Crossing Lines

Prologue

Prologue

White Springs, Florida 1848

 

The carriage trotted along the damp ground, paying no mind to its passenger who seemed eager to get out of town. As the carriage slowly made its way outside of the city limits, the passenger felt as though someone or something was watching her. She anxiously ran a finger across a spot behind her ear, branded with interlocking triangles that made up a pentagram. A feeling of absolute dread washed through her, leaving a paralyzing fear in its wake. 

“Stop!” she cried, hurriedly picking up her skirts and exiting the carriage not wanting the creature to catch her. 

She began running through the empty street, desperate to outrun the thing that always seemed to be one step ahead of her. She blindly stumbled in the darkness, never slowing down for fear the the creature would catch up. Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks, turning towards the shadows of the building in front of her. Seemingly out of nowhere the shadow began to take shape, growing larger with each passing second. It began to take form, larger than any creature the woman had ever seen.

“Lucifer, have mercy!” the woman whispered, staring in grotesque horror at the figure lurking in the shadows. Her eyes grew wide with fear as the figure began to make its way toward her.

A piercing scream broke through the dark silence. Then nothing.

†

A panicked young woman made her way out of a tavern scanning the empty street, searching for someone. Her eyes were wildly roving the darkened space. Her shoulders seemed to sag in relief once she caught sight of a man leaning against a wall, staring into space, playing with a ring in his hand.

“You should not be out here alone!” she cried, making her way to him,  “You heard what Michael said. There are dangerous times upon us; no Shadow Dweller is safe. You mustn’t make me worry!”

The man looked blankly in her direction, not seeming to comprehend what she way saying. “Even Michael cannot save us from the horrors that are about to take place.” He breathed, defeated, “We are going to die.”

"You do not know that!" she whispered desperately. "Perhaps we can defeat it."

The man wasn't listening anymore. His head was turned upwards, looking at the stars. He continues to absentmindedly play with the ring in his hands.

The woman threw her hands up and stalked back inside the tavern.

The man exhaled slowly and sank to the ground, unshed tears shining in his blue- grey eyes. An overwhelming sadness consumed him when he thought of all the lives that were soon to be lost.

 His eyes grew wide as he felt the presence of another individual, a dark individual.

Come to me, Guardian.

 

The low hissing voice seemed to resonate through every crevice in the man’s mind.

He slowly got up from the wall and started to make his way back into the tavern, looking around to see if he was alone. Before he could take three steps forward, a shadowy figure materialized in front of him. The man stumbled backwards into the wall trying to distance himself from the figure.

            Weak little Angel the figure hissed into the man’s mind.

            The man closed his eyes, a lone tear making its way down his face, and whispered, “God save us all.”

Inside the tavern, the man’s companion sensed something was off. As she made her way outside she looked around for the man once again but wasn’t able to find him. As she turned to see if he was in the tavern, a glint of metal caught her eye. She went back to the spot where she and the man had their discussion. Lying on the floor was a ring, embellished with a pair of wings, and a single drop of blood.

The woman’s hand flew to her mouth as a sob ripped out of her throat. He was gone.

She dropped to her knees looking up to the Heavens. Her whole body trembled as the reality of what just happen sunk in. It was roaming the lands. No one was safe.