Shadow Walkers Chapter 2

1

Finally Amber had finished her homework. She put her books away and went to sit on her bed until time for dinner. She was so tired of the same old routine. Laying back on her baby soft pink comforter she sighs, “Will I ever have a true friend.”2

A knock on the door brought Amber back to awareness and with a soft voice she said to the person on the other side of the door, “Come in.”3

Hope, Jeremiah and Robert walked into the room. “How are you feeling?” Jeremiah asked her in a concerned tone.4

“Good as I can be, I guess. Why do you ask?” Amber replied.5

“Well, we was wondering why you hid today?” Hope questioned.6

Amber just looked for a moment thinking upon the questioned at hand. Her eyes became foggy from the tears she was holding back. With a soft sad whisper she answered, “It was because of Lisa.”7

“What? Lisa? Is she not your friend?” Hope looked bewildered.8

“That is what I thought. Until she stomped up to me today and told me she did not want to be my friend any more. I asked her why, but she never gave me an answer.” Amber said while trying not to cry.9

“That is bull!” Robert spoke in an angry voice. “No real friend would act in that way.”10

Jeremiah agreed, “Robert is right, someone that is a real friend would not do that to a person. What happened after you ask her why?”11

Amber trying to compose herself said, “Well, after she did not give me an answer she turned and walked over to Ashely. The girl I had fought about a week ago. I over heard her telling her that she wanted to be friends. She went as far as telling her that I was crazy.”12

“I ought to go and show this girl crazy!” Hope blurted out as she smacked her fist in her other open hand causing a loud smacking sound.13

“I wish I was a girl just for a moment. I would teach her a lesson.” Robert added with his fist balled up in the air.14

“We must all just calm down a minute. Let us not be too hasty. Amber, is this the reason you hid today?” Jeremiah asked.15

“Yes, I just want to get away from all this.” Amber said through a shaky voice.16

Each one of Amber's siblings walked over to her bed and found a spot to sit. They each patted her on her back. Hope tried to comfort her, “You know you will always have me. No matter what ever happens. I will be here for you. You can count on me.”17

Jeremiah and Robert said simultaneously, “We are here for you also.”18

Amber let a smile fade the frown on her face. She sit a little straighter on the bed blinked the tears back. With a thankful tone she said, “Thank you. I know you will be here for me always. It just hurts. Lisa and I had been friends since kindergarten. The she just decides today she doesn't want to be my friend. No explanation at all to the reason why. I don't get it. This is not even half of it. She started spreading roomers that I was drinking at a party. That I was truly crazy and a big freak. She even went and told the principle a lie.”19

“What lie?” Jeremiah asked in concern.20

“She told him I had been harassing her. I told the principle I did not do it. I think he believed me. Well, at least he acted like he believed me. He got on her pretty hard. Then he told me to go back to class.” Amber said in a blank tone.21

“Well, at least he believed you this time. He has always listen to the wrong side. Maybe he has actually looked with his eyes this time and watched the truth unfold before him.” Hope said in a wishful tone.22

“After I got back in the class room I wanted to hide. I could not take the taunting and goading no more. So I found a girl that never gets picked on. I followed her to the bathroom on the north end of the school and slid into her shadow.” Amber confessed.23

“On the north end of the hall?”, Robert asked in a confused tone.24

“Yes, I thought it peculiar also. But I didn't want the weirdness to stop me from getting away from it all.” Amber announced.25

“I wonder why she did not use the bathroom near your class? Why did she go all the way to the north end?” Robert questioned.26

“I don't know. When I got in her shadow, she was just getting off her cell phone. She was talking to someone. It sounded pretty important. She spoke in a quite whisper and she was aggravated.” Amber proclaimed. 27

“Who was she? The girl that shadow you hid in?” Hope curiously asked.28

Robert and Jeremiah said at the same time, “Yeah, Who?”29

Amber studied each of their intent looks on their faces and thought a moment. I don't really know her, she is new to the school. She has dark brown shoulder length hair and wears glasses. I think she has a sister and two brothers. She rides our bus. She sits in the front seat every day, right behind the bus driver.” Amber answered in a thoughtful tone.30

