"Ebonwing - Chapter 2" by Stephanie ´Pegacorna´ Nichole Small

Sara walked across the dark carpet to the old door. She pushed past the door, her muscles painfully clenching as she gasped sharply. Annoyed, she snatched the handle of the white vacuum. Lumbering a little exaggeratedly to the electrical slot she pressed the silver prongs into the notches. Suddenly, her eyes were drawn along the floor as something dark skittered under a thick shelf. She cursed to herself. Sara considered that it might be a rodent but decided that there was nothing she could do anyway.

"Kyla, can you tell Maggie there was a rat or something" she said. "You'll be here in the morning right?"

"I am surprised you didn't want to take it home. As for Maggie, yea....but I will write a note, in case I get all stupid and don't remember to tell her in the morning" called out Kyla. Sara nodded, more to herself than to Kyla an annoyed smirk splitting across Sara's face.

"Kay" she said as she turned on the horrible vacuum. The beast sputtered to life and with each rumbling shock wave of the white machine it sent vibrations of pain throughout Sara's hand and arm. It made her feel a little sickened as a swimming feeling filled her mind and stomach. She pushed the feelings from her and pulled her mind back to the task at hand. Glancing down at the vacuum, she drew it back and forth across the ancient carpet.

The half hour stretched by slowly as she vacuumed the isles of the bookstore. Sara spaced and daydreamed as she swept the heavy vacuum across the floor trying to ignore the bite of her complaining muscles. Her body was a weapon, but the only victim it had was herself. A horseback riding accident years ago had damaged her frail body and left her with a painful disorder called Fibromyalgia. The sickening affliction wracked her body with pain constantly. In addition, she had sustained other injuries that also caused her additional pain.

Sara ran the thick vacuum over a small stubborn strain she knew would never disappear and quickly gave up. She quickly packed up the old machine and wandered over to where Kyla was finishing up. Kyla's dark ebony hair obscured her elusive amethyst eyes as she tossed coins into the checkout drawer.

Kyla looked up from her work, fixing Sara with a riveting gaze that left Sara breathless. Sara looked down, pushing painful thoughts and feelings far from her heart. Kyla was bound to another, she knew it, she also knew it was nothing permanent, with Kyla's partner. She wanted Kyla’s love, but she had to control her feelings. If only Sara had someone...someone she could hold close...but no. She was left only with a cold, tired feeling as she looked back up into Kyla's patient and piercing gaze.

“I am done, was there anything else you wanted me to finish?” Sara asked wearily.

Kyla glanced at her, their gazes met. Kyla smiled, though those knowing eyes did not. “No go sit down…I’ll finish up.” Sara sighed gratefully to herself, clocked out, flicked off all but the back light and turned around to sit in one of the old chairs. She pulled a old bag from her green backpack and pulled a shiny novel from its confines and began to read as she scratched a little at her ear.…

Suddenly she heard a strange scratching…a popping sound…from upstairs. Sara and Kyla met frightened eyes across the counter. Yesterday, they had been comparing all the “weird” occurrences of the bookstore. Chairs moved on their own, strange sounds occurred late at night, creepy chills and the creek of the old stairs all granted credence to the eerie bookstore.

The store had been a downtown fixture for over 30 years...plenty of time for strange things to happen. Sara was convinced someone must have died in the store. Not because she felt the place was evil, but more like she was just sure there was a ghost or something in the building. Although new to the job, the last few months she had been staying late for closing shifts. Each night, the darkened store groaned and hissed under its weight. "Building is just settling" her mother had reprimanded her one night. Sara wasn't so sure though.....

As she stared forward, her mind wandering her attention was drawn to a pallid blue sheen flickering in the air. The glare seemed manifest across the isle and refracted as it reflecting off the books. Suddenly, in the gleam of azure lights, gleaming points of dark red light shifted in the light. Eyes, hateful and shining with dark animosity glared toward Sara. Sara jumped, as she saw the dark eyes and shoved herself violently against an opposite shelf. The sharp covers of the books bruised her back as she bit back a terrified scream. Almost as soon as they had appeared, the angry eyes vanished and the blue light dissipated. Sara whimpered against the books.

“What was that?” She heard Kyla ask in surprise, but the voice was far from where Sara stood and she was sure Kyla hadn't seen the angry light.

Sara shivered and heard Kyla stir and move across the store. Sara haltingly stood, her mind racing and fear creeping into her racing mind. “I don't know what it was.” she said softly “I am going over to where you are” Sara called out a little louder. Kyla met her at the front door. Kyla didn't say anything more and unlocked the door, motioning for Sara to leave. As she stepped out, Kyla turned to Sara.She put her hand onto her hip and cocked herself in a rather spunky way. She then smirked and asked in a southern accent “Are you able to give me a ride home, Sara, since I am your DM?” Kyla asked, her voice impish and pointed. “I need to drop off Maggie’s key until I get my own” She motioned quickly with the dull key in her hand.

Sara smiled despite the stabs of dark pain that suddenly flowered along her back and shoulders. She nodded roughly. “Yea I can give you a ride.” She said with a soft grunt.

Kyla faced Sara, her back to the shop, and mumbled something to herself about role-playing then she bent down to get some notes out of her black backpack. As Kyla knelt before Sara, Sara's mind wavered as the pain assaulted her. Her vision swam as the building seemed to shudder. Suddenly, in the reflection of the huge mirror, Sara saw a terrifying face infused with a putrid yellow light gazing from the shop’s glass. Sara gasped in horror at the fetid creature’s angry stare and dropped her backpack, bruising her precious books. Kyla was shocked! Kyla stood up hurriedly and looked at Sara.

“What’s wrong?” Kyla exclaimed looking behind her toward the glass, in a spray of black hair as she turned, obscuring Sara’s vision temporarily. Sara stared in shock through the glass door toward where she had seen the reflection. She saw nothing in the glass however. Kyla had not reacted to anything behind Sara. When she turned slowly, she saw nothing behind her. Sara shook her head in fear and disbelief. “It is nothing”, Sara announced “…just...my…back.” she lied. Kyla looked at her disbelieving but didn’t say anything. Kyla nodded gently and stood to follow Sara.