#under shadow

Shane rolled his eyes and took his position in front of the net. He watched as Jas darted around her father with the ball, running right towards him. Shane grinned, preparing himself for the block as she neared. He watched the ball fly through the air and he dove across the net, blocking her shot.

“No fair!” Jas yelled. “You’re bigger than the net!”

“C’mon, Jas,” Shane taunted her, throwing the ball back into play. “I taught you better than that.”

“You forgot one thing,” Jas said, stopping the ball with her knee. She picked it up with her hands and glared at him with a devilish smile. “You also taught me how to cheat.” Jas ran towards him with the ball in her hands, throwing herself into his gut. When his arms came down around her, she ducked quickly and tossed the ball around him and into the net. “GOAL!”

“Cheater!” Shane yelled, grabbing her by her waist and flipping her upside down over his shoulder.

“You always cheat, Shane!”

“Never!”

“Shane’s a cheating jerk,” Greg said as he made his way to them. “Never trust a guy like Shane.”

Shane smirked as he put Jas back on the ground. “Don’t trust any guy,” he said, giving her a wink.

Jas crossed her arm and stuck her nose in the air before hurrying towards the porch where Aunt Marnie appeared with a pitcher of lemonade.

“Are you and Shane playing fairly?” Marnie asked Jas as Jas eagerly took a glass from her aunt.

“Mom and Dad are just mad because they can’t keep up,” Jas said into her cup.

“Thanks for teaching our kid good values,” Greg said to Shane, slapping his shoulder.

“She needs some kind of skill, and neither of you are good at anything.”

Greg shrugged and wrapped his arm around his wife.

“Clock’s ticking,” Jess said with a sly smile. “Jas needs a friend.”

“Shane’s gotta land himself a woman, first.” Greg laughed sharply. “Good luck with that.”

Shane narrowed his eyes at them. “Jas is enough kid for me.”

Jess laughed. “You’ve come a long way, I have to admit. I thought you were gonna piss yourself the first time you held her. Looked like you saw a ghost!”

“Babies are way too tiny. And that soft pot on their head? What the hell’s with that?”

“Typical bachelor.”

Shane shrugged. “I’m surprised she’s made it this far. Figured you guys would have dropped her or lost her by now.”

“Like you’d do any better,” Greg shot back at him.

“I could handle it. She’s passed the baby stage now.”

“Good to know,” Greg said, turning to Jess. “We can die now and leave her safely in his hands.”

Jess rolled her eyes. “I still think Jas needs a friend.”

“No friends,” Shane said. “No thank you.”

“He’s just mad ‘cuz I landed the prettiest woman in the city.” Greg planted a kiss on her cheek and she giggled.

“You two make me sick.”

They watched as Jas excitedly recounted every sly move she made in their soccer game. The sky grew dim and Jas turned her gaze to the sky curiously. Not a cloud marked the sky to explain the dimness. She turned to the adults who talked casually amongst themselves, unaware of the strange occurrence.

The world continued to grow darker around them until the adults finally turned their gazes in search for an explanation, but there was none. The sky darkened from a pale to midnight blue, and then to an eerie dark gray, as if shrouded in a dark mist, swallowing them whole.

“Mom,” Jas said slowly. “What’s going on?”

Marnie pulled Jas close to her. Shane and Greg exchanged unsure glances until they could hardly see each other in front of them. The world was suddenly silent except for their breathing and shuffling in the grass.

“Inside,” Greg muttered. “Now.”

The five of them hurried in the house, flicking lights on as they moved into the living room where breaking news flashed across the screen. The news reported flashed in and out amongst the unexplained static.

“…war… Shadow People… here…. Shadow People… here…”

The power in the house cut, engulfing them in the darkness once more.

“What the…”

They saw the golden dots, illuminated in the night, just outside the window, bobbing up and down the streets. First just two, and then four, and suddenly they were surrounded by golden pairs of eyes that they knew too well to be The Shadow People.

“Get in the basement,” Greg barked to them.

Shane felt his grip on his arm as Greg pulled him through the house. Greg shuffled through the darkness, throwing items aside as he searched through the dark rooms. Shane heard the familiar sound of a clip being shoved into place, secured with a satisfying click. Cool metal was in his palm. He wrapped his fingers around the gun, his heart racing. A hand gripped Shane’s wrist, and Shane could just barely make out Greg’s gaze in the dark.

“Don’t puss out on me, man.”

Shane shook his head, then cleared his throat. “C’mon.”

He followed Greg through the house, listening to his footsteps, his only guide, until they made it outside and onto the street. The familiar eyes of The Shadow People were gone. Shane cupped his hands around the grip of the gun and cocked it, waiting.

“Come out, come out, where ever you are,” Greg muttered, his low voice breaking the eerie silence of the unexplained night.

After a moment, a shriek pierced their ears, followed by another scream and another. Shane and Greg stiffened and spun on their heels, searching for the sound. Lights began to dot the street. Flashlights and lanterns. People were running from their homes and disappearing into the woods around them. Gun shots fired and suddenly chaos erupted.

“Fuck,” Shane muttered, stumbling backwards.

