DARKNESS IN THE LIGHT

Strike 2

Thunder boomed and heavy clouds rolled across the weak sun. Inside Natasha's tiny house, the girls slept, Stacy's fingers entwined with Natasha's, who slept with her head on her arm. They didn't wake up, even at the crack of lighting that streaked across the sky, or the rumble of the thunder that followed immediately after. But Natasha twitched in her sleep, almost as if she was responding to the hurricane brewing outside.

The door swung open. No one stood on the threshold, but a long, shapeless shadow fell across the floor. The rain hadn't begun yet, but it was not too far away either. The shadow crossed the threshold and the door slammed.

Stacy jerked awake and hissed, as pain shot down her torso. Everything seemed to be going dark again, and she panicked. This darkness was the last thing she remembered before waking up in Natasha's house.

No no no no no no. She scrabbled at Natasha's hand, trying to get her to wake up, trying to find a way to prove to herself that this was all real. She wasn't the only one seeing it. But Natasha still slept as if she was dead.

A slimy, scabbed hand reached out from within the towering shadow, stretching towards Stacy, who sat petrified, fighting the clouds of darkness that threatened to engulf her. 

"Get away," she whimpered, pulling her knees up and hugging them. Her ears were ringing from the incessant thunder. "Don't."

A long finger landed on her cheek. A sharp jolt of electricity seemed to run across her skin and the hand withdrew. She didn't know what was happening, but she just knew that the person in the shadow could not touch her.

"What has she done to you?" A low voice growled out of the shrouds of shadow. "Why is she still alive?"

"Because you failed." 

Stacy glanced behind him. In the corner, Natasha stood by the window, her hands outstretched. But what caught her attention was the twin whirlpools lazily rolling across her fingers. The streams of water were winding around her fingers, looping and coiling over her skin. Not a single drop spilt. Stacy hadn't even noticed when Natasha had woken up.

"Why isn't anything working on you?" The voice hissed. "Filthy disgrace! You are weaker than us all!"

A flash of some strange emotion crossed Natasha's face. "Weak enough that you sent Adrian to kill me? Even when I was completely off radar?"

"Adrian was not here for you, foolish child!" The person shook his head and let out a small laugh. "I have not failed yet!"

The window imploded, the shares of glass getting sucked back into whatever caused the explosion. A lithe figure vaulted through the narrow frame, rolled, and got to their feet. Natasha grit her teeth.

"Adrian."

The person pulled off his hood and Stacy recognized the chocolate brown hair. Her stomach dropped even further, if that was possible, when he turned. His eyes were a solid black.

"Nat, he's not himself!" She yelled. Painfully, she pushed herself out of the bed, struggling away from the shadowy figure. "Look at his eyes!"

Natasha glanced over at Stacy for a split second. In that moment, Adrian moved. In a move so graceful it looked rehearsed, he leapt at Natasha. The force of his jump carried them both out of the window. 

"Natasha!" Stacy screamed. Huffing, she hefted a heavy metal rod that leaned against the wall. She guessed Natasha used it for reaching stuff on the roof, but now, it was about to become a weapon. "Don't come near me," she warned, holding the rod between her and the shadow. 

He simply laughed. He snapped his fingers and the rod dropped to the ground. "Even if I cannot touch you, I will have you. You are the answer. The key to everything we want to build." His voice took on a fanatical tone. "I only need you!"

Stacy screamed as his hands encircled her sweater covered arms. She tried to kick, but he lifted her into the air so her legs waved uselessly in the air. She could feel the hard muscle of his chest behind her rippling as he tried to hold her down. Then, the darkness was back.

                                                                         *****

"Adrian, listen to me!" Natasha screamed. The wind whipped her hair about her face. She could sense the coming storm.

Adrian's blank face turned to her. 

"Fight it, you fool! Fight him , you lovable idiot!" She was aware of the tears spilling out of her eyes, but she didn't break eye contact with him. "I can't lose you again." Her voice broke and she lowered her arms. The water coiling between her fingers vanished. "I won't fight you again." It was nearly a whisper, but she knew he heard her.

For a moment, the darkness in his eyes lifted, and she could see the brown she was so familiar with, from the hours spent gazing into them, counting the flecks of golden in them - there were always 6 in the left eye and 7 in the right. The eyes that were her mirror, because so often had she seen herself reflected in them, and the love in them was unmistakable.

"Nat, he's not here for you," Adrian said softly. His tone belied the struggle he was having to keep the darkness at bay. His entire body shook on the ground. "It was never you." His eyes clouded over again and he rose from his crouched position. He lunged at her, arms outstretched.

Natasha twisted away from him and he landed behind her. With a flick of his wrist, a sharp silver knife appeared in his hand, shooting out of his cuff. She recognized that knife. It had been hers at the ceremony.

He darted forward, stabbing with the knife. A thin line of blood opened up on her scarred forearm before she twisted away and brought her elbow up in a sharp movement. He dodged her blow and lunged again. She chopped at his elbow and the knife fell from his nerveless fingers. He seemed heedless of the fact that his skin was blistering from contact with her skin.

She kicked the knife away and settled into a ready stance, eyes never leaving Adrian. But before he could attack again, there was a shrill scream. 

"Stacy," Natasha mumbled, head snapping around to glance at her house. The shadow was emerging from the remnants of the blown door, a limp figure wrapped in a blanket over his shoulder. "No!"

She ran at him only to be tossed aside by a gust of wind he summoned with a simple flick of his fingers. She fell to the ground with a thud, and had the air knocked out of her. She could feel warm blood trickling down her arm and her face, but she could barely draw breath.

"Adrian, come," he said imperiously. Adrian's eyes had been clearing from the moment Natasha fell, but with those words, they darkened again. He bowed his head and brought his fist to his chest and they vanished in a twist of the air.

"Stacy!" Natasha's voice was barely above a wheeze. "Adrian. No. Please, no." She was begging. Begging. 

Maybe I am useless. Maybe I am weak. She rolled onto her knees and coughed, watching a strand of blood swing between her lips. I can never do it right.

She was 10 years old again, standing before her tutors. ' We can teach this girl nothing,' one said, gesturing to her. 'She has not the talent of her peers, nor the thirst to learn to gain control.'

Her father's hand was heavy and tight on her shoulder. His polite smile did not falter. 'Thank you for telling me. I will handle it.' They bowed and left. His smile turned to a look of pure rage and he shook her hard.

'Is it so hard?' he shouted. 'You can never do anything right!'

Natasha rose unsteadily to her feet. I will do it right. For once in my life, I will be right.

----------------

P.S: Just a quick statement: This chapter connects with the first chapter " In the Beginning." Cause now's when the story begins. Everything that happened till now happened before the events of chapters 1 - 3.

In case you are confused about why chapters 1 - 3 are there.

I'm out!✌