"The Shadow Within Us All" by Emma-Jane C. Smith

Kathleen made her way through the forest as the blackened branches reached for her. The moonlight glinting on a far off world where nothing is as it seems. The gnarled branches groped and prodded as she made her way on swift feet to her destination. The frost in the air making puffs of mist where her breath expired. She could hear the timing of the Wolfhound place beating in time with her breast. She must make it or never live, never die, be stuck in limbo with evil guiding her every thought. An evervesance of light seeping after her. She did not know what would finally happen when she reached the destination of the Four. She being one Fourth, a group gathered to run to this place to seek the solution of the world’s torment. The awakening was occurring, life that once lay dormant in every living creature was stirring. The power that would destroy the earth. There was a whisper on the breeze. A fervent prayer that it would not be too late. The trees were awakening and Kathleen dreaded to think of what other tings were stirring within the dark forest of shapes, smells and dampness.

In the distance, Kathleen finally made out the structure of the Wolfhound, a secret place where wolves once had their chance to destroy the shadows. Every century the different beings of the earth are given the chance to stop the shadow. The first chance was given to the wolves, who were said to have created the Wolfhound structure by weaving their magic through their howls to the moon. As the eons passed, each trial completed has only ever been able to stop the shadow for that century. Somehow it had always come back with a vengeance for blood that time had only made worst.

This time the chosen were from the humans, Kathleen, who was one of the Four innocence. Which is why Kathleen runs from the east to where the Wolfhound lays hidden within the depths of the forest.

Abruptly the forest ceased and before her lay the stone structures of the Wolfhound. There were four dour doorways that in the circular structure that lead into the heart of the building. One door facing north, another south, east and west. As Kathleen approached the east doorway, she saw the others. Cautiously they all approached their doors, a blue light engulfed them simultaneously. In that flash of light they were sucked into a maze. All four now stood in a circle, the maze of green hedges coming out from a sandstone floor. The hedges were suffocating, long tendrils,tentacles of hands emerged as the leafy branches grew longer.

Kathleen and the other three did not know what to do. Did they face the maze, each taking their own path or was there only one right way that they all must reach? In the center of their circle a dark mist rose from the ground giving fourth a hideous howl. The Four ran, each into his or her own entrance to the endless twists and turns of the maze. Again Kathleen was running, her breath misting before her. This time there was a shadow that moved to swallow her, this time she was being chased.

She lost count of the many twists and turns that she took, the darkness always reaching out towards her. She stumbled on some uneven paving. Looking back her eyes widened, then her brow drew down in hate. She stood to face the darkness, her fear gone. In the last few moments she took courage from the distant shouts of defiance that whisps of wind brought forth on the breeze. She then yelled her own defiance and before her appeared a sword of wrought steel and flame. Hefting it, a snarl came to Kathleen’s lips. At the last instant, just before the shadow encumbered her body, she swung the mighty sword at her opponent.

To her amazement the shadow dissipated and on the ground there lay a figure wrapped in a cloak of pure black. Cautiously, Kathleen bent down and lifted the figure’s hood. There lay the handsomest man she had even seen, his face drawn and pale. He looked into her blue-gray eyes, his that were bright green tore at her soul. He whispered,


“Please don’t kill me… I beg you”.

His words softened her heart but she came to realize that her choice would change the future. Did she show mercy? Or perhaps revenge? The thought that troubled her most was to decide what had all the other Chosen ones before her, done. She knew that the power of the Wolfhound could destroy the shadow forever. Why had it not been destroyed long ago instead of being put into dormancy? Then the thought came to her. Only the innocent had been chosen. Within each set of Four, one was chosen, at random, this innocent would have to decide between killing the shadow or showing mercy.

They had all chosen mercy, she was sure of it. At the very crux of the thoughts of each of the Four was to retain at least some of their innocence because they were afraid of the shadow. Afraid of their hatred for it. The only defense against the shadow known, was innocence. Fear it seemed, had always had chosen the path for them.

She looked down once more at the figure that lay cowering before her and her sword. Kathleen knew what must be done. She lifted the sword once again, bringing it down to pierce his venerable heart. He went stiff, agony constricted his face and then relaxed into death. Tears streamed down her face as she gazed into the deep pools of his lifeless eyes. Still holding their own innocence. She lent down and smoothed down his black hair as a friend or lover might have. Then, with a sniff, she lay down beside him and plunged the sword deep into her own heart. The innocent and the shadow lay side-by-side forever in a place that would never be entered again.

The blue light returned to three of the Four who had each seen the dark cloaked man die, he had dissipated into nothing. Their swords then disappeared as they were returned to outside the Wolfhound where they found each of the doors blocked up. The dawn now lit the sky with scarlet feelers, every animal, plant and man had returned to normal. The shadow to never return from its slumber. As all things die in time, so had the shadow within them all.