There’s no time to appreciate the fleeing of my stalker. As soon as they leave the gunman behind like a pile of used bubblegum, the Guard turns their collective attention back on Shadow.
One of the monsters opens their clawed hands, and a glowing white light hums with a sinister energy in the center of its palm. The creature hurls it at Shadow. The light spreads open into a wet, sticky web that wraps around him, binding his smoky form. He roars in pain as he struggles against it, his form flickering wildly, but the light from the device seems to drain him, his movements growing weaker.
I drop to my knees, trying to claw it off. A guttural scream escapes my throat. Pain sears my fingers, forcing me to releasethe webbing. I turn my shaking hands over, ugly scorch marks mar my skin.
Four of the Guard grasp Shadow’s limbs and drag him toward the bed even as he growls and thrashes.
He won’t be able to return to me. They won’t let him. Panic riots through my brain and body like a million skittering ants.
If he leaves, I’ll be alone.
Truly alone with the knowledge he’s being tortured and imprisoned because of me.
"No!" My desperation boils over into fury.
I launch myself at one of the Guard dragging Shadow away, only to be thrown back. All the oxygen expels from my lungs as I hit the ground. My lungs squeeze painfully and I know a bruise will develop on my back later. I struggle to get. They’ll have to kill me first before I let them take Shadow.
"Stop!" I scream.
They halt, freezing at my command.
Wait, what?
No one moves, except for Shadow, who twitches in pain. They seem to be giving me their rapt attention and I don’t know why.
I scramble to my feet. "Let him go," I command. "Release him now."
To my amazement, the web retracts into the Guard's hand. Shadow is released, collapsing to the floor, too weakened to move but free. Bright red lines of his exposed muscles from the web burns stand out.
I rush to his side. "Shadow, are you okay?"
His eyes meet mine, pain and anger swirling within them. It’s directed at me.
Why is he angry at me? Because he wanted me to run?
I meet his fury head-on and I know he can read the emotion in my eyes too.
I couldn’t let them take you.
But the fight to save him was somewhat anticlimactic when they just... did what I asked.
Standing, I face the Guard, a theory forming in my mind braiding into the narrative of a movie I once watched.
"Raise your right leg," I command.
They comply without hesitation, bending at the knee and lifting their right legs. Six of the scariest monsters just lifted one leg because I told them to.
Shock sends a buzzing numbness through me.
This is bizarre. This is insane. It doesn’t make any sense.
"You have to do what I say, don’t you?" My words come out just above a whisper.
"Yes," they all respond in unison.
My senses numb, I stand rooted in place, unable to process what just happened. I expect the floor to slip out from under me at any moment. I wait for them to attack again, but they hold their position.
It can’t be.
