Shadow Effect - 5. Chapter 5

Elijah sat unmoving, staring straight ahead as the service coordinator spoke glowingly about his parents. Tyler sat next to him, their fingers entwined, anchoring him. Soft cries and louder sobs were like white noise in the background, occasionally broken by the sound of someone blowing their nose. The overwhelming scent of dozens of floral arrangements might have contributed to some of the sniffling. The urge to sneeze became too much, so he tucked his nose into the crook of his arm as he let out a suppressed achoo.

Tyler’s mom leaned over and whispered, “God bless you.”

Elijah hated funerals and memorial services, but this one took the cake. The urns holding his parents’ ashes were displayed on a raised dais covered with a black velvet drape, a stark reminder for anyone who was in denial Tom and Mary Garrison were dead.

The service coordinator followed the script for the ‘Celebration of Life’ package Elijah chose several days ago. Celebration was the last thing he felt like doing. Neither of his parents were overly religious, but they believed in some sort of higher being. Elijah had his doubts, but wasn’t the type of person to judge someone else for what they did or didn’t believe in.

So many times in the past week he’d heard comments to the effect of ‘they’re in a better place now’. Every time he heard it, he wanted to scream, or vomit. How could being dead be better than being with the ones you loved, and seeing them grow and mature? His parents would never have the chance to dance at his wedding or hold their future grandchild. Not that Elijah was in any hurry to get married and start a family, he knew it was something he wanted in the future.

The coordinator was also an ordained chaplain. The service Elijah chose allowed for mentions of a higher power. He listened half-heartedly as the self-proclaimed spokesperson of ‘God’ spewed placating words to those that believed in heaven, assuring them Tom and Mary had taken their place in the final Kingdom and would watch over those left behind. Logically, Elijah knew those words were supposed to be comforting; he had a really hard time believing them.

He was more intrigued with the beliefs which his new wolf shifter friends subscribed to. Life was driven by a force of energy. He liked to think his parents were now part of the natural energy that now surrounded him at all times. Zev and Ben immediately offered to fly out when Elijah called to inform them of what happened. He assured them he was alright and that Sebastian needed Zev’s help more than he needed to be comforted. He had Tyler by his side nearly non-stop, plus Mama and Papi had been overly attentive as well.

Tyler. Damn, his best friend was the rock he needed. Kage’s sudden appearance in his life had thrown him completely for a loop. When the man had kissed him, not once, but twice now, Elijah’s thoughts rocketed into an out of control tailspin. He didn’t have a fucking clue what to make of the shadow shifter.

That was another thing which took him off guard. How could he not know about shadow shifters? Were they really that rare? How much more of the supernatural world was he ignorant of? Somehow, he suspected there was a lot.

Elijah felt a tug on his hand as Tyler prompted him to stand up. Lost in his own little world, he didn’t realize the service was concluding. Elijah bowed his head out of respect, and internally rolled his eyes as the chaplain recited the closing prayer.

“Dear Lord, please bring strength and comfort to all of Tom and Mary’s family and friends who mourn their passing. Let them heal from their loss and know you will watch over them until they are united in your grace. Bring peace to their son, Elijah. Let their lessons of love and joy follow him throughout his days. Let the memories be a balm to his soul as he walks through this life’s journey with them by his side in spirit. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted, through our Lord God. Amen.”

A chorus of ‘amens’ echoed through the room, and then more rustling; white noise as people gathered their belongings.

Tyler tugged on Elijah’s hand again, quietly leading him to the front of the room where the urns were displayed. The men genuflected and folded their hands, childhood lessons from summer bible camps reverberating in their heads. Elijah looked at the two wooden boxes, each carved with an elaborate heart and bearing a silver plate engraved with each of their names. He wasn’t ready to say goodbye. When he was, he would take the urns and scatter his parents’ ashes somewhere pretty, knowing Mom would have appreciated the gesture. Dad probably would be fine having his ashes dumped on the floor of his favorite sports bar and becoming a permanent part of the grime that built up over the years.

