why are you threatening me, little girl? The drains are nothing to joke about," he growled as he began to walk off. I stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

"Please, hear me out. Your wife is safe. I am giving you the chance to join her. You can take it or leave it, but this is your only chance to decide. Can you risk trusting me to join your wife?"

"How do you know where Sweetchild is?"

"I can't say. Your choices; trust me and risk losing both your wife and this life, for the chance of having a wife and a child and a life somewhere else, or do not trust me and continue to live this life with Sweetchild just beyond reach, raising your child on her own."

"You expect me to choose? I don't even know you."

"I was the last person that fell victim to the monster. I'm sure you've heard of me. I switched my life for my brothers. It didn't seem like a hard choice for me, not in exchange for my brother. But I am a female, I understand if you've others in your care."

He looked at me and I understood him. He wanted so desperately to trust me. He wanted so

desperately to know his wife was safe and alive, to see her again. Yet his mind told him that this was all a trick.

"You are the Merrybank girl?"

"Yes."

He paused, biting his lip, his hands buried deep in his pockets. When he opened his mouth, his voice was both sad and scared.

"Then take me to my wife."

I nodded and walked over to the drain. Pausing at the edge of it, I gestured for him to follow. Then I jumped down into the darkness. Jax caught my shoulders as I stumbled from the drop. Then he pulled me back, out of the way. A second later his dark smoke wrapped around the man as he fell through the hole and into the drains. He had followed me into the heart of darkness, the deepest of his fears. He stumbled as the drain shut above him, plunging him into shadows. I blinked, lighting up the room with my vision.

"Good choice," I murmured quietly.

We must keep quiet. Can you see, stranger?

The man's head shot up, searching in the darkness for the source of the voice in his head.

It is alright. I am the monster that took your wife. She is safe and receiving care. Let Miss Merrybank show you the way to her.

Harris nodded, his shoulders hunched. He looked defeated. I patted his shoulder, pushing him gently along. He found it much easier to move, not hindered much by the darkness. I wondered if he could see like me.

No one can see like you. Jax's voice answered my thoughts.

Get out of my head. I growled at him.