The Shadows Solace Book I: The Growing Years Prequel

Chapter XI: A Light Within Darkness

Tom shuddered in fear, disgust, and revulsion as his form curled itself together and tried not to think too hard on the amount of blackness surrounding him now; blackness that seemed to torment his mind with remembrance of the evil he had caused. Blackness that played with his thoughts; made him try to doubt his choice. To try and force him to lash out at nothing and for no reason other than he could.

Nor could he stop the new and biting cold that began to envelop him and shroud his body; his spiritual body, at least. He hadn't had an actual physical body at the time of his release of the fragment. He shuddered again with loathing; the cold reminded him horribly of the harsh and unforgiveable winter months at the orphanage. Months of cold where there was precious little food and heat for all the children equally; too little for all of them individually plus the staff.

Months where many children got sick and ill without ways for medicine and to afford a doctor. Children that either got better on their own without it, or were buried early. Part of why Tom hadn't liked the idea of death; he had seen too many children buried despite his unemotional responses and indifference to it.

Tom then noted that his spiritual form here was that of his eighteen year old-self; fully clothed in slacks and a shirt, and perhaps because this was the form he was most comfortable in. He couldn't have said.

His knees then very tightly curled to his chest; like that of a small child trying to hide his emotions and or to make himself as invisible as possible. As his red gaze then suddenly watered for a moment. Sadness permeating his spirit more than ever before now; trying to not feel guilty for something he chose and would never regret.

Leaving Harry behind without him there to ease the bond; it hurt so badly right now. He felt more pain now from this and the detachment from the bond between them both than he had ever felt in his life. Which said a lot; he had caused a lot of pain to himself and to others in his life. Yet, this pain; it was not something you could describe. But it was present all the same. He didn't know if the child knew that he was responsible for potentially saving his life. He had no way of knowing if Adrianna had told him what he wanted.

He had no idea as to how long it would take the others to finish what needed done; to deliver him back to the real world and save him from this blackness. If this was what death was like; he had no desire to return again soon to this void existence.

He started as he heard steps; footsteps in fact, and warily raised his gaze. Watching as the blackness suddenly began to light with radiant white light. Faint at first, but growing larger. More pronounced as the steps sounded louder and closer.

He sucked a breath as his eyes widened to the sight he was seeing. A person garbed in all black walking towards him. Black mist swirling about them as it mixed with the white light. Their face hooded and not recognizable, yet their hands were made of bones.

He began to panic; was he actually dead? Had he left Harry behind to suffer without him there?

He stilled and breathed hard as he then nearly collapsed; the figure held onto a child. One who radiated the glorious light he was witnessing, and the child was all too familiar to Tom as they stopped before him.

"Harry." He said as his throat locked with emotion

Green eyes turned to him and looked to his own red ones with a soft grin.

"T." He sounded slowly and with a soft and simple happiness to him

The figure then silently beckoned Tom to them and he held the child to out the spirit of the man who once embodied darkness incarnate; not saying a word to him about why. Yet, Tom didn't hesitate. He stood and went to them and took Harry from him as he allowed the light and his warmth to soak into his spirit.