“Let’s go,” Greg hissed to him, pulling his shoulder and spinning him around. They darted back to the street, around the house, and pulled the bulkhead open. A faint light illuminated the faces of Jess, Marnie, and Jas. Greg motioned frantically with his arm, encouraging them out of the basement.

“Get into the woods,” he hissed to them.

Jess pulled at Greg’s arm. “No. Not without you.”

“Don’t argue with me, there’s no time. Run as far away as you can get.”

“Daddy,” Jas cried softly. “What’s going on?”

“Get them out of here,” Shane muttered as his eyes swept the yard. He squinted in the dark in an attempt to pick out flashlights from eyelights.

“Now,” Greg growled.

The wind blew gently and the trees rustled around them.

“Come on, Jas,” Marnie said to her, pulling her arm. “We need to leave now.”

“No,” she cried. “No!”

The trees rustled loudly and two pairs of eyes peered from the branches. Shane threw his body against Jas, knocking her to the ground as Greg let two shots fire into the trees. The creatures shrieked and emerged from their hiding, rushing at the humans.

Shane rolled over, keeping Jas behind his back, and raised his gun, but the eyes and the flashlight were out. He held his breath, waiting, listening. A thump and a grunt signaled that someone was knocked to the ground.

“Run!” Greg’s voice shouted, his breath cut off in a muffled grunt.

Shane scrambled to his feet, pulling Jas with him and pushing her towards the woods.

“No, Shane,” Jas cried, clinging to him.

Shane fumbled along the ground, picking up her dropped flashlight, and clicked it on, shining it in her face. Marnie appeared in the light, pulling Jas frantically towards her.

Shane whipped around as another scream sounded, just yards away from him. He let the flashlight sweep across the yard until it fell on Jess struggling with one of the Shadow People, it’s hands clenched around her throat, cutting off her breath.

Shane stumbled forward, but a snap stopped him dead in his tracks.

“NO!”

Shane watched as the body dropped to the ground, lifeless. The golden eyes met his.

Shane’s shaking hands fumbled with the gun. Three shots went off, missing the creature completely as it approached him. Two more shots sounded near by, briefly lighting the world around them, just enough for Shane to see Greg fall to his knees.

He scrambled through the darkness until he found Greg. His body shuttered in his arms. His breath gasped sickeningly. Shane swept the light across the yard once more, but they appeared to be alone. He let the light fall to Greg’s face. His gaze met Shane’s as he gasped, blood spilling from his lips.

“No,” Shane muttered. “No!”

“Jas,” Greg stuttered. “Please.”

Greg went limp in his arms. Shane let the body fall to the ground and scrambled backwards. A light swept the yard and stopped over them. Marnie’s voice called to him, but he was frozen. Jas cries rang through his ears. Three sets of eyes showed themselves once more, moving quickly towards Marnie and Jas.

Shane pulled himself away from Greg, searching for the gun that he dropped, and frantically got to his feet. He only had three shots left. He positioned the flashlight just under the gun, marking his targets, and he shot three times. The creatures shrieked and fell to the ground in a black blur. When the world was quiet once more, Shane let his light make another sweep, but Marnie and Jas were gone.

The world was dark and silent once more. Shane stared into the trees, waiting for them to emerge, but they did not. Maybe they ran through the woods. He could meet them on the other side with the car and leave the city. His flashlight scanned the yard once more, pausing over the lifeless bodies, and he bit back a sob. He pulled himself away from the sight, hurrying into the dark house, fumbling until he made his way to the safe, the flashlight dimming as it started to die. He spun the dial and the door opened for him, revealing an array of handguns and ammo. He shoved the gun in his back pocket, grabbing another that was in a holster and threw it around his hips. He stuffed a back pack with all the ammo he could manage and threw it over his shoulder. He made his way to the front of the house and outside where his loyal car waited in the driveway.

He threw the bag into the passenger seat of the ‘79 Trans Am and circled around and into the driver’s seat. He fumbled with the keys, shoving it into the ignition and the engine roared to life. For a moment, Shane felt at ease as he settled against the seat with a sigh.

Golden eyes blinked at him in the darkness, startling him. He quickly flicked on the headlights and the Shadow People shrieked and ran quickly from the light, burning them. Shane threw the car into reverse until he was on the road, then shifted into gear, flying through the suburban neighborhood until he reached the main street.

The city was quiet. Lifeless. The tires skidded as he turned the corner onto the main drag and accelerated down the road. They were just at the edge of the city, the trees the only barrier between the neighborhood and the river that separated the city from the rest of the world.

As the edge of the city neared, Shane could see headlights lining the bridge as other victims tried to escape the city and, hopefully, the clutches of The Shadow People, causing a literal traffic jam. Cars pushed their way frantically through in a desperate attempt to escape, while other’s climbed out of their windows, leaving their vehicles behind in an attempt to get ahead and out of the city.

Shane slowed as he neared the bank of the river and the edge of the forest. He pointed the headlights towards the trees and scrambled out of the car, calling for Jas and Marnie. He shuffled through dead leaves and mossy grass, searching the edge of the forest, the river, and the road. Something caught the light of the headlights, flashing in his eyes. On the ground, Shane recognized the familiar necklace that Jas wore, a gift from her parents. He picked it up carefully, turning it in his palm. They had made it through. Maybe they tried to leave the city, too.

