A Tale of Shadows

Dreams

Azriel was shaken up by the card that had been exposed, never had she believed in coincidence and she was not about to start now. She took a deep breath, death had many meanings when it came to tarot, Azriel tried to convince her self the meaning was different than what she had suspected however she still had a since of dread that clung to her like a wet cloth, icy. The feeling was similar to when her mom jokingly had put ice down her shirt while camping once however this was not a feeling followed by laughter or was followed by a shutter.
Azriel wrapped her jacket tighter against the cold feeling as she continued making the 20 minute walk to school alone.
***
School was as always, she was teased behind her back and the halls would fall silent as soon as she turned. Azriel had no friends, the only comfort she took was from the pages of books. And so school passed with no event, and the dread grew.
    As Azriel walked home she expected to be attached, the air was so tense and nothing the walk was uneventful the only thing that struck her was the lack of movement of the roads it was quite for a day that school had just let out. Shrugging Azriel continued home.
   Walking up the stairs to the ground door Azriel pulled the key out of her pocket and jiggled the key in the lock while twisting to get the door to the old small two story open.
   "Yes!" Azriel shouted triumphantly after winning the battle with the old door, as she shouldered her way inside. Walking up the stairs to drop off her bag in her room her phone started to ring in her pocket. Checking the caller ID Azriel flipped open the old phone.
   "Hi mom!"
     "Hello dear, how was school?" Her mother asked tiredly over the phone.
      "It was nothing out of the ordinary, how about you is work going good today?" Azriel answered surprised, her mom typically didn't call while at work not unless something was wrong and the poor attempt a short talk was not missed.
  "Awful, honey I forgot my lunch could you be a dear and bring it to me," replied her mother.
    Aha! Azriel thought so there was something as she had thought.
   "No problem mom I'll bring it when are you going to lunch?"
   "12," her mom replied timidly.
"12?" Azriel reinstated, not believing what she had heard, "why so late mom? I have school tomorrow?"
   "I know dear and I'm sorry but Jane called in late and with the way the rush is going there isn't a way to take it sooner."
  "Ok mom I'll take a power nap and the head over."
  As her mom hung up Azriel proceeded to go upstairs falling into bed and grabbing a random book. After a while of reading her eyes grew heavy and she fell asleep.
   Talking she could hear voices in a language she recognized but the voices where so quiet she failed to pick up distinct words knowing only that it was not English that was spoken.
"Shhhh," a voice whispered, "She is here."
  In her dream Azriel could see an outline approach her while all else was surrounded in pure light.
"Am I dreaming?," she asked immediately regretting her out burst, of course it was a dream what else would it be.
The outlined man said nothing only coming closer. "This is a gift for you may it guide you in your time of need," said the figure as it stopped in front of Azriel. His feathers still hidden by the pure light in the dream with an outstretched arm he laid a beautiful necklace in the hands of Azriel.
She woke with a start. Not meaning to have slept at all Azriel rolled over and looked at the clock it was 10pm. Good she thought to herself she still had time before delivering her mothers forgotten lunch. Getting up out of bed Azriel felt the cool metal of a necklace chain sliding across her fingers. Puzzled Azriel looked down to examine the strange necklace and was stunned, it was the most pure metal she had ever seen it was brightly lit as if the metal could provide its own source of light and it was shaped like a strange flower and had different symbols engraved delicacy across the petals, it was a flower she had never seen and the symbols where definitely not english. As beautiful as the necklace was Azriel could not remember where she had stumbled across such a fine price of jewelry she could never afford anything like this.
Taking the beautiful necklace with her Azriel moved in front of the mirror once more placing the elegant necklace around her neck. She stopped talking in her appearance the necklace belonged she decided just not with this outfit, her close where very wrinkled from her sleep she would definitely have to change. Opening the closet door Azriel pulled out a skirt that flowed and rested right above the knee and a corseted top with flowing sleeves similar to the renaissance like sleeves that graced her shirt. Satisfied with her choice in cloths and that it would go with the necklace, Azriel quickly dressed and made her way downstairs after pausing before leaving her room to grab her sharp silver and black stainless steel pocket knife and tucking the knife gently between her bra and the corset up by her left arm so that it would be easier to access. Wait shoes! She quickly turned back to her room having yet to make the stairs and grabbed a pair of flat bottomed velvety leather boots that when to her knees and pulled them up over the fishnets she still had on from earlier that day. Then without any more delay Azriel proceeded down the steps to the kitchen.
   Opening the fridge Azriel sighed, her mom had failed to go shopping once more. Scavenging for food  she was able to find a package of butter crackers a can of spray cheese, beef jerky and sunflower seeds. Determining that what she had would have to be enough Azriel threw everything in a plastic bag and then packed the bag in her backpack so that her hands would be free during her walk.
  Glancing at the clock on the microwave, Azriel sipped the bag and walked out the back door after turning out the lights to face the darkness outside.
  Skipping across the moonlit yard Azriel looked back at the old house and in that moment as she turned away to exit the yard, she had a feeling that she would never walk down those steps again.