The Shadowlands:

Shadow Man
Jeff Wooten
1. An Alternate You
The multiverse theory; this theory suggests there is more than one reality, each decision
creates a new parallel existence. For example, I want orange juice so, I bought oranges.
However, this reality can be changed, then an alternate world exist. For instance,
instead of orange juice, I made lemonade. There are many possibilities as to why I
made lemonade. For example, the store I shop at was out of oranges, in this particular
existence. Either, oranges don’t exist here in this reality or the oranges make lemonade.
This one change can alter all of the course of that particular existance, which can be
catastrophic. Alternate realities could affect gravity or living conditions on Earth, even to
the existence and extinctions of a species on the planet. Many comics, books, television
shows and movies have this theory of parallel universes. Could alternate realities
explains God, time travel, time loops, magic, aliens, ghosts, demons, and angels. If so,
how can you prove this existence?
What if when you die, instead of going to the heavens you actually are going to an
alternate reality or alternate plane?
The afterlife may hold the key.
Where do we go when we die?
Many religions use this and give its followers a sense of hope. Not saying there is one
true religion or push the belief of God, but keep this in mind as you read this origin story
of a man given powers by God, travelling to alternate realities, discovering new worlds
in that of our own and helping those in need.
2. The Approaching Storm and the Shadow of a Man
The shadow of a man, stands firm at the window, a storm is rising, dense clouds form.
Bones are weak from the cold, shooting pain coursing through his body; back, arms,
legs, dexterities. Numbingness and tingling sensations felt throughout the body as if
meditating through a trance state of higher state of mind.
Feeling the slick, smooth cold, leather material of his jacket reaching into the warmth of
the inner lining to find his small silver zippo, once his grandfather’s. The man slides the
flint, checking to see if the lighter still lights the flame on the wick.
From the same pocket he grabs a box of unmarked cigarettes, believed to once be
camel crush. Shadow Man hasn’t smoked much, but always carries the pack with him,
his lucky brand. Taking out a cig, one to light, putting to his lips taking a drag, the taste
of warm tobacco, letting out small bellows of smoke, and thinking to himself.
Shadow Man’s family is well to do, not exactly rich, not exactly poor. They renovate and
own run-down hotels along the California coast.
Sound of drops on the window pane and roof, rolling thunder and the sight of cracking
lightning brightens up the darkened study. “Six in the morning,” thinking to himself,
putting down the cig into a nearby white, plastic ash tray. Having thoughts of those
whom that have passed, his wife a year ago. His family worried of his state of mind.
Shadow Man has been living in his mansion in San Diego, with his sister in- law. His
sister in-law has been at the house to keep his sanity, but that seems to not be helping
lately. He believes she is there out of pity and for food and shelter. She has been
ignoring him, she either locks herself up in her room crying or out of the house running
errands. Before, last week she would ask if anything was needed, when she was out.
Lately, that has not been the case. In fact, on multiple occasions, he has been yelling at
her to notice him. He believes she blames him for her sister’s death.
“Meow,” gleaming green, yellowish eyes of a cat, dark fur hiding in the shadows of the
study, reaching for the cat, the cat runs. “That cat always runs, I can never seem to
catch him.” Ever since last week when this cat arrived, his allergy to cats have
vanished.
The study is quiet, the sound of soft patter of rain against the window. Sitting in a brown,
leather arm chair, beginning to read his journal, after picking it up from the lamp table
next to the chair. This journal is all he has left of his wife.
Remembering her laughs and smiles, the vacation to Silver Strand in San Diego. Hotel
Del Coronado, this hotel was his inspiration, he loved the sights and people of each
hotel he visited. Hotels and motels are the most needed on any trip for those whom life
is to travel. For him it was to get away from everything, the storm he was trapped in that
day as well, waiting for a tow truck. Bad luck seems to follow.
Ring! Ring! The phone.
Groggy, the man stands to reach a nearby receiver, “Hello,” no answer tries another,
“Hello,” getting frustrated, “HELLO!” still no response. Then putting down the receiver
thinking this phone must be broken, a voice breaks through. The voice of his wife’s
mother and the sister in-law. “How are you holding up?” asked the mother.
“Fine, Mother, grocery shopping. Been getting the house ready for tomorrow for the
viewing. I have a list of guests prepared.” Answered the younger voice on the other end.
Guest arriving? What viewing? Am I missing something? Listening intensely back to the
conversation on the phone to see if his answers will be met.
“Where will the viewing be held?” questioned the mother.
“Same as before, the backyard,” The younger voice replied, in a soft mellow tone, as if
ready to break into tears.
“Do not let this hurt you, you must learn to move on.” Worried for her child’s sake.
“I know”, the younger woman voice retorted.
