The shadows are where I live. They are the place I thrive, the place I hide. The place where I can watch and nobody sees.
Some call me death; some call me wraith. I call myself nothing. I am nothing and nowhere. I am here but there.
I stay inside during the day as much I can. I live in an abandoned house on the outskirts of the suburbs. It is run down and has been completely taken over by nature. There are holes in the windows and walls.
Sometimes I stare out my window and watch the passersby. The daytime bores me. Too much light to allow me to roam. Dark and stormy days remain my favourite. They allow me to leave the house at all times.
These days I follow the humans on their phones, at the movies (a delightful invention I have come to enjoy immensely). My favourite are the ones that make people scream. My shadows enjoy those sounds.
My favourite night is Halloween. The only night of the year I make myself corporeal and wander amongst the humans. I relish in their warmth and joy on this night. But it is also the one night the other creatures come out to play. This is the night the long-forgotten creatures of myth return to the human world to remind them we are still here. No, they are still here. I am not one of them. Though I can sense their otherness as they can mine. We are not the same. I don’t long to hurt the humans.
Perhaps it is the time I spend amongst them. The other creatures seek revenge. I am not sure what I seek. But I have been alone so long, sometimes I wish to reach out to another. To touch them, to connect. I watch the humans make connections every day. I watch them talk to each other. I watch them touch each other. A light touch on the arm, a hug, a more intimate connection. It has been centuries since I touched another being.
Sometimes I wish I could inhabit the human bodies around me to experience that touch. I am not that kind of creature.
This Halloween night feels different. There is an energy in the air I can’t place. I have noticed more creatures around my house. They know I am here. But they do not enter. They usually leave me be as I leave them alone. Tonight is different. When I sense them enter my land, I am curious.
We stare at each other for a moment. The creature in front of me wears a mask. A mask of humanity. But I see the darkness under the surface. I can read his intentions for this night. He is their leader.
‘I will not join you.’
‘Why not Shadow? You have lived among them longer than most. Why won’t you join us?’
‘They are innocents.’
The creatures laugh.
‘None of them are innocent. They took this land from us, and we will take it back. We will no longer hide in the shadows as you do. No more hiding.’
‘These are not the same humans who took this place from us.’
‘It doesn’t matter if it was them or not. Tonight, we will take it back, with or without you, Shadow. We will hide no longer.’ The creature turns and the others follow from my land. A few humans wander by and look up at the house. I am still in shadow form and they can’t see me. But I can see the confusion on their faces as the creature’s growl and snarl as they leave. I can smell the fear from my door. I can’t allow this to happen. These are innocents. There are children amongst the adults.
The smell of fear lingers in the air, and I know it will get worse as the night wears on. I know I can’t stop them; I can’t defeat that many creatures. It has been too long since I have needed my full powers that I don’t believe I will find them again. I would need them all. I would need to feed. It has been millennia since my power was last seen on this earth. But the scent of fear in the air burns through my senses. I take a deep breath in and feed. I take their fear.
A sharp metallic tang hits my nose, and I turn to where it is coming from. The creatures have started their attack.
I rush to the street. Without thinking I slam into the creatures. I will not allow them. With a force I never knew I had I am able to push the creatures from these humans. I pass over them with my shadows, covering them from the creatures. Only to elicit the cries of deeper fear. I remove my shadows and continue against the creatures. Pushing them as far from the humans as I can. Until the humans are safe. Safe from all creatures, including me.
The creatures run from me. Afraid themselves of the power I just used against them. Power I never realised I had. I turn for a moment and see the humans helping each other. I sigh, grateful. I return to my corporeal form and realise I no longer see or hear the creatures. I know that one incident won’t be enough for them. They are hungry. I wonder their allegiances. The House of Night, the House of Shifter, or the House of Demon. Their master’s would not be pleased with their actions. But it is not my place to interfere. I belong to no house. I have no master.
I continue to walk down the street. Smiling at the humans. Some of the children watch as I pass, enamoured with what they think is a costume. But the moment is short lived. The smell of blood hangs in the air again as I turn a corner. I continue quickly. I am not quick enough. These humans will not live. I hear something move behind me and I turn to growl at what I assume is a creature.
As soon as I see the human I stop.
‘I am sorry.’ Then human stares at me. Probably thinking I will attack as well.
I hold my hands in front of me.
