Chapter 1-3
1103 Words
He nodded a greeting to old man James, who was always up with the sun, sweeping the walkway in front of the town hall building and getting ready for the day. He could feel the heat from the sun, though it still sat low enough in the sky that only it"s red glow was visible over the trees.
Naft was named for Maxwell Naft, who was the first to settle here. His Nana had always told him that Naft had been a Shade, but if he was, no one else seemed aware of it.
Mason let himself into the coffee shop, lifting a hand to Brandy, the early morning waitress. There were only two others in the place this early, men who likely worked in one of the larger towns down the mountain and had to get an early start.
“Wasn"t expecting you this morning, Mason.” Brandy said as she came to the table he snagged in the corner.
He nodded. “I know. Nana passed. I need to handle a few things.”
“Oh, I"m sorry to hear that.”
“Thank you. I"ll take a cup of coffee when you get a minute, and a glass of water.”
“Sure thing.” She walked away and Mason looked up at the television over the counter. Early morning news was talking more about Darchel.
“If you are just joining us this morning, we are talking about the news that a medical exam has confirmed that suspected serial killer William Darchel is, in fact, a Shade. We are joined by Dr. Anthony who has examined the suspect.”
If you are just joining us this morning, we are talking about the news that a medical exam has confirmed that suspected serial killer William Darchel is, in fact, a Shade. We are joined by Dr. Anthony who has examined the suspect.Mason glanced at the two men at the counter, then back at the television. The doctor being interviewed was a big guy, at least next to the morning news anchor, who seemed tiny beside him. His dark red hair was just starting to grey at the temples and his face was a little pink, as if he"d just been running.
Brandy delivered his coffee and water and momentarily blocked his view of the television. “Can I tempt you with a bagel or something?”
“No, I"m fine. Just killing time until the bank is open.”
She followed his gaze to the television, shifting her weight to lean lightly on the table. “Can you believe this?”
Mason sighed and sipped at his coffee. “Yeah, crazy, right?”
“They"re saying he was drinking the blood of the last victim when they found him.”
He looked up at her, nodding. “I heard that too.”
She shook her head. “Scary, thinking those things are out here walking around with the rest of us.”
Mason swallowed. “There can"t be that many of them, or we would have heard of them before now.”
“That"s what the news was saying this morning,” Brandy agreed.
One of the men at the counter held up his coffee cup and Brandy left Mason to go fill it. The doctor was gone from the screen and instead the senator he"d seen before was there. “Of course, we are concerned that there are more of them out there. Darchel insists that he acted alone, but as we find out more about him, I am convinced that there are Shades living among us, just as he did. I think we need to begin by rooting them out and expose them for the evil that they are.”
Of course, we are concerned that there are more of them out there. Darchel insists that he acted alone, but as we find out more about him, I am convinced that there are Shades living among us, just as he did. I think we need to begin by rooting them out and expose them for the evil that they are.Mason shook his head and turned to look out the window. He drank his coffee and watched the town come awake instead of watching the talking heads on the television. At least it was more entertaining.
The door chimed as a small family came in and the two men at the counter left. Brandy came to refill his coffee and turned the television to cartoons for the kids. When the clock turned past eight in the morning, Mason rose and dropped a five-dollar bill on the table.
He pulled his hat down to protect as much skin as he could and dashed across the street to the store. He walked past the canned goods and aisles of groceries to the counter in the back, reaching for one of the catalogs. He found what he wanted and filled out the order form before taking it up to the front where the owner was stocking a shelf with bags of potato chips.
“Early in the month for you, isn"t it?”
Mason nodded and handed him the order form. “Needed to do some business. I need to order that and cancel our usual grocery order.”
The older man looked at him with knowing eyes. “I"m sorry for your loss.”
Mason nodded. “Thank you.”
“Do you need help with her body?”
“No, thank you. I"ve already buried her in the family plot. I just need to register the death.”
The man nodded. “Manny"s away visiting his sister. But I can take the information. Let me get you the form.”
When he returned from a back room with a piece of paper, Mason took it and filled in the requested information. Filing the form would leave him with no regular income. His grandmother had been collecting government money since her husband"s death. He could manage with what he could hunt and grow on the land, at least for now.
“How long for the book?” Mason asked, pulling his wallet out to pay for it.
“About a week, if I get the order in today. I"ll have Andy bring it out to you.”
“Have him leave it on the porch if I don"t answer the door.”
“Will do.”
Mason sighed and headed next door to the bank. Closing the account would give him enough money to get through the next few months while he decided what to do with his life.
- Writer