Shane sprinted back towards the car, threw it into gear, and sped down the road once more towards the bridge. There was no way he’d make it across, and it was the only way over the river and out of the city. But maybe he could find another way. He knew further down, there was a shallow area in the river. Maybe he could drive across there.

He pressed harder on the gas, flying through the empty streets, passed the jammed bridge, and plunged into darkness once more, out of the safety of the other headlights. He couldn’t see anything on either side of them, so he focused on the world illuminated by his car until he found the area in the river he was searching for. He spun the wheel, careening into the river. The resistance of the water slowed the vehicle, but Shane pressed harder on the accelerator, encouraging the car through the water.

“C'mon, baby,” he muttered as the car splashed through the water. He cringed as rocks and branches scraped at the metal. The bumper crunched in as the car met the banking on the other side. He threw the car into a higher gear and it bounded out of the river forcefully and up the hill. He raced across the field until it met with the highway and he cut the wheel, bringing the car skidding around in the opposite direction, back towards the bridge where he hoped to find Marnie and Jas.

Traffic thickened chaotically as he approached as cars made their way out of the city, frantic. Shane weaved in and out, skidding off the road as he did so, his eyes searching the faces that ran down the road sans vehicle. He kept driving until traffic began to thin, cars disappearing in all directions into the darkness. People darted across the roads, waving their arms frantically, begging for a ride, a savior. Shane ignored the guilty twisting in his stomach as he continued his search. Before he knew it, he was alone on the road, a single set of headlights guiding his way, the dark city just a vast shadow behind him.

He slowed and stopped the car, staring beyond the headlights into the darkness, his stomach twisting. He forced open the door, which had dented and warped, and stumbled into the darkness. He called for Jas and Marnie once more, his voice breaking as he held back a sob. He ran down the road, calling for them, but no one answered his cries.

He circled in the street, staring into the dark void around him, hoping for a sign, but there was none. He made his way back to the car, staring at his feet. He kicked angrily at the back bumper of the car, shouting obscenities at nothing until he suddenly felt exhausted. He leaned against the car and stared up at the dark sky, watching as a dark haze swirled around him, as if it were all that blocked the sunlight from their world. A thick, dark, eerie haze.

Vivid visions of Greg and Jess flashed through his mind. He forced his grip to loosen around the necklace that was still in his hand and choked back another sob. He had to find Jas and Marnie. He wouldn’t give up until he did.

Shane shoved the necklace into his pocket and swung back into the driver seat. He threw the car into gear once more and sped down the dark road, going no where in particular, eager to get away from the memories of the lost city, eager to find Marnie and Jas before it was too late.

Shane drove well into the night, and then into the morning, the only indicator of the changing times indicated by the clock in the Trans Am and a slight lightening of the dark grey sky when the sun tried to force its way through. Despite the lighter sky, their world was still unnaturally dark, but Shane’s eyes were slowly adjusting to their new life.

He was long gone from the city now, and the highway was abandoned. He hadn’t come across another soul since he left the city. He was lost in a dark world, and his stomach growled with his growing hunger. Soon, he came upon an abandoned gas station. The door to the mini mart was closed, but unlocked. He invited himself inside, scouring it’s aisles for food. He crunched through an apple as he shoved food, matches, and other odds and ends into his bag. He returned to the Trans Am, waiting for him, and gassed it up, then peeled out into the road once more.

He kept to the highway, driving aimlessly, lost in thought until the Trans Am started to sputter sickeningly. He watched as the needle on the speedometer dropped drastically, the car slowing until it came to a painful, grunting halt.

“No,” he muttered, slamming his fists into the wheel. “No!"

He turned the key in the ignition, begging the car to start, but to no avail. He cursed loudly into the darkness and stared out into the road, still illuminated by the headlights. With a heavy sigh, he grabbed as much as he could, shoving everything into his bag and swinging it over his shoulders. He climbed out of the car, secured the two guns on his body, and slammed the car door closed. He stared at the faded, scratched red car for a long time as reality began to set in, twisting his stomach into knots. He bit his lip as he realized he was alone, in the dark, and now stuck on foot, without the only bit of his life he had left - his beloved car. He clung to the idea of having it around with him, no matter what, and he struggled with the realization that he would now have to leave it behind.

The headlights started to dim until he was surrounded in darkness once more, and his heart sank. He let his hand run over the hood of the car.

"You gave it your best shot,” he muttered to the car. “Thanks for getting me out of there, at least."

The world was silent. There were no crickets. No birds. No wind. Darkness lay ahead of him; an uncertain future. He let his hand drop to his side and walked down the road, away from the car, clicking on one of the flashlights he brought with him. He walked until he lost sight of the dark shape of the Trans Am, his heart shattering in his chest. He bit back a sob and pushed onward.

“Me? Naive?”

“You think we’re some perfect little family.”

“Well we could be if you weren’t such an ass.”

“We’re not a family,” Sebastian hissed. “We never were and we never will be. Now get the hell out of my room.”

Maru started blankly at her brother. “Well,” she said quietly. “The truth comes out, doesn’t it?”

