neon Shadow | Teen Ink

neon Shadow

April 29, 2016
By justiceforever BRONZE, Fort Worth, Texas, Texas
justiceforever BRONZE, Fort Worth, Texas, Texas
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

In the world we live in, everyone can be a threat once we think about it, a single secret can be the end of us. Jamie Starling accidentally revealed that she had a crush on all-star player Tanner McAllen, after news spread the school she disappeared. Rumor has it that she transferred to Phoenixia Academy. Gavin Ro’Meave was revealed to be the runaway son of a famous company, he ran away again and his ex-girlfriend Azura Brightport said he’s in the town of Ridgeview. Those are only some of the secrets in this town.
   I stared inside the cold metal locker, cobwebs filled the corners and books stood lopsided at the bottom. People bumped into me, but I just stood there, waiting for school to get out. I heard that my parents were going to visit me… After 5 years in jail they’re finally off probation and free to do whatever. I sighed as the bell rang and closed my locker.
   I walked my way out the door and speed walked to the town library keeping myself hidden from the other teens walking that way. I still heard the mocking behind me, probably the people from Alexis Kyle’s “popular group”. Ignoring their comments on my lifestyle and creating the most ridiculous rumors, I saw the large sign that said,
Lakewood Library: All Are Welcome
  I walk in and is greeted with the warm smile of the librarian. The man was 42 year old Dylan Lancaster, widowed, and loves books. Throughout all my troubles in life he’s always been there to talk about life problems, he’s been the father figure I never had. Though his librarian aid isn’t exactly the nicest to me.
  Axel Carter was the exchange student from Ireland, all the girls at school were his fangirls, even some of the guys fanboyed when he walked the halls. To be completely honest and possibly cliche, I don’t think he’s that attractive. Sure, it might be because I’m a geek and I don’t really care about the dating world, but I just don’t think of him as the most attractive guy in school, he’s just a dude that keeps quiet for people to think he’s a total mystery.      Axel’s cold blue eyes narrowed as I walked in, but I just ignored his gaze and walked up to the counter that the Librarian was standing behind. I smiled, showing my shiny, yet, painful braces.
  “Welcome again, Miss Agatha.” Dylan said. Axel scoffed, “Do you seriously have no where else to hang out?”
  “No, do you?” I smiled smugly as he turned on his heel muttering to himself.
  “Anyway, Dylan, have those new order of books come in?” I asked, hoping the new book in the ‘War of the Magi’ series came in. Last book the main male character’s love interest came back. Dylan chuckled a bit.
  “Sorry Agatha, but the orders are coming next week .” I sighed.
  “Thanks for telling me Dylan. I’ll be back tomorrow.” Picking up my book bag I walked towards the door, of course I was stopped by none other than AXEL! Yayyyy. Note my sarcasm. I groaned and rolled my eyes,
  “I’m pretty sure trees are supposed to be in the forest.”
He chuckled for a second but quickly went back to his emo scowl, “Ha ha. You’re funny.”
  “It’s one of my talents. Just go back to your eternal emo corner.” He angrily walked back to the fictional book section and I left.
   I stopped at the corner store on my way home and bought a bag of chips and Arizona green tea. I payed whatever money I had left in my savings to the cashier. I’m going to have to work extra hard to pay rent for this month. I walked up the stairs of my apartment complex and dug my keys out of my bag. Walking into the cool room, I set my things on the counter. Opening the bag of chips I ate it all and washed it all down with my tea. This was the best dinner I could get if I was saving all of the food I had left for tonight’s stakeout. I went to my room and changed into some cleaned black clothes, wasn’t that hard to pick out since a good amount of my closet was filled with black clothes.
   I heard a knock at my door, I was getting ready for the stakeout and suddenly a loud rapping knock sounded. I groaned and went to the door, looking through the peephole.The second I looked through I completely forgot, my parents are back. Welp… here goes nothing. I opened the door and faked a smile. My dad grunted through his bushy mustache and my mom did the signature cough Umbridge did in Harry Potter in the Order of the Phoenix.
  “H-Hi mom, h-hi d-dad.” They did the nod the meant ‘Hello there foul scum’. I opened the door wider for them to walk in. I felt sweat slide down my face.
     “Agatha, how have you been during our 5 years in prison?” My mother asked. I smiled faintly and replied with a meek, “Okay..”  They then left to go to their room, after such a long time they haven’t changed. They would always leave me on my own, to learn to do things on my own, it make me wonder why they even had me nevertheless kept me.
   Later that evening I was in the kitchen cleaning the dishes and they came out of their room, completely drunk. I forgot they had a stash of alcohol in their room. I became anxious again and place the plate in my hand down in the sink,
   “You two should really get some--” I was cut off by my dad’s hand colliding with my cheek. My face burned red hot with pain.
   “You little monster child, don’t tell people what to do.” His monstrous voice made the pain feel even worse. They were gaining up on me, I backed up to the cabinets. My mom takes a swing at me and her fist collides with my stomach, I fall to the ground. My hand rested on the counter where the kitchen knife was lying. I picked it up, pointing it at my parents. My mother laughed harshly and stepped forward,
   “You can’t hurt us, you’re nothing but some petty girl! A mistake!”
My eyes narrowed, “Try me.”
