Lost in Shadows Read online

  My Beauty,

  Sometimes the outside can be misleading. Inside this prettily wrapped box you will find this note and pictures from our first date and first day of our vacation. Slip on your comfy black leggings, my Metallica shirt you love, and enjoy this special day with our love in your heart.

  I love you.

  Your Beast

  I looked in the box and the pictures were laid side by side. On the left, we were so young and naive. He was in med school and I was in theater arts at the time. We hadn’t truly figured out our lives, but we knew the moment we met that we would be together forever.

  A tear slid down my cheek and dripped from my chin as I lifted the second photo. We were surrounded by people on a beach in the Bahamas, partying and laughing, and so in love with each other. A laugh escaped as I thought of the lady that gave us a straw doll and said it was good luck for our ‘marriage.’ She wouldn’t let us walk away without that thing in our hands. It was such a sweet gesture.

  Wiping my face clear and my nostalgia, I dressed in the articles mentioned and ventured out into the living room to meet my romantic fiancé. I stepped into the room and stopped short. Candles were sporadically placed throughout the room, making shadows dance everywhere. Sounds of the Bahamas floated around the room with the smell of salty sea air. Malcolm was sitting on the floor with photo albums around him.

  I sat on the floor in front of him and picked one of the albums to thumb through. The one I chose had pictures from college and our first apartment. We shared memories with each picture, both together and separate. Years of moments frozen in time laid before us and we brought them back to life.

  Hours later, we were wrapped around each other, lying on the floor, with food and drinks scattered about. The whole day was about us sharing everything with each other, and it was the best Valentine’s Day I’d ever had in my life.

  The next morning, we woke up to the sun shining bright in the room. The phone kept ringing until I finally pried my eyes open to find the annoying thing. As I grabbed it the sound stopped, I laid it on my chest and looked over at my sleepy beast beside me. His eyes were barely open and his tousled hair stuck out in all directions, much like a cactus. I giggled at the thought and the phone on my chest vibrated again, letting out the loud ringtone so very close to my ear. My eyes widened as my body jerked from the sudden silence being broken.

  I didn’t look at the screen before answering. “Hello?”

  “Jasmine, where are you? You were supposed to meet us here an hour ago. We’re waiting on you,” Nancy’s voice said through the speaker.

  Confused, I sorted through my brain but I couldn’t think of any meeting with her. “I’m sorry, Nancy. I must’ve forgotten about it. Where are you? Can you give me an address?” I sat up and grabbed the pen and pad I kept in the top drawer of my nightstand.

  She rattled off the address and I scribbled it down. “Please hurry, sweetie. We’ll meet you at the front.”

  “Okay, I’m getting dressed now. Be there soon.” As I ended the call, I groaned and looked over at Malcolm. “Apparently, I was supposed to meet your mom and dad somewhere this morning and it completely slipped my mind. I don’t remember scheduling something or even talking about it. Weird... Anyway, get dressed because we’re late and you’re coming with me. It’ll be a great surprise.”

  He groaned but rolled out of bed after I pulled the sheets from him. I entered my closet and picked an outfit that matched my new necklace perfectly. Emerald pants and a gold blouse with gold boots. As I ran from the closet, Malcolm was coming from his. We met at the sink and brushed our teeth quickly.

  “I have to put a little makeup on. Can you go start the car?”

  “As you wish, my beauty,” he answered and kissed my cheek.

  I grinned and thanked him, brushing powder over my face. Five minutes later, I was downstairs and filling my thermos with coffee. I took a quick glance around the house and saw the pictures still scattered on the living room floor. I shrugged and left the cleanup for later. We made it to the car and I plugged the address into the GPS system. I drove to the destination with our hands intertwined in my lap.

  I whipped in the parking lot so fast that I didn’t see the sign to the building as we passed it. We parked, and I grabbed my purse quickly. “Come on, my beast. We’re almost there.”

