Hellfire On The Other Side

Chapter 10

   Back in New Orleans, a portal appears in front of Tiana's Place. From the portal emerges Shane, Clara, Tina, Charlene, and Roma. Clara, dagger in hand, grabbed Shane by the ear and took him to a corner the others couldn't hear. She hit him a few times on the arm with her empty hand. "You idiot! What have you done?! You brought back my mom?!" Shane, unphased, flicks the dagger out of Clara's hand. "Yes, I did," he says. "I thought you'd be a bit more excited. Clara's eyes narrowed and she hit him over the head. "Excited?! Excited! I just ran away from my father, who must I remind you is a villain, and this is when you bring back my mom?! Shane, maybe I mourn over her sometimes but I don't need her in my life right now! I never once asked you are anyone to bring her back! I only wanted her back when I was young before I came to my senses! Oh lord, I need a beer. "Clara, what do you want from me? This whole reunion has been a roller coaster of emotions! I have actually brought her back a few months ago. Once I learned how to bring back dead souls from anywhere in the worlds, I knew just who to bring back. I knew that she would be very important to my plan," says Shane. "And besides. It's also gonna show my mom that voodoo can be used for good," he says, clutching his cane. Clara clenched her fists and paced for a few seconds muttering, "He is going to kill me! I shouldn't have run! Or I should have I gone to Sydney?" Clara stopped and glanced over to her mom. "She is going to hate me..." Shane puts his hand on Clara's shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm pretty sure that my mom would still get mad at me for using voodoo, even if I use it for good," he says, smiling. "You don't have to worry. She told me that she trusted you to make the right decision. Go and talk to her. I'll take Char and Tina to safety." Clara sighed, "Get me a few beers while your out, I need to get drunk." Clara picked up her dagger and put it back in her cloak. Shane nods. "Char, Tina, let's go. I think we need some rest," he says, walking into Tiana's Place.  

   Shane enters Tiana's Place, with Charlene and Tina leaning on his shoulders. Tiana and Naveen, who are cleaning up, look at the trio. "Tina! Charlene!" Tiana exclaims, as she races over to them. "Shane, what happened?" she asks. "My fault, but not my doing," says Shane. "We were on the run from some very bad people. As you can see, they were ready to defend themselves." He points at the rolling pin and frying pan. Charlene and Tina sit down at the only dirty table. "Tina! You were gonna defend yourself with my rolling pin?!" shouts Tiana. "Mama, relax. Only as a last resort," Tina reassures. "Charlene, who's after you?" Naveen asks. "French people. I think they're high in status or something. They're looking for Clara Frollo. She's Shane's best friend," Charlene explains. "And what's worse is that Facilier's back," says Tina. "How?!" asks Tiana. "Facilier? As in the Shadow Man?" asks Naveen. "I guess Clara's father somehow brought him back," says Tina. "Earlier today, I sensed something wrong in the Soul Realm. Someone had escaped, and it was Facilier. I still can't figure out how Claude managed to bring him back. He's with the church, and he hates voodoo," says Shane. "Anyway, Clara's outside, talking to her mother. I brought her back because I believe she'll be crucial to my plan," says Shane. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go handle some business of my own. Tiana, Naveen, I'm sorry for putting your daughter in danger." "No worries, Shane. I trust you," says Tiana. "And Charlene?" Charlene kisses Shane, then says, "I'll be fine. You just go do what you need to do." Shane smiles, then phases into the wall as a shadow. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone. That's my job," he says, as he flies out through the window.

   Shane appears in front of a house in Los Angeles. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and walks up to the front door. "Here goes, Shane," he says. He knocks on the front door and waits for an answer. "Figures," says Shane, dejectedly. He turns and walks away from the house, just before a voice calls out to him. "Shane? Is that you?" Shane smiles and turns around. "Hey, Mom," he says. "Can I come in?"

   After a long discussion on what's been going on since Shane left for New Orleans, tensions are high. "I can't believe it!" shouts Shane's mom. "Mom, I know this doesn't sound good, but I need you to trust me, I'm not like Facilier. Nana, do you trust me?" says Shane. "Of course, Shane," says Nana. "Now, listen, Verity. Your son is trying to explain himself to you, and you refuse to listen. That's not what a mother would do." Verity looks at Shane and says, "Shane, you've got it all wrong. I'm not worried that you'll end up like your father. I'm worried that something bad will happen to you. The Friends, they never listen. They get whatever they want, and they don't care what they have to do to get it. Shane, no Facilier in the past has been able to control the Friends." She hugs him tightly. "I'm just scared of losing you, son," says Verity. Shane looks Verity right in her eyes. "Mom. I've got this. I don't need my Friends on the Other Side. Cause I've got friends on my side, and that's all that matters," he says. Nana laughs at Shane's statement. "Whew, Verity, he gotcha! He's a good man, I'll tell you that! Whatever person gets with him is gonna be a lucky one!" she says. Shane smirks. "Can't wait to bring her here," he says. "I'll be waiting for the day," says Verity. "Now, run along! Go help out your friends, put an end to Claude and Facilier's plans, and tell Roma I said 'Hey'." Shane puts on his mask, cap, and coat, grabs his cane, and says, "You ain't gotta tell me twice!" Shane summons a portal underneath him, then sinks into it, waving goodbye to Verity and Nana. "You raised a good one, Verity," says Nana. "But You should've told him that he got the whole talking-to-dead-souls thing from you." Verity sighs. "Yeah, but he's got his own power to unlock soon," she says. "Frankly, I'm a bit disappointed that he didn't show up to my funeral. But I can understand that he didn't want to bother you," says Nana. Nana's souls dissipates.