Sebastian made no effort to apologize for his remark, though the pit of his stomach twisted in a pang of guilt. He never meant to hurt Maru like that, despite how different they were. He moved his eyes back to his computer and sat back down in his chair.

“I guess it’s better for all of us that you move out,” Maru muttered under her breath before leaving him alone in his dimly lit bedroom.

Sebastian stared at the computer screen blankly. Maru would never understand. He didn’t expect her to. She was the one with the family. A mother and a father. She was the favorite child. She always was and always would be. He was just a part of his mother’s life that she wanted to forget about. The man she left. And he was just a reminder of that life. She would never admit it, but Sebastian knew it. They were a family - Robin, Demetrius, and Maru. He was just the left over from a failed marriage that no one wanted to talk about. He didn’t fit in with their picture perfect family. He never would. Demetrius made sure of that.

The computer screen flickered, catching his attention for a moment before it went black. Sebastian sat in the darkness for a moment, taking in the silence, and sighed. Of course the power would go out. He blinked in the darkness as his eyes adjusted, jumping when he heard Maru scream from downstairs.

Sebastian opened the door and peered down the hallway. “Maru?” The house was quiet. He called for her again, but there was no answer. He closed the door behind him and moved to the top of the stairs.

“This isn’t funny,” he called into the darkness. “Grow up.”

There was a loud thud as something went crashing onto the floor. Glass shattered and Maru shrieked again. Sebastian held his breath as his heartbeat quickened. He stood frozen at the top of the steps, listening. When he didn’t hear anything, he moved down the staircase slowly, taking one step at a time.

“Maru?”

A pair of glowing eyes illuminated the darkness and Sebastian stumbled backwards on the steps. A beam of light split the darkness in a warm, yellow glow, and the creature shrieked and fled.

Sebastian followed the light to its source, a shaking flashlight in Demetrius’s hands. The light bounced around the room until it landed on Maru, huddled in a panic in the corner of the kitchen.

“What the fuck was that?” she said, her voice shaking.

The light fell onto Sebastian. He shielded his eyes as Demetrius brought the light back to his daughter.

“Are you okay?”

Maru nodded quickly, her eyes still wide with fear.

“They’re all over the place,” Demetrius said as he went to her side. He pulled her up off the floor. “All over the city.”

“Where’s Mom?” Maru asked. “We need to find her. We need to get out of here.”

At that moment, Demetrius’s cell phone rang in his pocket. He fumbled with the screen, answering it as quickly as it could.

“Robin… No… I’ve got them… They’re okay… I’ll get you…”

Sebastian watched as his face fell and seemed to whiten in the glow of the flashlight. He and Maru listened closely to the muffled voice on the other line. There was a sound of panic. Screams.

“Robin!” Demetrius was still as the phone fell from his face. The line was dead.

“What’s going on?” Maru shouted in panic.

“We’ve been invaded,” Demetrius said quickly. “We need to get out of here.”

“Is Mom okay?” Sebastian asked quietly.

Demetrius nodded, but his expression did not show the same certainty. “We’ll find her,” he said. “She’s going to meet us outside of the city.”

“Where will we go?” Maru asked.

“I don’t know,” her father said with a defeated tone. “We’ll figure that out later. We need to get out of here first.”

“How are we supposed to get out of here if those things are in the city?” Sebastian asked angrily.

“We fight our way out,” his step-father said simply. “We don’t have a choice right now.”

Maru and Sebastian followed Demetrius out into the dark city. They quickly got into the car and the headlights illuminated their path. They navigated through the streets which started to fill quickly with more and more cars trying to escape the city. Demetrius slammed on the breaks as more of the creatures took over the intersection and cars collided.

Maru watched in terror out the window as a girl with purple hair ran towards a man and a woman. But they disappeared quickly as Demetrius sped the car around the corner.

“We need to help them!” Maru shouted at her father.

“If you want to get out of this alive,” he father hissed, “we need to worry about ourselves.”

“The bridge is packed,” Sebastian said as they made their way over the top of a hill, bringing the bridge out of the city into sight. “We’ll never make it through.”

“Shit,” Demetrius muttered as he spun the wheel quickly, turning the vehicle around abruptly. He sped through the streets in a desperate attempt to find an alternate way out.

“The graveyard!” Sebastian leaned from the back seat.

“We can’t go through there,” Maru scolded.

“Looks like someone already did,” Sebastian said as they neared. The fencing was torn down as if someone had sped through with a large car.

“Hang on,” Demetrius said as he stepped on the gas. The car lurched forward, following the torn up path out of the city.

Maru buried her face in her hands, muttering to herself. “This isn’t happening.”

The car sped through the opening on the far side of the cemetery, bounding across the field, down the hill, and onto the high way which had started to glow with headlights.

“What about Mom?” Maru shouted as Demetrius turned the car to follow the pavement. He quickly weaved in and out of cars.

“You guys found each other after that?”

“Leah picked me up on the side of the road. My car broke down just outside the city as I was trying to escape.”

“I thought she was going to throw herself into the river,” Leah said.

Abigail did not respond. She looked out the window into the darkness.

“Her parents both died in the city,” Leah whispered to Najia.

“I threw out my favorite sword,” Abigail muttered. “Didn’t you say Marlon had a sword?”

Najia nodded.

