Starlight's Heir - ✔️

Chapter 1 - Shadows

Tap. Tap. Tap. The rhythmic drumming of my slender fingers on the laminate countertop lulled me into a trance-like state. A large, grubby man stepped up to the till, his double chin rolling and stretching as he tilted his head up to scan the menu board.

The clock read five fifty-eight pm; two more minutes and my shift would be over. The Shake Shack had been devoid of customers for the last ten minutes after the latest two-hour rush. Had it been too much to ask that I could finish my shift without one last mannerless customer nagging me?

His harsh voice tugged away my last dregs of patience. "Gimme an extra large, Triple Fudge Brownie shake and add whipped cream. Don't be stingy on the syrup either, you're always skimping on the syrup here." His dark, beady eyes bore into me, but my attention wasn't on him anymore.

The writhing shadows dancing over his shoulders held me captivated, a hint of fear forcing my limbs to freeze.

"Hello." His hand waving across my face snapped my focus back to him. "Are you some kind of mute, or just too stupid to understand?"

Gritting my teeth and ignoring the drifting shadows, I forced my lips into a smile. "Of course, sorry, sir. One extra large, Triple Fudge Brownie shake with whipped cream and plenty of syrup. Coming right up."

Punching the order into the register, I took the crumpled bill he handed me and slid his change across the counter. A shadow slithered the distance, coiling itself around my arm. Yanking my hand back, I turned around and took a deep breath to try to steady my trembling so I could make the shake.

The huffs of impatience from the man at the counter tugged at the last string of my composure. Hold your horses, fatty. You'll get your stupid milkshake in a second. Counting to ten in my head so I wouldn't voice that thought out loud and get myself fired, I reinforced my plastic smile and put the shake on the counter. "There you are, sir. Have a great day."

He snatched it up with a grunt and lumbered away.

Is there not a single grateful person left in this world? I thought as I made my escape to the break room in the back.

I opened my locker with a sigh and pulled out my change of clothes. Anxiety had crept in on top of my exhaustion, triggered by the heaviness of the air that followed the arrival of the serpentine wraiths.

The tang of copper coated my tongue, and a tingle spread through my body, setting my nerves on edge. Eager to get home to the relative safety of my small apartment, I changed quickly and slammed my locker shut.

"Hiya, hun!"

My heart lurched out of my chest and a shriek escaped my lips before I slapped a hand over my mouth. "Chelsea!" I hissed, placing a hand on my chest to steady my racing heart. "You scared the crap out of me! Don't sneak up on a girl like that, you damn near gave me a heart attack."

"Evelyn, you need to unwind - you're always so tense." Chelsea's locker swung open and she reached inside. "Give me ten minutes, then you and I are going out for a girl's night. No arguments."

As much as I loved hanging out with Chelsea, going out for the night was the last thing on my mind. Trying not to cave as she shot me her crazy eyes and Eyebrow of Doom, a small grin spread across my face. "I was actually going to call Jorden for a ride home and spend the night by myself in my comfy PJs with a good movie for company."

"Ugh, Jorden?" Her eye roll could've won awards. "Two years and you still haven't you gotten bored of him? Sure, he's cute, but you could go for better."

"Chelsea!"

She let out a small giggle. "Oh close your mouth - I was only kidding... Sorta."

Snapping my mouth closed and placing my hands on my hips, I did my best to imitate her Eyebrow of Doom. What probably appeared to be some sort of facial spasm was as close as I got. "So you keep telling me.  But most people aren't as shallow as you are, you know."

Her always-present-smile widened. "Alright, hun, whatever you say. Anyway, if you're insistent on staying in tonight, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Of course. See you tomorrow, Chelse."

My tension didn't ease as we arrived at my apartment. The walk to my door was eerie, even with Jorden by my side. The dim lights -  spread evenly down the carpeted hallway - did nothing to dispel the sensation of eyes trained on my every move.

My keys jangled as I unlocked my door and pushed it open. Jorden stepped up behind me, putting a hand on my waist.

"You sure you don't want me to come in? We could watch a movie or something, and I could cook you dinner."

Wrapping my arms around his neck and standing up on my tiptoes, I pulled his lips to mine for a quick kiss. "As lovely as your offer sounds, I've had a rough day, and I'd rather just unwind by myself."

His cognac brown eyes melted me right down to my core and his lips brushed against mine. "Alright. Call me in the morning, though. And if you change your mind, you know my number." With a wink, he turned away and departed down the hall toward the staircase.

Stepping into my apartment, a chill tore through me, the hairs on the back of my neck standing to attention. With tembling fingers, I reached for the light switch. My stomach churned as the light refused to turn on even with repeated jiggling of the switch.

The darkness grew ominous, and a malicious presence filled the room.

Ice crept through me as the temperature dropped. The air stirred as shapes formed in the gloom.

Shadows swirling in the pitch black.

My apartment no longer a safe space, I slammed the door shut and chased after Jorden.

"Wait!" Catching him on the stairs, I clasped his hand in mine and flashed a practiced smile to hide my terror. "I changed my mind. We should do something, go out somewhere - I don't really want to be alone."

A stunning smile lit up his features. "Well come on then, let's find something to do."

A huge thank you to all of you who are reading this! You're amazing, and I hope you'll continue reading.

And a shout out to JaxCreation for the amazing sketch of Evelyn that you see up at the top :)