over Donald, and Jaleel remembered the guy’s harsh words.
“ How’d a nigger like you get a cushy government job like this, anyway ?”
Jaleel grimaced. The words stung still, but at least Jaleel knew Donald hadn’t been in control of himself when he’d spoken. It didn’t make it better, just a little more understandable.
The photographs continued, and Jaleel watched the arrival of the shadow as it melted backward over the edge of the chasm. It slithered like a snake, sliding over the ground, purposeful. Finally, it was gone.
“Why did he start taking pictures so early?” Lyle asked. Jaleel thought it was a damn good question.
Trevor rolled his eyes. “What else was he gonna do? He brought the camera to use it, I would think.”
“Any idea what that thing is?” Marsha asked.
“I don’t know. But I would chance a guess that it’s what we’re up against here.” Jaleel wiped fresh sweat from his forehead. Looking up, his heart sank. The day was just getting weirder by the moment.
Don’t look at it , Id hissed.
Why not?
Because it doesn’t concern you as of yet. You will see soon enough.
“And we’re supposed to fight something like this?” Trevor asked.
The guy was starting to grate on Jaleel’s nerves, but the impossibility happening overhead was a more pressing issue. He would listen to Id, though, if just for a little while longer.
Justine cleared her throat, her eyes showing just how scared she was. “You can’t fight a shadow.”
22
DONALD RAN FOR HIS LIFE. Air whipped by his face, breath burning in his lungs, as his small legs drove him further from his hunter.
Diffuse light poured into the cavern from an unknown source. The glow seemed to follow him, lighting his way as he swerved around stalagmites jutting from the ground. He wove through the sharp abutments, pressing on, knowing his pursuer was close on his heels. Donald could hear its thundering footfalls.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
He had no idea how he’d gotten there, just remembered being thrown into the chase. He recalled going back to the group, amnesia welcoming him, only to be thrust forward into darkness again. A single word floated around in his gray matter, but he couldn’t remember where it had come from.
Sunne .
“Get back here, midget!” The growl, low and guttural, came from behind him.
He knew that voice. That was why he ran. Donald tripped and shot forward.
He found himself in the foyer of the Columbia University Student Services building.
Dreams of college and a future as a writer loomed in the back of his mind. He’d won several awards for his stories in state and national competitions, one of them a scholarship to Columbia. Finishing high school had been a dream come true. He could slough off the hate-filled mocking voices that haunted him on a nightly routine. He was small, worthless, or all-around laughable. That seemed to be the popular consensus among his classmates.
She was standing in a queue for the Registrars Office when Donald stepped into line behind her. He hadn’t realized he was staring at her straight black hair, which flowed down the middle of her back, until she turned and offered him a smile. Her eyes were chocolate, soul-stealing. He thought losing his soul to her was a very good prospect. The throng shuffled forward, and she faced forward again. Donald continued eying her, knowing he was coming off poorly, in a creepy sort of way, but he wasn’t able to take his eyes off her.
Her tight, streamlined form was much smaller than Donald normally liked, and she was a good two feet taller than he was. When she turned around again, looking down at him with those Hershey eyes, Donald melted.
“Hi.” He smiled, wondering madly if he’d brushed his teeth that morning.
She nodded. “Hey-lo.”
He saw nothing mocking in her eyes. She looked at him as if he were regular sized. The thought made him feel warm inside.
“I’m Donald Adams.” He extended his hand, and she took it
“ How’d a nigger like you get a cushy government job like this, anyway ?”
Jaleel grimaced. The words stung still, but at least Jaleel knew Donald hadn’t been in control of himself when he’d spoken. It didn’t make it better, just a little more understandable.
The photographs continued, and Jaleel watched the arrival of the shadow as it melted backward over the edge of the chasm. It slithered like a snake, sliding over the ground, purposeful. Finally, it was gone.
“Why did he start taking pictures so early?” Lyle asked. Jaleel thought it was a damn good question.
Trevor rolled his eyes. “What else was he gonna do? He brought the camera to use it, I would think.”
“Any idea what that thing is?” Marsha asked.
“I don’t know. But I would chance a guess that it’s what we’re up against here.” Jaleel wiped fresh sweat from his forehead. Looking up, his heart sank. The day was just getting weirder by the moment.
Don’t look at it , Id hissed.
Why not?
Because it doesn’t concern you as of yet. You will see soon enough.
“And we’re supposed to fight something like this?” Trevor asked.
The guy was starting to grate on Jaleel’s nerves, but the impossibility happening overhead was a more pressing issue. He would listen to Id, though, if just for a little while longer.
Justine cleared her throat, her eyes showing just how scared she was. “You can’t fight a shadow.”
22
DONALD RAN FOR HIS LIFE. Air whipped by his face, breath burning in his lungs, as his small legs drove him further from his hunter.
Diffuse light poured into the cavern from an unknown source. The glow seemed to follow him, lighting his way as he swerved around stalagmites jutting from the ground. He wove through the sharp abutments, pressing on, knowing his pursuer was close on his heels. Donald could hear its thundering footfalls.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
He had no idea how he’d gotten there, just remembered being thrown into the chase. He recalled going back to the group, amnesia welcoming him, only to be thrust forward into darkness again. A single word floated around in his gray matter, but he couldn’t remember where it had come from.
Sunne .
“Get back here, midget!” The growl, low and guttural, came from behind him.
He knew that voice. That was why he ran. Donald tripped and shot forward.
He found himself in the foyer of the Columbia University Student Services building.
Dreams of college and a future as a writer loomed in the back of his mind. He’d won several awards for his stories in state and national competitions, one of them a scholarship to Columbia. Finishing high school had been a dream come true. He could slough off the hate-filled mocking voices that haunted him on a nightly routine. He was small, worthless, or all-around laughable. That seemed to be the popular consensus among his classmates.
She was standing in a queue for the Registrars Office when Donald stepped into line behind her. He hadn’t realized he was staring at her straight black hair, which flowed down the middle of her back, until she turned and offered him a smile. Her eyes were chocolate, soul-stealing. He thought losing his soul to her was a very good prospect. The throng shuffled forward, and she faced forward again. Donald continued eying her, knowing he was coming off poorly, in a creepy sort of way, but he wasn’t able to take his eyes off her.
Her tight, streamlined form was much smaller than Donald normally liked, and she was a good two feet taller than he was. When she turned around again, looking down at him with those Hershey eyes, Donald melted.
“Hi.” He smiled, wondering madly if he’d brushed his teeth that morning.
She nodded. “Hey-lo.”
He saw nothing mocking in her eyes. She looked at him as if he were regular sized. The thought made him feel warm inside.
“I’m Donald Adams.” He extended his hand, and she took it
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