Shadows erupt from Jackson, blades of pure black that slice through the world around him. He would make them pay for what they took from him; avenge the sanctuary stolen from him and his people. Make them suffer tenfold to make them feel the pain in his broken heart. He would become the monster they wanted him to be, a creature to hate and blame.
People ran, faster than they ever had before. Officers fired shots, called for support, the mass of shadows silencing them before they could even scream, engulfing the streets in New York in the darkness that bled from his heart.
The sun never rose that day.
Chapter 20
Eddie is finishing up at the gym when he gets a text from Hakeem.
Hakeem: Eddie, are you on your way home? I’ve got this sinking feeling. Jackson isn’t answering.
Eddie:Just got off work. What’s wrong?
H: I don’t know. I can’t leave the lab—we’re about to run something delicate.
E: I’ll be home soon. I’ll let you know if anything’s up.
H: Thanks. I hope I’m just being paranoid.
E: After everything that’s happened, it’s better to trust your gut.
Eddie pockets his phone and takes his bike off his keychain. Getting his helmet on, he feels his heartbeat begin to race. His hand began to shake, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
Perhaps Hakeem wasn’t being paranoid.
Eddie needs to get home now.
When Eddie opens the apartment door, the lights are off. The sun had set over an hour ago—8:30 in the evening, leaving everything in darkness.
Was Jackson out?
He makes his way inside, closing the door behind him slowly. A hiss comes from the base of the stairs—Princess Bandit, on guard.
Making his way over to the small creature cautiously, Eddie bends down to her level. “Hey, Princess, what’s wrong?”
The raccoon startles, eyes going wide before she scurries to hide behind him.“Is Jackson upstairs?” The raccoon simply chitters, her voice small behind Eddie’s back.
“Jackson? You home, buddy?” Eddie is cautious as he goes up the stairs. He can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong as he stops in front of Jackson’s door. He hears movement inside—like Jackson is trapped in a nightmare. Perhaps he needed a nap that went on for too long. Then why wouldn’t this knot in Eddie’s stomach go away?
“Jackson, are you okay in there?” Eddie’s about to knock on the door when a scream tears through the air.
“NO!”
The scream is raw—rage and venom tearing through it. Princess bolts for cover beneath the couch.
Eddie doesn’t have time to react.
Blades of shadow rip through the wall of Jackson’s room, carving into the banister behind Eddie. Jackson’s door splinters and shatters as a tendril of darkness slices through it, hitting Eddie square in his chest.
Eddie has a split second to react—his body flaring with an aura of ocean blue. His magic flares to life at the last moment to deflect the blow, not without tearing into his shirt where the slash connected. Would Eddie have been able to withstand such an assault before his magic began to change? Concern for his own well being is clouded by the thought of the man who lay behind the crumbling door before him. His body moves before he can think. The air fills with the scent of copper.
Blood!
“Jackson!”
Eddie rams into the door, it gives way easily after taking damage from the shadowy blade. The wood flies off its hinges, dust and debris dancing in the air as it crashes into the bedroom floor. He spots Jackson sitting up in his bed, breathing reduced to short frantic huffs, sweat glistening on his forehead and eyes glowing a deep crimson.
* **
