Shadow: The Origin Of A Legend

Chapter 41

"Listen to me," it snarls in my ear, "I'm trying to help you."

"As if! Deceitful creature, you just want to use me!" I shrug its voice off, turning away in anger; I move through this dark air is though floating. I suppose I am floating, but it's impossible to tell. "You only want me to relinquish my hold so that you can take hold and shove me in a box somewhere--I won't let you take control of me!"

"Will you just listen?! You can't keep the control on your own, you know that." The monster sighs, seeming exasperated. "Your grip is slipping, and each time you re-adjust, you lose a bit of ground. Can't you see it? You're losing yourself, and not to me!"

I glare at the demon, enraged. "I am not! What are you talking about?! The only one 'losing it' is you."

"We have to work together," it barrels on, ignoring me. "Think of it as a relay race, okay? You pass the baton to me when you can't take it anymore, and once I wear out I'll hand it back to you."

"Yeah, right!" I snort, rounding on it with my claws unsheathed. Somehow, wherever we are, I don't have my gloves or shoes; if we start to fight, it's my talons against its. "You won't even wait for me to be done, I'm sure of it."

"I just want to protect you! You know you have to get stronger to control yourself," it croons soothingly, placing one hand on my shoulder, a gentle expression on its face. "You almost attacked Scourge, didn't you? He could have gotten hurt because you couldn't contain yourself. These newfound energies, they're not easy to control--as of right now, I'm the only one who can channel this darkness." Sweetness drips off their words, a sickening honey-toned voice hissing venom into my ears, but I know there's truth in these words. "If you don't get stronger, if you don't gain more control, you could end up hurting someone. Someone precious to you. Or perhaps just an innocent stranger...but you're a threat to people, either way. How long do you think you can last?"

I lower my gaze, looking down at my feet. Darkness surrounds us, but it's more like an unlit room rather than the terrifying, oily void in my other dream. After a long, long pause, I lift my head again, sorrow in my heart. "Okay," I whisper. "Okay, I'll let you work with me on this." Somehow, I feel as though I've just signed my life away; a stone sits in the pit of my stomach, and my mouth is dry as a desert.

A distorted, sickening grin spreads across the monster's face. "Good, good... You won't regret this, darling." It gently runs its claws across my cheeks, caressing me, and I shudder, feeling ill. "It's going to be okay," wrapping its arms around me, the monster slowly begins to fade, darkness closing in.

I jolt upright, looking around, confused. Beside me, Scourge is nodding off--the sun is rising, and we're still sitting on the fence. Alarm shoots through me. I must have fallen asleep! "Scourge," I hiss, shaking him roughly. "Scourge, get up!"

"Huh? Whaaa?" He yawns, his sharklike teeth glittering in the dawn's glow. "Hnn, did we fall asleep?"

"I guess so," leaping off the fence, I shake myself, trying to clear my head of cobwebs. At least, I hope I was asleep... A shiver runs up my spine, cold and unnerving. "Come on, we have to hurry. We might be able to make it to the mountains by this evening."

"Alright," he mumbles, still half-asleep, as he slides off the fencepost. "Let's get goin' then." Stretching his arms above his head, he yawns again, blinking blearily.