The-Re-Defined

Into the subway I delved, deep underground beneath the streets of Polis. It was only a matter of time until the shadows that got to Stan would find me. But bright light lit up this subterranean jungle. That would ward them off, if only giving me enough time to find the locker and get out with whatever was in it. The Locker… 1127. That meant it was in the 11th street stop section. I jumped through the lines, rushing into the train stop before me, only stopping to flash my subway pass to the attendants at the gate. I made it to the railway. The train hadn’t made its stop yet, but if there was anything you could count on in Polis i

As I descended towards the ground, the feeling of helplessness settled into my heart. I was helpless to change my situation; helpless to stop the shadow. I would continue falling, sinking deeper and deeper into the darkness. This was it. They always tell you not to look down from so far up high, but I'd already begun the fall. Vertigo had no place in my fear filled heart. Acceptance left no room in my heart for panic. I would fall down into the black abyss. I could already see the vulturous black hands reaching up and out of the shadow snapping over one another, selfishly reaching out to grab the first piece of my flesh.  The ground was bu

I was in a daze. The city streets blackened. I only caught glimpses of where I was going. I couldn’t stand straight, but I had to go. They had Linda. If only I’d gone to see her before. I could have protected her. The world spun around in my head, and I was sick to my stomach. I ran into one person after another. I was pushed and shoved away like a drunk in the streets. But I couldn’t stop, I had to keep going. Just a bit more now, I’d be at Linda’s soon. Time seemed to skip with the blurs in my vision. I was somehow at Linda’s apartment building, then at her door. The door was open, and the lock broken.

The light had gone, and I had awoken in the Churches Nave. Here, at least, I felt safe. It had been years since I’d been to church, not since I was younger. As a kid my family would attend mass every Sunday. It was the only time during the week where there was some semblance of peace in our lives, even though we always knew it was a bullshit mask our father put on to hide his darker side. The people there loved him. Everyone around us sang praise of our father, the ‘hero of Polis.’ If only they knew what he was like behind closed doors. My mother, my sister Linda, and I grew up with a monster living in our home. He’d d

    The warm morning sun began to shine on my face, and I awoke gasping for air. My clothes were soaked in sweat, and my lungs burned as though they were filled with smoke. Was that a dream? Of course it was. I looked over at my night stand. My pill bottle was empty, and the bottle of vodka I’d washed it down with was dry. I sat back and laughed to myself. The pills hadn’t killed me, but it was one hell of a trip. What am I thinking? This is no time for puns. In my attempt, I’d found fear. Fear and nothing else. There was the absolute, undeniable fear I’d felt when facing the beast. The helpless fear of facing the shad

 To Linda, I’m sorry it had to end this way. I’m sorry for the pain this is going to cause you. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to see you. If you’ve tried to call, I’m sorry about that too. I had to cut off my phone line; the death threats were too much. I’m not even sure how they got my number, it’s not listed. I can’t take it anymore. They keep following me home. I’ve had to move three times in the past few months. This time I won’t even bother unpacking. Tell Thomas I love him. Please promise me you won’t tell him what they say I’ve done. Don’t tell him

 Night fell, and the city awoke. It was a peculiar thing, the way the city came to life each night. People went out, the strays began to feed, and the shadows seemed to thrive in this lightless world. My reflection remained lost among the shadows. I used to be the king of the light; a paragon in the night hours. People respected me. People loved me. But it’s been two months, three weeks, two days, and sixteen hours since I lost my claim to the throne. I used to be a detective for the Polis Police Department. I was one of the youngest in history – I was one of the best. In the night is where I reigned. Years of the night shift dev