Black Rose

10.

It was raining in Fort Gibson once we made it back. Hannah and I were sitting in her bedroom, waiting for Badge to come pick me up. Hannah had a thing about driving in the rain after her accident. Even though Badge only lived about fifteen minutes away, I wasn't going to put her through that.

"So, do you want to tell me what really happened now that we are alone?" She prompted after I had been completely silent for the past hour and a half.

"I...I don't think I know where to begin," I admitted.

"What happened after I left?" She persisted.

"I don't know. My memory is kind of fading. I just get pictures. I remember the lights flickering, and then there was a shadow. The next thing I knew, the lights went out, and then..."

"And then what?" She asked as I trailed off.

"I don't know. All I can think of is fear. And pain." My hand absently went to my throat and chest. "Hannah...I think I was attacked."

"Attacked?" She was trying not to sound skeptical, but it was obviously there. "By who? Tatum, there was no one there in the fitting room besides you."

"I know. I think it was the shadow I saw."

"The shadow?" She raised her eyebrow. "A-are you sure?" I turned around to examine myself in her mirror, the bruises around my neck still evident. When Hannah finally caught notice of them, she gasped in horror. "Oh my God. I knew we should have taken you to the hospital!"

"And tell them what? That I was attacked by some shadow creature?"

"What if you're seriously injured?"

"I'm fine," I said, though I felt far from it. I honestly felt disturbed.

"Well, what was this shadow creature?"

"I wish I knew."

"You mean...you have no idea what went after you?" I shook my head. "Did you use your powers?"

"I couldn't. All I can remember is being frozen in fear. I completely choked." No pun intended.

"Do you think Alice was behind this?"

I shook my head. "No."

"How can you be sure?"

I breathed out a sigh. Now was a better time than ever to be truthful. "Something like this has happened before."

"You've been attacked by a shadow before?"

"No. I've been attacked before by other supernatural creatures."

"Well, yeah. The skinwalkers," she concluded.

"No. When we were in L.A., I snuck out and went into town. I went to this bar and met this guy there named Clive. Only, I thought he was a guy. It turns out he was something else. He attacked me. He had to have known who I was. What I was."

"How would he know that?"

"When I went to go see Alice, she mentioned how in their world, talk of the four of us has been circulating. Apparently, we are pricey."

"So, you're trying to say you're some sort of supernatural bounty?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. It makes sense. Alice says we possess great power. Power others would want to use."

"Others including Alice herself."

I gave her a look. "I think this incident with the shadow is the same thing. A sort of...bounty hunter."