Forlot - Books 1-3 {Completed}

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Shade," I mumbled.

"I am sorry that I could not arrive sooner," Shade said. "I had unexpected plans this morning, and I heard that you were having a doctor's appointment."

Unexpected plans? Oh, please! He was plotting for my downfall!

And how did he know that I had a doctor's appointment?

It is proof that he is a shadow and up to no good!

"Damian told me of the appointment," the shadow boy continued, pointing at Damian.

My best friend crossed his arms and gave him a sickening glare. "I never told you that," he admitted.

"Yes, you did. How else would I know of Nigel's appointment?"

Damian shrugged and narrowed his eyebrows. "You either spied on Nigel or somebody told you, and it certainly was not me."

It was Shade's turn to narrow his eyebrows. "I would never - ever - spy on a person. That is an invasion of privacy."

"Then the logical explanation is that you heard it from someone."

"I heard it from you!" Shade exclaimed angrily. "There is one Damian."

"Technically, there are many people in the world that are named Damian."

"But they do not look like or act like you!"

Getting sick of the fighting between Damian and Shade, I finally snapped.

"Enough!" I yelled. I got up and looked at the shadow boy. "You need to leave."

"What?" he questioned, surprised by my statement. "But I just got here."

"Nigel is right, Shade," my best friend agreed. "Save your breath and go."

"I—"

I pointed at the front of the house. "Go out the door. Jump out the window. I do not care. Just as long as you are far away from me, my friend, and my house." I clenched my hands into tight fists. "And stay out of my life and my dreams!"

I do not know what got over me that day. It is as if the fear within me drained out. I was no longer afraid.

I was mad.

Shade did not heed my warnings. He stayed where he was and had a confused look on his face. "Stay out of your dreams?" he wondered.

"Yes," I replied. "And my life!"

He took a step back. "Hey. I thought that we were friends."

"We were not friends to begin with!"

"...oh. I guess that I had the wrong impression."

"Pfft! Do not play dumb with me!"

"Dumb?"

"I know who you are!"

"...yes. I introduced myself to everyone on the bus."

I growled. "I know who you really are. What you are!"

"Excuse me?"

I muttered under my breath. I had enough with this guy.

He had to go.

"Leave, shadow, or I will call the cops," I threatened.

"Shadow?" Shade questioned. "Why did you call me a shadow?"

"Because you are a shadow!"

He shook his head. "Nigel, has the doctor tested you yet?"

When he said that, I got ticked off.

"I am not crazy! I know what you did to me! And to my mom! And to Maxine! And it makes total sense!"

The shadow boy brushed his black hair. "Whatever are you talking about?"

"Allow me to refresh your memory."

So I confessed to him everything that he did and said to me.

What happened in the dreams.

The fact that he almost killed me in my sleep.

How he was responsible for Mom's and Maxine's deaths.

"The pieces are coming together, Shade. I do not know exactly how you killed my mother, but you did. And you somehow caused the bus to crash. Perhaps you had some help from your shadow friends, the Nerians."

Shade was about to speak, but I continued on with my speech.

"And I do not need to guess why you are here. In the afternoon." I took a step towards him. "You are here to kill me."

His eyes widened, and he gasped. "Why in the world would you think that I would come to your place to kill you?"

"You tell me. You are a Nerian."

Shade let out a heavy sigh. "This is absurd. And to think, I rescued you from the bus wreck."

I was shocked by his latest comment. "What?"

"When I realized that you and Maxine were unconscious, I grabbed and carefully dragged you both from the wreck. I saved your guys' lives."

I frowned. "And then you killed Maxine."

"I did not kill her! I never did! I swear!"

"You are a shadow. You killed her."

"Just because my name is Shade and I wear black all the time does not mean that I am the bad guy."

"Hmm." I was not buying this. He was lying all the way home. "How do you explain coming into my dreams?"

"Allow me to answer that question," I heard Damian say.

Suddenly, I felt a hand clamping down on my neck. Its fingers wrapped themselves around my neck, and I coughed.

"S-Shade..." I chocked out.

"Not Shade," my best friend informed me. "Yours truly."

I gasped. "Damian?"

"Not Damian." He spun me around, and an evil grin spread across his face. "Emperor King Oberious. At your service."