Within the Shadows

Table of Contents:
Epilouge
Chapter 1: Darkness can crush you
Chapter 2: Moonlight
Chapter 3: Rose Petals
Chapter 4: Silence
Chapter 5: Lunessa
Chapter 6: Fire and Ice
Chapter 7: From beginning to end
Conclusion1


Epilouge
I stand dazed and confused in a barren forest. How did I get here? As my foggy head tries to trace back to the nearest possible memory a shaft of golden sun-light pierces through the dense pines and surrounds me with warmth. Wind whips through the trees and whispers secrets. I slowly walk to try to regain my memory. "Ebony..." I hear my name and turn around only to see a familar terrifying face. Before I could have time to think it all became clear, i've seen this face and I had to get out of here...fast.2

Chapter 1
"I've won again!!!" Alyssa's innocent face was smug now. "That's the third time I beat you at jump rope!" I half-smiled and picked myself up off the ground. "Want to try again," she pleaded. "No thanks," I said quickly, "Let's go inside and have some lemonade." Alyssa shrugged her shoulders and we walked together inside. Laying on our front porch was out 2 year old Jack Russel Terrier Demetri. "Awh, come here Demetri!!", Alyssa cooed. Demetri got up and trotted over to where we stood. As Alyssa smoothed his fur, I went inside to get the lemonade. "Ebony," mother said, "You know we have to save some for when the Atwell's come over. "Awh, mom! Why do they have to come?" "You know they come over the second sunday of every month," mother replied. "But there freaks," I retorted. "That's it," mother scolded," I want you to go outside and don't come back in untill Alyssa has tought you some manners." As I stormed out Demetri and Alyssa looked up. "Something the matter?" Alyssa asked. "Nothing." I said. After Alyssa had smoothed Demetri's fur completely he gave one shake and strode off the porch. "Ebony, you and your mother really should learn to get along better," Alyssa pointed out. "I know but sometimes I just don;t think she understands me at all. I mean, everysince her and dad split up it's like she's a whole different person...she's...kinda obssesive, you know?" Alyssa sat down on the step with me and put her arm around me, "I know but she just misses him and you seem to fill in that little missing piece of her heart. She loved him, and he chose alchcol over her. Don't you think that was a little unfair?" "Yeah," I shrugged, "I guess it is hard." "See? Come on, let's go for a walk so you can cool down. You don't want to say anything you'll regret later." After walking for about 5 minuits I stopped. "Alyssa, do you remeber where we are?" "Hmm?" Alyssa asked. "I-Idont remeber this place!" "Ok ok, we can't be to far away." As Alyssa paced back and forth with her hands pressed to the side of her face I wandered around a bit. After looking around I saw a screen of brambles. "Alyssa, come here." Looking puzzled Alyssa came over to me and I showed her the screen. "What do you think made that?" I asked. "Be careful, it's hard to see anything when it's this dark." I hadn't even noticed but when I looked up it was very dark. As we stood there trying to think of away to get back something behind the bramble screen moved. "What was that?" Alysaa asked scared. "Uhm, nothing. Demetri probably followed us out here. Let's go over there." I pointed to a little clearing about a third mile away. As I turned to walk briskly away Alyssa's terrified scream made me spin around and lose my balance. "Ebony!!!" she screamed. "Alyssa!I I screamed back. "Help! Something has got my ankle!" I got up and ran to her and grabbed her writsts. "It's got me! Something had got me!" I loooked past her and saw that she was already half-into the bramble screen. "Don't let it get me!!!" I was pulling on her when all of a sudden she vanished through the brambles. "Alyssa!" I screamed as loud as my lungs would allow. There was no answer. "Alyssa!" I tried again. Still there was no answer. Suddenly I felt very alone and the forest around me seemed to loom over me and threaten me. The darkness felt as if it was crushing every fiber of me. I ran with tears streaking down my face back toward where we had come from but still I had no idea where I was.3

To be Continued