Shadow Things

V

Dread pooled in his chest, cold like forest water. Hansel had a hunch that things were going to get worse from this point on, but he didn't have a single clue on what it would be like or what to do when it happened. To top it all the boy was still using Hansel's face for a mask. Hansel wished he wouldn't, but he wasn't sure if the boy had any choice in the matter.

The boy assumed a sober expression. He pointed at the chair he was sitting on. "This is my chair." Then he pointed at the king-sized bed pushed against the wall across the room. "And that is my bed. You are not supposed to use either of those from now on." He stopped gesturing to give Hansel a magnanimous shrug. "But you are welcome to sit on the floor and make yourself comfortable."

Hansel's only response was a blank stare.

"Come here," said the boy beckoning him forward. Hansel held his ground. The boy forced his lips into what he must think was a friendly smile, as though such an action might earn Hansel's trust. But his eyes hadn't yet lost their monstrous sheen; they seemed to say he'd be very happy to stick a knife in Hansel's side if he came any closer. The boy picked up the book he had dropped to the floor earlier. "I've been spending some time trying to choose a name for myself. That nice Mrs. Delano wanted to know my name last night and I couldn't tell her, because you refused to give me one. It saddened me to disappoint her."

Hansel wondered if the boy was here to ask him to name him again.

"So I decided to name myself," he continued with the same spirit and simplicity of a kindergartener narrating his day's events to his parents. He tapped at the thin hardback book in his hand with a finger. "I picked a name from this book. My name is Felix."

Even with the dim lighting Hansel recognised the cover of the book. It was an old illustrated children's storybook he used to read back when he was a kid. He'd forgotten he even owned it. The book was simply titled The Story of the Ten Kings. Like the name suggested it contained ten separate stories of ten different kings accomplishing marvellous acts like slaying demons, finding legendary swords or stealing the sun. Hansel distinctly remembered the story of King Felix, because it was an odd little tale, tucked in at the very end of the book.

"King Felix and the Fearsome Gryphon?" guessed Hansel despite himself.

"Ten points to Hansel Schwein."

"Doesn't the king get killed by the gryphon in that story?"

The boy looked like this was news to him. He quickly hid his surprise behind puckered lips. "So what? He's the handsomest king in the whole book."

Hansel highly suspected the boy had read the book yet. Had he just been looking at the pictures all this time? He decided not to ask.

The boy got up from his chair then and strode towards the bed, discarding the book and getting as far as he could from the light of the desk lamp. He sat down on the edge of the bed and crossed his legs with regal grace, assuming a posture reminiscent of a real monarch. His eyes were a study in power and majesty and his lips were a mean line that was every disaster rolled into one.

"Come kneel down before me," he commanded, voice vicious and domineering.

This honestly surprised Hansel, so much so that his initial thought was that he had misheard the boy. But the boy's steely eyes were telling a different story. His lips grew thinner and his voice grew sharper. "Do not test my patience. I hate having to repeat myself. Come kneel to me before I make you."

Hansel couldn't believe this was happening. Was he perhaps dreaming?

He hesitated by the doorway, unable to discern if this was the boy's attempt at an unsavoury prank. Did he really expect Hansel to kneel down before him? If he did, would Hansel do it? However he wasn't even given enough time to finish his thought process before thin shadow ribbons flashed towards him like tendrils of crude oil. They wrapped around his waist tightly, then pulled him towards the other boy in one mighty tug, rendering him unsteady and swaying on his feet.