Skin Deep

Was it just my imagination that day that made me believe that this man existed outside of this world?

His appearance was normal if you consider drop-dead-gorgeous a normal thing. His smile was a mixture of a hypnotizing glow against his deep chocolate complexion, and a warning bell against those who wished to venture further to see what might be on the other side of it.

A crowd always seemed to surround him like a rather large shadow, hanging on to his every word as he graced the presence of our academy. He glowed in the bubble they created around him, an untouchable paradise.

So, it was no wonder the surprise it took me by, the moment his rich brown hazel eyes penetrated my soul. He didn’t look through me, or glance over me either. It was full on eye contact followed by an unexpected smile. My heart fumbled over itself as I struggled to maintain my composure. I didn’t know how to react, people like me in this school were practically invisible. So, to have him see me…

One of the girls in front of him bounced excitedly about something and drew his attention away.

‘What just happened?’ I scoffed to myself in disbelief.

I was ready to dismiss the encounter completely, but as I turned my head to leave, at the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of a humungous dark misty cloud hanging above the group.

I snapped my head back to look at it. It was no cloud. Rising out of the shadows of the students was a twisted, hideous black mist of a creature grinning down at me. Wisps of darkness slithered around and off it. Was it… feeding on their shadows…?

“Deliah!” A hand clamped down on my shoulder.

I jumped and turned to see who touched me. My friend Lily.

“Woah girl, chill.”

I smiled at her sheepishly. “Sorry. I… was lost in thought.” I glanced back at the crowd.

He appeared normal again. No dark shadows above them… 'What was that?'

Class resumed for the day, but my focus was divided. Nicholai, my hazel-eyed crush, sat a couple seats ahead of me, one row over to my left.

He’s been here for years. Known him since we both entered the academy.

Well, known him is a bit of an exaggeration. He’s never even made eye contact with me before today. I didn’t exist to him.

The air in the room suddenly got heavier, harder to breath it.

The black mist started to materialize again, looming over Nicholai’s back like it owned him. Again, it looked at me… and grinned. It knew I could see it.

My heartbeat quickened its pace, my lungs screamed for the air it was lacking in the stuffy classroom. My chest felt tight, and my vision slid and blurred until all I saw was nothing…

. . .

My head was pounding, like my heart had migrated there instead of being in my chest. Why was it so bright? I slowly opened my eyes and easily found the source of the brightness, a window near my bed.

Bed?

I opened my eyes wider and glanced around, I’m in the nurse’s office. What happened?

“You passed out in calculus.” A guy’s voice answered the question my confused brain asked.

I turned my head to the voice on the opposite side of the bed and my gaze locked with piercing hazel ones.

My mind blanked and my heart skipped in its usually rhythm.

Nicholai sat there, one elbow on the bed propping up his head as he watched me; a knowing kind-of smile played on his lips, but a dangerous glint sparked his eyes.

“You… uh, you brought me here?” I managed to formulate a sentence. Yay me…

“Yes.” Those hazel eyes refused to let me go. It was hauntingly beautiful and equal parts intimidating.

“Thank you.” My voice was barely over a whisper.

He leaned closer and I forgot how to breath. “You saw it. Didn’t you?”

My brain function was slow, finding it difficult to process the words he said. He was too close. I loved the scent of his cologne I was near enough to smell.

“What?”

His eyes take on a more serious glaze, but his smile doesn’t waver. “I asked if you saw it.”

Oh… oh! My brain finally caught up. He knew about the shadow creature…

My expression alone must’ve been answer enough. He sighed and closed his eyes, leaning back in his seat with his arms folded.

My eyes blinked rapidly with their new-found release. Should I be feeling scared right now? Even at least a little? This isn’t normal, it is?

Nicholai’s expression softened, almost seemed… relieved.

He opened his eyes and looked at me again, holding my gaze hostage. “I call him Slyth.”

I could feel the gears of my brain locking up. 'What…?'

He laughed, a deep alluring sound. “Don’t look so confused. He’s my darkness.”

Full system malfunction. Reboot required. 404 Deliah not found.

‘What?!'

He laughed again. “I can’t say my reaction to this was better. But yours is my favourite. You still in there, cutie?”

I shake my head. “Yeah, uh, I, um… sorry, could you, look away for a minute. Your eyes… I can’t focus…”

I could visibly see him trying to hold in his laughter, but he complies with my request.

'What on Earth?! Did I step into an alternate universe?!'

I stare up at the ceiling. “Am I dead?”

“While this would be easier to explain if you were. That’s not the case.” His voice shook ever so slightly with the humour in it.

“Oh. Okay. Good to know.” I slowly sat myself up. “What do you mean your darkness?”

I could feel his eyes on me again. If I looked, I knew I wouldn’t process a word he said, so I looked down at my fingers.

“Everyone has darkness. Those cruel little voices in your head, or those horrible thoughts; that’s your darkness. Mine just likes to grow out of my shadow.” He explained it so simply and slowly, but it did nothing to help me wrap my head around it.