The sound of the voices on the phone disappeared as fast as they had come. The
receiver made a click as the phone was disconnected.
Holding the receiver in his left hand, with a cig in his mouth, putting down the phone
now pondering to himself.
What was that conversation about? What party? Who was invited? Why the backyard?
It is raining, right? The only party the man could recall was the viewing and wake for his
wife, that was a year ago.
What was her name? What is my name? What is a name? It distinguishes one another,
A rose is a flower, there are many flowers; daisy, daffodillies, sunflowers, and so much
more. To call another flower a rose is wrong. A rose is a rose. There are different color
roses too each with a different meaning. Single red rose true love.
Rose, the man remembers that is the last name of his wife and her sister. The man
thinks to himself if I can remember memories of my past, maybe I can remember my
name and everyone else.
I need answers.
Emptiness, writing notes, reading of memories of the past in the journals in his library.
Searching for answers, unable to comprehend what has become of him. Loss of his
identity, unaware of the truth. Inner battle of the unknown has begun to take over the
man’s mind. Fate is all he knows, believing fate is already written.
3.Triangle
The man had women in his life each one was different, each changed whom he
became. Each woman had a different face, different name, and brought a new meaning
to his life to help him become a better person. He remembers many of the names of
those in his past, but still cannot recall the name of himself or his wife.
Love triangles; a triangle has three sides and three points, each point a possible
outcome, each side a new journey. Each point has its own outcome, eliminate one point
and two sides that is where bridges become burned, feelings hurt or feeling that the
person has moved on. Most of the time separation is how he found his way out of the
triangle. Distance becomes both a key element of either separation or belonging.
Separation creates the feeling of destiny. With that it can go both ways the other must
want to communicate with that other person otherwise it becomes one-sided and of
desperation.
In this case, the man is the monkey in the middle trying to find the key that fits, each
time a new key, each time a new heart break. The sister tries to keep the bridges from
being burned. Shadow man’s wife did not know how to feel. Fighting to try to keep each
other in check, but the sister distanced herself from the problem to make herself the
victim. The sister works to bring everyone together as the man and his wife fought.
Memories, twisted into terror into nothingness and dread, life will eventually find a light.
Shadow Man will become who he is meant to become.
4 Something Wicked
Darkness, demons lurking, looking for a soul to feast. The night grew still, the house
seemed different now a shadow begun to form into the study where Shadow Man is
resting. Soft murmurs, in the shadows calling out his name, taunting him, “Shadow
Man.” Walking towards the darkness, following whispers, a dark, form of black mass
begins to appear, like black smoke from a hot fire.
Hot, humid fog engulf Shadow Man.
The soft voice of a young girl is heard “Daddy,” echoing through the darkness. "Daddy,
can you hear me?", voice becomes more frantic, worried, "Where are you, Daddy?".
The voice becomes clearer and louder walking closer as the darkness engulfs him. The
shadow curls as thick, dark smoke rising, blown from the hellish depths. As vapors and
the dense fog engulf, many figures circle, devilish, pair of yellowish eyes pierce the fog.
A single pair of red eyes appear, the shadows leader.
Walking through the fog the silhouette of a young girl, about eighteen, solidifies. “Daddy
is that you?” The fog ends at a door with a window, covered with droplets of water. A
light shimmers through, candle light was its source, flickering in the wind.
Through the window Shadow Man looks down onto the floor the candles are laid out in
a circle, as though a summoning ritual was being performed.
The young girl had her eyes softly closed, blondish, shoulder length, curly hair, seemed
to be wearing a short sleeve red t- shirt and a pair of Levi jeans.
The girl seemed familiar, yet strange.
Calling through the fog and the closed door, “Where am I?” Shadow Man replied. The
girl from beyond yelling through, “Are you my dad, I'm looking for my dad.? He was
murdered in the back with a knife.”
The door opens and the fog dissipates, a tiny kitchen, looms into the view. Behind
Shadow Man, a small refrigerator, “Was that the door I saw?”. Shadow thinks.
Shadow Man returns to the girl, “Where are the lights, why is it so cold and dark?”,
peering back into the fridge as it is dank, dark and open. The kitchen was so dark,
Shadow Man could not make anything out in the rest of the room. The only clue it was a
kitchen was the fridge.
“Where am I?”, Shadow still trying to reassure himself, it is not a dream.
The girl began to cry, “I am alone”, trembling, “my parents disappeared, its dark, there is
no power.”
Lifting his hand into the air, Shadow Man reaches to the girl to help soothe her anxiety.
Suddenly, as he is reaching toward the girl, lights begin to flicker, growing really bright
from a surge of power, blinding until the immense electricity burst the glass shattering.
Lights recess flame up suddenly as if it was an oil torch that was burning.