“I think we should team up with him.”

“Well,” Najia said. “Sorry to disappoint you.”

Abigail crossed her arms.

“This is fun,” Leah said sarcastically. “Do you have any CDs? I brought some of mine.”

“No,” Najia said quickly. “No music.”

Leah’s hand stopped in mid air, hovering over her bag. “Okay,” she said slowly, leaning back in her seat. “Someone hate’s music.”

Najia bit her lower lip. “Sorry,” she said quietly. “Do whatever you want.”

Leah shook her head. “Nope, we don’t have to. No music.” She smiled reassuringly at Najia.

“How much longer are we gonna drive?” Abigail said, her voice on the verge of a whine.

“She gets cranky,” Leah said quietly.

“I don’t get cranky,” Abigail hissed.

“I don’t know,” Najia said with a shrug. “Until dinner.” She checked the fuel gage. She would need to find a station soon. The cans in the back were already empty.

“What about a stop at the next city?” Najia suggested. “I could use some more gas.”

“The city?” Abigail repeated. “Won’t they find us?”

Najia hesitated. “Maybe. But we won’t make it much further out here, and I don’t think we’ll find a station any time soon, either.”

“There’s a little town a few exits up,” Leah said. “May be a safer option.”

They continued to drive for another hour until they reached the exit. The headlights flashed around the exit ramp and lit their way through the empty town. The passengers were stiff as they drove through the town, uneasy, in search of a gas station. Najia pulled into the first one they found and Abigail and Leah ransacked the mart for anything they could get their hands on. She fueled up the tank, then proceeded to fill the two gas cans when an all too familiar hiss caught her attention.

Najia straightened, releasing her hold on the gas nozzle to immediately reach for her gun. She froze as she listened. The hissing wasn’t very close, but close enough to send her in a panic. The Shadow People were literally hiding in the shadows, right under her nose, and they were ready to attack.

She backed away slowly from the gas can and near the light from the headlights, but the Shadow People were quick to anticipate her movement. They swooped in around her, preventing her from reaching the safety of the light and knocking her to the ground. Najia let her arms swing desperately as they closed in around her. She shot off a couple rounds into the air and they scattered for a moment, giving her just enough time to roll away and get to her feet.

Alerted by her gun shots, Leah and Abigail ran out of the store. Leah held a pistol in her hand, ready to fend of the creatures. The Shadow People circled the three women, pushing in closer and closer, hissing loudly before bombarding them with attacks once more.

Abigail tried desperately to fend them off with her flashlight as Leah took aim, hitting two of the creatures squarely. Najia ran towards the car, but she wasn’t quick enough as another creature swooped in. She stumbled backwards, knocking the gas can over, gas spilling all around her and the car. She cursed loudly as she scrambled to her feet, flailing her arms as the creatures pressed in around her.

Abigail’s light found Najia, offering her a moment of protection as the Shadow People scattered away from the light, screeching. Najia ran to their side and the three stood back to back as the Shadow People began to close in once more, careful to avoid Abigail’s erratic light.

“Don’t shoot,” Najia muttered.

“I’m shooting,” Leah said.

“The place will blow,” Najia hissed.

“Then we better start running.”

“Oh, hell,” Abigail mumbled.

The three of them sprinted into the night, the Shadow People hissing loudly behind them. As they made their way out of the gas station, Leah took aim at the car and the spilled gas, firing off three rounds quickly. The gas ignited and flames engulfed the station quickly behind them. They could feel the heat on their backs as they just narrowly escaped. The shrieks of the Shadow People filled the silent air eerily.

“We’re not out of the woods,” Najia reminded them as they continued to run down the road. “We’ve just attracted a whole hell of a lot of attention.”

“And Leah just blew up our fucking car,” Abigail hissed.

“We’ve got plenty of cars around,” Najia said. “We can get another car.”

“Where do you expect to find a car?” Abigail shouted. “This place is a ghost town.”

“Used car dealership?” Leah pulled their wrists across the road. They ran through back yards, hopping fences, towards the old dealership sign that Leah had spotted.

“Great,” Abigail muttered. “Let’s sign the paperwork and get the keys.”

“No need,” Najia said as she quickly picked out a small SUV. The first was locked, but she moved to the next one at the end of the row, which proved to be unlocked and at their disposal. Najia slid into the seat and set to work hot wiring the vehicle.

“What a fortunate skill to have during the apocalypse,” Abigail muttered.

“I was fortunate to be with a doctor, too,” Najia reminded them.

“Well, then, please don’t leave us.”

“Keep up your sarcastic shit and I just might.”

“Enough,” Leah growled at them. “We don’t have time.”

In the distance, the familiar shrieks of the Shadow People rose through the darkness. They were drawn to the explosion at the gas station, alerted now to the human presence, and they were ready for vengeance.

Najia’s hands shook as she worked. The SUV sputtered, but did not turn over.

“Why aren’t you good at this,” Abigail yelled to her.

“I am good at this!”

“Najia,” Leah warned.

Abigail swung her flashlight across the parking lot. The cries grew louder, closer. The engine continued to sputter a few more times before it finally turned over and Najia breathed a sigh of relief. Leah and Abigail climbed in quickly and Najia floored it out of the parking lot, down the road and back toward the high way.