“I think I know who you are talking about.” Hope announced in excitement. “Her name is Landa. She seems to be a nice girl. I have talked to her a couple of times. She does have an older sister. Her name is Haley, she is in my class. And her two brothers are about Jeremiah's and Robert's age. They all seem a little odd if you ask me. Nice but strange.”31

Jeremiah asked in a interest, “Tomorrow, Amber, speak with her and find out what her brothers' names are. Be friendly. It is very curious, I think I know her brother. They are a little strange. You know how stuff like this interest me. Find out and let me know. Okay?”32

Robert replied also in agreement, “yes I want to know also.”33

Hope broke in on the excitement and replied in a curious way, “We must be careful. I don't know what it is about them. They seem nice but they also seem to be hiding something. I don't want to see Amber get hurt any more than she has already.”34

“I want get hurt. I am going to be strong and let this go. If no one wants to be my friend, then I will become a loner.” Amber promised.35

“Just be careful.” Hope spoke in concern,36

“I will.” Amber agreed.37

“Oh, my, It is time for dinner. We are a little late. We must hurry or mom and dad will be angry.” Robert announced when he noticed the time.38

Everyone of them stood to their feet and went to Amber's bathroom and washed their hands quickly. Almost in a run they took off out the door and down the steps. They entered the dining area breathless, their mother and father just sat at the table with a upset look upon their faces. Each one of them sit down in their chair without a word.39

A dark haired man, with a hint of gray in his hair; broad shoulders and a strong face spoke in a deep tone, “I am glad you finally decided to join us for dinner.”40

“Father, we were doing our homework and lost track of time. We are very sorry.” Hope pleaded.41

The woman at the other end of the table, dark hair, dark sun kissed skin, and deep dark eyes peered at them with question and said, “Really now?”42

“Yes mother” Amber replied, “We are very sorry, we won't let it happen again.”43

Their father announced, “Very well then, let us say grace.”44

They each bowed their head and listen as their father led the diner prayer. After he was finished each one said in a harmonic tone, “Amen”. Each one of them began to fill their plates with food and pass it around the table for the other. They cleaned their plates and let out a sigh from the fullness of their bellies. They all talked, reminisced upon their day and from time to time they would laugh. The maids entered the dining area and began to clear the table. Their father announced, “Let us move to the den.”45

Each one got up from their seats and followed their father and mother into a big room. Two large couches and four large chairs sit near a huge fireplace. Beige in color and so inviting just from the looks of them. They each took a seat and waited for their father to speak. “What shall we talk about?” he said in a deep brawny voice.46

Robert was the first one to speak up, “Tell us about how you found out we were shadow walkers.”47

Jeremiah agreed in a excited tone, “Yeah, we love hearing about it.”48

Their father looked to their lovely mother and asked,“Agreed?”49

Their mother answered him in a soft kind voice, “Yes, I don't see why not.”50

Each one of the children sunk deeper into their chairs where they had sit down, waiting for their father to began the fond memory of their secret. Their father looked at each one of them enjoying the anticipation they all had. He loved the fact that they never got tired of hearing these stories. Slowly he began to speak of his memory, “I believe Hope was nearly a month old, when the first incident happened. Hope woke up from her sleep and began to cry. Your mother and I went to check in on her. As we went over to her crib our shadows cast over her. She quite crying, as soon as she had stopped crying she disappeared. Right before our own eyes, we could not believe what we had just seen. In disbelief we grew very upset and worried. We began to search the castle. Everywhere we would look we could not find her. We were beside ourselves.”51

“We even had all the employees help us search for her. We searched for hours on end. It was about 2 in the morning when we decided to sit down in the same spot where we sat now. The fire was burning warm and bright. It was a cold winter night you know. Well, anyhow, we sit down. I tried to console your mother. She was grieving and crying over our missing baby. I was just as upset as she was but I was trying to keep it together.”52

