Shadow Born: Book 1 of the Shadow-Borne Chronicles (6 page)

Alec went over to his antiquated computer and moved the mouse around until the screen lit up.
 
The computer had belonged to the owner of the pizza place where he had worked.
 
When they had upgraded their system to a more modern method of taking orders and tracking deliveries, they had sold Alec the computer, cheap.
 
It wasn’t fast, but it worked.

Alec pulled up a search engine and thought for a moment.
 
Then typed in ‘forty foot fall, no injuries’.
 
The search engine thought for a moment and then listed a page full of links.
 
All that pulled up was stories of people who had hurt themselves after falling forty feet.
 
Next he typed in ‘accidental fall with no injures’.
 
Again nothing.

He sat frustrated for a moment and tried several other unsuccessful search terms.
 
Eventually he came across a website about bizarre accidents that mysteriously didn’t end with the dangerous and sometimes fatal outcome expected.
 
Some of the stories were so bizarre Alec wondered who would ever believe them.
 
One woman claimed that she had been saved from a car crash by an angel.
 
One minute her car was wrapped around a tree, the steering wheel pressed into her abdomen, the next she was laying safely on the grass, the car in flames and a beautiful winged creature hovering over her.

Another, and Alec chuckled at this one, claimed that he had been driving along a deserted highway when he saw a flash of light, which he claimed was a UFO.
 
The light blinded the driver so bad that he swerved into a ditch and rolled his car.
 
The next thing he knew, he was being lowered to the ground by a little grey-green, large eyed alien, whose skin felt like plastic.
 
He said the alien checked to make sure he was okay, then, and this was the part that made Alec laugh, the alien probed him and ran off into the dark.
 
Where did these people come from?

After another few stories Alec found what he was looking for.
 
The title said, ‘Man Falls Sixty Feet From Ski lift, No Injuries’.
 
Somehow, the cable had gotten stuck on the lift the man was riding and stopped so quickly he was thrown from his seat.
 
He said it happened so fast he didn’t have time to register it, but when he realized what had happened, he was lying on his back in several feet of snow with no injuries.
 
According to the writer of the story, the man’s adrenaline had kicked in and he had somehow managed to find a way to flip and land without hurting himself.
 

Alec sighed and sat back in his used computer chair.
 
Maybe it was just adrenaline and luck.
 
Weirder things had happened.
 
At least it hadn’t been aliens and he hadn’t been probed.
 
He laughed again and, stood and checked the time.
 
It was almost seven p.m..
 
Marc would be there shortly.

At their Wednesday history class, Marc had asked Alec if he wanted to hang out.
 
Alec had said he had Friday evening and all day Saturday off, so sure.
 
Marc had told Alec Friday night or Saturday night would work best since he worked during the day and couldn’t get off until late.
 
Alec had finally agreed to Friday since he could stay up late and sleep in the next day.
 
Sundays could be a bitch when you were exhausted from the night before.
 
Most people where he worked needed Sunday off for church, yeah right, and that left the warehouse with a smaller crew than normal. He did notice though that during his history class, No-neck, or Carl, as some knew him, kept his eyes downcast and avoided looking in Alec’s direction.
 

Alec walked over to the bathroom sink, brushed his teeth, then put some paste in his hair, again giving it that disheveled look.
 
He admired himself in the mirror, which he’d been doing a lot lately.
 
He had definitely changed, and so far all for the good.
 
He tried one of the cocky smiles that Marc seemed so good at.
 
It made him look like he was snarling.
 
He tried again.
 
This one made him look like he smelled something odd.
 
He shook his head.
 
Some people had a knack for making things look easy.
 

A knock at the door broke Alec’s reverie and he walked through his room and into the living room to answer it.
 
Marc stood on the other side, cocky grin firmly in place, and a six-pack of beer in each hand.
 

Alec stepped aside and said, “Come on in.”

Marc nodded his thanks, entered and walked to the kitchen to put the beer in the fridge.
 

“Want one?” he said offering Alec a bottle.

Alec took the beer nervously and thanked him.
 
It was stupid of Alec to be nervous but he couldn’t help it.
 
He wasn’t used to ‘hanging out’ with people.
 

“I like your place,” Marc said looking around.

“Thanks.
 
Would you like the grand tour?”

Marc nodded.

“It’s easy to get lost in here so if we get separated, please stop and I will back track my way to find you,” he said motioning to his tiny apartment.
 
Marc laughed and Alec showed him his room and the bathroom.

Alec and Marc sat on the couch and talked for some time.
 
Just casual chitchat type stuff but Marc put Alec completely at ease with his laid-back attitude and unassuming manner.
 
Alec usually had a hard time talking to other people and feeling comfortable around them, but Marc was different somehow.

Each had gotten up once to grab two beers from the kitchen and both were nursing their third bottle.
 
Marc had asked about Alec’s childhood so Alec told him a little about the orphanage and his life there.
 
He didn’t go into a lot of detail and Marc didn’t press him on the matter.
 
Marc told Alec that his dad had been a scholar that had studied the ancient Roman Empire.
 
He had grown up surrounded by Roman artifacts and history.
 

Marc lifted his arms and stretched, causing his gray T-shirt to ride up and Alec could see several inches of Marc’s taut, muscled stomach.
 
Coarse black hair ran in a line from just underneath his jeans and disappeared beneath his shirt.
 
Marc clasped his hands together above his head and leaned back a little further showing another inch of skin.
 
Had he done that on purpose or was he stretching a kink out of his back?
 
