Shadow Whisperer pt.1

A Story by Peyton platt

Miracle the main character goes to a school for people with gifts against her own will and meets someone named Jonathan. Things wont go planned and her gift will send them on a suspenseful journey.

Shadow whisperer pt.1

Ever since I was young my mom told me I was special and I suppose she was right… I am special. I have what some may call a gift, but I believe it to be a curse. When I was younger I could hear everyone, but not just the words that came out of their mouths, I could hear their darkest thoughts. Things they tried to keep buried. Everyone says that someone's shadow is evil and tells lies, but I can prove that a shadow is the most honest part of somebody. The shadows wait for a listening ear, and I am that ear. I can hear the shadows; even the ones cast from trees and objects. All shadows have a voice, and I was born their interpreter. But being the only ear for these secret holding shadows, I never have silence. My mom used to spend hours telling me I was special, when really her shadow was revealing her secret. She was afraid of me. Afraid of what I could do. So she sent me to a school where ‘gifted’ people go. A school full of people like me; Abandoned and feared freaks. We all had some reason to be feared or abandoned. Some of the students had tentacles for arms, and others had large wings that could fill the entirety of the classroom’s width with their wingspan. Some embraced their gifts and studied hard to master them to become a hero. Some embraced the darkness of their ‘gifts’, though they saw them for what they were, curses. I was among those students. I hated my ‘gift’. I hated that I could hear everyone's secrets. that the shadows spoke to me. When the teachers noticed my unwillingness to participate in their stupid exercises & tests they considered a growing point in life they decided to pair me with one of the people who enjoyed being ‘gifted’; Jonathan Stone. He was 6’2 and one year older than me. His hair is the color of the shadows that creep around the school whispering secrets to me, and his eyes are the color of the water of the lake that is in front of our school. He’s sweet…I guess. Today, we’re meeting in the meditation room (which is an extremely dumb idea in my opinion). He’s waiting for me by the door and I pray he doesn't notice me trying to sneak past but nope god is not on my side. Then again, when is he ever?

“Miracle!! there you are! I was waiting for you for thirty minutes! What on god's green earth were you even doing?” Jonathan spoke fast and with such eagerness that if you squint hard enough you could practically see his good guy golden halo. I scowled at him, my hazel eyes narrowed in distaste as I looked him up and down.

“I had better things to do… and either way it's none of your business.” I practically growled at him and proceeded to shove past him into the meditation room, my hands clenched into fists. Jonathan followed behind me, his shoulders slumped. It didn't take much to hurt the big guy's feelings. I found it almost amusing how a seventeen year old boy could pout like a toddler that’s been refused candy. I felt a little guilty. But only for a moment. I buried my guilt with dislike.

“Oh,” I shot him a forced smile and as soon as his displeasure came it disappeared like a leaf in the wind, his frown replaced with a sideways grin before continuing. “I was thinking today we could practice your shadow talking today! Or if you don't feel comfortable we could do more icebreakers…?” He swung his backpack to his chest and pulled out a ugly tasseled jar filled with folded paper. I scoffed at the jar before looking at him with even more displeasure than before. He’s smart. I'll give him that. He knows I hate both practicing my ‘gift’ and doing icebreakers of ANY kind. But, honestly, I’d much rather do some stupid meditation than talk about myself.

“Fine, let's do your meditation activity…” I ungracefully assume a meditative stance while Jonathan looks like he just won the lottery. Unlike me, he gracefully assumes a meditative stance next to me, our shoulders touch and I tense scooting away with a grumble. As soon as my eyes flutter closed and I'm plunged into darkness. my body immediately going limp. the shadows reach out for me, whispering secrets I wish I could block out. The shadows wrap around me, making me shiver. I tense, my eyes darting back and forth even though they’re closed. The shadows whisper to me. Some things I already know, some things I don't. It’s getting louder. I try to open my eyes, but the shadows block my sight, forcing me to stay in the darkness. I panic, the darkness becoming too loud for me to understand. My body convulses Jonathan grabs my shoulders, his body tense with fear. He tries to shake me awake, shadows crashing around us like waves, The voices are like nails on a chalkboard. I covered my ears trying to block out the noise.

“Miracle focus! Listen to my voice! Wake up!” I could hear the panic in Jonathan's voice, his shadow reaching out for me trying to sooth me among the waves of screams. My ears burned from the pain. I could feel the blood pooling into my hands as I covered them. I screamed as the shadows grew larger, wrapping around me and Jonathan like a blanket of darkness.

“SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!” Suddenly it all went quiet… except for the sound of the shadows whispering in the corners and Jonathan's scared voice. I opened my eyes and my breath hitched. Everything was made out of shadows. And the classroom was gone. We were in total darkness. We were a part of the shadows…

To be continued…