Shadow Play

22

9 We had taken Ashley to the Mater Hospital, which was only about a mile from the police station, so I walked the short distance to give myself time to think. I got the feeling that Detective O'Brien was suspicious of my story —was this just part of normal life in Belfast and I was simply the ignorant American unaware that mythical creatures roamed the night? Surely word would have gotten out to the rest of the world if magical creatures were an everyday occurrence in Ireland. Even if she suspected me of hiding the truth about something, I didn't think there was much she could do about it. There was no way she would prove that I lied and it was actually a draug that had been in the alley. The absurdity of the whole thing hit me and I started to giggle as I walked. What exactly was a draug?—or the little green man for that matter? The small crumb gatherer could have been some kind of alien, for sure, and I would say a wererat was also an option. However, the most fitting possibility for the little man was an elf. I pictured the Keebler Elves and the next thing I knew, I was full blown laughing as I walked down the sidewalk. Someone was going to think I was crazy, but I was starting to think it might be true, so no harm, no foul. The vampire woman appeared to be an entirely different species than the little man. That thought made my steps falter. Not that it changed anything, but it had not occurred to me that there could be more than one category of monsters terrorizing the streets of Belfast. I had been trying to fit all the creatures into one broad category, but perhaps there were all types of nasties loose. The uncertainty had my eyes scanning my surroundings and I increased my pace. The woman unquestionably fit the vampire stereotype, and I supposed she could be a Faery. She certainly wasn't the Tinkerbell type Faery, but Grimm fairy tales certainly contained horrors that could explain the woman. As for my attacker, it reminded me most of Gollum from Lord of the Rings. Maybe I needed to add hobbits and orks to the list of possibilities as well. I’d thought of him in my head as a gremlin, but I wasn’t even sure what those were. My head hurt with all the impossible questions and it hadn't helped that the sun had started to peek through the clouds and was making my eyes burn from the brightness. I dug through my bag and found my sunglasses that used to be such a staple back in the States, but so far, I had hardly needed them here with all the rainy days. Even with my glasses on, I wished that I had a ball cap to shield my eyes even further. Fortunately, I was already approaching the hospital entrance and could get out of the garish light. Ashley would have been moved from the ER and admitted into a recovery room, so I went to the nurses’ station to ask for her location and then made my way to her. Ash was flipping channels on the small television screen hanging from the ceiling on the opposite wall. “Hey Ash! How are you feeling?” Relief flooded me at seeing my best friend and I began to choke up but was able to stifle it down as I bent over and gave my girl a hug. “They think my head is okay, but there was swelling so they're keeping me another day or so to monitor that. My arm was a clean break, which is good, but I have to keep it in this contraption for a month.” She pouted the last part as we both glanced down at her shoulder-to-wrist cast, held off her body with some kind of sling cushion system. “Well, at least you're left handed.” I offered as a weak consolation. “That's got to be a first, it usually sucks being left handed.” Hearing her sound almost back to normal had me grinning from ear to ear as I scooted myself up onto her bed to sit facing her. “I’m so glad you're feeling better, you scared me last night.” “I was pretty scared myself, now tell me all about what happened after I got KO-ed.” Scooting closer and in hushed whispers, I told her about Lochlan's appearance and my interview with the detective. She listened intently, her forehead crinkled in concentration before she spoke. “Bec, not to say I didn't believe you before, but now, I really believe. That thing was not human, or animal for that matter. I don't know what it was, but man was it strong. I think it’s time for us to book your ticket home, you can get a seat on my flight.” “Ash … I can’t.” “What do you mean you can’t? Of course you can. I’m not letting you stay. As your bestie, it is my duty to tell you when you are being a dumbass, and guess what?” “I know, I know. But aside from this feeling that I need to be here, there’s more.” “Like what?” Her tone had gone cautious and she eyed me warily. My eyes met hers in a plea. I wasn't sure what I was asking her for —maybe hoping she would prove me wrong, and maybe I was just hoping she wouldn't think I was a freak—probably a good mix of both. “Ash, you know how you teased me about my necklace.” She nodded solemnly so I continued. “I started thinking about how that thing had tried to grab my necklace, and how I've always felt so strongly about not removing it. I tried to take it off.” My voice lowered to a whisper. “I couldn't do it.” “Like you couldn't get the clasp to work?” she asked. I shook my head slowly. “I brought my hands up and I tried so hard to make them do it, but they wouldn't move. Ash, there's something special about this necklace—I think it's why I could see the vampire woman, why I could see the little man—why all this stuff is happening.” “Are you saying you have a magic necklace?” “I know it sounds absurd, but I guess I am.” “Why don't you come here and let me have a try at the clasp.” “Ash, you only have one hand, you can't take it off.” “The break is way up on my arm, if you just lay your head down here by my hand I can totally give it a try.” She gestured with her good hand for me to lay my head on her lap. “I can't believe I'm doing this, if your arm hurts you better stop.” I bent over the bed with my neck positioned right next to the hand of her injured arm. My hands were sweating profusely, and my breathing increased as I squeezed my eyes shut. Thirty seconds, a minute, two minutes went by before her good arm dropped back to her side and I stood back up and met her eyes. “I can’t make it budge, but Bec, I don't know that it means anything. You’ve worn it for so long it’s probably just rusted shut,” she offered softly. “Have you asked your mom about it—where you got it?”