This was inspired by My5cookies' story "The Phantom of Watersong" :3
My English is not perfect, but I hope you enjoy anyway ^w^
"Salem! You have to undo the promise, please!" Miles followed the phantom into the shadows of the narrow, remote alley.
"If you don't, she'll die!" He grasped Salem's cape, tears glittering in his eyes. But when the other finally turned around, he only gave him a stare, colder than ice.
"Let go of me." His voice was deep and melodic, but without any sympathy or warmth in it.
"Your mother alone is to blame for her situation, she doesn't deserve another destiny" With these words he turned around and wanted to leave, but Miles didn't give up so easily. He still held onto the phantom's cape tightly and stumbled more or less after him now.
"No, wait, you can't leave! -Ah!"
Miles' foot got caught by a rock and the boy lost his balance. The next moment he did not only fall into Salem's back, he also dragged him to the ground. "Ack", he made, when the both of them hit the cold cobbles with a thud. And there was another sound- toc, toc- then silence. Something else had fallen to the ground.
Miles froze. If he ever had a chance that Salem undid the promise, it had vanished into thin air about now. He suddenly felt cold.
"Salem, I-", he stammered.
The gray Rapo was about to pick himself up not two feet from Miles away, but something was wrong. He crouched in a strange position, obviously distressed about something.
"Um, Salem?" Miles slowly reached a hand for the phantom. He drew it back quickly when Salem flinched and muttered something that Miles couldn't understand.
"What..?", he asked unsurely.
Salem turned around, covering the right half of his face with his cape."Back off!", he hissed through gritted teeth, his face twisted with hatred, leaving no trace of his usual composure. It sent Miles a shiver down his spine.
He's lost his mask, the thought swirled through his head.
"Salem, I…!", Miles stuttered again, "Are you okay?" He approached him once more, holding his hands in an excusing manner, but this only caused the phantom more panic.
"Don't come any closer!" He backed away from the Rapo boy, stumbled over his own cape and fell on his back. Groaning he pulled himself up, dropping his guard only for a moment, but it was perfectly enough.
Miles stared at him with wide eyes.
The right side of Salem's face was completely covered by something that seemed like a black scar. It ate up his cheek and eye, which lay white and expressionless in its hole, making Miles wonder if Salem was blind on it. However, the creepiest thing about this "shadow" was that Miles had the feeling it was alive. It didn't move, yet it seemed as if it was pulsing and whispering words nobody else could hear.
Salem appeared stunned. For a second he stared back in the same bewilderment. Then he turned around cursing, muttering "brat" angrily before he vanished into the darkness within a heartbeat.
Miles just stood there for a while and stared at the place where Salem had been standing only moments ago. His gaze fell on the mask, which still lay in some distance on the ground. For the first time, he wondered what Salem's true reasons were and what made him become the person he was.
Miles gulped. But whatever it might be, he wouldn't let his mother die! He would find the promise conch, return it and undo the promise!
Before it's too late.