#us1

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.