Alec dropped his eyes quickly to his beer and fidgeted with it.
 

After a short lull in the conversation Marc finally turned to Alec.
 
“Listen, the other day in class, when I sat beside you… I knew who you were.
 
I didn’t want to say anything because I was trying to be respectful of your privacy.”

“Okay,” Alec said slowly, wondering where this was going.

“I know you’ve been through a lot.
 
It had to be a horrible experience, being taken like that, but if you ever need to talk I’m here.”

“I appreciate that,” Alec said carefully.
 
Where was Marc going with this?

“It’s just…I went through something similar when I was younger, and it helped to talk it out.”
 
Marc looked at Alec earnestly.

Alec’s brow furrowed.
 
“You did?”

Marc nodded and his eyes took on a faraway look. “It was night time and I was walking home in the dark, alone, when suddenly this figure jumped me and knocked me out.
 
Next thing I know I’m in his house and he’s telling me he’s been watching me and he loves me and wants to spend eternity with me.
 
It was the scariest thing I’ve ever been through.”

Alec looked shocked.
 
“I guess sometimes it doesn’t pay to be gorgeous.” He realized what he’d said and blushed a bright crimson.
 
Marc smiled one of his famous cocky smiles but didn’t say anything.

What is wrong with me?
Alec thought.
 
“So what did you do?”
 
Alec was too caught up in the story to let his embarrassment stop him from hearing the ending.

Marc shook his head.
 
“After several weeks of being…victimized, I finally got ahold of a knife and I stabbed him in the chest and killed him.”

Alec sat in shock.
 
Did he hear that correctly?
 
Marc had killed someone?
 
He couldn’t believe it.

“Wow,” he said after digesting the information for a moment.

“So you see, if anyone understands what you’re going through, it’s me.”

Alec nodded slowly.
 

“I hope that you don’t think I’m some sort of monster now.”

Alec shook his head quickly.
 
“No, not at all.
 
If I could have gotten ahold of a knife I would have done the exact same thing.”
 
He realized that his hands were balled into fists in his lap and he forced them to relax.

“Did…did you have nightmares afterwards?”

Marc nodded. “A few.
 
But they quickly faded.
 
I started a new life in a new place after that but that’s a whole different story,” he said chuckling.

“I keep having these dreams that the woman, Clarissa, is laying on top of me and I’m naked,” he blushed at admitting this but continued, “Her wrists are slit and she keeps whispering in my ear ‘drink’, and then I wake up in a cold sweat, unable to breath.”

“Those will pass quickly.
 
The mind is an amazing thing.
 
You are stronger than you realize.”

“I just keep wondering, why me?
 
I mean the cops said it was because I had no family or friends,” he looked up at Marc to see his reaction.
 
He continued when Marc nodded.
 
“No one would miss me,” he said quietly.

“Well, that’s not true
now
. I would know you were missing.”

Alec smiled.
 
“It’s feeling stuffy in here.
 
Can we go for a walk?”

Marc nodded his assent and they got up, Alec locking the door on his way out of the apartment, and Marc offering to drive.
 
He had a very nice looking red sedan and once he and Alec were in and buckled up he backed out of the parking spot and drove to the main road.
 
Alec wasn’t sure where they were going but Marc said he knew a good place to walk and get some air.

After about five minutes of driving, they pulled into the parking lot of the Centennial Park.
 
Both men exited the car and Marc pressed a button on his key chain, causing the alarm system to chirp its confirmation that it was active.

Both men were quiet as they walked along the lit pathway that wound around and through the park.
 
Occasionally Marc would turn his head slightly like he was listening to something but he never stopped or said anything.
 
He let Alec walk at his own pace and didn’t disturb his thoughts.

After a moment Alec sighed.
 
“There is something that I need to talk about but I don’t know how to say it.”

“Just say it,” Marc said quietly.

Alec shook his head.
 
“You are going to think I’m crazy.
 
This is all so insane.”

“Listen Alec, I have seen and experienced things you would never believe if I told them to you.
 
I know that there are weird things out there in the world.
 
Believe me.”

“Okay, here goes.
 
Ever since I was abducted, my body has been changing.”
 
He looked at Marc to gauge his reaction.
 
“Go on,” was all he said.

“I’ve lost weight, I’ve gained muscle and, well look,” he said pulling up his shirt and showing his tight abs.
 
“I used to be this overweight, dumpy guy that no one looked at twice.
 
Now… now, I’m in the best shape of my life and I didn’t change a thing… well except to start college.”
 

Marc just nodded thoughtfully.
 
He cocked his head again, like he was listening to something. He stopped and turned suddenly looking off into the darkness.
 
Alec stopped too but missed Marc’s furtive movements.
 
He was too caught up in finally having someone to talk to and getting all this off his chest.

“There’s something else too.
 
This morning at work, the compartment I was in collapsed and I feel forty feet.
 
Instead of breaking my neck like I should have, I landed on my feet with no injuries.”
 
He looked up at Marc who was staring intently into the darkness.

“Alec,” Marc said intently, “we need to get out of here.
 
Now!”
 
He grabbed Alec’s elbow and steered him through the grass in a direct line for the car.
 

“What’s wrong,” Alec asked, wondering if he had said something wrong and freaked Marc out.

“Shit,” was all Marc said, as he pushed Alec behind him.
 
Alec started to ask a question but suddenly three shapes came hurtling out of the dark to land, two in front of Marc and one in front of Alec.
 
Alec’s mouth fell open in surprise as his mind registered that these men had just
landed
in front of them.