Shadows on the Wall

Barnum is a good man. Or at least he tries to be. He had made an oath to himself that from this day on, he will not ignore the homeless, the beggars, or even the miscreants. He would not deny them the help that they might need. He would sacrifice his time or even spend the last of his wealth to whoever asks for it. Barnum knew it was too much of an oath, but it was what he was for. He considered himself a hand. It was his purpose.  

On the night of September 23rd, an old woman wearing a tattered robe came pounding at Barnum's door. Her face was pale, her eyes were bloodshot, her knees trembling as she grabbed Gotham's wrist with her cold clammy hands. "There was a shadow on my room," she said. "She was chasing me her hands were as sharp as scissors her teeth as long as knives!" Barnum felt her nails digging into his wrist. She struggled from the old woman's grasped but she dragged him with her hands as she mumbled words he could not decipher. The old Barnum would have been too confused and demented that he would have thrown the old woman on the bushes. But the new Barnum remembered his oaths, so he allowed the woman to dragged him unto the misty hill coating the disgust he felt with a forced smile as the old hag directed him to the woods. Barnum had heard of this woman of course. She was quite known due to her loony behavior. Her name was Mrs. Barmy if his not mistaken. It was a name often used by kids on the street as a form of ridicule. It was a name in which women in fine silk dresses pronounced like a spit.

For about an hour or half, he and the old woman trudged deeper into the woods lighted only by the pale glow of the crescent moon. Their shoes covered with mud as branches of huge nestling trees slapped into their faces. Mrs. Barmy's grip slackened. She turned towards Barnum muttered in a breathy voice. "Well you better pull your shoes off," she said scanning Barnum's face with her cloudy eyes. "You wouldn't want them to get irritatingly wet, would you?" "Huh?" Barnum replied, puzzled. She released Barnum's wrist from her iron-like grip and disappeared through the mist. Barnum hurried and tossed his shoes on the bushes. His feet sinking into the wet mud as he proceeded to where Mrs. Barmy disappeared. Barnum trudged blindly on his feet. It was not dark yet the path was blanketed by a thick mist like a cloud has descended to the earth. He could hear the burbling of streams from somewhere ahead of him. "Mrs. Barmy," Barnum called, the cold air was starting to bother him. "Mrs. Barmy!" he repeated rather loudly. "Just follow my trail young man," came Mrs. Barmy's distant voice. "I see no trail!" Barnum shouted in reply. "Everythings covered with mist for goodness sake!" Barnum groaned, the good Barnum melting in his frustration. "You'll find it!" she responded. As Barnum walked blindly with his hands outstretched he felt the steady stream of the water on his feet. He winced as he proceeded, feeling his knees subside to the gentle stream. The rocks beneath his feet were wide and slippery. He took his step warily ignoring the distant mumble of Mrs. Barmy. "Oy, you listening boy?!" Mrs. Barmy called. "What?!" Barnum felt his foot slipped from a steep rock, he plummeted to the water and gulped as he struggled to stand up with his back sinking into the water. A hand grabbed him on his wrist and pulled him from the water. "Boy, I told you to follow my trail," said Mrs. Barmy. The mist about them lessened as Barnum laid with his back on the mud, his feet dangling painfully on the river. He coughed and looked at the bewildered face of Mrs. Barmy. "Thanks," he muttered, sincerely. "But I have no damn idea what kind of trail you were talking about when we're surrounded by the thick mist." Mrs. Barmy shook her head and sauntered towards the large oak trees. "We better hurry boy, see the shadows are already looming," she said her voice quivered and her knees started to tremble once again.

Barnum limped behind Mrs. Barmy. His feet leaving a trail of blood in the mud as he sauntered rather unenthusiastically with his shoulders slumped and his head heavy on his neck. With each of his footsteps, he felt the new Barnum, the good one, slipped away from his grip. He groaned loudly allowing one of his oaths to drain with his frustration. He mumbled curses at himself for being an idiot and at the old woman ahead of him for dragging him without permission. They arrived at a wide clearing where a four-storey granite home stood with its head illuminated by the soft light of the moon. It has tall numerous windows but only two were flooded with golden light. Mrs. Barmy grabbed Barnum on the shoulder. "See, shadows, dancing," she whispered low and quivering. She pointed at the lighted window on the fourth floor. Barnum peered but there was nothing. Except that the window was wide open and the curtains were cascading towards the inside of the room when in fact the air outside was still. Barnum froze, he felt his tongue dried on his mouth. It was more than he asked for, this Barnum realized, this was a disturbing business.

Mrs. Barmy proceeded to the door of her home. She pounded the door, her knees were shaking. The door clicked and slammed unto the wall. Barnum felt his heart thundered. He waited for Mrs. Barmy to enter but was befuddled when the old woman gestured for him to proceed. He winced carrying his limp, he looked around the room regarding its cracked ceiling. Its brown granite walls were crocheted with webs. Torchlights fluttered on the wall while roaches roamed on the old barren cushions. The floor was covered in thick dust and it was like the whole place had long been deserted. Barnum plodded through the doorway carrying with him a mat of dust as he limped doggedly towards the tattered cushions. He slumped on the chair grimacing as he tilted his feet to examine the bruises. "Boy, the shadows it's upstairs..." Mrs. Barmy said pointing at the splintered stairs behind Barnum. Barnum rolled his eyes and proceeded in shooing the small roaches on the cushion. Mrs. Barmy grabbed his wrist and Barnum felt the dampness of her palm. "The shadows!" she shouted. She tugged Barnum's wrist with a force