Author's Note: Paige is very young in this story, grew up with her sisters, and her sisters are quite a deal older, maybe with the exception of Phoebe, I haven't really decided, but I'm interested to see who everyone thinks the 'shadow' is. Please review, I would really appreciate it.
Thunder gives the mind a variety of frightening images. Thunder reminds Paige of demons clawing against their kitchen linoleum; pounding their deep seeded talons against the wooden planks of their ceiling, scavenging for her under her bed. Paige hated thunder, and lightning was no better. Reminding her of every bolt of electricity, every sizzling flame that was thrown upon them in battle; so bright and elegant of a thing to behold; to see a man wield the elements in his hand, then plunge the sphere against her mother's chest, folding her into a fetal position as her grandmother cried. Paige hated lightning.
Tiptoeing out of her bedroom, managing to scuff her foot against the lining of the door, Paige traced her hand slowly against the walls floral patterns, humming under her breath as it provided a sort of eerie calm as she went. "The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout," her voice quivered as she went, the nailing in boards sending shivers up her spine as she delved closer to her sister's bedroom.
"Down came the rain and wash the spider out," another flash of lightning, and she clasped the banister of the stairs, bending her knees as she fell into her own embrace. Her arms curling around her frame, her breathing erratic. "Out came the sun and dried up all the rain," she heard footsteps, she was singing, humming the tune over their calls, "and the itsy bitsy spider..." suddenly she was swept up in someone's arms, her shoulders bracing, tensing at the touch of shadows, but it was the calming fingers tracing through her hair that settled her qualms.
Course fingertips edging through her scalp, cradling her as she wept, and she fell against her shadow with exhaustion, it's warm breath tickling her ear as it led her further and further from her bedroom door.
"It's alright, sweet girl," the voice murmured softly. "No one's going to hurt you, not here, not ever."
But the itsy bitsy spider crawled up the spout again.