Dark once more.
Suddenly, the refrigerator starts floating, where it freezes in mid-air. The girl screams at
the top of her lungs.
Shadow wondering what was so frightening turns around, in time to see the fridge burst
into flames. Quickly, grabbing the girl, running out through the back door of the kitchen
into the back yard.
Outside the house is quite small.
The house burst into flames. Shadow looks back piecing together what has happened.
Looking to the young girl.
“I have no name, or memory of a name.”
The girl puts her hand in her pocket as though reaching for something. Gold shines from
her hand. A locket, her locket, my wife had once just like it.
“This was my mother’s,” opening the locket. “You look a lot like him, my dad. My mother
disappeared about a year ago. It all began one night when I was having the nightmare
of a red eyed monster with horns on his head, wings of a dragon, the tail of a lizard, and
feet of a goat. He told me in a nightmare mom would disappear. I believe he was a
demon who came from hell to take my mom and dad away. I think he is the one who
took me into this world from within the nightmare. He told me my mother and father did
not want me anymore.” Explained the young girl as she was handing Shadow the
locket.
Looking into the golden locket, inside was a little picture frame, on the opposite side,
was a little mirror. Shadow looked at the picture and felt he could recognize the face,
but could not make out names.
“Do you know your parents name?” looking into the small mirror. The mirror was not
enough to see himself, it is used for make up, all he could see were small features due
to its’ size.
Surveying the surroundings, everything was very dark and hazy, almost foggy, not as
dense as before, he could see his hands and the locket.
Still trying to place the name of the man and woman in the locket, he looks towards the
little girl to see if she resembled anyone he knew.
Thinking to himself, “My mind is Swiss cheese.”
“Honestly,” the girl replies, “I do not have a memory of my name or the ones in the
photo, it is this place. This place takes away memories and eats at your soul.”
Walking around to the front of the little burning house, ashes swirling into the air,
everything seemed to stop in place, as if time had no meaning. Shadow began to
question how is this physically possible, looking in the girl’s direction, as she was frozen
in place. She must be apart of this world thinks Shadow Man, she must be a trap, to lure
me to stay in one place. Shadow Man fears he is being followed by the red eyed
demon. The houses on the street seemed odd and out of place. They were all
destroyed as if in ruins, possible post apocalypse. The sky went from a dark purple to a
fiery orange-red.
Shadow Man walked through the gate leading to the front yard and everything still
frozen or moving at an extremely slow rate like a really bad lag in a video game with
high amount of graphics or too many players. Making his way to the front Shadow Man
found a red 1994 Jeep Wrangler. Not sure where he was or where to go Shadow Man
did not want to leave behind the girl. She maybe useful or not even evil like he thought,
his thoughts are always result of paranoia. The girl is believed to have no memory either
maybe she is a link to discover what is happening.
Feeling the urge for a cigarette, but there is no where to get any. Feeling his front left
leather jacket pocket, there were none, as he thought There stood the girl at the gate
still slowly moving in time.
After opening the door of the jeep, which was suspice and unlocked. Climbing into the
jeep, the man thought, “God, was this your doing, are you watching over me?”
Looking back to the gate once more to see if the girl was coming or still frozen, she had
disappeared. That made the man question for a second turning, looking at his right, she
now was sitting in the passenger seat of the jeep, staring at him quizfully. “How did you
get over here so fast,” she had the sound in her voice that was a mix of being fearful
and astounded.
“You did not notice?” the man replied. He wondered where she was all the time it took
for him to reach the jeep, was time slowed or sped up for her. “Something odd
happened while I was walking here…,”
She interrupted him, “Was time fragmented again?”
“So this happens often?” He thought. Trying to understand more about this place, or
even if she knows more, he asked her, “So how often does the fragmenting occur what
happened to you during that time?”
“That is the world resetting, this is what you would call a multidimensional, halfway or a
limbo. This place is like a nightmare that never ends, it lures you in with gifts and then it
takes, it is a monster. The monster feeds on happiness and faith, in return sadness and
despair.” The girl paused for a minute, as if thinking for a better way to explain to the
man.
“How long have you been here, are there others, and what happens when the others
come through here.” The man said as he was looking for the ignition. He thought, ”A
key.”
“Others…,” She sighed heavily, “time is irrelevant here, just like there is no day or night,
it just says like how it is now hazy, the sky stays dark purple with orange-red glowing
like the aurora borealis.”
“The others?” The man replied, While finding a key in his front left leather jacket pocket
which he knows he had just checked for cigarettes. The man thought “ Cigarettes,”
looking into his pocket again nothing. Damn thought that would work.
