Title: Magic and Shadows: A Collection of YA Fantasy and Paranormal Romances
Author: Various Authors
Genre: YA Paranormal/Fantasy
Release Date: November 7th 2017
Publisher: Opal Moon Press
Magic lurks in every shadow.
By: T.M. Franklin, L.C. Ireland, Kelly Hashway, JT Camp, C.A. Gray, Sheri Downing, Alex H. Singh, S. E. Walker, Catherine Banks, Shereen Vedam, and Sharon Coady
I ran to my room, expecting to see Avery sitting on my windowsill the way he always did, but the room was empty. I turned wildly in all directions, wondering if I’d imagined it. Then I saw it by the doorway. A shadow. Not a person casting a shadow.
As scared as I was to turn away, I took a quick glance out the window behind me. The full moon made it unusually bright. I held my arm out at my side and slowly turned back toward the shadow, hoping to see that it was my own. That I was only imagining a male figure because I was hoping it was Avery. But the shadow’s arm wasn’t raised like mine.
I froze, unable to look away. The hair on my arms stood on end. I didn’t know if I should try to talk to the figure or if I should run. But running didn’t seem like a good option since the thing was blocking my door. I grabbed the alarm clock off my nightstand, yanking the cord from the outlet. Not the greatest weapon, but it was the only thing within reach. I considered throwing it at the shadow, but the neon green clock had been a present from Avery. It was the last gift he’d given me, and with him missing, I wasn’t about to part with it. I raised it above my head, hoping the threat of throwing it would be enough to scare away the shadowy figure.
It wasn’t. The shadow stood its ground. Not moving. Taunting me. Making me wonder what it was going to do to me.
The shadow didn’t answer. But then I didn’t really expect it to, seeing as it didn’t have a mouth.
Then my mind went to the worst place. What if this was the thing that took Avery and the other kids? What if I was its next victim?
Tick, tick, tick…
The awful ticking seemed louder now. Or maybe it was just the clock on the wall doing its job. I stood in front of the clock and glared at it, hands on my hips.
Of course, it kept ticking away, oblivious to my distress. Maybe I could take it down and smother it under a blanket. But it was too high for me to reach. Why was everything in this blasted manor so high off the ground? I knew I was short, but come on! I stalked across the room, grabbing a chair. At this rate, I would need to carry a stool with me at all times to reach anything!
Tick, tick, tick…
“Stop!” I howled. “I hate you, clock! I hate ticking, and I hate time, and I hate your stupid little numbers! Just leave me alone!”
Tick, tick, tick…
I was about to set the chair down to climb on top of it, but I was too upset to be reasonable. I swung the chair at the wall with all my strength.
There was a mighty crash as the chair collided with the fancy clock. Pieces of clockwork and glass rained down on me. The clock fell from the wall, shattering again as it hit the floor. For a moment, all was silent as I stared at the decimated clock. Its many pieces reflected the moonlight streaming in the window, practically glowing. Then…
Tick, tick, tick…
The ticking in my head resumed as if nothing had happened. A clock was only a clock, after all. Nothing could really stop the flow of time as it rushed forward, carrying me ever closer to my awful deadline.
“Please stop,” I whispered.
No one heard me.
