The Shadow Chronicles The Night Reapers

Of flowers and shadows

I grab him by both shoulders and yell at him to tell me what happened to my parents. "I am not sure," he says softly. Tears began to fall and I can't control myself. So many years of holding in this anger so many years of holding in these tears. I stand up and start to hit the wall with my fists.

"Stop!" He yells. "Stop it!" And he grabs me and holds me in his arms. I have not been held or hugged in years and having this kind of contact with someone is very weird to me. "You didn't let me finish," he says softly as I continue to sob on him soaking his shirt.

I don't know how long it was before I stopped crying. He held me and rubbed my back making small circles. When I finally broke this awkward connection he took my hand and we sat back down. "I'm sorry about your parents," he says. "I am not sure what happened to them all I know is that they were part of the cage fightings," "your dad survived the first round which consists of 10 fights. and then he disappeared,"

"And my mom?" I asked. " she went missing without having to fight," "they both went missing the same night," "but where?" I ask. " I'm not sure but they could be alive," he says. "I need to find out what the next round is," I say. "I know," he says "and I will help you."

"Why?" I ask. "What's in it for you?" "They took my mom." He says. A sad feeling forms in my heart and I feel sorry for him. If anyone knows what it's like it's me. "What we need to do is join those cage battles," I say. "Are you crazy!" "I am not and I am very serious."

"You can't just join the fights if you don't know how to fight," he warns. "There are competitors twice or three times your size," "and they will tear you apart!" "I have to try," I say stubbornly.

I can see that he is afraid of the competitors and I am too but I can't show any weakness. Plus I will do anything to get my parents back. "You have to understand that you might not come back alive like I said those guys are twice our size and have trained all their life we need to be able to win in order to go to the next round." "We have to train and I think I might know someone who can help us."

I changed his gauzes and we talk about the different types of styles of fighting that we know. It turns out he never knew how to fight because he was trained to use guns. I explained to him that I kicked a man in the shin a few years ago when he tried getting fresh with me. We talked all day about all kinds of things our childhood, what books we enjoyed and even what food we liked.

I told him how I found the troll and how I eat very little and how I still have my emergency money but will only use it when I have an emergency. My tummy growls and it makes both of us laugh. I have not laughed in a long time. I have not actually sat and talked to someone in a long time and having him here makes me happy.

The day goes by quickly and I am about to go to sleep when he says we should eat something. "I am so sorry but I have no money and I have no food," I say embarrassed. "Don't worry I got it." "No it's okay just get food for you," I say to him not wanting to take anything from him because I don't like to owe anyone. "Don't be silly," he says.

After a very long debate, I finally agree to go with him to the plaza. When we arrive I make sure to stay a few feet away from him for safety reasons. "What is good here?" He asks. "I am not sure," I say shyly. "Hello M," Ms. Luna says. "Ms. Luna, how are you?" I ask. "Same old same old," she sighs.

I introduce Nico to her and they both shake hands awkwardly and look away from each other. We say our goodbyes and head to one of the posts that sell the bacon-wrapped sausages. I ask for one with extra mayo and take a cold cherry soda float. He copies me and we both sit in one of the benches and watch the street performers.

"This place is amazing," he says. There is a pretty girl with golden hair that reaches her ankles. She has golden paint on her face and is telling a story to a group of kids by using her hands and objects to create shadow figures. Nico looks mesmerized by her. He is looking at her with soft warm eyes and I sort of anger builds up in me.

The girl continues her story which to what I can tell is about a bird who is injured. Nico continues to look at her and again I became a little upset. Maybe because he is the only company I have had in a long time. The plaza was so alive at this time. I wanted to stay here forever.

The girl with the golden long hair walked towards us and asks if we would like to sit in her next show. I reply with no but Nico says yes so we go and sit with everyone else. I am not sure if I will enjoy it but she turns out to be pretty good.

The story was about a boy and a dog and they were walking through the forest and they get lost. The boy becomes very ill and the dog must get them home. The story makes me laugh and it makes me cry. Overall it was a beautiful story and we both enjoyed it.

When it's time to walk back to the Troll I ask Nico if we can stop by a little bakery. I told him we do not need to buy anything but I wanted him to see all the cakes and pastries that they have. Two giant men in black leather jackets bump into him but I do not see their faces. Nico wanted to say something but I tell him to ignore it. 

We walk up to the bakery and look at all the wonderful pastries that they have. There are jelly-filled croissants and fluffy pastries that are filled with marshmallow and glitter and are all sorts of colors. There are cookies and there are cakes.

I tell him that this is my favorite part of the plaza. He takes my hand and we walk inside. "What are you doing?" I ask. "Let's try some?" "Are you sure?" "Come on." And he leads us inside.

We took so many pastries home and I even managed to bring back a cookie for Charlie. I place the pastries in a backpack that he purchased earlier and we head back to the Troll. I split one of the pastries in half and hand one piece to Nico. As we are eating the fried cottage cheese and jelly pastry and walking I notice a group of girls that looked about my age walking in our direction. I did not think much of it. If they want to get by they can simply walk around or we will walk around but Nico, on the other hand, freezes and stops halfway. Without hesitation, he takes my hand in his and starts to walk in the opposite direction. "Are we not going home?' I ask. "Please keep quiet," he says looking over his shoulder.

He walks back to the plaza and as we are walking he keeps his head down but keeps looking over his shoulder. His pace quickens and before I know it we are running into a crowd full of colorful people. His hand tightens around mine and he pulls me and I keep running. I don't know where we are running but I don't look back because if I do I know I will stop. The girls are running after us I can hear their shoes hitting the pavement. We reach Ms. Luna and I turn to look at them. They stop and then they turn around to leave. They are all the same, light skin with blond wavy hair and they are all beautiful.

"Who are they?" I asked looking around for the beautiful girls. "Those are the Nights Flowers," he says. "What is that?" I ask keeping my hand in his. "They are the daughters of all the Night Reapers," he says. He explains to me that the Nights Flowers as he mentioned are the daughters of the Night Reapers. They are in charge of keeping away anyone from the night battles that can cause trouble or at least anyone that they do not want to be there.

The beautiful girls have disappeared, by now its probably around 9 p.m. and I am starting to feel tired. "Can we go back to the Troll yet? I whined. He looks worried and walks me over to the restaurant we were at and tells me to stay where I am and takes off to who knows where but instead I decided to not listen.

I walk to a nearby telephone booth and slip inside, no one really uses this phone booth but it has a seat inside so I don't have to wait standing up. I became aware that my feet are aching and my body feels tired. I wonder where Nico went I should go and find him but I just don't have the energy. Closing my eyes I am transported back to the night it all happened but this time it is me that the night reapers are taking.

I hear my name M? Wait is that my name M!! I open my eyes to find Nico with a worried look in his face. I am laying on my side. I must have fallen off the seat when I fell asleep.
"You okay kid?" He asks. "Yes," I say softly and he helps me up. "Don't call me kid," I say frustrated.

" I asked you to stay where you were." He said angerly. " I don't have to listen to you," I replied. Who does he think he is. "M you need to listen to me if you want to stay alive," he says even more angry than before. I am too tired to argue and all I can think about is sleep. "Fine," I say over a yawn.

"We are not staying in that dump tonight," he says. "What?" I asked confused and then we are both knocked out and the world turns black.