When their moment of quiet reflection was over, Elijah took Tyler’s hand and led him down the aisle. The service director showed him where to stand. Needing support, Tyler stayed by his side, his parents and sister Elena not very far away. Elijah accepted condolences from the parade of friends, coworkers, and many of his mom’s students. Someone, at some point, told him the principal canceled classes for the day. Elijah made sure to remember to thank the man when he passed through the procession of people who’d come to pay their respects.

Throughout the service, he felt eyes watching him. He knew without a doubt that Kage was there, concealed by one of the many shadows surrounding him. Instead of feeling creepy, Elijah felt safe. Even with Tyler glued to his side, Elijah struggled through the service, but knowing Kage was close by gave him an unexpected feeling of comfort, something he didn’t feel at the same level with Tyler, even though they were as close as twin brothers.

Elijah hadn’t told Tyler about Kage. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to, but knew he would. He just didn’t know when. Kage was… hard to explain. Elijah wanted to wait until he knew more about him, and what he meant to him. Kage unsettled him, and he knew Tyler would pick up on it. The last thing he needed was for his best friend to take it the wrong way.

It took over an hour before all the mourners had filed through. The longest hour of his life. Elijah understood there weren’t many different things one could say, but after the first twenty people, it all sounded the same. The service coordinator had given him water to sip on, which he was grateful for, but now he was shifting from side to side. He had to pee like a racehorse. Elijah excused himself and speed walked to the single occupancy restroom. He locked the door and unzipped, sagging in relief as he emptied his overfull bladder. He was drying his hands off when he felt eyes on him. Elijah looked into the mirror, not surprised to see Kage behind him, dressed in black from head to toe.

His brows furrowed as he watched Elijah. “You look tired.”

“I am.”

He was taken by surprise when Kage gently took him by the shoulders and turned him around to face him. Even more surprising was the level of calmness which immediately washed over him when Kage pulled him into his arms, gathering him close. Elijah inhaled deeply, Kage’s scent flooding his senses. He exhaled shakily, the urge to cry threatening to unleash itself.

“Shhhhh, I’ve got you,” Kage whispered.

Those words were enough to halt the tight, tingling behind his eyes that heralded the onslaught of tears ready to flow. Elijah allowed himself to be held, not caring there were people waiting for him. Let them wait.

After a full three or four minutes of Kage’s arms firmly around him, Elijah sniffed and pulled back.

“Thank you,” he said sincerely, not daring to meet the dark, broody eyes he could feel upon him.

“You’re welcome.”

Elijah closed his eyes before feeling a soft kiss feather across his forehead. When he opened them, Kage was gone.

After looking into the mirror, he splashed some cool water on his face and dried it with a paper towel. Tugging at his suit jacket, he pulled at his tie, loosening it slightly. Kage’s visit managed to recenter him and he felt ready to go back out. He opened the bathroom door as Tyler brought his hand down, missing the door completely and knocking on Elijah’s shoulder instead. They froze for a split second and then laughed.

“I was wondering if you’d fallen in.”

“Ass. I just needed a few minutes.”

“I know.” Tyler looked down the hall and sighed. “C’mon, let’s get the fuck out of here.” Tyler slung his arm around Elijah’s shoulders and led him out to the parking lot where his Jeep was parked. Tyler turned to him before starting the engine. “Only a few more hours, E. You can do this.”

“Thanks, Ty. I know I can now,” he alluded, knowing Tyler would assume it was his presence that helped bolster his best friend, not the lingering feel of Kage’s strong arms around him.

Tyler drove them to the diner, where his boss graciously hosted a light luncheon reception. The parking lot was packed, and many people were milling around outside. Carver arranged with the owner of the dance studio next door to use their space as an overflow for all the people who showed up. The turnout was larger than they thought, but Carver always planned for the worst case scenario.

The dance studio owner rented a dozen long, folding tables and plenty of chairs for people to sit after filling their plates next door at the buffet Carver set up. Elijah liked to think his parents had been so well-loved and respected, but he knew many of those in attendance were just there for the free food and attention.

Carver must have been up since the crack of dawn. He made a variety of long subs and sliced them into individual servings, piled high onto platters. Individual bags of chips were available, and the staff doled out servings of potato and macaroni salads, ensuring no one got greedy and took too much. Five gallon Thermos jugs filled with iced tea, lemonade, and water were lined up on another table. The coffee station was manned by one of his co-workers, the commercial machines brewing pot after pot.

