Shadow Hunters

Enticement

It was at the time of winter. At the end of the month. Snow drifted everywhere and the wide grim roads wore its colour in white and maniacal grey. That was the time when the howls were just as zealous, echoing into the sky and ushering of power. For those who had the eyes, the children of shadows were everywhere.

And she decided to take her children for a walk outside. To seek other brothers and keep them in her house. It was just the start of a morning. They had planned in whispers the night before.

"I'll leave tomorrow and run away."

"Dont!" Sammy pleaded, his large eyes bulging out in fear.

"This is my only chance. You will distract her..."

"No!"

"You can live with her. I'll leave. I'll leave to see the world."

"Mother will...mother will punish us.." Sammy closed his eyes unable to take the horror.

" I will" he replied back.

Tommy and Sammy stood by the eave of a book store. Enthuasistic book readers entering and leaving the shop. None had seen them. Still, Sammy was at the verge of panic and Tommy only lived the fresh moments. There mother was waiting for the walking sign to turn green. It did and they were walking away, there long arms tangled to their mother's.

"You musnt" she said that to them before stepping out. "Always stay by my side. Don't run away or be taken away by other creatures."

She was brief with her instructions. "You musnt"

The entangling of their weak arms to her didn't leave for any opportunity to run away. The cold around them was energizing but against the energy of a human, they were always helpless creatures.

It was after months Tommy was out in the openness of the world. He watched his other brothers stick around on the streets in unclasped liberty which he lacked. He had promised himself. The one chance he will get, he will escape. He was going to dare. But mother was holding tight. Without realizing.

Their journey included the humanless roads and into the outskirt of their town where one can look up at the open stretch of green fields. Here, the number of building were very few, consisting of only the vitals such as department stores and gas station. But they were journeying for a solitary bridge.

"We are here." Her static voice informed.

The bridge curved over a dried up stream. The grass under it green and thriving.

"One of your brother suffers there." She began.

"He is shy" her short statement. The next one was an order. "Bring him"

Tommy was confused. His agitated eyes was trembling violently, unable to comprehend. They were shadow beings. They barely comprehend. Sammy acknowledged a nod.

"Speak to him. Tell him of the humble home we have." Her tone was unchanged.

"Lure him out."

Together they climbed down the uneven slope, she floated on her steps. The creatures were hauled over.

The very dark corners of the bridge hid her prey. This one barely comes out even in days as inviting as this one. Also, it really sticks to the wall like any mundane shadow. But when it heard one of its peers speak, it stuck out a lump of coal-the head.

"Come with us brother." Sammy urged. Their mother stood her distance, out of the view from the concealed shadow, yet one of their long arms still in their mother's clasp.

The creature's shaky eyes looked at the two of them. Then there was confusion.

"We offer a humble home" Sammy told it. For any human listeners, the voice was like cracking of dry leaves.

"Come..." Sammy continued to beckon. The creature melted out of the wall, only the shoulders and an arm. Slowly, believing, it started to move all of itself from the wall.

She came in a dash and grabbed the charcoal head. The creature screamed. Sammy's nervous gaze became horror struck as Tommy only watched in shock. Paranoia. It hit him again.

Her white fingers spread around its lumpy head and pulled the entire body out.

"You'll come with us" she spoke the same static way, speaking to its left eye bulging out between her fingers. The other eye was pressed shut by her thumb.

"You can live with your brothers" she continued. The black pupil of its eyes looked around her frantically.

Brothers.

He saw them. Then his arm reached out and pulled at Sammy's right arm. Sammy scowled and the creature seem to relish the scream. It tugged harder, it's carcass fingers breaking Sammy's arm into two.

"No fighting" the mother commanded in her simplistic tone. Smokes were coming out from the cracks made in Sammy's arm. The bulging eye was still looking at Sammy's pain filled face.

Brothers.

Traitors.

Its pupil was still trembling. But by the unmoving stare it had on Sammy's dislocated arm, it held unforgiving anger.

The black smoke was contaminating everywhere. Sammy howled louder. The arm was no longer there. Once fully removed, the smoke was gushing out in mad speed.

The moment of confusion was a gift. The other creature groaned under her clutch, Sammy howled in pain and the mother's eyes for once didn't see. The mother's hand for once didn't hold on anymore. Tommy was free. It took a moment only to walk out of that and use all his energy to dissolve into the various shadows around anywhere.

For once, after months, Tommy became a part of a shadow, paranoia in his throat. It took him minutes to realize Sammy was with him too.

Then there was only fear.