“Our shadows were cast in front of us. We both got a feeling, your mother stopped crying and we both looked toward the floor. A shadow image of Hope was inside our own. We both stood up and our shadows moved behind us leaving Hope's shadow image upon the floor before us. Within seconds she returned to her normal form. She laid on the floor at our feet. We nearly fell over backwards in shock. We could not explain what we had just witnessed.” 53

“This would happen often, at least once a week. We come accustomed to these events. We could not figure out what was going on though. One night your mother and I decided to clean out the attic. We sit arranging things that had been passed down from generation to generation. Your mother came across one of our ancestors diaries and she opened it up. The look on your mother's face caused me to worry. I got up from where I was sitting, walked over to her and looked down so see what she held in her hands. It was a old antique diary of one of my great great grandfathers. Inside the book was a picture of a shadow. Above the picture was the words Shadow Walkers. 54

“Full of bewilderment I sat down on the floor beside your mother. We began to read it together. For hours and hours we sit upon the cool attic floor studying its contents. It answered a lot of questions that had plagued us for months on end. We found out that my ancestors could walk in shadows. It often would skip every other generation. That is the reason I am not born with this gift. It skipped me. 55

This book seemed to be more of an instruction book instead of a diary. There is coming a day that I shall allow you four to read it.”56

“Father, why can't we read it now?” Robert asked in puzzlement.57

The other children agreed in nods. Their father answered them, “No, not yet. The time is not right. I will let you read it when the time is right. No more questions about the diary.” He said in a blunt demanding tone.58

They all sit there a moment thinking about the diary. They wished they could get their hands on it and read it. It must have so much in it that they still don't yet know. They have had to learn this thing on their own. They wondered about the information they still knew not of. Their father broke their thoughts and said, “Each one of you would hide in our shadows. It would began when you all were a month old. We grew accustom to it after Hope put us through the trial run. You boys would play tricks on your mother and on each other. Hiding in the shadows and grabbing a hold of us when we did not know you were there. Always a bunch of jokers. Finally you all learned how to control this gift. We noticed that when each one of you were upset, sad, or nervous you would disappear.59

“When each one of you hit your four birthday you could control it a little more. The older each of you got, the better at shadow walking you became. All each could do it at will. I know you all think it fun to walk in shadows but they can be dangers. That is why we have forbidden you to do this. The only time you may is in an emergency. What I mean about emergency is only use it if it is life or death. If anyone ever found out your secret, you all would be studied like a bunch of animals or freaks. We do not want this life for you. We want to protect you and keep you safe. We love you so much. I hope none of you are doing this” he asked in a questioning tone.60

None of them said anything. They sat and watched their father intensely. He said in a firm tone, “I better not catch any of you doing this. It can be very dangerous. When the time is right you will be allowed to read the diary then you will understand completely what I have been telling you. Now, it is getting late and you have school tomorrow. Off to bed.” 61

Hope, Amber, Jeremiah and Robert stood to their feet, walked over and hugged and kissed their mother then their father, good-night. They turned and walked out of the den. They each headed up the stairs to go to their rooms. Once on the third floor, Jeremiah said in a whisper, “I would sure like to get my hands on that diary.”62

Robert agreed in a longing tone, “Me too.”63

“It probably have the answers to all my questions I have had.” Amber exclaimed. 64

“Yes, I know. I have thought about it also. Mom and Dad know what they are doing. We must wait. It is the best thing.” Hope announced.65

Jeremiah agreed in a forced tone, “I guess you are right. We must leave well enough alone. We have arrived at our parting points. Well good-night. See you all in the morning.”66

Robert answered, “Good-night.”67

Amber said in a tired voice, “Sleep well, Good-night.”68

Hope also said, “Night”.69

They each parted ways and went down their own hallway. Up the steps and to their rooms they prepared themselves for bed. Each bathed and brushed their teeth. They combed their hair and put on their bed clothes. With tired yawns they each climb into their own beds and drift off to sleep.70