Little Shadow

Dear reader, I wish I could tell you that it ends well.

It doesn’t.

Let me put it this way. Had I known at the start of August what would happen, I would have gone off to summer camp or stayed indoors, not daring to go outside. I would’ve stayed home, where it was safe and there weren’t murderous lightning storms raging outside, ready to strike the nearest person who was dumb enough to be out that day. 

I was that idiot, by the way. 

Walking through Lincoln Park, it really didn’t seem so bad. I’d just landed in West Seattle, hoping to find some release from the bustle and tussle of city-life. All I wanted were a few days of uninterrupted alone time. A bit of bliss to get me through the hard times, you know? But the rain had just started falling, in more ways than one. And when I heard the thunder, I was like, screw it, I wanna take a walk. 

So I kept going.

Then the sky flashed with the first signs of lightning. Furious black clouds rolled in as if from out of nowhere, rearing up like a cobra ready to strike. But my feet kept moving, my emotions stayed in check. Weirdly enough, I wasn’t afraid. Looking back now, I realize how much I should’ve felt in that moment- fear and anxiety, for sure. Maybe a little foolishness, but that didn’t occur to me then. I kept thinking if I just ignored the storm, I could go to bed with a peaceful mind, like I hadn’t been able to in weeks.

NOT a little black goblin perched on my shoulder. 

I saw the lightning strike at about the same time as I felt it. I didn’t even register what was happening to me until the shock of it really settled in. And I do mean a shock. The blast that struck me sent a violent current of electricity running through my body that had my eyes rolling back into my head, my hair standing up on end. It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced; I fought the lingering vibration it left behind, pushed until I couldn’t breathe, but it still wasn’t enough. 

The last thing I saw before I succumbed to the awful pain of it all was that of a little shadow hunched over my fallen body. 

When I awoke, dazed and dressed in a hospital gown, it was still there.

Well, it wasn’t there. It was behind. 

At first, I didn’t know there was even anything sitting on my shoulder. All I could feel were searing pinpricks of pain spread across my body, like somebody had used a white-hot needle to poke every inch of my skin with. And my head. That was the worst. It literally felt like my brain had been set on fire. The roaring flames left me unable to think straight. So it took me a while to recognize the sensation of something other than pins and needles pressing against my arm. 

Something that had long, razor-sharp claws. 

Something that whispered very slowly in my ear…

You have such lovely hair.

The sound-- er, voice-- that I heard was hoarse, achy. The way it groaned and growled around the words you and lovely sent a series of icy shivers creeping down my spine that were almost as bad as the lightning shock. It cracked, like the gaps in a sidewalk, like it was more of a rasp than an actual voice. My eyes stayed glued to the wall in front of me, wide and scared. All of the emotions I’d suppressed during the storm came back to me in a rush. My throat tightened. 

What was that thing?

Not what. Who. 

I jumped in surprise. Had it just read my thoughts?

Yes.

O-kay. So on top of the already creepy claws and the ear-splitting Alyssa Levine-voice, the devil on my shoulder could read minds. How great was that?

While this thought was crossing my mind, the thing dug its claws deeper into my shoulder blade. Its ragged breath burned the skin on my throat.

Your eyes are so pretty.

“What do you want?” my voice shook. A few seconds of silence passed before I heard it’s serrated reply--

Your lips are so red.

“SHUT UP!”

“Who are you talking to?” 

I swiveled my head around to catch a nurse in blue scrubs walking in the room. She was looking at me in the way I sometimes caught my sister looking at her daughter; uhhh…

“Oh, um…” Just the monster that decided to use my body as it’s own personal piggy-back ride. “It’s nothing.”

“Oh, well, okay.” She cast me a worried glance but otherwise dropped it. “So, I just heard some noises and wanted to check up on you… how are you feeling? Any nausea, headache?”  

Um, yeah, a little. “Nope, we’re all good here!” 

Well, at least that wasn’t a complete lie… I did mean the we. 

“Great! Then I’ll just leave you to it.” she started to walk back out, then stopped and turned to look at me once more. “You should probably get some rest, by the way. You must be exhausted, after the day you’ve had.” she sent one cheerful smile my way before finally leaving. 

Yeah, right, exhausted was one word for it. But the feeling I had was more akin to petrified. 

Careful to whisper this time, I clasped my hands together and covered my mouth. “Are you still here?” I waited a moment to hear its reply, but nothing came. I risked a peek over my shoulder, and lo and behold, it was still here. But at least it wasn’t in my head.

Phew. I didn’t know I was holding my breath. But wait-- why was I so relieved?! The fact that this thing was still here at all was reason to panic enough. 

Don’t you like me? 

Uh, no. I most certainly do not like you.

But you’re my ride.

Yeah, and? “I’m only going to ask this one more time,” I murmured, sending a meaningful glance to the door in front of me, though I had no idea why. Hopefully Mr. Devil would take that as some sort of threat and comply. “What do you want?”

Like I said. You’re my ride. 

“Enough with the riddles already! Just tell me why you’re here.” Sheesh, was this too much for goblins like you to understand?

More silence. And then--

I mean exactly what I say.

So you want me to carry you around all day? Like, for how long? Forever? Please tell me this is only temporary! And, by the way, just how does one accumulate a goblin from a lightning strike? I’ve never even heard of that before. The abominable snowman in Pasadena, maybe. Gnomes in the front lawn, definitely. But goblins and lightning strikes?

 Never.

Allow me to enlighten your dull witted human brain. Oh, well thank you so much for that. You come to me totally uninvited, speak in three and four word intervals, and I’m the one who’s dull witted. Yep, sounds about right. 

I sighed heavily. Well, at least it was right about one thing: I did need to be enlightened. 

But not now. Or rather, not right now. I’ve had all I can handle for one day. 

So that means shut up and let me sleep.

No reply.

Finally. 

***

“Well, hon, it looks like you’re healing nicely,” the nurse smiled. “Soon you’ll be good as new!” 

Good grief, I hoped so. I was so ready to leave this bleak, spotless prison I was being forced to stay in. I really missed home.

During my two-day stay here at AngelWalk Clinic, I’d gotten to know my new “friend” in the days preceding my release. 

And let me just say, it has been a-- um-- experience.

“--Only a few hours from freedom.”

I mean, I’m glad to have finally had the madness explained.

“And then you’ll be safe at home--”

And it will take some getting used to.

“Won’t that be nice?” 

But am I ready to make this kind of commitment? 

“Just don’t go walking into any more lightning storms, eh? Ha, ha.” 

“Yeah. Ha!” I laughed with her. It felt good to laugh, felt good in my chest. Warm and throaty. I hadn’t felt like this in ages. 

As our laughter rang in my ears, I recalled the moment when we’d sealed the deal:

I don’t care what you are. Just leave me alone.

I can’t do that, Meaghan.

You can and you will!

Shh, Meaghan. 

Get away from me!

I’m going to stay.

No you’re not!

Yes, I am.

I said no you’re… 

Have I told you what soft skin you have?

You’re not… 

I’m going to stay with you.

You’re…

Your friends will like you better than they used to.

…  

Won’t that be nice?

Meaghan?

Now that I think about it, I probably shouldn’t have been so harsh. After all, we’d only just gotten to know each other. Now that it was over, it seemed like a shame to end so soon. 

Because, really, she does have lovely hair.