Penumbra

It was a dark and stormy night, the winds so strong that my shutters clattered noisily in their frames, trying to be helpful and cover the sounds of me sneaking out of bed and pulling on my shoes and coat. I supposed I should be grateful for its assistance as I stepped out into the lashing rain, it came from all around, there was no way to stay dry, just do your best. The howl of the wind sounded far too much like a far off scream as it whipped through the winding alleys of Berlin.I did my best to appear small and nothing noteworthy as I ducked from shadow to shadow. My cloak, freshly waxed, kept out the worst of the weather, though I wouldn’t be able to answer honestly if it was rain or the cold sweat of fear that made my shirt cling to my chest.I swiped loose strands of hair that dripped water into my eyes, darted a furtive glance around at my surroundings before ducking into an ally. The darkness brought on by the shabby buildings and night bringing visibility down to zero. I slowly started my journey, reminded a passage, “For I shall walk through the valley of shadow and death and I shall fear no evil.”The wind picking up to a shrieking sound of protest and panic. It all seemed strangely poetic,from an outside observance, this dark and stormy night. After all, it would just be weird if it were a calm, clear, beautiful day. It just doesn’t seem the right sort of atmosphere to summon a demon.