The Neighborhood Watch

Chapter Thirteen - The Life and Death of a Shadow

Hannah's shadow was seven feet tall. It spread its arms wide and roared soundlessly, all the rage she's ever had pinpointed on my brother. The shadow ripped across the ground and effortlessly took out three of the Light, their sticks of electricity falling to the ground with a thud and a spark.

The shadow moved faster than I'd ever seen a shadow move, ripping through two more people like they weighed nothing. Though Hannah's shadow barreled towards him, Max moved calmly. Reaching over, he took the weapon he'd been eyeing earlier and aimed at the dark mass.

All it took was one zap.

Hannah's shadow took the blue electricity to the chest, the charge hitting her like it would a real person. Before our eyes, a hole formed where the electricity touched, spreading quickly as the blue light traveled across the shadow.

As the shadow silently screamed, Hannah dropped to her knees in pain, her scream of pain piercing my eardrums. 

Suddenly, Hannah was the only human alive to not have a shadow.

Max looked at the weapon in his hands with a smile. "I've been working on developing this weapon for some time now. It's good to know it works."

I hurried to Hannah's side, finding she had gone pale and her eyes were dilatated. "Hey, darling, I'm going to get you out of here, okay?" I put her arm over my shoulders and pulled her up to her feet.

"Even now, you chose her?" Max frowned, looking over Hannah's weak form. "I took away what made her special to you. Now what is the difference between her and all the others?" My brother seemed genuinely confused.

"People aren't playthings, and shadows aren't all we are." This was the second time today I was carrying someone my brother had injured to get to me. "You're sounding like Hank again."

MCD's face darkened. He marched up to me and placed the electric weapon against my throat, daring me to speak again. "I am not that devil."

"Could have fooled me." I looked straight at him, daring him to use the weapon.

There was a silent moment where everyone waited to see which brother would give in first, and then, Max smiled and moved away from me. "One of these days, Mika, you'll learn there are consequences to your actions. But until then, I'll allow you to deal with the consequences of her actions." He pointed the weapon one more time at Hannah before his face dropped into a bored frown.

With a slight flick of his wrist, Max and the entire Light turned and walked into the woods, not bothering to look back.

"You've got a thing for tempting death," Leo told me.

"Yeah, maybe one day I'll learn my lesson." I nodded. "Help me take her inside."

Leo came and supported Hannah's other side, and together we brought her inside, Marrisa watching our backs in case the Light wanted to try something. We brought her up into my bedroom and laid her down on the bed, pulling the blankets up to her chin.

"Is she going to be okay?" Leo asked, checking her temperature. "She's burning up."

I knelt down and felt the warmth of her forehead, my worries heightened. "I have no idea. I've never seen anyone lose a shadow before."

"It hasn't been possible until now," Marrisa added. "As far as I know."

Hannah's breath shifted and her eyes closed. I wasn't sure if she was falling asleep or passing out. I gently brushed her hair away from her face, my hand slowly moving down to caress her face. "Everything is going to be okay," I told her softly, hoping my words would be true.