Status: NaNo Winner! Posting the unedited version.
Shadow Morphs
II
“Seriously, Freddy, cut it out,” Taylor told the mischievous man as he began pulling his shadow off the floor. He was wanting to scare Brett Morrison, the man who had kindly returned Taylor’s phone, who was now leaning against the bar watching the bartender make the cocktails he’d ordered.
“We’ve already caused enough trouble for one night! Don’t draw any more attention to us,” Kasey hissed and Fred gave in, listening to her as he always did. The shadow retreated to its usual position and Fred went back to quietly drinking his beer.
“Shall we have a game of pool?” Evan suggested. Fred instantly perked up.
“Would love to,” he agreed, smoothly picking up his beer mug as he swung off the stool. Evan left the table as well and Taylor glanced back over at the bar to see Brett handing over cash.
“So, about Brett… You two have been hitting it off,” Kasey grinned as she poked her straw at her ice.
“Oh come on, let’s not act like teenagers,” Taylor rolled her eyes.
“He’s cute, he’s been flirting, you’ve been talking non-stop, he’s up there buying you another drink…” she continued slowly and an unwanted blush crossed Taylor’s cheeks. Kasey was right, and the alcohol was making Taylor feel very pleased about the attention.
“What are you ladies talking about?” Brett asked as he took his seat. He slid the gin and tonic over to Taylor and started to drink another Jack and Coke.
“I’m going to go make sure the boys stay out of trouble,” Kasey said when Taylor failed to reply. Once Kasey was out of earshot, Brett started laughing.
“She left so we could be alone, didn’t she?” he wondered as if he already knew the answer. All Taylor could do was put her palm to her forehead in embarrassment and try to laugh it off. “Speaking of which, would you be interested in meeting after tonight?” Taylor’s breath hitched in her throat until she gulped it away.
“Yeah, I’d like that,” she managed to smile back. She reached into her pocket and passed Brett her unlocked cell phone so he could add himself as a contact. They both sipped away at their drinks as he did so, and once Brett was done he placed the phone on the table, his hand resting on top. Taylor was still watching her friends across the bar, Fred raising his arms triumphantly from having sunk another ball.
“I can help you, Taylor,” Brett stated simply and lowly.
“Pardon?” she asked aloud while turning to face him. Taylor instantly realised her mistake and her eyes widened with a mix of fear and surprise.
“I know what you and your friends can do. I know about Kasey’s recent outburst at an overly attached ex-boyfriend. I know that Fred loves to play tricks on the public. I know how Evan spies on the girl he likes-”
“So what?” Taylor spat with a clenched jaw, outraged that he had accused her sweet friend Evan of such a thing. They hadn’t broken eye contact, let alone blinked.
“You’re all bound to get caught. It’s just a matter of time,” Brett said urgently. “None of you have enough control, and the government hates that. You’ll be killed and you know it.”
“We’ll be fine,” Taylor told him sternly, though not completely believing her words.
“Not unless you can control the shadow properly,” Brett continued. He paused and his face relaxed. “I can help you. I’ve been trained; I have full control over my abilities.”
“We don’t need any help.”
“You do.”
“We don’t,” Taylor repeated with a stronger glare.
“If you want to live, call me,” Brett said forcefully as he slid her phone back across the table. Without a second glance, he stood and exited the bar, leaving Taylor speechless.
The young adults rushed into the lounge of Fred and Evan’s apartment, having left the bar immediately after Taylor announced via the shadow link that there was an emergency. Fred crashed next to Kasey in the two-seater while Evan grabbed his favourite armchair. Taylor paced back and forth in front of them, rubbing the back of her neck as she tried to comprehend the events of the stressful night.
“Taylor? What happened?” Kasey asked softly.
“It’s Brett,” Taylor began, only to be interrupted by a playful whistle from Fred. She glared at him as he wriggled his eyebrows. “He’s a Shadow Morph too.”
“Well, that’s great. He can join us,” Evan shrugged.
“He threatened me, saying we wouldn’t live if he didn’t train us to control our abilities,” Taylor retorted, silencing Evan and causing wide-eyed expressions to form on everyone’s faces. “He saw Fred and I at the museum- He even knew about Kasey scaring off Samson a month back!”
“Gosh… How would he know that?” she whispered, leaning forward and starting to chew on a fingernail. Kasey relived the moment, remembering how she had been certain she was alone with Samson. How could Brett possibly know?
“He has to have been following us,” Fred stated.
“We should be more careful,” Evan added before turning to face Fred. “No more tricks, Freddy. We should all only use our powers if it is absolutely necessary.”