Originally, Carver wanted to have a full, hot buffet with a dozen or so items, but Elijah shot down the idea immediately. His parents wouldn’t have wanted his boss to go through that sort of expense, even though he’d assured Elijah it wasn’t a hardship. They would have preferred something simple. It’s who they were.

People ate and socialized for a bit before seeking out Elijah to say goodbye and offer one more “I’m so sorry for your loss.” He was so sick of hearing those words.

The tediousness of the afternoon dragged on for another couple of hours before the last of the hangers-on finally left. Carver shooed him and Tyler out as soon as the final person was out the door. Brittany and a few of his other coworkers would help clean everything up and have the diner reopened by dinnertime.

Back in the Jeep, Tyler looked at him and asked, “Where to?”

“Your mom’s house. You know she has enough food to feed an army. I barely got half of one of those sub slices down. I kept getting interrupted. I’m fucking ravenous.

“I was so hoping you were gonna say that. Imma ‘bout ready to start gnawing on my own damn arm. Let’s stop at my place first and get out of these monkey suits.”

“Deal!

They made it to the Williamson abode a half-hour later, still starving, but much more comfortable having donned jeans and sweatshirts. Mama gave them a disappointed frown. She loved to see any of her brood dressed up. The look quickly melted when she noticed how worn out Elijah appeared.

A rapid-fire mix of Spanish with some Italian thrown in shot out of her mouth like rounds from a machine gun. It was hysterical to see the family, including Tyler, scramble to do their mother’s bidding. Elijah understood most of what she said, having been part of this family for so long. He struggled to speak either language fluently, despite having taken Spanish classes in high school. If push came to shove, he could get by. Tyler was much better at both languages, having been immersed in them growing up.

Tyler’s youngest siblings scurried down the hallway to wash up. A few of the older ones started setting the huge table with plates, silverware, and whatever else was needed to feed ten people. Tyler donned oven mitts and pulled out a massive casserole dish and set it down on trivets before reaching in for a second one and depositing it on the counter next to its twin.

The aroma of chicken, cheese, and spices filled the room. Elijah knew the dish didn’t actually have a name, but was a combination of macaroni and cheese and chicken tacos. He didn’t know what went in it other than the obvious, but he knew it tasted divine. The rest of the family knew it too, everyone hurrying to get seated so the meal could begin.

Rather than risk someone burning themselves on the hot casserole pans, Mama scooped out generous servings onto plates while Tyler and Elena delivered them to the eager kids sitting at the table, trying to behave, and mostly succeeding. Two of the boys jostled elbows, earning them a stern look from Papi. Elijah thanked her as she handed him a plate heaped with the heavenly concoction. He sat down in the middle part of the long table, knowing how Tyler hated getting stuck there. Those in the middle always got stuck passing things back and forth to those at the ends. Elijah didn’t mind, and it warmed him inside when Mama gave him a look of approval as she slid Papi’s plate in front of him before sitting down with her own.

The room got quiet as everyone bowed their heads while Papi said grace. Unlike Elijah’s upbringing, the Williamson clan was the product of devout Catholic parents. Family, the Lord, and food, in that order, were most important. Mama and Papi attended Mass every weekend, dragging the younger kids with them. Once any of their offspring turned eighteen, they could decide how they would follow the faith. Tyler had lapsed as soon as he was able to, but the next two that hit adulthood, Elena and Declan, carried on the tradition, each with varying levels of devotion.

Conversation at the Williamson dinner table was always a crap shoot; one never knew what topic would be broached. Tyler’s youngest siblings started to pepper Elijah with questions about the memorial as they hadn’t attended the service, and Mama was about to admonish them.

“No, don’t,” he said. “They’re just curious. We shouldn’t be so hesitant or afraid to talk about death. I don’t mind answering their questions.”

He couldn’t quite decipher the look that Mama and Papi gave him. He assumed it was one of those looks parents got when they realized their child was growing up. It was a look he suddenly realized he’d never get to see on his own parents' faces. Pushing away a wave of unwanted emotion, he blinked rapidly and concentrated on answering questions from the Williamson kids who were curious about the service.