“Hmm, let’s see how else I can explain this,” He tapped his foot in thought. “How about I let him explain to you?”

I whipped my head to look at him in shock. “What do you mean…?”

The darkness around him deepened and his shadow turned into dark mist hovering above him. “So nice to meet you, little one.”

I shallowed hard, my breath coming out faster. 'It spoke!'

“I am Nicholai’s darkness. Born of negative emotions and experiences.” Its voice was deep, gravelly, and scratchy. “Energies like myself manifest in… special people.”

I nodded my head shakily. “Oh… I see. Uh, w-why is he special?”

Nicholai immediately stood. “That’s not really important. What interests me, is that you can see him.” He leans over the bed, both hands holding him up.

“I-I don’t know.” My head started spinning again and air got heavy like in the classroom.

“Slyth, leave.” It vanished at his command and suddenly everything was back to normal. “Better?”

I nodded slowly. ‘I’m so confused.’

“Tomorrow, I want to take you out.” He said softly, those beautiful and piercing eyes watched me, fascinated.

My mind stopped and replayed his question a good three times. Nicholai was asking me out. ‘What in the alternate universe is happening?!’

“I, uh, yeah. Yes, I’ll go.”

He smirked. “Cool. See you in class.”

. . .

An hour after school ended, I slowly cycled down the street heading to get food, my mind replayed the events of earlier. How is any of this possible?

Suddenly loud shouting reached my ears and then a bang of something being tossed. At first, I was going to avoid the area, but I recognised the deep voice. Nicholai?

I hurry a couple buildings down and see a car garage where the sounds were coming from.

I reached in time to see some man stalking off angrily into the back office of the garage. My attention is torn away from the man when Nicholai tossed down a wrench.

I could see his chest visibly heaving and rapidly getting faster. 'Is he alright?'

His eyes are wild, incoherently glancing around the room, searching almost. He grabbed his head with fists and shouted as he let himself fall to the floor; his head make audible contact with it.

I flinched at the sound, my body froze, hesitating between going in or leaving.

He lifts his head and does it again. And then again.

“N-Nicholai. Nicholai! Stop!” I dropped my bike, running up behind him and locking my arms around his chest to keep him from slamming his head on the floor again.

He thrashed against my hold, and I could feel my grip slipping.

“Nicholai! It’s okay. Shh, I’m here,” I cooed calmly in his ear. “Please, calm down. It’s okay. I’m here.”

He slowly stopped resisting until he completely stopped moving. I sighed in relief, but then I grew worried about his motionlessness.

“Nicholai?”

. . .

The next hour became unbelievably stressful between rushing him to the hospital, waiting to find out if he was okay and hearing he had a mind concussion, to now; sitting by him as he laid down in the hospital bed, obviously uncomfortable.

“Does this happen often?” I asked him after what felt like forever.

He hesitated but then nodded slowly.

“Is this what Slyth meant, when he said ‘special’ people?” I knew the answer, but I dreaded it nonetheless.

“They manifest from the darkest place in a person. That use to scare me, that I was capable of horrible things,” He looked over at me finally. “But I’ve learned to love the darkness. You can’t see what’s coming for you, so it’s not so terrifying.” His voice sounded so defeated in contrast to the words he was saying.

I started shaking my head. “No Nicholai. This isn’t healthy. I don’t know what Slyth tells you, but you could really end up fatally hurting yourself.”

“Now, now. Don’t blame me for this, little one.” The black mist brought itself forward. “My kind only manifest from what’s already there. We don’t create or encourage it. He’s made the decision himself. I simply ensure he’s not alone.”

I felt a spike of anger. “You don’t help either! If you’re his darkness, that means you must know him inside and out! You could help him…”

“Deliah,” Nicholai cuts me off softly. “I don’t want help.”

I looked back down at him, my heart aching. “Why?”

He laughs tiredly. “It should bother you like this. You don’t know me. We spoke for the first time earlier.”

“That doesn’t matter. I don’t have to know you to care.” I said a little too loudly.

A nurse pulled the curtain enough to peek inside. “Please keep it down miss.”

I bowed my head, embarrassed. “Sorry.”

“Let me be perfectly clear, little one. I am made of his dark energy, and despite what you humans believe, that does not make me evil. I’m a natural part of him that now has consciousness.” Slyth loomed closer to her. “I don’t interfere with his decisions. Now, there comes the issue of you.”

“Me?”

“You can see things you shouldn’t, that makes the world a little more dangerous for you. So, allow me to give you a gift on behalf Nicholai here.” Slyth’s mist hand reached into itself and pulled out a very small suspicious-looking package wrapped in brown paper. “Don’t ever open it, unless you feel your life is in danger. Have it on you at all times. You may find it useful.”

I glanced at Nicholai whose eyes are closing sleepily, his breathing had evened out. Looking back at Slyth I accept the box.

A part of me realized that day, I was signing up for something much bigger than being around my crush.

To Be Continued…