Najia peered through the night, catching sight of their glowing eyes as they made their way off the ramp and onto the highway. The Shadow People had found a short cut, beating the three women to the high way and cutting them off.

Najia pressed harder on the accelerator and the needle climbed up the speedometer. Leah rolled down her window, leaned out, and slid a new magazine into the gun.

“Take the wheel,” Najia yelled to Abigail. She hit the button for the moon roof and pulled herself through, taking aim with her gun as Abigail crawled over the console and into the driver’s seat.

The Shadow People scattered as the vehicle neared, escaping it’s head lights, but swarmed in quickly as Abigail attempted to spin the car around to catch them in the headlights once more. Najia gripped the side of the roof as she struggled to take aim at the dark creatures. She shot blindly into the darkness but did not seem to make contact.

“Just go,” she shouted down to Abigail. “Get us out of here.”

Abigail spun the car around once more. The tires skidded dangerously on the pavement and she lost control. The SUV careened off the road and into the desert before coming to a stop.

“Go!” Leah shouted.

Abigail slammed on the pedal once more and the SUV jolted forward, kicking dust up in their wake as they sped through. Leah and Najia continued to fire at the creatures until all they could hear was the roar of the engine.

Najia slid back into the car and fell into the back seat with a heavy sigh. Leah climbed back in, closing the window, and glared at Abigail.

“Who in the hell taught you to drive?”

“Uh, normal people who live in normal cities,” Abigail hissed.

*****

Grief. Betrayal. Fear.

Strength. Love. Courage.

The people of Stardew Valley had felt all these things over the last year.

They gathered in the community center together to share in John’s favorite bottle of scotch in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. But Shane did not linger.

He departed quietly from the building, stepping out into the rain. The world was darker, now, as night neared. He wandered aimlessly until he found himself standing by the lake by Marnie’s ranch. He watched the unsettled surface of the lake, disturbed by the rain that fell.

At the corner of his eyes, a dark figured moved. A familiar glow caused his heart to race for a moment. His eyes turned, locked on to Krobus’s as the creature approached him.

“Thank you,” he said simply. His eyes blinked once.

Shane hesitated. “For what?”

“For not hurting all of my comrades,” Krobus said. “Najia trusted me, and you did, too.”

Shane broke his gaze, turning back to look over the lake. “I trusted Najia.”

Krobus’s gaze shifted downward. “Nevertheless,” he said. “You could have hurt me. You could have killed them all. We owe you our lives.”

“Your people already gave us their lives,” Shane muttered.

“Yes,” Krobus said softly. “I know of their sacrifice for you in the sewers.”

“Then I guess we should be thanking you.”

“No thanks,” Krobus said. “They were honored to help you; honored to risk their lives for the people that helped save their world.”

Shane bit his lower lip, but said nothing.

“I hope to have the strength and courage of you humans one day,” Krobus said. “All this time, I only hid from our enemies. While my comrades suffered, I remained in hiding here in the valley. I am ashamed.”

Shane raised his drink to Krobus, but the creature only tilted his head to the side, staring blankly at him.

“Well, we’re not any better,” Shane said. “I’ve done my share of running and hiding.”

“I don’t think so,” Krobus said. “Cowards wouldn’t save the people of their enemy.” He looked up at Shane. “Please don’t tell them I’m here.”

Shane said nothing for a moment. When he turned to speak, Krobus was gone.

*****

It had been six months since the war that brought darkness upon their land ended. The people in the valley moved forward with their lives, living off the land for yet another year. Haley had given birth to a little boy and all was well in their little community.

Sheila, Morris’s wife, was still unaware of what had happened to her husband, but had adjusted well in the valley with her two children.

Marlon and Gil officially announced their ‘retirement’ from all adventuring, swearing an oath that should another war come to their doorstep, “You valley folk are on your own!”

With the start of another autumn, the people of Stardew Valley prepared themselves for the quickly approaching winter. They made continuous trips out into the world they once feared, their weapons still in their possession as they raided stores for the appropriate supplies needed.

Now that things had settled down, Shane was determined to make Jas’s life as close to normal as possible, which resulted in the long drive across the country and back into the city he hadn’t seen since the invasion.

His stomach twisted nervously, unsure of what to expect when he got to the city. He knew it would be desolate, but with the light of day now on his side, he wasn’t sure what to expect. It would surely seem less intimidating, but what scars and traumas would the light reveal to him?

Shane’s stomach continued to twist as he drove across the bridge into the city and through the empty streets. Cars were scattered along the roads where they were left when the invasion happened. But to his relief, there were no bodies. No blood. No sign of any kind of struggle. Surely all washed away over the last year and a half.

Shane pulled into the driveway of the last house he had been at. He sat in the truck for a moment, the engine still running, before he worked the courage to get out. But, instead of going inside the house, he walked around.

Shane looked across the backyard. The blood had washed away and fresh, green grass made the yard over grown. The bodies he remembered so vividly were gone; likely just bones that were hidden in the tall grass. He pushed the image out of his head as he spotted the black and white soccer ball among the weeds. He picked it up, turning it over in his hands, and a small smile crept onto his face as images of Greg and Jess played through his mind. He wanted everything to be as normal as possible for Jas. Playing soccer together seemed like a start.