“I agree. And if we see Brett again, we notify each other straight away. He’s not going to be the one who turns us in,” Kasey agreed powerfully, her confidence back. Taylor had come to a stop and was feeling assured. Perhaps they weren’t as in control of their shadows as they should be, but at least they had each other.
“We’ve already caused enough trouble for one night! Don’t draw any more attention to us,” Kasey hissed and Fred gave in, listening to her as he always did. The shadow retreated to its usual position and Fred went back to quietly drinking his beer.
“Shall we have a game of pool?” Evan suggested. Fred instantly perked up.
“Would love to,” he agreed, smoothly picking up his beer mug as he swung off the stool. Evan left the table as well and Taylor glanced back over at the bar to see Brett handing over cash.
“So, about Brett… You two have been hitting it off,” Kasey grinned as she poked her straw at her ice.
“Oh come on, let’s not act like teenagers,” Taylor rolled her eyes.
“He’s cute, he’s been flirting, you’ve been talking non-stop, he’s up there buying you another drink…” she continued slowly and an unwanted blush crossed Taylor’s cheeks. Kasey was right, and the alcohol was making Taylor feel very pleased about the attention.
“What are you ladies talking about?” Brett asked as he took his seat. He slid the gin and tonic over to Taylor and started to drink another Jack and Coke.
“I’m going to go make sure the boys stay out of trouble,” Kasey said when Taylor failed to reply. Once Kasey was out of earshot, Brett started laughing.
“She left so we could be alone, didn’t she?” he wondered as if he already knew the answer. All Taylor could do was put her palm to her forehead in embarrassment and try to laugh it off. “Speaking of which, would you be interested in meeting after tonight?” Taylor’s breath hitched in her throat until she gulped it away.
“Yeah, I’d like that,” she managed to smile back. She reached into her pocket and passed Brett her unlocked cell phone so he could add himself as a contact. They both sipped away at their drinks as he did so, and once Brett was done he placed the phone on the table, his hand resting on top. Taylor was still watching her friends across the bar, Fred raising his arms triumphantly from having sunk another ball.
“I can help you, Taylor,” Brett stated simply and lowly.
“Pardon?” she asked aloud while turning to face him. Taylor instantly realised her mistake and her eyes widened with a mix of fear and surprise.
“I know what you and your friends can do. I know about Kasey’s recent outburst at an overly attached ex-boyfriend. I know that Fred loves to play tricks on the public. I know how Evan spies on the girl he likes-”
“So what?” Taylor spat with a clenched jaw, outraged that he had accused her sweet friend Evan of such a thing. They hadn’t broken eye contact, let alone blinked.
“You’re all bound to get caught. It’s just a matter of time,” Brett said urgently. “None of you have enough control, and the government hates that. You’ll be killed and you know it.”
“We’ll be fine,” Taylor told him sternly, though not completely believing her words.
“Not unless you can control the shadow properly,” Brett continued. He paused and his face relaxed. “I can help you. I’ve been trained; I have full control over my abilities.”
“We don’t need any help.”
“You do.”
“We don’t,” Taylor repeated with a stronger glare.
“If you want to live, call me,” Brett said forcefully as he slid her phone back across the table. Without a second glance, he stood and exited the bar, leaving Taylor speechless.
The young adults rushed into the lounge of Fred and Evan’s apartment, having left the bar immediately after Taylor announced via the shadow link that there was an emergency. Fred crashed next to Kasey in the two-seater while Evan grabbed his favourite armchair. Taylor paced back and forth in front of them, rubbing the back of her neck as she tried to comprehend the events of the stressful night.
“Taylor? What happened?” Kasey asked softly.
“It’s Brett,” Taylor began, only to be interrupted by a playful whistle from Fred. She glared at him as he wriggled his eyebrows. “He’s a Shadow Morph too.”
“Well, that’s great. He can join us,” Evan shrugged.
“He threatened me, saying we wouldn’t live if he didn’t train us to control our abilities,” Taylor retorted, silencing Evan and causing wide-eyed expressions to form on everyone’s faces. “He saw Fred and I at the museum- He even knew about Kasey scaring off Samson a month back!”
“Gosh… How would he know that?” she whispered, leaning forward and starting to chew on a fingernail. Kasey relived the moment, remembering how she had been certain she was alone with Samson. How could Brett possibly know?
“He has to have been following us,” Fred stated.
“We should be more careful,” Evan added before turning to face Fred. “No more tricks, Freddy. We should all only use our powers if it is absolutely necessary.”
“I agree. And if we see Brett again, we notify each other straight away. He’s not going to be the one who turns us in,” Kasey agreed powerfully, her confidence back. Taylor had come to a stop and was feeling assured. Perhaps they weren’t as in control of their shadows as they should be, but at least they had each other.