Puts the key into the ignition and starts up the jeep. The jeep roars to life, sounding like
it hasn’t been ran in years and needed a tune up but surprisingly for a struggle in this
odd strange world, this is a good start.
"The reason I am asking I want to know the direction to head so we can find some
answers where do people usually travel? How do you know so much? Who fed you this
information? You still have not told me your name.”
“My name is Sabrina,” the girl looked at the man, “ You know, the people in this world
they just move on, no one stays, but me. This is the first time someone has helped me
find my way. Everyone just passes through however I never know whether to trust if
they are real or figments this world creates. Like this jeep it did not exist in that spot
before. I been outside many times. This is the place for things left unnoticed, like socks
in your dryer.”
That comment hinted at something more for Shadow. “Things left unnoticed”. She
knows more than she is letting off.
Shadow pulled out of the driveway since she is not getting anywhere with her answers
he just went where ever the road takes him.
Shadow drove what felt like a few miles, a small sign on the side of the road it was dark
so it was hard to make out. “ Welcome to The Middle.”
“Odd”, thought Shadow, “was that the name of this place, or just this town.”
Desert was laid out in front of him.
Shadow looks to the girl next to him. She is fast asleep. Head on the window, hands on
her legs.
“Ok, so much for a direction.”
Shadow continues to drive, down the dark highway in the middle of a desert.
5 The Desert and the Oasis
Driving down the long strip of highway there seemed to be a sea of endless nothing.
Sand all around for miles, Shadow looks at his dash to see his fuel gauge " half ". “
Hopefully, there is a gas station around soon before I hit empty.”
Driving another what felt five minutes, a dim flash of light caught Shadow's eye. It grew
closer, it appeared to be a gas station.
Shadow pulled into the station. The jeep slowed to a stop next to a gas pump. “I wonder
if there are attendants working here”. Shadow walks to the station door it looks dark, the
light over the jeep turns on. Well it could be automatic.” he thought.“ plus I have no
money.” Feeling for a wallet, or even a dollar in his left jacket pocket.
“Nothing, and still no cigarettes. Well, I’m at a gas station, they must have something.”
Shadow reaches for the door it opens by itself. The lights turn on automatically. The
gas station has all you would expect a gas station has. If you never been to a mini mart
at gas station then you have never travelled. The gas station however strangely was
stocked fully with every cake, cookie, chip, candy bar and soda you could ever want.
Shadow picks up a bag of donuts. There is no expiration date.
Flabbergasted by his discovery he looks to another bag of chips then cookies and then
his favorite soda, nothing expires. This must be a trick.
He goes to the counter to talk to an attendant and there still is none. There was a sign
posted.
Per Management, take all that you want, all is free, but beware, only take what you
need if taken more then needed, the price you will pay.
Voices began to manifest in behind his mind, one was a voice of a woman. The voice
was assuring him to take only what he needs to make it on his journey on the road and
what may come in the future. The voice told him he needs food for the mind, besure to
stay away from the sodas, candy, and cookies.
Then a second voice manifested, this voice began to argue with the first voice. This
voice was deeper, but still womanly. Take everything leave nothing behind, find those
ciggerettes to get away from the first voice, you do not need her.
Then a third, a man's voice could be heard. " Take only what is needed for your journey,
but, you will need energy besure to bring the energy drinks and candy bars. They
maybe unhealthy, but you have a long road ahead.
Shadow Man looks outside to the jeep parked out under the dimly lit gas station, beyond
the road, and to the desert. " All I need is water and bread. I do not need anything else
for my journey, it may be long, but I will endure."
“These voices are destracting me from the journey ahead.” Thought Shadow Man.
A name written in fire,Gabriel, appeared in front of him, that was all he saw for the first
couple of minutes, then it dissipated into steam, as if water was thrown on the letters to
put out the flames.
“This is judgement,” thought Shadow. “This is a test. Is my name really Gabriel?
Is this all a dream or a nightmare? Am I really here? The girl in the jeep said this was
Limbo and time has no meaning here. This must be where minds go to enter the world
beyond.
This life is not what it seems, God is guiding me in a direction. Maybe I am going in the
right direction that is why he let me know my name.”
Shadow Man grabs himself three bottles of water, and eight loaves of bread. “I think this
should be enough,” Shadow Man exclaims.
Shadow man walks out into the brisk night air.
The Jeep was empty. “Where had the girl gone?”
Gabriel walks around to the back of the station. The stations lights begun to flicker, the
lights hissed, as though the serpets was in the filament of the light bulbs. This world is
strange thought Gabriel, feeling very lonely, disparate, and very vulnerable.
“Is the girl a distraction a trap set by this world.” He shook off the thought, and continued
to look.
" Go now, get in the Jeep and run." a voice loud and booming, manifested into his
mind . "She is a trap."
