Shadows: Chapter One

Shadows Chapter One: A Light in Darkness



[WHILE THIS METERIAL IS OPEN TO ALL READERS OF ANY KIND I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT "SHADOWS" MAY CONTAIN MOMENTS DUBBED EXPLICIT IN SOME CHAPTERS IN THE FOLLOWING CATOGORIES:

-ADULT LANGUAGE

-VIOLENCE

-SEXUAL CONTANT AND/OR BRIEF MOMENTS OF SEXUAL HUMOR

-STATEMENTS THAT MAY QUESTION AND/OR OFFENED PERSONAL RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

UNDERSTAND THAT THOUGH I AM SOULY RESPONSABLE FOR EVERY WORD PUTE INTO THIS, THAT I IN NO WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM AM INSULTING ANYBODY, NEITHER DO I REPRESENT NOR DISPLAY ANY SYMBOLISM OF MY OWN PERSONAL BELIEFS. ENJOY, AND PLEASE RADE AS WELL AS SEND ME COMMENTS ON ANY THOUGHTS YOU'VE HAD ON THIS WORK. THANK YOU.] Note: * indicates that a deffiinition of this phrase or word is provided at the conclusion.



  IT was hidding behind a barrel in the market place, spying on the podestriants woundering about the place on their own accord. Many of Kishna's* population at some point of the day cycled through this area. So many people came in and out that there was an extremely low chance of the possability of ever running into the same person twice in a row. This made an atmospher of utter anynomousy and freshness. For many, it was a place to simply stop by, purchase goods such as food, medical supplies, clothes, weapons, and even "rair" artifacts that had supposively come from across the Radiant River*. The market place was magnificint in this display of sheer human contact, as thousands would pour into it throughout hundreds of entrances, and out of it by an equal amount of paths. It was also awe inspiring in the way it was created. The market place was a mile long, and twice as wide in size. Golden statues of old heroes nearly forgotten in time had been erected throughout the multiple pavileons and squares. Staircases swirled and climbed their way across the edges of large, marbel buildings. Some Buildings were incrusted with emrold, safire, silver, or even black krypte*. The place was that of a warm, safe atmosphere, and a place secluded from the rest of the world it seemed. Even the guards, hundreds of them, placed scattered throughout the area had been decorated with suits of armor coated in paper thin lines of silver, slashing thinly up the limbs of the suuit until all meeting to form the silver dragon embelm in the center of the chest piece.

  The market was perfect in almost every way. There was a singular flaw in the concept of everything that seemed harmless to the civilians and regualr population, but a nusance and embarressment to both the shop keepers and the city guard. This problem was met usually with striking cruelty, and quickness. This problem was however unaviodable and a common occurance in every city cunstructed by man, and that problem was theivery. Theives could steel what they wanted from passer-by's and never be caught or held personaly in contempt, neiter by dukes or peasants alike. These theives were refered to as rats, except for smaller ones, which were playfully refered to as mice. The difference was human conscience. Rats were seen as desperate, murderers, rapists even. Mice were seen with a more gentle eye, being sad and simlpey hungry.

  IT was a mouse. And like all mice, was constantly on the lookout for oppertunity. IT spotted a large man, in fat rather than muscle, strut across the square of the market. He wore a green robe, displaying the drawings of dragons and mighty fields. He was indeed a duke, but whose title was unknown, as well umimportant towards IT. IT was only interested in the money bag. The purse strapped to the man's side was thick, large. It was weighed and the center bulged, assuring that this man didn't know what a bank apperantly was. IT needed the money for two reasons. One, to pay off Scraper, and his falsely immposed debts uppon IT, who's never done anything wrong throughout IT's life. Second, IT was human, mortal, and fragile. IT simpley needed money to be fed.

  IT scampered out of the cover of the barrel, marked with a red rose emblem symbolizing the East Side Ecvernoe Wine Company, and made IT's way tthrough the flowing river of the crowd. Pickpocketting, or steeling, was simple to rats and mice alike. However rats offten opt to robbing whole stands. All IT had to do was get close to the man, grab the purse and be off in a dash to the safety of the alleys. It was as simple a thought as can be, and more dificult to actually pule off successfully. The trick was not to get the strap of the purse stuck or caught on the man's shoulder, and move fast enough so that he does not have the approipriat time to latch onto the bag with his hand in retaliation.

