The Man in the Shadows

The Man in the Shadows

It was an unusually warm and sunny evening despite the sporadic thunderstorms that had occurred throughout the day. Annalise turned off her car radio and rolled down the windows as she rounded the corner to her childhood home. A gust of wind hit her face, blowing wisps of dark curly hair across her full lips. She smiled as she observed the scenery, gazing lovingly at the sun setting behind the trees along the road. She always loved the drive home. Something about the secluded and scenic road had always made her feel serene. She admired the mysterious and enchanting ambience of the forest. She followed the tree line with her eyes, marveling at the mystical beauty of her surroundings. As she reached the end of the road, she noticed a shadowy figure dart across the trees. Strange, she thought. Just an animal? She paused as she reached the front gate to the home, absorbing her surroundings before entering. She sighed and drove through. A crack of thunder rumbled loudly in the distance. After 10 long years, Annalise had finally returned home.

Annalise slowly pressed the brakes as she reached the end of the driveway. Her stomach began to knot as she gazed upon the house she grew up in. The house that stood before her was much different than the home she so lovingly recalled. What was once a charming and beautiful home had now become a decaying pile of memories. Guilt and shame welled up in her chest; a hard rock that slowly made its way to her throat. “How am I supposed to do this without you mom?!” she cried aloud, clutching her mother’s necklace around her neck. She wiped her tears and let out a sigh, looking over at her sleeping dog next to her. “You’re all I have left, Bub,” she mumbled, gently caressing the dog’s head. She grabbed the keys and exited the car, pausing to observe the property once more. She fought back tears as she reached the porch. Inhale through the nose…exhale through the mouth…she thought, slowly taking two deep breaths. She put the key into the lock and opened the door. Clutching her mother’s necklace, she reluctantly stepped inside. “I’m home Momma. Sorry it took me so long.”

Once inside, Annalise immediately realized the interior of the home was just as she remembered it being. Nothing much had changed, other than an enormous accumulation of dust that blanketed every surface she could see. she wiped her finger across the coffee table, groaning at the amount of dust she collected. She stopped and looked around, reminiscing on the memories the home brought back to her. She spotted an old photo sitting atop the fireplace. She smiled as she walked towards it, picking it up to examine it closely. It was a photo of her and her mother tending to the garden they both so lovingly cared for. She brushed the dust from the photo, revealing her mother’s beautiful face that she so desperately missed. A tear began to fall down her cheek, splashing onto the glass of the picture frame. She wiped it away from the glass, noticing a mysterious dark figure hiding in its place. Startled, she examined the picture closer. It was hard to make out, but there was something peering behind the trees, watching her and her mother. How had she never noticed that before? What could it be? Why was it watching them? A shiver ran down her spine as her mind began to wander.

Suddenly, a ghastly smell overcame her. “Oh, my goodness! What is that?” she screamed, covering her mouth and nose with her hand. She placed the photo back onto the mantle and looked around the room. Her attention quickly turned to her dog who had also taken notice of the horrid odor. She watched him closely as he sniffed around the room. He slowly made his way through the living room and down the hallway, finally stopping in front of a closed door. She paused as she realized which room it was. Her mother’s study had always been a mysterious and intriguing space to Annalise, as she was forbidden to ever enter it as a child. She gulped as she walked towards the door, hesitantly reaching for the doorknob. She slowly turned the knob and opened the door.

Annalise gagged as she entered the study, looking around for the possible source of the smell. She watched quietly as her dog examined the room, making his way to the closet door that was slightly ajar. Inquisitively, he sniffed and scratched at the door, slightly pushing the door open with his snout. The closet door creaked as it opened wider, and the dog let out a sudden whimper. He whined once more before he obediently sat down and looked up, focusing intently into the dark closet. It was as if he were being commanded by an unseen presence. Goosebumps rose on Annalise’s arms. “Bub,” Annalise mumbled shakily. She cleared her throat and tried again. “Bub!” she yelled, unnerved by her dog’s odd behavior. The dog began to whimper as he stood up, still staring into the dark void of the closet. A low growl slowly crept from his now snarled lips. He slowly backed away from the closet, his growl and snarl growing with each step. Annalise was puzzled by this. “What’s wrong Bub?” she asked, reaching out to pet the dog as he nervously backed into the hallway. He licked her hand as he laid in the doorway, shaking and whimpering, never once taking his eyes off the closet.