Shadow cried out, to the voice as if going crazy in a deep guttural tone. " NO " He spun
around frantically, searching, nothing was there no sign of her.
Gabriel went to the Jeep.
6. A Girl and an Inn
"Do not worry Gabriel, continue on the journey she will return when you cross paths
again. She is a guide to this world. She is needed here you are not. You are ready to
begin your journey. Do not second guess, do not ignore my voice." The booming voice
began to tell Shadow. " Just believe the reason is love. Do not give into death. That is
the end."
Gabriel put the key into the ignition, boom. The engine roared to life as if it was brought
back from the dead. "Just listen to the voice, the voice. What does that mean, who is
that voice? God, You have not abandoned me?"
Driving down the road, pulling away from the station, Gabriel thought to himself, "Where
did you go?" Looking at the passenger seat of the Jeep.
As it was dark, Shadow looked for a place to rest, there was none. Gabriel thought to
himself, "I need a place to rest".
A small abandoned Inn appeared, it had a small neon lit sign that appeared to be turned
off there was only, four rooms and an office. The name on the sign read, "Starlight Inn."
There he pulled off to see about staying the night. He thought to himself in most cases
you would not want to stay here. This does not look like a good place to stay.

Rain begun to touch Shadow's face. Shadow looked up and said," glad I stopped."
The door to the office was opened, it was small and quite. The fluorescent lights turned
on humming in a low tone. There were keys hanging on a rack, Gabriel chose three.
Lightning struck in the dark, red and grey, clouded sky. The rain was heavy and
thunder sounded near, flashes of light created shadows on the wall of the Inn. The key
felt small and metallic, appeared to be brass. The rain made the key feel slick, and his
leather jacket began to feel heavy. Rain poured on to him. Reaching for the door
handle, Shadow looks to his left, he feels he is being watched. The night air seemed to
thicken, it was humid due to the rising storm.
The door creaked open, Gabriel stepped into the dank, small room. There was a bed,
no tv though a small bathroom with a mirror over the sink. Walking through the room,
Shadow thought to himself. Rain, rain go away, I don't need you today. Then he heard
what sounded to be a scream coming from outside. Shadow Man opens the door to
look, there is no one. Shadow Man walks to the sink to wash off his face. He is
beginning to grow a beard. Stubble, on his face he has no razor to shave it. Shadow
Man feels into his pocket of his jacket there seemed to be something in his left breast
pocket.
Soap, shower Gel, and Shampoo. Well he thought to himself at least I will be clean. The
beard will have to wait.
Shadow twist the small four ounce bottle of soap, placing some on his hands. Rubbing
his hands together, feeling the suds of each bubble growing as the bubbles somehow
calming his nerves. The water flows through the sink, hands in the water, rubbing his
face and neck, looking into the mirror, three figures appear.
A woman with platinum blonde hair, in a white wedding dress was seated on the bed's
end, a woman with red hair, in a red evening gown laid on the bed, and a man with
short black hair, in a black suit with a red tie stood in the doorway. The three appeared
to just stand there watching, Shadow peered at them through the mirror. Gabriel turned
to see the figures in the mirror. There was no one. Looked back at the mirror the mirror
now only showed him and a dark, loney motel room.
Shadow reached into his left breast pocket once more this time finding a small
flashlight. The flashlight luminated the dark motel room, thinking to himself the urge
returned for a ciggeratte felt into his left pocket once more hoping there would be some.
Nope.
" Gabriel everytime you ask for that, I will tell you. No. Remember think to yourself, do
you really need it. I am not telling you you can not have it. Just that you do not need it. It
will take from your powers."
"What are my powers?, " Gabriel asked. The voice became silent once more.
Walking out to the rain, Shadow opens the door, feeling the surging power of the storm.
The storm seemed to grow heavier. and the rain seemed to become even stronger. The
winds became mighty, howling like a pack of wolves into a night sky.
"Wolves", Gabriel thought, looked to the direction that he first looked when he was
opening the door. This time he saw a shadow of a figure on all fours, doglike. Shadow
walked towards the shadow as it scampered off in the direction in the hallway between
the two rooms. There was an ice box. Gabriel looked at the metal box and the handle.
Reaching for it slowly, maybe there is something in here as he started feeling a little
hungry. The door to the ice chest flung open as if on spring hinges,
Pizza, pepperoni with sardines he thought.
The pizza was there in a box. He took out the box, and returned to his room. Now if only
I could watch something on televison.
Shadow took his first bite, salty. The pizza was the perfect temperature, Gabriel was
sure that he was dreaming. Pizza never tasted this good.
Feeling for a water bottle from the store he was at earlier, takes a long swig after each
bite.