‘I will not hurt you.’ The human just stares. His eyes are almost black, and I can smell the fear on him. He looks behind me to the strewn bodies.
‘My friends.’ He says barely above a whisper. I am unsure if it is a question or a statement.
‘I couldn’t save them; I wasn’t fast enough.’ He looks back at me then. Confused by what I have said.
‘Why?’
‘I don’t know why they are doing this. I am sorry about your friends.’
‘Why? Are you not one of them?’ He is angry now. His face drops quickly realising I am a creature as well and I may attack him.
‘I will not hurt you. I am not like them.’ I hold my hand out to him.
‘Who are you?’ He watches me closely. But moves toward me. I take his hand in mine.
‘I was once known as Elowen.’
‘Once?’
‘It has been many years since someone has asked for or used my name.’
‘I am sorry.’ I laugh and he pulls his hand back.
‘You have nothing to apologise for human. It is not your fault.’
‘It seemed the right thing to say.’ He shrugged his shoulders as though he didn’t know why he said it either. I missed the warmth of his hand and reached back for it.
‘What is your name?’
‘James.’ I smiled. He returned the smile until he glimpsed behind me, remembering the bodies. He grimaced and took his hand back.
‘I should leave you to grieve and call the authorities. Though I will need to contact their master’s as well.’ I shivered. I did not want to do that. But if I didn’t, they would force my hand and force me to choose a house.
‘Who are the master’s?’
‘You don’t want to know human.’ He shivered this time. I turned to leave. I had an idea where the master’s would be tonight and I needed to get there soon.
‘Please don’t leave me Elowen.’ I turned when he said my name. There was fear in his eyes, but there were grief and other emotions running through him that I couldn’t quite place.
‘Okay. Only until other humans arrive.’ He nodded and pulled out his phone to make a call. I could contact the master’s from him, but I had to be in my shadow form. I would rather do this in person, but this was the best I could do.
I became shadow and called into the mind of a bartender. She was one of my only friends in the world of creatures and she let me in straight away. I watched through her eyes as she walked to the masters. All six were here tonight. Bot the light and the dark in one place. This night was the only night all six were ever seen together.
She arrived at their table and waited.
The master of the House of Demon looked up first.
‘What do you want demon?’ I answered in my own voice, not the demons.
‘Your creatures are attacking humans, openly.’ The masters’ eyes widened and he smiled.
‘Elowen, you have bee missed my sweet shadow.’
‘Sir, I only came to tell you that the human authorities have been called, It is clear it is a creature kill.’ All six masters stared up as I spoke.
‘Dark or light, child?’
‘Dark, sir.’ The demon and shifter nodded. Their eyes went blank for a moment.
‘It has been reported. We will fix it.’
I hesitated for a moment. I knew James would get caught up in it. There was something about the human, and I couldn’t see him killed.
‘What else shadow?’
‘Ah, there is a human male who witnessed the attack.’
‘He will be dealt with.’ I shook my head.
The demon watched the movement and waited.
‘Please don’t hurt him.’ I knew with that one statement I would be made to choose.
The three masters of the Dark Houses smiled.
‘Only if you choose.’ I closed my eyes.
‘Anything but that.’
‘This human is free, yes. If you do not choose, I will make him mine, for all eternity.’
I gasped as I looked up in the master of the House of Night. He just smiled at me.
‘Please, no.’
‘Better hurry up shadow, my people are almost there.’ I stood still, my eyes closed. There was only one option really, the House of my mother. I knew one day I would end up here. But I never expected it would be because of a human. I took a deep breath.
‘I choose the House of Demon. I pledge my allegiance to you sir, for the rest of eternity and beyond.’ He smiled and closed his eyes for a moment.
‘It is done shadow; you are mine now as your mother was. Your human will be protected. He is now also a part of the House of Demon, and on his death his soul is mine.’
‘What, no?’
‘Yes, Elowen. You have denied me too long. This is your punishment. The human is safe; you may stay with him. But on his death, he belongs to me, as you belong to me.
I hung my head in defeat and returned to James. He was watching me.
‘What happened?’ I smiled as best I could.
‘We need to leave. The creatures will fix it.’ He nodded and reached for me. I took his hand and led him back to my house.
‘I can’t go back to my human life can I.’
‘No James, I am sorry.’ He nodded, resigned to his fate as I once did, all those years ago.