\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The skin on the back of his neck prickled and Thom shuddered, lifting his head and looking around slowly.\u00a0 The mist that had burned off earlier that morning was back again, but he didn\u2019t think that\u2019s what was giving him the creepy crawlies.\u00a0 His fingers tightened around his lukewarm mug as the dampness settled in and goosebumps rose along his limbs.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Shadow-shapes dove from the tops of walls like silent death, flickering in and out of his vision as he watched them.\u00a0 His heart thundered and he fumbled for the nearest weapon, a half-forged something laid out on a split log to cool.\u00a0 All he knew is that he couldn\u2019t face these things without a weapon in hand.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t Rory or any of the rest.\u00a0 All he had was physical defenses.<\/em> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Matt shook him again.\u00a0 \u201cThom?\u201d \u00a0First<\/a>\u00a0\u2022\u00a0Previous<\/a>\u00a0\u2022 Next<\/a> \u2022\u00a0Latest<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The skin on the back of his neck prickled and Thom shuddered, lifting his head and looking around slowly.\u00a0 The mist that had burned off earlier that morning was back again, but he didn\u2019t think that\u2019s what was giving … Continue reading
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The screams began a moment later.\u00a0 He spun at the sound of claws on gravel, eyes searching for any bare sign of the creatures that had landed here.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Nothing, just a scraping sound of claws on gravel.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 His heart hammered against his ribs.\u00a0 <\/em>Where are you, ugly?\u00a0 His fingers tightened around the unfinished shaft of iron and steel.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Pain blossomed in his arm and he struck out toward where he <\/em>thought the source might be.\u00a0 Something inhuman screamed.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Something hit him square in the shoulders and he stumbled forward, losing his grip on the unfinished weapon in his hand.\u00a0 He hit the ground, rolling, searching frantically for the things that he could only occasionally see.\u00a0 It was getting worse.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It was getting <\/em>deadly.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Someone was calling his name to his left and he tried to shout back, but something large and heavy landed on his chest, driving sharp knees into his diaphragm and robbing him of breath.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom blinked blearily back to himself, shivering as he looked up toward Matt.\u00a0 \u201cSorry,\u201d he mumbled.\u00a0 \u201cWhat were you saying?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI wasn\u2019t,\u201d Matt said, brows knitting.\u00a0 \u201cYou just had\u2026y\u2019know, that look.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom exhaled.\u00a0 He knew what look Matt was talking about\u2014the one that Marin got when she was seeing something, the one that apparently he got, too.\u00a0 He shook his head slowly.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve got a bad feeling about this morning, Matt,\u201d he muttered before he could stop himself, hunching uncomfortably.\u00a0 He started to fumble the letter back out, but stopped himself.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She can\u2019t help me now.\u00a0 Might not ever be able to help me again.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Matt winced.\u00a0 \u201cGood to know I\u2019m not the only one.\u201d\u00a0 He paused for a moment, then asked quietly, \u201cDid you\u2014?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe Shadow Man is coming.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom jerked, looking toward Angie, whose expression was far too serious to grace the face of such a young child.\u00a0 What the hell is she talking about?<\/em>\u00a0 \u201cWho\u2019s that, Angie?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Her nose wrinkled as she came closer to the fire and stood between where Thom sat and Matt crouched.\u00a0 An errant breeze lifted her dark hair away from her face, making it float, wreathing her head almost like a halo. She stared into the flames for a moment, eyes old and distant.\u00a0 \u201cHe came and talked to Paul and me, before Miss Kellin and Miss Stasia and Miss Tala and Mister Brandon came and took us away from the farm.\u00a0 He wanted Paul to help him, but Paul said no.\u00a0 I had to make him say no, though.\u00a0 I had to tell him the Shadow Man was bad and that he shouldn\u2019t help him.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t matter what he wanted, it wasn\u2019t gonna be right to help him.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She looked at Thom.\u00a0 \u201cAnd now he\u2019s coming here.\u00a0 I can feel him.\u00a0 He makes my skin feel all funny and my head hurt.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Holy shit.\u00a0 This is coming from a ten-year-old kid.\u00a0 <\/em>Thom stared at the girl mutely for a moment.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Matt touched Angie\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cWhat does he look like?\u201d\u00a0 He looked at Thom over the girl\u2019s shoulder, jaw tightening.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Guess this is getting too weird for him, too.<\/em>\u00a0 Thom\u2019s lips thinned as Angie turned toward Matt.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s tall and all covered in shadows,\u201d she said, crossing her skinny arms and staring at him intensely.\u00a0 \u201cDidn\u2019t Miss Kellin tell you about him?\u00a0 She and I talked about him a lot!\u00a0 She wanted to know, too, because I think she knows what he looks like, too.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know if he tried to talk to her, too, but she wanted to know about him back at the farm, so I told her.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Her eyes bounced between the two men for a moment, then she scowled and looked at the fire again.\u00a0 \u201cYou could see him if you looked, when he comes, but I don\u2019t think you want to see him, do you?\u00a0 I don\u2019t want to see him ever again, but he\u2019s coming.\u00a0 I can feel him.\u201d\u00a0 She looked at Thom, her gaze almost baleful, voice shifting subtly.\u00a0 \u201cYou can feel it, too.\u00a0 I know you can.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom held steady, but the desire to recoil almost overwhelmed him.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She\u2019s just a kid.\u00a0 She\u2019s just a kid.\u00a0 She\u2019s just a kid.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 How the <\/em>hell could she know that?\u00a0 How the hell does she know any of this?<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He thought of his cousin\u2019s dreams, of how strongly she believed she was seeing another time, another life.\u00a0 His throat started to close up, a lump rising and choking off his air.\u00a0 He swallowed hard and steadied.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes,\u201d he said softly.\u00a0 \u201cYes, I can feel something, too.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Angie nodded slowly and stared at the fire.\u00a0 When she spoke again, her voice was normal.\u00a0 \u201cHe scares me.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Right now, I\u2019m not sure that <\/em>everything doesn\u2019t scare me.<\/em>\u00a0 Thom\u2019s hands tightened around the mug again as thunder growled in the distance.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He edged closer to the fire.\u00a0 Something about the light and the heat made him feel safer.\u00a0 Angie glanced at him and smiled a small, weak smile.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt makes me feel safe,\u201d she said quietly, pointing to the flames.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom nodded as Matt sat down on the other side of the little girl and put his arm around her shoulders.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMe too,\u201d Thom said, touching the girl\u2019s knee.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Me too.\u00a0 I just wish it was enough to shake this bad feeling.<\/em>\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Shadow Man is coming.\u00a0 But who is he, and what the hell does he want with us?<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He didn\u2019t want to know the answer, but he had a feeling that one way or another, they were going to have to find out.<\/p>\n
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