Shadow begins to realize why at the store it said to take only what you need no more,
this pocket is providing me with what I need, but what about the pizza he thought.
Looking down at his last slice. Who left this in the ice box. Gabriel began to think to
himself. The voice said I have powers, but what are they. Then Gabriel stood up to go
take a shower. The bathroom was small only a stand in shower no tub in sight. Shadow
took everything off ready to help cool off from this never ending nightmare. Shadow
turned on the faucet.
Shadow stood in the shower turning on the water, as it comes raining down the water
becomes warm, and massages his muscles. Massaging his head, and feeling for the
shampoo for his hair he begun to hear a womans voice, "Help, me" starting off slow and
low, " Help, me," a little louder, suddenly over the sound of water pounding, a blood
curdling, scream. Shadow jumped out ready to fight whatever was out there. Naked he
ran to the door, looking for a towel. He wrapped one around him, looking out the door
once more, nothing.
"This is getting ridiculous, why is this place messing with my head so much, where am I.
All i know is that girl brought me here or that fog, but where do i go from here everything
seems to be clouded. If hearing voices and seeing ghosts are my powers take them
back, I do not want them.
"Everything comes with a cost," boomed the voice.
The soft voice of a young woman begun to speak, " Gabriel do not be afraid we are not
ghosts we are here to help you along the path, the path may look dark and long but
have no fear you have guidance we are here to tell you what you need to know when
you need to know what may come. This may be scary at first but we do not mean to
scare, we want to help for you have helped us before. We are the ones you helped in
your life."
"As in my life before?" Shadow thinks to himself have I died.
The man's voice seems to read his mind, " No we are from all your lives from before, all
your alternate existances you were once a mighty warrior of light you are just and kind,
a knight to many in a way, a protector of light."
The woman with the deep voice begun to speak now in Shadow's mind, " You were a
guide to many, you brought them to their final destination. Now, you are the one who
needs guidance."
The loud voice became clear over all three of the voices, " Leave Gabriel alone, for now
he must find out for himself. You must not help him in this judgment. This is a test of
faith."
"Gabriel, we are here for you." the voices fading in unison.
Gabriel looks to the door wanting to just leave, but not knowing where to go in this
storm. The storm grew stronger. Looking through the Inn room windows seeing those
dark clouds outside.
Once more he decided to walk outside to see if he could see anything in the distance.
To try and figure which way to go when he decides to start on the road again.
There seems to be a different feel then last time he was out here, he listened to his
intuitions, last time he felt eyes watching him. This time he did not feel this. He felt
strength like never before course through him as though the rain was charging him. The
water touched his skin and slowly rolled off. He looked down and thought, i forgot my
jacket. I forgot my clothes, I am outside in a towel. The strength coursed through
Gabriel, he felt he could do anything. Where was this power coming from.
The water he thought, that must be my power. I get stronger and smarter, and I come
sensitive. I feel those voices only when I touch water. Walking over to the ice box once
more and feeling the cold steel handle reaching inside this time to find clothing. He
pulled out a red T- shirt, and pair of blue jeans. His jacket was there too. He thought to
himself, wait a minute I left my jacket in the room how did it get out here.
The jacket seemed different though seemed hemed and fixed where the hole in his left
breast pocket was.
Gabriel ran to the room to check his jacket was still there from when he took the
shower.
He looks to the floor all of his clothing is gone.
"How," he thought, " where did they go?"
"Gabriel," the booming voice begun, " I am sure you figured out now what your powers
are."
" Yes, the water. It is pure energy."
"You can travel through it as well. Your strength comes from water, you can manifest
anything you need through it as well." the loud voice spoke.
The left breast pocket felt heavy suddenly. Gabriel reached for the pocket and pulled
out a single silver sword.
"The sword is yours from your past, this sword comes from your light energy. The light
energy is from the good you do for others. The good you do for others will make you
stronger. If you decide to go against good and want selfishness then you will feel the
darkness engulf you. The more darkness that engulfs you, you may never return."
"Return where?" Gabriel asked.
"Home." The loud voice finished and dissipated.
"Home." Gabriel thought, "home to my normal life."
As Gabriel started putting his clothes on, he heard moaning. This moaning though
sounded off. Like a woman in pain or someone who was in trouble with a lot of weight
on them. He walked towards the sound. The sound seemed to be coming from near the
office.
Closer, Gabriel walked, the sound became louder. The lights in the office seemed to
glow into the parking lot. The light flooded and the ground glistened. There seemed to
be a figure of someone on the ground looked like they were curled up or walking in a
crab like postions. The figure looked like a woman with long, dark brown hair, dragging
the ground. The closer he got the louder the moaning, the closer he got the more he
could see this lady was no lady, but a monster. The lady head was twisted all the way
around the body was distorted and looked to be rotting in spots. The white night gown
she had be wearing seems to have been torn in many places as if burned many times.
