Forlot - Books 1-3 {Completed}

Chapter Twenty-Three

I shuddered. I tried to move. I tried to call to my dad. But it was no use.

I was struck with fear.

I kept hearing the footsteps. They got louder and louder.

Step by step. Inch by inch.

I wanted to cover my ears. To run. But my fingers quivered, and I could not feel my legs.

Sweat dripped from my forehead, and I noticed an object from the corner of my eye.

A black object.

Slowly, I turned my head. The object was not an object. I was staring at a dark figure.

And yes, it was moving. Moving slightly.

I breathed heavily, hoping that I was in another dream sequence.

But I knew better. The figure was real. And I was about to die.

For real.

"Shade?" I spoke, finally finding my voice.

The figure tilted its head to the side. "Shade?" it questioned. "If you are wondering that I am Shade, then you are mistaken, my friend."

"Mmm?" My face twisted in confusion. "...Damian?"

Damian took a step forward, and I could now see him. "Ding, ding, ding! Give the kid a prize!" he exclaimed.

I chuckled softly. "Damian, I am sorry," I apologized. "I thought that you were Shade or a shadow."

"Why would you think that?"

"You...you were covered by the darkness. I could not get a glimpse that it was you who entered my house. You looked like a shadow. However, as soon as I heard your voice, I immediately realized that it was you all along."

"Oh, really? Why did you think that I was Shade?"

I gently rubbed the back of my neck. "It is a long story."

"You can tell me, buddy."

I looked down and examined my fingers. "When I told you about the shadow who attacked me, you had a hint of doubt that I was losing my mind."

"Maybe then." My best friend sat next to me on the couch and put a hand on my shoulder. "But not anymore."

"Huh?" I looked back at him. "What do you mean by that?"

"This." He grabbed his white laptop and set it on his lap. He opened the laptop and turned it on.

White appeared on the screen. It flashed off for a few seconds. Blue then flashed on the screen, and a toolbar appeared from the bottom. Controlling the mouse, Damian directed the mouse to the toolbar and clicked on the search bar.

The search engine popped up, and Damian typed furiously.

Click, click, click!

He had typed in "Evil Shadows," and the search engine took us to a different page.

"Remember when you wanted me to 'piece out the situation'?" he said.

I nodded. "Yes."

"Lucky for you, I found a website that has all of the information on shadows, including the evil ones that you are dealing with."

"Really?" I was a bit shocked that there was such a website.

Damian clicked on a link, and the link took us to a black screen with blue writing.

"I can barely see the words," I stated.

"The website is called 'Shadows & Shadows,'" Damian said. He squinted and read the blue writing. "'Do your shadows like you?'"

"Definitely not."

"'Do your shadows like to kill?'"

"Yeah." I rubbed my cheek. "They have a hankering to kill me."

My friend frowned at me. "I am not asking you these questions, Nigel. I am reading what it says."

"...oops." I could feel my cheeks getting hot. "My bad."

Damian rolled his eyes and continued. "'There are different kinds of shadows in this world.'"

I facepalmed. "Oh, wonderful."

"'Which shadows are you dealing with? Check the list to find out.'" He scrolled down, and we saw more blue writing. "Okay, Nigel. I will read you the list, and you tell me which of the groups of shadows match the shadows that you have encountered."

I took a deep breath. "I will do my best."

"Alright." He leaned his face close to the screen. "'Fantasy Shadows. These shadows star in fantasy books.'"

I shook my head. "Nope. Everybody knows that the Forlot series is all on adventure and mystery."

"'Worldly Shadows. These shadows focus on the destruction of the world.'"

"Hmm. Perhaps." I motioned with my hand. "Keep reading the list. There might be a better option."

"'Mirror Shadows.'"

I raised an eyebrow. "Mirror Shadows?"

"'These shadows come from mirrors.'"

I gasped upon realizing something.
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The shadow went over to a tall object that was covered by a sheet and ripped the sheet, revealing a mirror.

"Here it is," the shadow said. "Nerquina. My home."

"Um...what is a Nerquina?" I asked.

"A place where all shadows live." It pulled me close to the mirror. "You should do your research."
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"Click on it!" I exclaimed.

Damian clicked on the link and read the passage.

"'Mirror Shadows, also known as Nerians, are shadows who live in mirrors. The mirrors lead to their home, Nerquina. The Nerians have a king named Emperor King Oberious. He is the strongest shadow in Nerquina, and his goal is to make others miserable. Almost every day, people are killed by shadows who are the causes of accidents and other deaths, and the people who have been killed by shadows turn into shadows and go to Nerquina, staying there. Forever.'"

I shivered.

"'The shadows can take the form of human beings and sound just like them.'"

Just like the shadow who pretended to be Maxine.
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"Humans die when they are in the shadow realm. Let us see what happens when I put you in Nerquina!"
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I was going to speak, when someone else jumped in.

"Hello, Nigel."

Startled, I looked up - and saw Shade.