Page 35 of Shadow Running
The alley waslong and narrow, and in the light of the overhead street lamps, the tall chain link fence across the end of the road glimmered.The buildings on both the right and left stretched out from the front sidewalk to the end, with no passages between them.I jogged down the alley, looking to my right and left.A few doors, but they looked boarded up.Unless someone had a nail gun, they weren’t getting in the mostly-abandoned shops.
I checked each one though, tugging on the handles, testing the boards that closed off the doors.Nothing was loose, nothing gave, and everything looked like it had been boarded up for some time.There was one other shop where the back door was accessible, but it was locked tight.When I dashed around to the actual street, I saw that it was a dry cleaning company, with business hours from seven am to four-thirty daily.Since Greg had disappeared around seven, the laundry would have already been closed.
I slowed down and walked toward the end of the alley.About ten feet from the end, a sudden shift in energy caught me, making me stop.I shook my head, trying to clear the sudden dizziness that hit me.A moment later, when I stepped to the side, it passed.
I stepped back into the space, and immediately, the spinning began again.
“What have we here?”I muttered.I spread my arms out, palms up, trying to figure out what the rogue energy was.There was an odd, familiar feel to it, but I couldn’t pinpoint it.I hunted through my backpack and pulled out a roll of gold tape, then bent over and taped an X in the center of the spot I’d been standing in.Whatever it was, I wanted to remember where it was.
I headed back into the bar, asked Benny if he wanted a ride home, but he said he’d stick around with Winston for awhile, so I left, thinking all the way home about the bright light, the vanishing people, and what it might all mean.
* * *
Penn was waitingfor me by the time I got home.She looked flushed as I entered the kitchen, and as I examined her face, I saw the trail of tears edging down her face.She was sitting still—very still—at the counter, a cup of tea in front of her.An empty cookie bag sat to one side.
“What’s going on?”I asked.“You look…”
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.When she spoke, her voice quavered.“I got a call from Edgeworth Emergency Care today, over where my mother lives.She’s sick.Very sick.”
I stiffened.“Sick with what?What’s going on?”
Penn stood, holding onto the counter.“My mother’s been infected by a faltine—it’s an astral creature that attaches itself to the brain stem.It feeds on a witch’s magical energy until they’re drained.And when you’re drained, you die.The creatures are fast—it can be a matter of a few days once they’ve burrowed into you before they deplete you of energy.She’s pretty far gone.She’s in isolation right now—they have to keep everyone magical away from her because the…”
Halting, Penn let out a horrified sob.I raced around the counter and wrapped her in my arms.“Ssh…I’m here.”
Penn shivered, then swallowed her tears.“The creature lays eggs in the host’s body, and when they hatch, they can immediately latch onto anyone else who’s magical and in the area.I can’t see her—they won’t let me near her because I could be infected.”
“When do they…hatch?”The faltines sounded absolutely horrific.
“As soon as the host dies.They feed on the residual energy for a brief time, then head out on the astral.The healers are going to have to immediately cremate her the moment she dies.That will keep the faltine eggs from hatching and with the magical barriers they’ll erect, the original creature won’t be able to make a move, either.I can’t believe this is happening.”
Penn began to slouch and I picked her up, carrying her over to the sofa and laying her down on it.I grabbed the throw on the back of the sofa and covered her with it, then hurried into the kitchen, where I grabbed a bottle of sparkling water.I returned to the sofa, where I sat next to her on an ottoman.I pulled out my phone.
“Here, drink,” I said, handing her the bottle.As she took the water, I texted Dante.
penn is in trouble.her mother is dying and there’s nothing she can do.she’s not allowed to go see her—trust me, the doctors are right on this one.but penn’s in a bad state.
Dante texted back, immediately.what do you need?
someone to stay with her tomorrow.sophia, maybe?
i’ll call her and let you know.
I tossed my phone on the coffee table.“So…do you want to talk?Stay quiet?Whatever you want, just tell me.”
Penn sniffled and I handed her a box of tissues and adjusted her pillow.Murdoch wandered in and, pausing, he looked up at Penn and then jumped up, curling up next to her head, licking her forehead gently.She sniffed, then reached up and he crawled in the crook of her arm, snuggling against her.Jangles also seemed to recognize something was wrong and curled up on the bottom of the sofa, next to Penn’s feet.After a few moments, she scooched up, sitting back against the pillows on the arm of the sofa.
“My mother and I have had a difficult relationship since the day I was born.She did her best, but she’s never been able to understand me.I don’t know what she saw in my father, given how she feels about the Fae and the way we process relationships.”She blew her nose, then took another sip of water.
“Maybe she didn’t know?”I offered.
“Maybe not.And now, I’ll never be able to ask her.”Penn stared at her hands.
My phone beeped and I turned it over.Dante had answered.
sophia will drop by around 7:00 am.she’ll stay with penn while you come into work.
i have to see seton first, at 7:30, so i may be about half an hour late.can you hold down the fort until i get there?