His thought to himself, how do I help those I do not know how to help. What if they can
not be helped. Then suddenly he felt the strength come to him as he grabbed the sword
from his back where he had it sheathed in a scabbard.
The moaning of the monster, became so clear and guttural. The sword felt heavy in his
hand, metallic, the hilt at the end had the head of a howling wolf.
Gabriel looked at the moster, with one quick slice of his sword the monster took one last
moan as it exploded into blood splatter. The monster then dissappeared in its place a
young woman. Looked to be about 20. "Thankyou for saving me."
"The moster was no monster at all, but a woman trapped by this world, is that why there
is no one in town or in the streets or at this motel?" questioned Shadow Man. "This
place, what is this place."
Shadow Man walked into the office to see if he could get a clue on where to go next.
The office now had a different appearance to it. The office now looked as if it was being
taken care of. There was now a brighter light in the recess above no longer flurencent
but now more natural light. The place now seemed to glow. The were now magazines
and a tv in the office next to a small brown, leather couch. Shadow Man walked over to
the table, sitting on the couch. Taking a magazine looking into the cover and saw
something odd. The magazine was from the 1990's, "When I left i was in the 2000's."
Shadow opened that magazine it seemed to be a fashion magazine, "Dressing for
Success.
Shadow Man looked at the counter where he had just stood there seemed to be a
woman behind the counter. The same woman he thought to himself.
"Gabriel," she called his name. "I know who you are. You saved my life. You do not
need to pay for the room. I appreciate what you have done already. I have this for you
as thanks as well." The woman with the long dark brown hair, now seemed to be
wearing a blue sun dress. Reaching beneath the counter, pulled out a small shoe box, "
This is marked for Gabriel, I knew you were coming. I had this prepared for our
meeting." The woman pushed a small, silver key into the box. The box opened There
was a small wolf tooth, on a leather string."
"My name," the woman told him," Mitzi. If you need a place to stay just ask you can
stay as long as you need. You are in need I can see that, you reached out when there
was no one for me so i reach out to you when you have none."
There was something more to this thought Gabriel nothing happens by accident there is
always a purpose. This meeting was destiny, this is my journey's beginning. "Do you
have a last name?" asked Gabriel, " My last name is Okami. " The wolf"".
"I have a question Miss Okami do you have a dog?" Gabriel question remebering what
lead him to the ice box.
" No, but if you are refering to the wolf outside that was infact me. I have a power too, I
am a shapeshifter, but the problem is with my power it was infected by the darkness. I
attacked an innocent and that is how I became as you saw me before. The power of
darkness ate at me and I became a monster. The real me is as you see me now." The
wolf tooth here is from me, I want you to have it signifies that you have saved me from
the monster that over took me."
Gabriel thought to himself this is odd.
Gabriel puts on the tooth, the tooth suddenly starts to vibrate and a reddish glow
forming around the tooth begins to form encircling the tooth. The red glow engulfs
Shadow Man and he now has ears that can hear high pitches, and can transform into a
wolf. The wolf engulfs him, his mind. The new power over takes him and he runs
outside, as he is transforming stubbling out into the parking Lot screaming in pain and
terror. The surge over power turns red, as he becomes a black wolf. Running into the
night of the desert. Running on all four, back legs running so fast he has never been on
all fours before, The wolf form he has taken scares him. This is a such different feel.
The full moon in the sky lighting up the night, not even noticing but the world around him
has changed. He noticed the rain has stopped. The ground does not even feel wet. As
his senses all start to return, he starts to feel as though someone is following behind
him. The black wolf turned around to see the white wolf following from behind him. "I am
a wolf" Shadow howls at the moon.
The white wolf replies, " You have always been a wolf, but you forgot." You forgot that
you were a black wolf, I just reminded you father."
"Father, wait are you the same girl from earlier? The one in the Jeep? " As Gabriel asks,
Mitzi laughs, " No, but you probably met Sabrina my younger sister, she has been
missing looking for you."
"What is her power?" Gabriel asked.
" She is a healer and can manifest anyone she desires, but there is one catch to her
power, she becomes amnesiac. She gets lost alot if you find her father can you return
her."
" Why don't you come with me, I am not exactly familiar with this area." looking at the
hills of the desert.
" It would be better in the day," Mitzi replied looking up into the night sky there were no
more clouds the day should not be as bad as before.
The two wolves returned to the Inn.
" Is Sabrina a wolf too?" Gabriel asked.
" No, she is like mother." Gabriel looks at Mitzi as she talks, " the powers from mother
are healing and communication."
"Communication with whom?" Gabriel asked.