  My mom came at me and I swung the knife in hand, blood came from both her neck and the silver blade as each drop of blood landed on my skin. My eyes widened, “I can’t believe it..” My dad’s eyes widened in fear.                                                                                                                                                                                 
  “You.. you monster!” He yelled, he punched my stomach making blood come out of my mouth. The room became darker, specks of black covered my eyes until all I saw was black, I was swimming to the bottom of a dark ocean.                                                                                  
  I woke up in my bed. My head was pounding and I tried to sit up but something forced me back down.
  “Stay still,” a thick irish voice sounded.
Oh god… “WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY ROOM YOU--” I screamed. Dylan smiled softly,   “We were coming to visit you, but we found you passed out, your dad freaking out, and your mom’s dead body…”
   Axel furrowed his brows and said, “We took you dad far away from here and cleaned up the evidence of your mom.”                                                                                                                                                                “That still doesn’t explain why you’re still here.” Axel just rolled his eyes.
  “I’ve got nothing else better to do, unless being chased halfway across the park by girls from school sounds fun.” I laughed a little and thought I saw him smile. “So the emo dude actually has a sense of humor.” He grunted and left the room.
   Dylan spoke to me, “Agatha, have things like this happened before?” I tried to change the topic. “Umm, what do you mean?”
His eyebrows furrow together. “You know what I mean.”
I just sighed. “Yes.”
He frowned, “You can’t keep doing this,  Agatha.” I looked down.
   The cool air danced across my masked face as I crouched on top of the building. My dark-brown hair was tied up in long pigtails and I had my katana in hand. I heard sirens down the street and decided to book it. Jumping from building to building in giant leaps, I got away with the loads of cash I stole. A motorcycle zoomed by, on the motorcycle was some dweeb with a pistol, wearing a leather jacket and helmet.
Is that… Is that Axel? Nah, he’s probably too emo, he’s most likely eating ramen all alone in his basement. I jumped down, at that second I could hear the sirens from police cars and the motorcycle started speeding up. I saw a bag left astray by the path of the motorcycle and opened it up. Hundreds of shiny jewels glittered in the bag. I grinned and tied the bag back up and started running down the street.
   I ran as fast as I could, that was until I was pushed into an alleyway.
  “Now, now, give me my pretty jewels?”
I glared at the figure, “Finder’s keeper’s.” I gripped my katana.
He grunted. “Give me the bag, or have a real bad time?” I pointed the katana at him and he pointed his pistol at me.
He smirked, “It’s your funeral.”
   Shots flew passed me and the sound of metal clashing with the ground was audible. I kicked the pistol out of his hand and it skidded across the concrete. He grimaced and leapt for his gun. I tripped him on the way and picked up his gun, twirling it with a smirk on my face. He reached for something in his pocket and threw it on the ground. Smoke exploded from the ground and the moment it cleared he was gone.
   “Agatha, I told you not to steal anymore!” For once in my life Dylan had a harsh voice against me. I avoided eye contact, ashamed of my actions, but at the same time I didn’t care. I needed the money, I needed the jewels. I can’t keep living off bags of chips and $1.00 sodas! My fists were clenched tightly. I heard a disappointed sigh and footsteps fading away.
   He trained me. Why can’t he just accept the fact I’m a criminal? Why doesn’t he realize I’m a bad person? I was walking through the town. My eyes were darting side to side, trying to find something to do. I heard a scream from the top of the library. Someone was dangling a small girl from the roof! I ran as fast as I could to the tall building. I took out my grappling hook I had attached to my belt and shot it towards the top of the building. I landed on the roof with a thud. I seriously need to perfect the landing..
   Looking over to the victim and the mystery person, I swung my katana. The dark figure looked familiar and he turned to me,
   “We meet again, Agatha.”
  How does he know my name? I know I’ve heard his voice somewhere! He pulled off his mask and grinned.
“Axel?” He bowed, “In the flesh.” I ran at him, rage filling inside of me. He was the sneakiest double agent ever!  Almost as sneaky as Severus Snape! I couldn’t believe it.
   He nearly dropped the girl when I came at him, but left her safely on the roof. He probably just used her as bait. He put his hand out, stopping me in my tracks,
  “Don’t come so close, or I’ll blow this whole building up. That means you’ll risk the safety of poor Dylan Lancaster.”
  He wouldn’t do that. He couldn’t. I stepped back, still glaring at him, shooting daggers with my eyes.
  He smirked, “Good girl.” I felt useless, like there was nothing else I could do. I wanted to stop this from happening, I just wanted things to be normal, but of course that’s not gonna happen. We’re in a world where no one can go back to being good.
  “Heh, bet you feel like an idiot.” He jumped off the building and like the black cat he was, perfectly on his feet. He ran inside and I had a feeling of what his plan was, so I followed.
  Jumping off the building, I ran into the building. The sight I saw was the most terrifying things I’ve seen in years. Tears streamed down my face, my body began to shake. All I could think about was what was in front of me.
  Dylan’s dead body.  

Epilogue
  He kicked my wrist, “Dude you’re really terrible at that.” Axel groaned and smiled weakly. I smiled and kissed his cheek. It’s been a few years since Dylan died, now Axel and I are running the Library and that our feelings have changed. It’s weird how things work, huh?   


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