Kaya, Tyler’s six-year-old sister, asked him if he saw their ghost.

Micah, at eight years old and so much more worldly than his little sister, scoffed. “They’re not ghosts, you dummy. They were smart enough to go to the light!” he said, rather indignantly.

Elijah had to hide his smile. Micah was the family know-it-all. Inwardly, he appreciated that the little scamp had called his parents smart.

“Micah! We do not call anyone a dummy. Apologize to your sister,” Mama ordered sternly.

Micah muttered a half-assed apology and quickly reissued it when Papi glared at him.

“Sorry Kaya,” he said more sincerely. Then added, “Sorry Mama and Elijah.” All the kids knew to suck up to Mama when they needed to. It was so much better to stay on the woman’s good side. Elijah didn’t miss the wink Papi gave his errant offspring.

The rest of the meal passed with its usual family boisterousness. Soaking it in, he was glad to be a part of this extended family, but at the same time thankful he didn’t have to deal with it on a daily basis.

Everyone, including himself, pitched in to help clean up. Afterwards, he excused himself to get some fresh air. Tyler followed close behind, tossing his jacket at him before heading out to the backyard. Tyler shot Felix, the ten-year-old, a menacing look when he made to follow them. Elijah needed to decompress after such a long, tedious day. The last thing he wanted to deal with is a nosy little brother.

They made their way over to the big playhouse-slash-jungle gym and each took a seat on one of the four swings hanging from a thick beam overhead. Elijah’s seat swayed gently as he toed the ground beneath him. Tyler sat on the swing next to him and for a while they just glided back and forth silently.

Elijah sighed, the air leaving his lungs shakily. He couldn’t stop his mind now that quietness enveloped him and Tyler.

He was the first to break the silence. His voice wavered slightly. “You know, all day random memories kept popping into my head. There are so many good ones. I remember my dad picking me up and swinging me around over his head. Like when your dad plays ‘airplane’ with the little ones. I must have been only two or three, it’s my earliest memory. I can still feel the wonder of being up so high. I nearly gave my dad a heart attack when I turned into a baby sparrow. He thought I was going to fly away and get lost. I brought it up when we were cleaning the garage last fall. He told me it wasn’t the thought of me flying away that scared him the most, it was the thought that a hawk or other bird of prey could attack me. He was shit scared of losing me.”

Elijah and Tyler rarely talked about his shapeshifting ability anymore. Not since they were in school and had taken advantage of it.

Tyler nodded, encouraging him to continue.

“He never told my mom about the incident. It was our little secret. He taught me how to keep a secret, you know. He knew I would need to hide what I can do, and he was right. I’ve learned there’s a lot of bad people out there who will take advantage of every opportunity to exploit anyone who is like me.”

Elijah hadn’t had a chance to tell Tyler about everything that happened in Montana and Idaho, but now was not the time. He needed to talk about his parents and process the past twelve excruciating hours.

“He taught me so much more. Do you remember his old Ford Fiesta?” Elijah asked.

Tyler smiled. “That banana-yellow thing with the black racing stripe?”

“The very same. His ‘beater POS car’ he liked to call it. I didn’t know what POS stood for until high school,” he chuckled humorlessly. “I remember being buckled in the passenger seat, my hand was on the gearshift. Dad’s hand covered mine and guided me through the motions whenever he needed to change gears. Up, down, left, right. I think I was five when all he needed to do was call out ‘second’, or ‘third’, whatever gear he needed, and he let me shift by myself while he worked the clutch.”

“I remember that, too. I was jealous of you until he let me sit in the passenger seat a few times and let me shift, just like you,” Tyler laughed softly. “I thought I was such cool shit.”

Elijah chuckled. “Me too.”

“Remember Click, Clack, Moo. Cows That Type?”

Elijah’s mouth dropped. How could he ever forget that book?

“Mom used to read that to me every night. She used a weird, funny voice for the farmer, with a super dopey accent. I loved that story,” Elijah said, his voice hitching on the last word, then trailing off into silence.

“E? Are you okay”

“No,” Elijah answered, his eyes filling with tears. He'd never be truly okay again. His whole world was broken.