  I trotted a little ahead, because being first inside meant I wasn’t the last one there. I reached the door and pulled it open, holding it for a couple seconds for the slowpoke behind me. I walked in and saw Malcolm’s whole family and mine there.

  “Mom? Dad? What are you doing here? Nancy?” Everyone was looking at me but I had no idea what was going on.

  Mom walked over and hugged me. “Come on, sweet girl. We waited for you to go in together, but we can’t wait anymore. They have a reservation after us.”

  “Okay...” I didn’t know what else to say. My mind raced with so many questions. My stomach was doing flips, making bile float closer and closer to my mouth. Keep it down, girl. They’ll let you know what’s going on.

  Double doors were ahead of us and my dad opened them for us. As we brushed by, I wished we hadn’t gone in. My feet anchored to the floor as I saw the love of my life in a casket. My heart sank to my feet and all the blood left my body. No. That can’t be him, he was just behind me. My head twisted to look behind me, but he wasn’t there. “What the fuck is this? What the fuck is this! Is this some kind of joke? Malcolm! How did you get in here so quickly? This isn’t funny.”

  Nancy sobbed loudly and turned into Carl’s chest. My mom covered her mouth and silently cried. I searched her eyes. “Mom? Please, tell me what’s going on. Malcolm rode up here with me. He came back two days ago. What is this?”

  She tried to speak, but no words came out. Marshall, Malcolm’s brother, put himself in my line of sight. “Jasmine, what do you remember after you left the shop Friday?”

  The question struck me as odd, but shock had me responding without thinking. I was on autopilot. “Nancy came by, then I closed the shop. Emily called and talked to me for a few minutes, and I drove home. The land line was ringing when I got home, but I don’t remember answering it. Then, I woke up to Malcolm the next morning. Why are you asking me this? It doesn’t answer any of my questions! Someone please tell me what the hell is happening! Why is he in a fucking casket?”

  Marshall took in a deep breath. “Mom got the same phone call Friday after she left your shop. The village Malcolm was in flooded that morning. There were no survivors. They sent him home to us when he was found.”

  A lump lodged in my throat, making it impossible to talk or breathe. My heart stopped beating and my legs shook. “That’s impossible. That’s not true. He came home and woke me up Saturday morning and has been with me all weekend. He can’t be gone. This isn’t funny. Stop lying to me!” I wobbled to the casket. “Malcolm, this isn’t funny at all. I haven’t laughed, not once. You get up right now and tell me you’re sorry!”

  As I got closer, I could see the color of his face was different. His lips were different. Everything was different. “No. That... It can’t be...” I made it to him and my hand covered my mouth. It was Malcolm. That was my beast lying there, not breathing. My hand reached out and grazed his face. He skin was hard and cold, shocking me enough to retract my hand quickly. But he was with me. I grabbed the necklace next to my heart.

  I thought back through the weekend, trying to recall every detail. This has to be a dream. When we went to the mall, the lady at the jewelry store spoke to him. Didn’t she? I closed my eyes and played it in my head. She talked to me, but never acknowledged Malcolm.

  That’s just one instance. You can’t base this off one instance. But, why would everyone lie to me? They can’t be telling the truth. I looked over my shoulder at our families. Not one of them smiled or laughed when I made eye contact. Their faces were solemn and tear-stained.

  I shook my head. He was with me all weekend. Was it a dream? Am I dreaming this?
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  Nancy walked to me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. “He may have come to see you, but it wasn’t him. It was his soul. His soul is with you. With all of us.”

  As she sobbed against me, her words clicked in my heart. He came to me. His soul came home to comfort me. That means he’ll always be with me. I’ll never lose him.

  “Sometimes the outside can be misleading.”