  Speed was key. IT approached the man as he scouted out a display of exotic fruit. IT pounced on him, grabbing the purse and ripping it from the man's body. He didn't notice what had fully happened until the mouse had scampered back into the sheild of the crowd. There was no chance in hell that IT was going to be caught, not after the last time, when a merchant had beet IT until IT passed out from a mild concusion. IT had waken up in IT's pack's hole an hour later, bleeding from the forehead and ears, with a broken arm and noes, with a split lip. "Packs," were the guilds the rats and mice took. No one, no matter how desprate wanted to spen their life as a loner. "Holes," where either alleys or old, condemmed buildings the pack took shelter in. IT's pack had ownership of an old appartment complex. It was a dark, vile place, but home nontheless.

  IT made it safely into an alley, and after making sure IT wasn't being fallowed, continued in the direction of the complex. IT opened the purse, and a smile cracked over the 12 year old's face. A massive amount of coin was in that purse. Other things as well, there was a small bag of pipe weed, and a pipe itself. IT sat down on the steps of an old house, abandoned in its time, and took out each. IT thought of smoking it, and relieving the stress of Scraper's demands. But then again, IT wasn't an addict, and already had the money to pay off Scraper, as well feed the entire pack. The weed would be a gift to Quick Tounge, IT's closest friend within the pack. Quick Tounge was known for his words, sharp and piercing. He was extremely persausive, and could tell off anybody. IT liked him because of the stories he made up as well. He however, was addicted heavily to the tabaco.

  Sitting up, IT continued on the path of the alley. IT was happy, glad to have been such a success for today. IT would be popular among the other mice, and maybe a whisper of respect and kindness to some of the pack's rats.

  IT walked down the alley further, now a meer two blocks from the pack's hole. A stone, a large, heavy rock, was suddenly hurled at IT's head, and the mouse felt back. The perjectile struck IT in the left ear, and carved a bloody gape. IT looked up to see a rat, unknown to the pack. He looked down on the tiny mouse, he must have been 16 himself. He said, "Give me that bag kid, and ya won't get hit again."

  IT couldn't belives it, a rat was about to take everything. The money to feed the pack, the pipe weed for Quick Tounge, and the debt money to Scraper. The rat just grinned. The little mouse, now feeling truely a mouse, tucked the purse close. The rat's smile faded. "You little shit," he said, "give me that damn bag!" And he pounced ontop of IT, who struggled to hold the puse close to IT's body. The rat dragged IT up off of the ground by the hair, and smashed the little child in the face with his fist several times. IT's vision blocked out ever hit, dotting with black dots, as the mind went dizzy. IT's upper lip felt warmth as blood leaked from the noes. The rat through IT up against the alley wall, and then tackled IT harder into the wall. The mouse shed tears.

  IT fell to the ground, and saw the rock thrown earlier. Grabbing it, the child was again pulled from the Earth. IT spun around to the attacker, and smashed the side of the stone into the rat's face. He shouted and cursed, and the mouse hit him again. Again IT striked, but the rat cought the hand. IT isntantly felt crushed inside, thinking that a run for the hole while the rat had staggered would have been a far better choice than to let anger out on him. He slammed IT in the head with his fist, and the mouse fell to the ground. The boy grabbed the stone and struck IT in the face. Blood stained the primitive weapon, and blood gushed out of IT's noes along with snot. He struck again. and the stone scraped away flesh from the cheek. He did it again, and the child's lips swollened into puffy red mounds. On the next bash, those puffs bursted oped, leaving lines down each, splitting the lip. The rat hit IT again and again and again, until IT was on the brink of death. IT hadn't had the strength to fight back, and layed there crying and pissing out of fear. The rat stopped, and took the pusre. He ran back to an intercept in the alley way, away from both IT's pack and the market place. IT laid there on the cold gravel, seaping blood, piss, tears and snot. IT trenbled violently in pain and fear, and in a half of a minute, went unconcious.

  In that time span, IT felt like a SHE suddenly. Like a little girl, before she was picked to pickpocket for the pack. She felt small. week, and though felt much pain, went unnoticed completely in the darkness on the alley. IT was a term letting all now that she was a boy trapped in a girls body. But IT wasn't. She was just a little child, who needed help now more than any other time in her life, and for once it actually came.

  Somebody, a boy, scooped up the broken girl from the floor, and carried her to the complex. He would later save this child, in more than one way.



To be continued. Please rate and comment.

Definitions: Krishna: The name of the city.  Radiant River: A large river seperating the east of the country and the west, a more sucluded and unpopulated area.