chapter 3

     When I made the mace my friends looked at me. "How?... Why are your arms black!?" Mikey yelled at me Jayden just sat there and shocked. I smiled when I looked over and said "I did it! I made a weapon, I can fight them.".  Mikey grabbed my arm and shook it.  "Why are your arms black, they are black like the shadows." I frowned then shook my head and I spoke with a clear sadness in my voice "I... I don't know but it's there and I can't do anything about it it's the only way for me to make a weapon and it's the only way for me to protect the light and it's the only way for me to keep everyone safe... I have to keep everyone safe." I looked up at her with what felt like hatred. Why was she so upset at  the fact that my arms were turning black, why was she so mad that I was turning into a shadow?

        I don't think I was turning into a Shadow. I don't think I am a shadow.  I honestly don't know what I am anymore. I know I'm scared and I'm afraid for what will happen to my friends, what will happen to me. And that's all I know. My father wasn't able to tell me much and I don't know what else my mom knew, I don't know anything anymore. All I know is I have my friends and myself, I also know that I have to save the world and I am only 16.

      We continued walking through the forest after stopping by the lake. Mikey didn't talk to me for most of the Walk unless she was telling me to duck or to warn about a ledge. Jayden also didn't talk to me much then again he was worried about the frequencies of his tablet or phone alerting the shadows and I didn't know sign language, I should really learn sign language, maybe I can learn  after you know saving the world and all.

       "Mikey can we talk please, the silence is driving me crazy." I begged  she turned and looked at me then spoke "what else do you know, what aren't you telling us?" I looked at her confused "I told you everything I know, I'm being honest I don't know why my arms are turning black when I use the light." She turned back around and continued walking. Jayden rushed past me and walked alongside her. I just stood there and watched as they walked, maybe there was something I just didn't know or didn't know I know. I think Mikey is going to hold this against me for a long time. I hurried up to them nearly falling on my face as I did so

       We walked in silence for about 3 or 4 hours. No sound was made, no talks were had, not a single thing was said between the three of us. I was thinking to myself and all I could think of was the fact that it seemed they both were blaming me for something I did not know, I talk to myself in my head for the next hour or so 'why was she's so mad? Did my dad tell me something and I forgot or maybe my mom told me something and I don't remember. Maybe maybe I just am part shadow no that can't be it I can't be part shadow my dad is a light person he is the light.... He was the light. I'm now the light.... Holy shit, I'm the light. Am I  the light?'

    "Oi Jason are you listening?" Mikey actually spoke to me I looked up at her confused I've been looking at the ground for a while, "um yeah?" She rolled her eyes "we're going to sleep here for the night. It should be deep enough into the woods they can't find us easily but hopefully easy enough for us to find our way out." I'm nodded didn't seem like I was giving much of a choice. I don't know who made her boss but I guess it was probably because she's the only one of the two of us who actually has any training. she is so much better at this than I am.

       We laid down for bed, then there was a rustling in the woods. A little girl stepped out she looked black like the shadows with long gray hair and golden eyes. "Who are you?" Mikey yelled, the little girl looks scared afraid almost as if we were monsters. I felt safe around her if almost as me and her came from the same place I stepped closer to her "hey it is okay, are you lost?" She stepped back, then looked at me closer and smiled "B-bubba?" She ran up to me and hugged me.

      In all truthfulness I did not know who this girl was but I wanted to keep her safe, yes she might be a shadow but she is still a little girl we can't just leave her on her own. Mikey pulled me to the side and whisper yelled at me "She is a shadow!? We can't trust her!?" I frowned and spoke quietly "she is a child! If you won't take her with us then I won't go with you."  I turned away from her, she grabbed my arm "You are making a mistake" I yanked my arm away and walked off. I walked up to the little girl "hello my name is Jason,what is yours?" She smiled very big an announced very proudly "Melody!" She nodded. "How old are you Melody?", she counted on her fingers and thought for a second and then told me she was about six. I looked over my shoulder at Mikey grinning a smirk that probably should have been slapped off my face in  all honestly, but I knew melody was a little girl. I knew she couldn't have been older than seven so the fact that she was six proved my point. We couldn't just leave a 6-year-old alone in the woods, Shadow or not.

     By the time the morning came Mikey and Jayden were gone, I kind of figured that much Mikey was not very trusting of Melody and honestly kind of hurt because Mikey was so mad about everything and everything had to be Mikey's way. I kindly woke up Melody and we started on our way. I showed her my mace, she smiled and laughed trying  to touch it I had to tell her not to, then she made a very beautiful dark shield. "Melody how in the world do you know how to do that?" I asked she shrugged and told me that her mom told her how,  and  told me.  "My mama is your mama too... I was told I had a big bubba and he looks just like you!" I smiled at her and just told her that I couldn't have been her big brother but she was very adamant that I had to have been I shrugged it off and we continued walking.

        "I can't believe Jason trusting that  shadow! And telling us to just leave without him , how could he we are supposed to be best friends!" I stomped through the woods pissed with Jayden following behind. "Maybe Jason was right? I mean she is just a little girl... He's just trying to do the right thing." The phone spoke on behalf of Jay. I turned "he is letting his good nature get the better of him. He's going to end up hurt and you know who's going to have to clean it all up? Me!" I stomped faster "I'm always cleaning up after you two you're always doing stupid stuff and I always have to clean it up!" I realized after a bit Jayden had stopped. "is that how you see us?? Two fools you have to clean up after? Are we even actually friends?.... I'm going back to Jason, at least he's actually my friend" Jay had typed out turning away from me and walking in the opposite direction. I was alone.... No mom, no friends, I'm just alone...

     I walked away from Mikey, looking for in the woods for Jason and Melody. I thought to myself, how did I get wrapped up in this? I'm just a human boy or at least I think I'm human I don't know anymore, I thought my best friends were human. Soon I seen what looked to be Jason and Melody it was two figures one who was tallish and another one that was very small the only two other people  are in the wood were Jason and Melody at least to my knowledge. I ran up to the figures and then realized it was a shadow general and what looked to be some type of feral creature. Next thing I knew the shadow had me by the throat