He made his way back into the driveway and tossed the ball into the bed of the old, green truck. It bounced against the rusted spare tire where a dirty, off-white piece of paper slipped out, making it obvious it had been hidden there for some time. Shane eyed the paper carefully and noticed his name scrawled on the front of it, folded in half. He picked up the paper, staring at the familiar handwriting for a moment, before opening it. His eyes traced the letters on the page and he smiled.

“You’re… going to set off the dynamite?” Gil asked. “And give us a chance to escape?”

“Yesssss.” The glowing eyes moved up at the corners, as if it were smiling to him.

“No,” Marlon said. “We can’t let you do that.”

“No time. We fight. Go now.” The creature pushed its hand towards them and hissed loudly. “Thank you, Human. Be good.”

Marlon and Gil exchanged glances before turning back to the Shadow creature.

“Thank you,” Marlon said.

Gil motioned with his flashlight. “Let’s get out of here,” he muttered.

Sam and Alex took off after Marlon and Gil as they broke into a run down the tunnel. Shane hesitated, his eyes on the Shadow creature. The creature seemed to nod at him. Shane pinched his lips together and turned away, following the others quickly, sprinting down the tunnel to safety.

*****

“It’s fear that drives a man to fight… because he simply wants to survive… No one is brave. We’re all cowards. We’re all running… for our lives. Fear is our bodies being rational, being sane, telling us to get the hell out of a bad situation. Fear is normal. Fear is real. Bravery is not. Bravery is a lie… a mask.”

Shane’s chest burned, not from the stress of sprinting down the dark tunnel, but from the pain and grief that tore through him. He stopped and spun around, his chest heaving, when he heard the explosion. It was too far away to effect them now, but the blast was enough to echo down the tunnel and stop the others in their tracks as well. They stared down the long, dark tunnel until the echo finally subsided and their world fell silent.

Death. At some point, Death would come for them, whether it was now, or in fifty years; it was inevitable. But Death was feared. By every rational human being, it was feared. Shane feared Death. The death of those he loved, of himself. It was that fear that drove him forward, even when Death claimed its victims around him. It was fear that drove him down the tunnel, because his instincts told him to do anything he could to live, to survive. Yet Malone, his men, the Shadow People - they faced death head on. Maybe they weren’t fearless, but they weren’t cowards.

Malone was wrong. There was a difference between being fearful and being a coward. Fear was an acceptable, reasonable emotional response, but how one chose to act upon their fear separated the cowards from the heroes.

And Shane was just a coward.

The five men stood in silence, staring down the dark tunnel for a moment before turning around and moving forward, no longer running.

It took them two hours before they reached the ladder, climbing out of the sewers. The morning was dark as rain pelted at the ground. Thunder rumbled in the distance. They trudged through the mud, their clothes soaked, clinging to their bodies as they made their way back to the vehicles. They drove up the mountain range, stopping when they reached an overlook, and stepped out.

“What does that mean?” Sam asked.

“It means we won’t have a lot of time to high tail it out of here.”

“How will Malone get out?” Alex asked.

“I don’t think he plans on getting out,” Marlon said.

“Sounds like he didn’t plan on us getting out alive, either,” Alex muttered.

They stared at the dynamite once they finished setting it up.

“This was a suicide mission all along,” Sam hissed.

“Let’s just wait and see what happens,” Gil said, exchanging an uneasy glance with Marlon. “Nothing we can do but wait.”

*****

The hours passed uneventfully as they waited in the dark tunnels, their flashlights off to save what little batteries they had left. They leaned against the walls, sitting on the floor in an uneasy silence as the time ticked by. They jumped when the radio finally buzzed to life, breaking the silence and echoing off the walls. The static drowned out the faint, panicked voice. Shane held the radio before him, straining to make out the broken words.

“… too close… they’re… now… it now…!”

Gil’s flashlight clicked on, illuminating the area around them. “That’s good enough for me,” he said.

“No,” Shane hissed, still straining to interpret the static voice. “We can’t block them in. We don’t know what he’s saying.”

“I think we can put the pieces together,” Gil snapped. “I’m not sticking around to find out.”

“What about the line?” Alex said, growing panicked. “You said so yourself - it’s not long enough to give us enough time.”

“What do you want to do about it, Alex?” Gil shouted. “Sit here and wait for those brutes to rip us to shreds?”

“We’ll be crushed,” Sam said.

“I won’t go out at the hands of those brutes,” Gil hissed, getting to his feet and moving to the dynamite.

Shane stood abruptly, his heart racing. “Wait.” He wanted a chance. Just one last chance to survive, to see Jas again.

Malone’s lips curled into a smile as he held his gaze on Shane. “Lemme tell you somethin’ about war; no one fights bravely. It’s fear that drives a man into battle. It’s fear that drives a man to fight, not because it’s something he believes in, but because he simply wants to survive.” Malone’s smile faded. “You know how I know this? Because I’ve seen death in war. I’ve seen grown ass men crying out to their mothers like children, begging for the comfort of their mother’s arms, begging to be reassured, that everything is going to be okay. I’ve see them take their last breath with fear in their eyes. None of them are at peace. They die only knowing fear. No one is brave, Shane. We’re all cowards. We’re all running from something; running for our lives. Fear is our bodies being rational, being sane, telling us to get the hell out of a bad situation. Fear is normal. Fear is real. Bravery is not. Bravery is a lie - a lie we tell to mask the reality of a situation in an attempt to comfort and reassure those around us.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Shane muttered.

