Shadow Beings

5. Reflection

"Are you sure?"

The whisper was raspy, barely audible yet it spread into my conscience. Perhaps it was only my imagination, but something about it was comforting and it relaxed my aura, but its reprimand made me feel embarrassed.

The voice was right. I didn't understand, I didn't know the demons. What did they want?

I reached for Jack's hand, setting aside my thoughts to alleviate his worries, but all I saw was an odd silence of his aura. He held an empty expression on his face, his thoughts as if far away from reality, but I let my hand remain on the vessel containing his cold energy. Theo then approached him, his lips pursed with uncertainty. His very presence evoked an inherent innocence on Jack's broad face, shattering the hard facade. I gave him a reassuring nod and gestured for him to take a deep breath, doing the same. A heavy stream of air passed into me, but it did not alleviate my mind as it usually did so.

A soft note came from my right and I turned to see Jay, his kind smile radiating a warmth intended for only me and it did melt the uneasiness away. He just had such an influence on me, as if the world could be destroyed and I'd rest easy if I was by his side. I returned a grateful smile, my eyes still wrinkled with sorrow from the aftershock. Jay gave a single, slow nod, leaving me to myself.

Ava. I looked around when her name just came to me and found her standing a little behind Jay. She wore a sweet smile and a bitter acceptance. Her lips tensed as she caught sight of me, hesitant, after which she slowly mouthed a simple sentence.

I'm here, we'll be okay.

I nodded, but I had to sort out myself. I didn't know what to feel. My parents didn't die in an accident. Of course they didn't, they were more powerful than any simple fire. Much, much more.

My foolishness left me incredulous. How did that never cross my mind before? That was no random fire, that was arson. My parents were taken away from me by those demons, and the thought sent an inkling of hatred to me.

No, Audrey, I scolded myself. Do not blame them until you know the whole truth. 

I couldn't afford to let negativity cloud my mind. Still, the seeds of confusion and despair were sown and it would only grow the longer I thought about it all.

I sighed, closing my strained eyes. They burned for a moment, but I welcomed the feeling till it finally stopped, letting the tension wither away.

Deep breaths, Audrey. Anger gets you nowhere. Understanding does.

"We will still hold the Annual Ball tomorrow. Let it be a new day of determination for us so we respect those who have passed and remember what we must strive for," Jay said with a confident softness, the tendrils of hope casting their net across the room.

The Annual Ball was kept in the memory of all the Shadow-Trappers that we had lost in the past year. The sphere of life could roll anywhere, but we were the ones running inside it. We would pray for the departed souls to be fragments of the peaceful energy in the universe. They do not for anything, they shouldn't. They're surrounded by solitary peace.

We celebrate life and death. It was a wonderful mix, really. What is life without death?

But that doesn't mean it is okay to end someone's time early... it's not as if we are living things, anyway.

The voices around had blurred into a murmur of chaos that I became oblivious of. I felt a soft touch on my shoulder, squeezing it in reassurance. I turned to find Ava by my side and she rubbed my shoulder with a smile, leaving after I returned it to her.