Unto the Shadow (Completed)

(Ch.8) A Dance with the Devil

Mikaila's interrogation about Ryder's dismal hangout at Tairin's had gone on for hours, and a movie date with Josh had been the only reason Mikaila had concluded her endless line of questioning. She had invited Ryder to come over while she got ready, but Ryder had politely declined, grateful to have a clean exit. She loved Mikaila but could only match her energy level for a certain amount of time.

They had met in their usual spot, an empty field halfway between both of their houses. They had found the field when they were in the sixth grade. In the spring the whole field would become a lush green plain of grass with the occasional grouping of wild flowers. When their field was brown they would spend their time wandering down the water canal, it went for miles in either direction.

They had walked the canal today, because their field was still relatively brown and crisp. There were some shoots of green, but it would be another month before the field would be reclaimed by life and become lush again.

Ryder thought back on both her conversations this morning, with Mikaila, and her mom. Both had been strangely helpful.

Her mom had caught her before she snuck out the back door. It seemed no one had forgotten her monumental night hanging out at Tairin's house, which had turned into a monumental blunder. It also seemed miraculously that everyone could read her suddenly, her mom acknowledging her disappointment. But that was where Mikaila and her mom's conversations diverged. Mikaila, had given the sweet and supportive friend speech. Whereas her mom had gone deeper, practically rendering Ryder to tears with a simple sentence that somehow cut right to her soul. "This is a hard time in everyone's life. It's when they are trying to figure out who they are, not just who they want to be."

Ryder had blurted out the most honest thing that may have ever graced her lips, "But what if I don't know who I am?"

Her mother had reached up and cupped Ryders cheeks gently in her hands. Her soft blue eyes and sweet smile conveying nothing but love, "Oh baby, you know who you are. I know you're scared, but I see how you are in moments of great importance, there are no signs of anything but determination and strength. I am not worried about you at all. The only demon you need to work on is how hard you are on yourself. You need to show compassion to your own soul sweetheart."

Ryder's mind replayed her mother's words over and over as she left the path of the ditch and entered an apricot orchard. She was pulled from her internal pep talk when movement up ahead, caught her eye. She froze. Her mind shot to the veterinarians warning to be careful in the orchards. She began to feel very stupid for doubting Dr. Nelson. She felt the horrifying reality of how utterly alone she was.

But there was a wash of relief when she heard the faint sound of talking. She forced herself forward, grateful to not be alone, where wolves could be lurking behind every tree.

The voices became clearer as she closed the distance. The only people she usually saw in the orchards were field hands. She had made friends with a lot of them over the years, but there was always the occasional unfamiliar face.

Ryder's unease began to creep back though, the men seemed very rowdy, as they pushed each other. As they got closer Ryder heard them talking about a woman they had seen in a bar the other night, and how she was totally into them, but was just playing hard to get by saying 'no'.

With that, a symphony of wild alarms went off in her head. She knew she needed to hide. She was about to cut through the trees and get the hell out of there when she heard them call out to her. They had seen her.

Two men, both seeming to be in their mid-thirties, and neither seeming to know what a shower was approached like deceitful hyenas. One tall, and thin, had been doing most of the talking, his pasty white complexion, exaggerated by his bright red cheeks. It reminded her of someone with a fever.