The Shadow Hunter

Chapter one

-11 years ago (Shady is five)-

"Mommy, why do other kids have a daddy and I don't?" My mom looks at me with a sad smile.

"You do have a daddy sweetie, it's just that he's not here." I look at my mother confused.

"Where is he?" My mom looks at me as if she was about to cry and that never happens. I was about to ask her what was wrong when she grabbed and embraced me for a hug.

"He's somewhere you might go." I nod my head even though I didn't get what she meant. "Even though I don't want you too..." Did mommy say that out loud?

"...Okay, mommy."

-7 years ago (Shady is nine)-

I walk up to my mother who's doing some paperwork in the study area. "Mom, why did dad leave us?" My mom stops what she's doing and turns around.

"Oh sweetie, your father has his reasons for...leaving."
After asking her every couple of years I stopped asking because I would get the same answer. This is the last time I'm going to do it, for both of us.

-Present Day (Shady is 16)-

I get out of the car and run inside the hospital towards the lady behind the desk. "Can I go see my mother!?" She looks up at me.

"What your name and the patients' name?"

"I'm Shady Clare and my mothers' name is Tasha Clare," I say agitated.

"She is in room A13." I jog to the room not wanting to get into trouble. When I arrive at the door I stop, scared of what I will see. I creep into the room. "Mom?" I hear the beeping of the machines. "Mom, can you hear me?" I ask after a while. I walk in and head for the bed, that's when I notice she's in a deep asleep.  She's in a coma...

Relief washes over me as I only see a broken arm. No missing limbs or serious injuries, good.  "Mommy what happened to you!?" I sob while cleaning my nose with the sleeve of my sweater. She's the only family I have; I can't lose her too! I turn around as I hear the door open and see the doctor come in. "You must be Shady Clare I suppose?"

"Yes, is my mother okay?!" The doctor looks at me sadly.

"I wish I could say she is, but she's in a coma, and we don't know for how long." I start to whimper and cry. Please don't have any brain injuries.

"What will I do! I'm so alone!" The doctor comes to my side.

"Do you have cousins or any family members you can stay with?" I shake my head.

"No, my mother never told me about our family." The doctor nods and leaves.

"You should get some rest, Shady." And with that, he leaves the room. But before he left he looked like he was talking to someone, but he had no earpieces of the sort. I look back at my mom and grab hold of her hand carefully even though it's not the broken arm. I stand there for what seems like forever when I finally decide to do something while being next to her.

I don't want to disappoint my mother when she wakes up because I had flunked my classes after she got into a coma, she would be mad at me. I have to finish my homework. I can't rest right now, I need to work! And I have a test tomorrow too! I get all my things out of my car and walk back into the hospital. After finishing up my assignments I look at my phone and see that it's already 9:30 pm and I arrived at 6:19 to see her. I was at school for an after-school reading club when...all of this happened. 

I slowly get up and stretch out my sore muscles. "I have to get my clothes for school tomorrow," I whisper to myself. As I am walking towards my mom I feel a tear roll down my cheek. You have to be brave, for her. I tell myself. "I'll come back tomorrow." I can stay Friday and Saturday night here at the hospital as well. I tell myself reassuringly as I kiss her forehead. Taking one final look at her as I walk out the door I blow a kiss at her and head out towards my car to go home.