Only A Shadow

Chapter Four

The excitement soon settled as the onlookers packed their belongings in their vehicles and some of the players cleaned up the trash leftover.

As I took off the sweaty helmet and reached for my purple water bottle, I couldn't help but hear Courtney conversing amongst her spiteful friends. "I can't believe she won. Just because of her alien strength. It's not fair!" She whined.

"Alien....not normal...What is it with these people? Can't they leave me alone?" I questioned furiously in my mind.

I packed my backpack quickly and raced home. "Mom said she'd be home by three. And it's four thirty now." I pondered, looking at my silver watch. "Surely she's home." I noted as I jogged down the decrepit concrete sidewalk. Turning onto Canyon trace, I noticed a black Audi R55 parked on the curb of our average suburb. The sleek, shiny black car definitely stood out amongst the dusty old town.

"What in the world?" I muttered in confusion, gliding my hand over its flawless frame. The glass was darkened; consequently I couldn't see what was inside. "Hopefully no one is in there." I prayed.

I hopped up the three wooden stairs and entered our tiled mudroom, plopping my faded backpack on the white bench.

"Mom?" I called out, only to find that my voice echoed emptily throughout the high ceilinged foyer. "Dad?"

I journeyed through the kitchen, growing wary of what lay behind the corners. I sensed someone was here, waiting to pounce on me. I entered the extravagent diningroom; the table was lined with crystalware. "Mom!" I called out louder than before. "Daaad!"

"Were you looking for someone?" A deep rich voice asked from behind me. Startled, I wipped around finding before me an African American broad shouldered man dressed in a suit and skinny tie. On his bald head he wore thin rimmed black sunglasses and an earpiece in his ears.

"Who are you?" I asked hastily.

"Michael Jorgensen. SDA. You're coming with me." He stated monotonously, grabbing my skinny arm roughly with his wide hands.

"What? No!" I shouted. Quickly tearing his hand from mine.

"Artemis, you must come with me."

"No, I- what? How do you know my name?" I asked in a surprised manner.

"I work for your parents, Ramon and Cassidy Kokonis." He stated bending down and fiddling with the brick fire place in our living room.

"How? They work at different places." I answered.

"Do you not know?" He asked, turning from his work, but returning shortly after. "No, I suppose you wouldn't. They were told to keep it a secret from all, including you."

"What? What do I not know?"

Before he could answer I heard a click and a whirring of machinery. "What's that?" I asked worridly.

As Michael Jorgensen stood to his feet, he questioned, "You ask alot of questions don't you."

"Sometimes..." I admitted reluctantly. "You don't answer very many."

As I said this the fire place began to emit a blue glow. "What is that?" I asked persistantly.

"Our ride." He stated. I, in return raised my eyebrows in an 'I don't believe you' sort of way.

The fire place hissed, like a train coming to a stop, and protruded from the book lined white wall. It then slid to the side revealing a brightly lit neon blue hallway. Michael's feet clacked on the glass flooring. I followed, but looking down I saw only a seemingly never ending abyss. I, extremely scared, took a deep breath and shook my sweaty palms. "I can do this." I whispered. The door slammed shut behind me.