Shadows of Love

The next day seemed to go by so slow. Since I couldn't tell Lili about being kidnapped, or the fact that I had seen three people die the previous day, I had no excuse to not go to school. Elena had sent me a text telling me that she would come over after school this afternoon. We would finally get to talk about everything that had happened. Which was good, because I had hardly paid any attention in class due to thinking through the trauma I had experienced in the last couple days. I loved that Lili was staying with me. It just kept me from being able to be alone to go through all my thoughts and emotions. I needed to finally get to the bottom of whatever was going on in this town, which I somehow managed to get dragged into.

I sighed a breath of relief as the impossibly long school day finally ended. I decided I would take the scenic route home. It would help me to relax a little and get some air before getting home to Lili. Elena told me she would be there later this afternoon, so I had a couple hours to myself. As I walked, though, I began to get a strange feeling. The feeling that I was being watched. I felt the hair on the back of my neck crawl and shivers ran down my spine. I looked behind me and only saw the back of a runner, who was jogging in the other direction. It then occurred to me that I had passed that person a couple times already. I had just been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn't thought anything of it. I did the only thing I could think of doing. I took off running. My house was only a couple more houses down. A few more houses and I would be safe, or at least I hoped. I wasn't sure of anything anymore.

I took a deep breath as soon as I shut the front door and locked it behind me, relieved. Lili's car wasn't in the drive, so I proceeded to check all the doors and windows, making sure they were closed and locked.

After I bolted the last door, I heard a deep, familiar voice behind me. "Feel safer?" I spun around only to see the impossible. Elijah was standing right in front of me. The thought of running rushed through my mind momentarily before I pushed it away. This man was much faster than me, he had proved that yesterday. Not to mention he was back from the dead.

"N-no," I told him honestly.

"Oh," he replied, feigned surprise on his face. "Because of me?" I nodded, to which he only chuckled. "You have no need to fear me, Maya."

"How do you know my name?" I blurted out. My name was precious to me and it bothered me that this man knew it.

He gave me a small smile. "I know a lot of things about you, Maya. I know not only your name, but your favorite color, food, and even the fact that you are adopted, are you not?"

"And how would you know these things?" I replied, surprised that my voice was even working. "Were you following me? Are you stalking me?"

"No," he replied, looking slightly concerned at my accusations, "Is that what you think of me?"

"I don't know what to think of you," I replied, though I was still confused. When he showed up, I assumed he was the one who had been following me, but now I'm not so sure. I pushed the thought to the back of my mind. One life threat at a time.

He took a step towards me. I would have taken a step back if I hadn't already shoved myself against the door. He put his hands up.  "I am not going to harm you, Maya."

"Then why are you here?" I breathed as he stopped directly in front of me. I was sure he could see my trembling as he came closer.

He ran his hands down my arms gently, "I'm not quite sure myself, if I were to be honest." I tensed, scared of what he was going to do. He noticed, and pulled his hands away. He took a step back. "Before I make my departure, I have only a single question for you, Maya."

"What makes you think I know the answer?" I pushed myself away from the wall. "I don't know anything about what's happening here, or why you want Elena. If you aren't here to kill me, then I don't know what you could possibly want from me."