“Because I can see through you, Shane. I see through the wall you put up around yourself. And sooner or later, that wall is going to come crashing down around you, and you won’t know what to do about it. You’re a coward just like I am, Shane. The problem is that you won’t admit it.”

Shane’s brows knit together. “I could argue that it takes a brave man to admit his fear.”

Malone smiled. “Only a stupid man would admit his fear. That’s the thing about fear; all the men I’ve watched die - they were damn scared, but they never admitted it. They carried that fear with them until they died.”

“I’d say that makes for a brave man,” Shane said.

Malone nodded as he seemed to consider this. “Maybe, maybe.” He adjusted the gun on his hip. His eyes moved to the grip of Shane’s gun, poking just slightly out of his back pocket, and he smiled. “So, what’s your plan?”

Shane clutched at his stomach where the bullet entered. He stared, mouth gaping, and the blood that covered his hands. He fell to his knees, gasping, as the world began to spin and fade in and out. Shane squeezed his eyes shut as the pain seared through him like fire. Najia held his hand as he drifted in and out of consciousness.“Don’t go,” Najia sobbed. “Hang on, Shane.”

Shane looked around the sewage plant considering Malone’s words. He certainly didn’t have a plan. Not now, not when it was all over with. He figured he’d just live in the valley forever until he died. But a part of him knew he was already dead. With each passing day since the invasion, he was dying. There was no life left in him. No will to live any longer. It had all gotten to be too much.

“Hang on, Shane.”

It was obvious to Shane; Malone was only trying to manipulate him to get him to help them in the sewers. He didn’t know what Malone’s endgame was, but he was sure that Malone was just trying to win him over for one last fight.

Shane watched as Malone moved towards the entrance to the sewers. He barked orders at his men and one by one, they descended. Malone was the last to climb the ladder down into the sewer. He met Shane’s gaze and saluted him casually just as he disappeared under ground. Shane stared at the storm drain for a moment and sighed. Life was simple, meaningful, when he had a goal: to find Jas, to get to the coast, to find Stardew Valley, to save Najia.

“I realized I really had nothing to live for, and wandering around the world aimlessly really wasn’t going to accomplish anything.” He paused. “I guess I wasn’t ready to give up, and the valley felt like another goal to work towards. Plus, I figured I’d find you there. And that didn’t seem so bad.”

Najia grew quiet. “And what if we don’t find anything?”

“Like you said; we’ll find something else to get to.” He smiled to her. “I heard the Fern Islands are great this time of year.”

“You know,” Najia said, returning his smile, “I’ve never been.”

Shane pulled the gun out of his pocket and moved towards the storm drain. He peered down into the darkness as the glow of their flashlights faded. He climbed down the ladder and his feet splashed in the puddle at the bottom as he skipped the last couple of rungs. He trotted down the tunnel until he caught up to Malone and the rest of their group.

“So, you’ve got a plan, I take it?” Malone said, but did not turn to him.

“Loose ends?” Lewis repeated skeptically.

“I’ve met with Krobus,” Malone said. “The brute that lives here in the valley. He has suggested to me that there is still an army of Shadow People in the sewers. An army that intends to avenge their fallen leader. They have reopened the seal you have made in the sewers that will lead them into the valley. Without Rasmodius here, you have no defense for their power. Their power doesn’t compare to Nox’s, but it could be enough to destroy this valley and all of you in it. They will need to be stopped and their passage way sealed once more. But I don’t know the sewers like you do. I need someone to guide my men there.”

“No,” Shane said fiercely. “I’m done.”

“The war isn’t done just because you are,” Malone hissed.

“Ask someone else.”

“I know who I want on my team,” Malone said. “I won’t deal with dragging anyone’s ass around. I want to get in, do our job, and get out. And you’re the one who’s going to do that.”

Shane hesitated, his eyes still on the children by the river. “I’ll bring you to the sewers,” he said. “But that’s it. You’re on your own from there.”

“Fine,” Malone said simply, turning his back to them. “We leave tonight.”

Marnie turned to Shane as Malone left them alone. “You don’t have to do this,” she said.

Shane’s brows knit together. “It’s fine,” he grunted. “Anything to get him out of here.”

*****

Shane was waiting by the vehicles as dusk fell. He had been there for over an hour, but mostly to be out of town and alone. He looked up as Malone appeared from the tunnel with Sam, Alex, Marlon, and Gil behind him.

“This is your team?” Shane asked with a raised brow.

“Since you won’t be joining us,” Malone hissed, “I needed a couple more guys with me to bring us through the sewers that could hold their own.”

“Must be that K to D ratio,” Shane muttered to Alex, who rolled his eyes.

“Let’s just finish this,” Sam muttered. “I don’t want to be doing this anymore than you do.”

“My men are waiting outside of the mountain range,” Malone said. “Bring us to the sewers and we’ll take care of the rest.”