Mitzi replies," Anyone, everyone. You have it to those voices you hear and people you
see. That is part of us. Those are our guides into this realm." Mitzi looks at Gabriel.
"One day you will understand what you forgot."
"Why do you keep telling me I forgot?" Gabriel asked.
No reply. Mitzi just keeps walking into the distance, " You'll see, " and with that one swift
turn and a leap and she was at least half a mile ahead of Gabriel.
"How did I forget? What did I forget? When did I ever have daughters? I have two?"
Gabriel thinks to himself.
"You have three, I am a mind reader too, plus we can communicate telepathically too.
We can't always speak in animal form as to not get caught, when in hiding." Gabriel
heard Mitzi's voice in his head. " Gwendolyn. We still don't know her powers. We never
met. She left home. Before we existed."
"You existed? You mean born? " Gabriel asked in confusion.
" No, we never were born this is a realm of the in between. This is where a spirit comes
before they are to be brought into the world you know as reality. This realm is where we
have only seen. We can not leave unless we are given permission to leave." Mitzi
explains.
Gabriel looks at her, " Permission from whom?"
"God", she explains. "He must allow us to leave this place when we are ready to move
into existance, there is a catch we need a form to attach to, this is our soul form, not our
human form. This world is a spirit world, you are the first to be able to transfer to this
existance. You are able to travel between realms that is your power. You can travel to
other times and places. You can move through dimensions. You are a multidimensional
being, you exist in all realities so you are able to manifest because you already exist."
"I already exist," Gabriel looked confused. " All I remember is the life with my family and
my wife whom dissappeared and then died."
"That is one reality, there are mulitple. Your mind has the power to manifest as not only
astral, but fully body. You are different from those who pass through here. They are
either on their way to heaven, to hell or to the earth to live or live once more. A second
try if you will. The way it works, is God decision, if you trust in him and give him your
faith and love he will give you a second chance. The only thing that you must do though
is live for him. There is a choice though, if chosen to not follow that rule then you will fall
and will lose all memory of your past." That made Gabriel remember a flash, there was
a glimse of a white light in a bright room. The flash was gone as fast as it came.
" You are starting to remember your past," Mitzi replies seeing the look on Shadow's
face as he experienced the flash. "There is one more thing that you are able to do as
well you can phase into other memories just like the one you just had. If you hold the
memory long enough you can phase into it. This can help with time travel but can also
create distortion due to a false memory. Sometimes these false memories create a
glitch. Like a deja vu effect. Due to the time you go into change it the past may not be
affected if it was a false memory it will only change that memory however there is an
instance were that power can become handy, due to changing other peoples memories.
You are telepathic so you can read minds, but becareful because if you change the
mind to much it can become more of a problem because now you change who they are.
You take free will from a human, you will be considered doing dark work. The darkness
will come."
"Darkness, who is the darkness," Shadow Man replied, " the Devil?"
Shadow Man sees the yellow eyed shadow in his memory flash.
Mitzi replies," that shadow you just seen is you in an alternate existance if you become
dark. The darkness feeds on the light. Those red eyed shadows you seen are your
followers. The people you help, such as; me and whom ever you help in the worlds. We
become your followers because you have saved us from the darkness. Darkness turned
me into a monster, you saved me."
"Is everyone able to be saved?," questioned Gabriel.
"No, some will not listen, even after you save them, they will return to the darkness
because they are unable to accept the gift of the light. The light is God, not everyone
will follow until it is too late. Darkness, greed and war control the world. Others see this
as all they know and it takes over. God is just and kind and forgiving, but he is vengeful
and jealous. The idols of the worlds over take the minds of the weak. The strength
comes from within and faith. The strong see through the objects of this world. Do not let
them rule over you, pass through."Mitzi contiued, "you are alien to all existances you do
not come from this plane or any plane you came from above to help those in need. Your
home is not here, but in the heavens."
"You know more than you are letting on," Gabriel noticed.
" He says I am not allowed to tell you." Mitzi turned to continue home," He says this is
judgement. Your judgement. You are in your final days of being. He sent you to Earth as
a test and you failed. This is your judgement to see if you can return again. "
"Again," Gabriel thought to himself, "I have been here before?"
"Yes," replied Mitzi listening to her father's thoughts.

7. Returning home and the lost ones

 The motel now seemed to glow in the dark. The sign now shown bright neon green.
Starlight Inn. As the two wolf walked towards the motel in the darkness, they came into
human form, slowly morphing.
"I am tired, I am going to bed," Mitzi told Gabriel as she walked into the office. " you are
welcome to stay, I actually have two rooms behind the office. One was your's before
you left for the world. This once was home to you in the life before. You should go to the
room to see if you remember anything from that life."
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