The Darkness of Shadows Read Online Free

knives or just the oven glove?”
    He thrust the blade into my lower abdomen and jerked it up to my sternum. Warm, wet blood soaked through my clothes. Great, I was an episode of CSI .
    My father withdrew the knife and disappeared into a state of nonexistence.

    I wasn’t sure what was happening as I fell backward and hit the ground hard. Flashes of light volleyed about. Brilliant colors fluttered by. I tried to get up, but Val’s gentle hands kept me down. There was movement everywhere around me.
    “Nat, look at me,” Val said. She took my hand—it was slick with red. Must be blood—mine, I guessed. I’m quick like that.
    “You … okay?” My breathing was labored, rough. “Your … mom?”
    “We’re fine. Where the hell are the EMS guys?”
    “They are en route.” Mrs. Guerrero was kneeling on my other side. When did they get here?
    Val squeezed my hand—I was too weak to return the gesture.
    “Mom …”
    “Keep talking to her.” Mrs. Guerrero touched my stomach and murmured something too low to make out.
    The world around me started to tremble, reverberate. It felt like the life was leaving my body. The shadows were coming. Not like before, though. Not threatening, like the nightmares.
    “He … can’t … hurt me … any … more,” I said.
    “Who?” Val said.
    A futile exhalation.
    “Who did this to you?”
    My voice was fading, my breathing ragged. “Father …”
    “Cut it out!” Val’s eyes never left mine. Tears slid down her cheeks. “You’re fine, you’re going to be fine …”
    I tried to say goodbye and that I loved them. The noise began to fade as I drifted into the stillness and the peace the shadows offered.

    This time, my mother was waiting for me.
    Blood was everywhere: on the walls, the floor, the furniture, her. I listened for my father but there was nothing.
    “Ma’am?” I said. The life was leaving her eyes—I could still see the hatred in them.
    “He needs me to finish the ritual.” Her voice was raspy. “I never … should have had you …”
    I turned away from her, away from the blood. The acrid stench filled my nostrils and I gagged. I needed to get out of there before my father came back. I tried to stand, but couldn’t. I was slipping, couldn’t find my feet with all the blood.
    Sirens, howling. Sirens meant strangers—strangers were coming to see all my secrets.
    “Natalie?” It was Mrs. Guerrero.
    If I stayed still, didn’t make any noise, they wouldn’t see me, they would leave. Instead, I saw Mrs. Guerrero sitting down with me.
    “Your clothes …” I said. “Blood’s hard to get out.”
    She tried to touch me and I moved away as best I could.
    “Honey, please, you are safe now. I will stay with you. I promise.” She touched my leg. I flinched.
    “Oh, child, what have they done to you?”

I woke up.
    I was pretty sure I wasn’t in hell, because I smelled fresh linens that had been hung out in the sun to dry. Hell wouldn’t smell like sunshine and clean sheets.
    What happened? Think. Oh crap! It was something to do with my father. I started to panic. Where the hell was I? Machines to the left of me, clowns to the right. Lines ran out of my arm and into an IV pole. Leads, or whatever they were called, were attached to various parts of my body. Something—oxygen I guess—was up my nose.
    There were two chairs facing each other by the window. Someone was using them as a makeshift bed—I couldn’t see who, since the person was covered by a blanket.
    I ripped the thing off my face as I tried to sit up. Bad idea. Pain shredded through my stomach.
    The figure by the window stirred.
    “Nat?” Val’s voice was sleep-muddled. “You’re awake!”
    She threw the blanket on the floor, hopped off the chairs, and was by me in the blink of my eye. I winced as she grabbed me and hugged me hard.
    “How do you feel? I have to call Mom.” More questions followed. They were rapid fire and there were too many of them to answer anyway.
    “Water …