Frightened, Annalise turned her attention back towards the closet. Her heart began to race as she cautiously made her way to the end of the room. Her blood began to rush as she reached for the closet door. The dog let out a quick growl. Her stomach dropped. She flicked on the light switch and flung the door open. “Oh, gross!” she yelled. She gagged as the nauseating scent of decay surrounded her. She covered her mouth and nose with her sleeve and looked inside. Two dead crows were rotting on the closet floor. She softly nudged one with her foot. Its neck was broken. Or was it? Weird. Maybe they flew in through the window, she thought. She checked the windows to make sure they were all closed. They were. Confused, but happy she found the source of the smell, she began to clean up the mess.

Using gloves, she picked up the crows and placed them inside an old towel. She gently folded the towel and placed the bundle to the side of the closet door. she dipped a sponge into a bucket of bleach water and began to scrub the floor. While scrubbing, she spotted something in the back of the closet, hidden behind a long black cloak. She pushed the cloak aside, revealing a small wooden hand-carved altar. On top of the altar were candles, photos of a baby and a small child, and a bowl of something that was partially burned. A small black notebook sat in the very middle of the altar. She dropped the sponge back into the bucket and removed the gloves. What is this?

She examined the sight before her, unaware of what she was really seeing. She picked up the photos scattered around the altar and observed them, slowly realizing that they were all photos of herself, both as an infant, and a small child. Confused, she placed the photos back onto the altar. She reached for the black notebook. As she picked it up, she noticed it was resting on top of a symbol that she had never seen before, yet somehow knew. The wind outside began to howl and the sky began to darken. Annalise opened the latch on the notebook and turned to the first page. That strange symbol again. She rubbed her fingers across the image, tracing the outline that was in the notebook. “Where do I know this symbol from?” she asked aloud, shuddering as a strange sensation began to flow through her body. Underneath the symbol was an inscription. Annalise read the inscription aloud, pausing for a moment before chuckling to herself. “And as you dream, so it may be. But you must always pay me.” Interesting, she thought. “I’ll gladly take $20,000 right now,” she joked. A crack of thunder echoed in the distance. Startled, she dropped the notebook. A piece of paper fell out of the notebook, landing in front her. She laughed to herself as she picked up the paper. Her mouth dropped open as she read the words that were on the page:

"To my dearest Annalise,

If you are reading this, my beloved child, then it means that I have passed. Yet it also means that I have succeeded. You see, my beautiful daughter, I struggled for years to conceive. I wanted nothing more in this world than to be a mother - your mother. So, I did something that I never thought I would do. My sweet child, you have always been a miracle. Because you are a child that was born purely out of love! I wished for you so much that my wish came true! However, such a great wish came with a great price. And that price was supposed to be you. Do you remember your imaginary friend? The one that you said was afraid of the light and remained hidden in the shadows and darkest corners of your room? My love, he was never imaginary. He is very real, in fact, and he is the reason you are here. He has always been around you because he is a part of you. You are a part of him. I asked him to bring you to me, and he did. But he tricked me and bound himself to you. Because of that, he has always waited for you. He has always wanted you. That is why I sent you away. I was too afraid of what would happen to you if you remained here. But I quickly realized that he was with you wherever you went, waiting and watching. I couldn’t bear the thought of him taking you from me, and I tried for years to break the deal with no luck. So, I let him take me instead. My dearest daughter, stay far away from the darkness. Do not engage with the Man in the Shadows. His promises are lies, for he steals your very soul. Do not ask him for anything! Do not accept his gifts! I love you my sweet darling. Everything I ever did in this world was all for you. "

Annalise wiped the tears from her face and ran out of the room. She made her way down the hall and into the kitchen before collapsing. She sat there and sobbed for what seemed like hours. Her phone rang. She wiped her tears and cleared her throat, answering the call. “Hello,” she said shakily. “Yes, this is she. The bank…wait, what? $20,000? From whom?! Hello? Hello!?” she exclaimed. The call ended. She could not believe what she had just heard. Who could have given her that much money?

Suddenly, Annalise screamed as she noticed a face staring at her from a dark corner. She froze in horror as the figure moved closer to her, holding the black notebook out to her. Smiling, the dark presence placed the notebook in her hands and disappeared. Evil laughter echoed in the hallway. Fear engulfed Annalise as she noticed her name inscribed across the front. She gasped as she opened the notebook and read the words on the page, revealing her dreaded fate: "$20,000 is what you asked of me. And as you dream, so it may be, but you must always pay me. Your soul has always belonged to me, and now I may take it, just as I please. "