This time, nothing would staunch their flow. One glance at Tyler and the dam broke. His friend jumped off his swing and pulled Elijah to him. Elijah buried his head in Tyler’s neck and sobbed.

It was so unfair. Why did he have to lose both of his parents? Why was he left alone, with no other family? Why? Why? Why?

That one word was stuck on repeat, skipping over and over again in his head, tears running down his cheeks, soaking Tyler’s jacket.

“I miss them,” he sobbed softly.

“I know you do,” Tyler said, running his hands up and down Elijah’s back trying to comfort him. There was no amount of hugs, back rubs, shoulder squeezes or pats on his hands that could make things better. His parents were gone and Elijah had to live with the realization it was his new normal, even though it felt like his worst nightmare.

It was several long moments before the tears abated. Another few minutes went by before Elijah felt strong enough to lift his head from Tyler’s shoulder. He almost started crying again when he saw the love and concern plastered all over his best friend’s face.

“I’m sor–”

“Shut the fuck up, E. You have nothing to be sorry for. My heart hurts, too. If it’s this bad now, I can’t… I-I don’t want to ever imagine what it would be like to lose both of my parents. Y’know, when I got the news, I came straight here. I squeezed Mama so tight, I think I almost broke her. Papi held me for so long while I broke down. I couldn’t stop crying. I knew I had to get all of my tears out before you got home. That didn’t work, did it?” Tyler smiled wanly, his eyes shiny with tears of his own.

“Ty, I couldn’t ask for a better best friend. I’ve been a little selfish. You lost them too. They loved you like another son. I love you. I don’t say it often enough and I don’t ever want to take you for granted,” Elijah said sincerely. He really didn’t know what he would do without him.

He was pulled in close again, and Elijah wrapped his arms around Tyler’s waist. “I love you too, you fucking idiot.”

Elijah chuckled.

Tyler joined in and soon they were laughing.

“Okay, the pity party’s over. You snotted all over my jacket, by the way,” Tyler griped half-heartedly.

Elijah made an ‘ewww’ face when he saw the slimy trail on the front of Ty’s jacket.

“I’ll wash it,” he promised.

“You damn well better.”

Elijah tried to smile, but a yawn split his face instead. He was so tired. Tiredness which bordered on utter exhaustion; the kind which settles deep in your bones.

“Can we go home?”

Tyler gave him a half-assed push in the direction of the back door.

“Best idea you’ve had all day. Lets’ go tell Mama and Papi we’re going. You know I’m not leaving here without getting a container of that fucking casserole.”

Elijah’s mouth watered involuntarily.

Mama fretted over him when she saw his red-rimmed eyes. Papi hushed her, and Elijah gave him a thankful smile. As much as he loved Tyler’s mom, he needed the quiet peacefulness of Tyler’s apartment.

In addition to the large plastic container which held enough casserole for them for at least two servings each, Mama packed a few smaller containers with staples like rice, beans, pasta, and homemade cookies. Whatever Fate decided to cross a Mexican with an Italian deserved a medal. They were set for the next week.

The short drive back to Tyler’s apartment was silent, something Elijah was grateful for. A headache had begun to brew at the top of his skull. He needed a few painkillers to stave it off. He didn’t need to look out the windows at the shadows of the night to know Kage was close by, using the cover of darkness to follow them.

Traffic was nearly non-existent; only a few cars passed by, going in the opposite direction. Elijah barely registered the pinpricks of headlights from a car way behind them.

Tyler pulled into his driveway and cut the engine. The doors shut with soft thuds and their footsteps were even softer in the still night air.

They were almost at the front door when Elijah was suddenly hit by a Mack truck. Before he could even finish the “What the fuck?” thought forming in his head, he was slammed to the ground, Tyler landing with a loud ‘oomph’ beside him. A large weight pinned both of them down.

A nanosecond later the stillness of the night was shattered by a loud ‘Pop!Pop!Pop!Pop!Pop!Pop!Pop!Pop!Pop!Pop!’

“Don’t move!” a deep voice snarled.

Tires squealed as a vehicle tore off into the night.

Did they really just get shot at?