Just a Shadow?

The Voices

"Hey Crystal. Have you seen anything strange going on at all?" Annabelle asked.

"No," replied Crystal. "I'm usually doing my puzzles. Or spending time with my mom." Crystal and Anna have been best friends ever since Preschool. They always looked out for each other, whenever they could.

Crystal found a puzzle she hadn't done yet. "Wanna do this one?" Called Crystal. "It has Ariel from the movie you like!" Anna, however, wasn't paying attention to her friend. She was trying to hear the parents conversation.

Maybe... Thought Anna. I can hear what they say!

"Anna? Annabelle? Hello?" Her friend said, a little annoyed that she wasn't paying attention. "ANNA!" Crystal finally managed to yell her name. Annabelle jumped with surprise.

"Oh, sorry. I'm just starting to weird things."

Crystal sighed with concern. "You always say that. Now can we please do the puzzle?"

**************************

Hours past, it got quiet in the house. "Why did it go quiet downstairs?" Questioned Anna.

"Do you wanna go check? Ooh! It's like a mystery! But some mysteries are scary..." Crystals voice trailed off.

"Lets go upstairs! We're brave 7 year olds! Right? Right! Now let's go upstairs." Annabelle was trying to seem brave, but she wasn't just scared. She was terrified.

"Annabelle..." Called a voice. "WHAT DO I KEEP HEARING?!" She screamed. Then covered her mouth. Then when they go upstairs, they hear things. Not soft, comforting voices that were their mothers. They heard banging. Then, they hear their mothers voices, and their footsteps running.

"BOTH OF YOU... GET IN THE CAR NOW!!" Annabelle's mother screamed. They opened the front door, and ran as fast as they could to Anna's car. "What's going on Anna!?" Screamed Crystal. "I don't know! My mom won't tell me!"

It looked as if the joy that was once in both of them was gone. "Did you ask your dad about what's going on?" Asked Crystal, calming down.

"No," replied Annabelle. "He has been working all day. My mom said we'll meet him at our grandparents house." Two little girls, frightened, and didn't know what to do right then and there.

Then they see both of their parents running to the car. "Are you both alright?" Asked Ava. "Oh my... Anna! Your hands!" Screamed Crystals mother.

"What's wrong with my hands?" She looked down to see what was wrong. It had black on them. "Mary! Look at your daughters hands!" Mary came to look at her hands.

"It's happening... I can't believe it's happening already..." Her voice kept on trailing off.

"Mommy! What's going on!?" Her mom didn't reply to her daughter.

The mom started the car, and drove to Anna's grandparents house. "Why won't she tell you?" whispered Crystal.

"I don't know." She whispered back.

"Annabelle..." The voice was still in her head. "Annabelle, I need to warn you." Said the voice. "And please don't be frightened of me, I'm good."

"Hello? Can you hear me like this?" Anna said through her head. "Yes, I can hear you." Shocked, she was talking to someone-or something she didn't know. "What do you mean good?" Asked Anna.

"Annabelle, I'm your shadow."