Secrets In The Shadows

Chapter 22: On The Prowl

Orion Orion Orion Orion Fated togetherness For Us My Little Huntress Heart and Soul Sacrifices

Those words are on repeat in my head. People are being sacrificed, like they're animals instead of human beings. You're cute when you sleep you know that? A chill runs down my spine. He was in my house, in my room...

My uncle and Detective Gray leave, presumably heading back to one of the crime scenes.

I head back up to my room and shut the door. I walk over to my wall and place my hand on my shadow. I've never tried to enter the shadow realm without Tress' help, but it looks like I'll have to this time.

I take a deep, calming breathe and concentrate on looking for that warm feeling I always feel when Tress lets me in.

It takes me a little while but when I do find it I immediately grasp it mentally and will it to let me in. A second later I feel a different emotion. One of longing  mixed with relief.

I begin to search for Uncle Aiden and Detective Grey, I know I've found it when my hand begins tingling. I place my other hand beside it's mate and latch on to that feeling.

Instantly I'm pulled into the shadow realm. I keep my eyes closed so I won't be tempted to touch the strands. If the aftereffect is me fainting....

I reach my hand out, mentally feeling around for the shadows that are near my Uncle and Detective Grey. Near one of the crime scenes.

A tingling sensation begins in the back of my skull. I found it. I breathe in and out before opening my eyes to a road filled with police cars, coroner van and blocked off with police tape.

I look around and see that I'm in my Uncle's shadow. Hmm, that's never happened before....maybe because there's no solid place for me to hide in..

I realize that he and Detective Grey are talking about the case. I hear Detective Grey speak. " A man called to say that he found the body- Tyler Wilson- on the side of the road burned to death". She walks to the corpse underneath a white sheet. She gingerly lifts up the sheet to...oh God she's sniffing the body.

Still hunched over she responds, " doesn't smell like gasoline.... there's no acceleration....if I'm out here on the road what do I use to burn my victim?". She drops the tarp and stands up, turning in the direction of my Uncle.

He shifts his body and puts his hands in his pockets. I see his eyes follow over to Tyler's car with the front hood open. "The victim drove up here, let's assume Orion called our victim to "help" him. The victims hood is up. Orion's story to the victim is that they car broke down or.... wouldn't start". He looks at Detective Grey, " how do you restart your car?"

Detective Grey blinks, I think in shock or realization. " Jumper cables". She looks back down at Tyler. "Once I have my victim hook up the cables that I brought with me to his engine and once he's over to mine, I would connect my set of cables to him and electrocute him".

My Uncle nods and Detective Grey walks over to stand by his side. I know they're talking but I'm reeling from what I just heard. Tyler was electrocuted. He had maybe 100 watts of voltage running through his veins, the terror and pain he must've felt....

I shake my head to clear it. You can help him by finding out who did this. This is why you're here. Seemingly done here, my Uncle and Detective Grey walk towards their cars and begin to drive down the road, presumably to the next crime scene.

To the next victim.

Now in a car, I'm in the shadow of the vinyl passenger seat. Alone with my shock, anger, and thoughts. I focus on my Uncle. His hands are gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles have gone white.

His jaw is clenched in anger mixed with determination. He wants to catch Orion, he needs to catch Orion so that the people can feel safe again, for justice for the victims and their families, for me.

I blink. I felt that. I just felt his emotions and put them with his thoughts. Before I can figure that out, the car comes to a stop. I look out the window and see we've arrived at a graveyard.

My Uncle gets out the car and I shadow transfer to a tree near the crime scene. Opening my eyes, I see crime scene technicians take pictures of the victim and the scene. I look down at the victim.

It's a she. She's on a flat headstone, dressed in all black with dried blood underneath her heaps on black hair. I blink. I recognize her clothing, her black leather bodice and black skirt, the black ripper stockings on her arms and legs....her creamy skin that already made her look like a porcelain statue will now forever be pale, no red in her cheeks as signs of life. As signs of living.

It's-"Tyra Dawson". I lift my gaze from Tyra's body onto my Uncle's as he speaks. "The caretaker of the gravesite called this morning to say he found her". He walks to the base of the tree I'm watching out of and nudges something on the grass floor with his toe. He takes out a plastic baggie, reverses it, and picks up the object this placing it in the baggie.

He closes it and holds it out for Detective Grey to view. I see it's a cigarette. Detective Grey takes this moment to get in the mindset, "After I kill Tyler I drive out to the graveyard where I know my next victim will be. I build up a trust with her, we smoke, we talk and then I attack and kill. Did you notice there's no clothing on Tyra? Just the note...".

I look down at Tyra's body. Tears well up in my eyes as I remember the jokes people called her and she didn't do anything. Didn't respond. She just lived her life only to be killed for me. Because of me.

I clamp my lips together to stop the animal scream that wants to jet out from my lips. She didn't deserve to die. I decide that I'm done here and shadow travel back to my room. In my room, I collapse on my bed, sitting.

I clench and unclench my fists. With Tyra and Paul, that makes six people. Six people have died because of Orion's and I's so called fate. I know what I have to do.

I know I have to be the one to stop Orion.