  Acknowledgements

  Without the support and love of my family, I wouldn’t be writing this. You give me the encouragement, support, and hard truths needed to continue on this journey. Thank you for all that you do, and all you don’t do. <3

  Friends: I LOVE EVERY ONE OF YOU! You each play a part in this big picture and if I didn’t have you by my side, my hair would be gone by now. My husband appreciates that and I do, too! Kimberly Blalock, April Newman, Misty Simmons, Brandy Pafford, Mom, Imy Santiago, Sandra Timmins, Alissa Glenn, Gabby Warner, and Tiffany Halliday; I can send you anything at any time and you will give me straightforward opinions no matter what. My amazing team and mentors in so many ways. <3

  The Grumpy and Memaw are my idea makers and plot weavers. Without them, these stories wouldn’t be near what they are today. If you enjoy the twists and turns in my books, they most likely had a hand in that. Thank you for everything!

  To the newest, yet oh-so-vital, part of my team, Alissa Glenn. You are in my head more than you know! I have never been so ORGANIZED in my life! Yes, I used that filthy word just for you. You made the Shockey’s Therapy Room and it wouldn’t run without the scissor holder. <3 Gabby, don’t forget to pass out the cookies!

  Marisa Shor with Cover Me, Darling is the reason my books look the way they do. She’s amazing and makes all the pretties! Plus, the trio of halfway ninja bitches wouldn’t be a trio without you! Imy Santiago is the butter to my toast. (I’m sorry. I’m always hungry!) Without her extreme talent and mentoring ways, I would still be writing in circles. <3

  To two extremely patient, thorough, and hilarious editors at the Grammar Inspection Task Force: YOU ROCK! I may kick and scream like a three year old, but the end results are worth it.

  To the reader: Thank you for spending your precious time on my books. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do and please let me know what you think!

  Thank you for continuing to read my dreams and thoughts! I hope you enjoyed this sad, heart wrenching story. I cried writing it and I cry every time I read it. You are not alone!

  Please feel free to tell me how you feel about my works at any social media outlet or on my website!

  www.courtneytheauthor.com

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  Here’s a sneak peek at my next release, Children of Darkness: Genesis!

  Content subject to change. The following is unedited work.

  The Angel of Darkness stood on the mountain overlooking the small camp below. A wave of triumph washed over his senses as the altar was built by the man being tested. Centuries of waiting for that moment charged the air around him as he watched the events unfold.

  Abraham finished with the altar and laid his son Isaac atop it for the ultimate sacrifice. The Angel’s power seeped from his being and pulsed around him, swallowing everything it touched. He fed off the fear of the son awaiting his father’s blade and the pure faith the father exhumed thinking he was doing the right thing.

  The man raised his blade above his head and looked to the heavens for approval. The Angel whispered on the wind to him, “Sacrifice the lamb and you earn your place inside the gates.” He nodded and the Angel descended upon them.

  A blinding white light beamed at Abraham as his blade came down, stopping it mere inches from his son’s chest. The Angel shielded his eyes and turned away, protecting himself from the sudden burst of energy pushing at his own.

  The Angel of Light stood before Abraham with her palm facing toward him. She shook her head and Abraham dropped his blade, falling to his knees with tears streaming down his cheeks. Isaac climbed from the altar and pulled his father up to his feet. They mumbled words to each other and clung together for a few moments.

  The Angel of Darkness felt his power shrinking back into his being. Fear was no longer saturating the area, no longer feeding him. His anger boiled below his skin, threatening to rip out at any moment. His energy collided with his body sending him reeling back and crumpling to his knees. A wail of anguish escaped him but no one could hear him.

  The Angel of Light guided Abraham to a ram caught in brambles to sacrifice in place of his son and helped untangle the beast. Joy was apparent on their faces as they hugged each other once again before saying a prayer and bringing the blade down on the ram.

  The Angel of Light watched the Angel of Darkness crawl away, writhing in pain. Her sadness for him clenched her heart but the joy of saving Isaac from him helped her stand tall. The last cry of suffering from the other angel pierced her ears, making her wince, before he abandoned this realm.