In the Shadows

II

The first verses of Misery Business blasted through my room and I groaned as I blindly slapped my hand against my phone to make my alarm stop. Why did I think that waking up at an ungodly hour on a Monday morning was a good idea?

I've never been a morning person or someone who loves exercising yet I had programmed an alarm at 6:30 am to go jogging around town. Ugh.

I raised my face from my pillow and groaned when the light blinded me. I had forgotten to shut my curtains last night because the sky was clear and the stars to shiny not to look at them. When my eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room I slowly got up and jumped slightly when my feet touched the cold wooden floor. I quickly dressed up in my work out gear and stretched for a bit before grabbing my phone and keys to go out for the goddamned run. It was cloudy and warm outside; the air was filled with the usual electricity before a storm. I decided to take the long route that went down to the waterfront. I loved to watch the agitated sea before a storm and feel the salty drops of sea foam on my skin.

I had been running down to the waterfront with my headphones on and lost in my thoughts as I look at the sea when I suddenly collided into someone's massive backpack and fell to the ground.

"Shit" I muttered as I slowly got up rubbing my bum.

Someone - presumably the human attached to the backpack - grabbed my elbow and helped me up.

"Are you okay?" the stranger had a deep voice.

"Yeah" I sighed "don't worry"

There was a tall, fit, handsome brunette guy standing in front of me frowning in concern with a poor hand draw map on his right hand.

"Good" he smiled and extended the map to me "can you help me? The guy at the train station has great drawing abilities as you can see"

I chuckled at his statement and took a quick glance at the map. I jumped up and down in the meantime so my body wouldn't get cold.

"Sorry about the bouncing but I don't want my body to get cold" I looked up at him and he was smiling back at me "it'll be easier if you tell me where you are going; the guy at the train station is good for abstract art"

"I'm looking for Shadow Port's Melodies" he said "the music-"

"The music store, yes" I interrupted him "it's on the next block, you should cross the road and keep going forward; it stands in the whole corner so you won't miss it"

"Thanks" he half-smiled and turned around to cross the road.

"The store is closed though!" I exclaimed "it's too early!"

"Don't worry" he waved his hand in a dismissive manner "I know the owner"

"Okay" I shrugged.

Shadow Port's Melodies was the only music store in town which also happened to be attached to a nice coffee shop; both owned by Elora Carrington. And I also worked there.

When I got back to the flat I heard the shower on and I groaned. Phebs usually took ages in the bathroom. I decided that in the meantime I would prepare breakfast and today I was in the mood for some chocolate-chip pancakes.

Phoebe Russell or Phebs was twenty four years old and my brother's ex-girlfriend. We had keep in touch after his death and when Beatrice kicked me out of my house on Ilchester Place she quickly offered me the spare bedroom in her flat and her comfort. After three years of living together she had become one of my best friends.

After a few minutes Phebs rushed past the kitchen and into the living room collecting her stuff.

"Your pancakes smell delicious Ann" she said as she made a quick stop on the refrigerator to gulp down orange juice straight from the carton "can you pack me some to take away? I fell asleep and the art gallery is hectic with work for the new exposition"