The Ambassador

Ch.1: Ashes to Ashes

The day of Adam's funeral was an exceptionally grim one. He was too young to die, and the doctors were baffled by his death due to his extremely good health. Never smoked, never drank, and exorcized. To (Y/n) though, it made total sense. It was the shadows that killed him, and she blamed herself.

(Y/n) as well as her mother, Olivia, and Mia stood around the casket at Adam's grave. Other family members dressed in the appropriate black and stood around them. The priest's words came as a muffle to (Y/n)'s ears as she gazed about the graveyard. Shadow's loomed nearby, staring at them all. None dared to drift closer, but all were equally curious.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust," The priest blessed the casket and tossed holy water on it. He finished the service in prayer before everyone was dismissed.

Mia placed her old wrinkly hand on (Y/n)'s while gripping her wooden walking staff in the other. (Y/n) rolled her eyes and walked away heading towards another grave in the yard, her Grandfather or as she called him Poppop.

It wasn't too far from Adam's final resting spot but gave her the distance she needed from her family members that she'd rarely seen.

Her Pops name laid on the stone next to her grandmother's, the only difference being he had death date and she didn't.

"Ah, visiting Pop too?" Mia spoke as she approached (Y/n). "We'll have to bring him flowers on the next sunny day."

Without taking her eyes off the grave she spoke, "How did Pop die?"

"That old fool." Mia shook her head with a smile on her face. "Smoked a pack a day and died from an allergic reaction. What are the odds, right?"

(Y/n) was very young when her Pop died so only blurry memories were left behind. "Are you sure it wasn't these damn Shadows?"

Mia sighed, "(Y/n), I know you're angry—"

"Oh, I'm a lot more than angry, Mia." She turned and crossed her arms. "They still don't know why he died. It wasn't natural. You know it was them!"

Gam lifted her hand for her to stop talking, "I know it was them. It wasn't the first time I've lost someone to them either."

"It — isn't?" (Y/n)'s anger faded.

She thought she had known everything about the Shadows and what they were. Gamgam had shown her everything she needed to know, even if it was boring. She was strong in her faith, read books on the topic, and did everything that was asked of her but yet this was the first time she was hearing about someone dying that Gam knew.

"What, do you think I could go this long as a Protector and NOT have someone I know die?"

"Well — I mean — I —" Her words fumbled before she took a deep breath, "What I mean to say is, I know other Protectors died alongside of you but what do you mean ones you knew?"

"My sister fell to the Shadows when we were young adults. I swore to try and protect everyone I love since." Mia looked up at Adam's grave, gripping her walking staff until her knuckles turned white.

"Mia..." (Y/n) paused, "It's not your fault..."

"Do you carry the guilt as well?" She turned towards her granddaughter. "We were born into these roles. Like my mother and her mother before her."

"I know, sometimes I wish we weren't." (Y/n) didn't act upon her role as a Protector, and her mother barely did so either.

The family traveled to the after dinner to celebrate the life of Adam. After the dinner (Y/n) and her mother went for ice cream, it was Sunday after all. They each ordered their strawberry bowl and toast to their deceased loved one.

Arriving home was the hardest part of the day. Neither Olivia nor (Y/n) really said a word to one another but felt the same emotion, empty.

"I'm going to bed, mom." (Y/n) spoke.

"Alright, honey, I'll be up for a bit still." She gave a weak smile to her daughter, "Get some rest."

"Don't stay up too long either."

(Y/n) walked into her room and turned on her lights. It still held the room of a High School teenager even though she'd been back from college for a little over two years. She'd added a few more items to make it "Adult" appropriate, aka removed clutter.

There was one little guest that could make her feel better even on her worst days. Not all shadows were bad in her eyes, especially her little friend she called Greenie.

Greenie was a Shadow that visited (Y/n) quite often. She didn't know its name but its green eyes were its only defining feature, as it was for most Shadows.

Moments after she turned on her lights a smoke-like figure floated from under her bed and began to take a human-like shape.

"Sorry, it's late, Greenie." She tossed her black shoes in the corner of her room. "Today was ruff."

The Shadow couldn't talk back but still seemed to give off a ton of personality and listen quietly.

"I don't regret meeting you, but I wish I wasn't this damn Protector." She let out a groan and fell into her bed face first.

Greenie swept her hair side to side. He could barely touch it and pieces fell through his grip constantly, but to a normal person, this would appear to be ghost-like activity.

"I know you're trying to cheer me up, but — I mean — that was my dad. My DAD." (Y/n) lifted her head stared at the Shadow. "You don't do the whole parent thing do you?"

He shook his head.

"Well, be happy you don't have to. When you lose them it sucks."

She stood up and walked into her bathroom to change. Greenie began to wander around the room looking over items she had as he usually did while he waited for her.

Greenie had been there for a good few years, meeting while she was away at college. He liked to torment the college students a few times a week, especially the drunk ones. Things changed when he realized that (Y/n) could see him. Curiosity got the best of the Shadow and they were friends ever since.

"Greenie, you leave my fish alone!"

The Shadow pulled its smokey limb away from the bowl. He turned his head to see her coming out of the bathroom now in comfier clothing.

"I'm not really up for talking tonight — I just want to go to sleep if that's alright..."

The entity adored sleeping and didn't seem to argue with her...not that he could.

The Shadow swirled himself up in a ball and made himself comfortable at the edge of the bed. (Y/n) yanked the covers down and slipped herself under.

"What a day..." She thought before slumber took over.