Surviving the Shadowman 1
It was a brilliant day to arrive in New Orleans, the weather was so great and the summer breeze blew gently threw Olivia's hair as she stepped out of the bus and onto the pavement. She observed her surroundings and watched the jazz bands sweep threw with their instruments held high.
"So this is America, just like in the books" she said to her friend Amy.
"Yea, its so-o-o-o much hotter here that in England" she replied while fanning herself with her hand. Olivia nodded to show that she agreed and turned to see her fellow school mates hop off the bus and stretch their legs. It has been a long trip; both by plane and bus, but now they finally arrived.
"Ok year 11s listen up" Miss Porter demanded, everyone turned to see Miss Porter stepping out of the bus holding fire crackers and some matches.
"I need someone responsible and trustworthy to take care of these. They are very important for tonight, but I promise if there is any bad behaviour, we will cancel the firework display! Understand?"
"yes, Miss"
"good, good. Now Olivia will you step forward please". Everyone turned to stare at Olivia as she stepped towards her teacher.
"Ok Olivia, you're going to take care of the fire crackers. Can you handle that?"
"y-yes miss" she replied in a quiet voice.
"Make sure nothing happens to them, or that's it! You wont be going to the display tonight".
"Yes miss I understand" she hesitated as she took the firecrackers and matches and placed them into her brown, hand sewn bag.
"Thank you. Now everyone listen up, we`ve got a reservation for "Tiana's Palace" tonight at 5:30pm. Don`t be late, arrive at 5:15 or earlier, no later. We don`t want to miss out on this , trust me. its the best restaurant in Louisiana." She said excitingly.
"So go off, explore and if you need me for whatever reason i will be in duke's cafe." Everyone nodded and ran off excitingly, Olivia however just peacefully walked away, her fiends went to dance in the band, but she isn't a dancer so she just walks off and explores.
-
It really was wonderful weather, enough to make England green with envy. The dazzling colours of the bands outfits lit up the street, while Olivia was wearing a red coat with an headscarf (also red). She loved her coat; it reminded her of many things. But she was lonely. So she set off to find her fiends who were in the other street, at least that's what she thought. She turned the corner to see the same band jazzing up the crowed, but where was Amy? Hannah? Joshua?
"Oh where are they now? She questioned herself as she walked further up the lane where she saw a familiar face.
"AMY! There you are" she said loudly, she waved at her and power walked towards her, but she didn`t notice.
"Huh? Amy?" Olivia then walked further up the street until she was opposite to her and discovered she was talking to someone. A thin, tall man with dark skin, lilac eyes, and a dark purple outfit with a black hat with skull and cross bones, jacket and trousers was standing next to Amy. He was holding a crystal ball staff ( also purple) and standing next to him was Hannah and Joshua.
"What were they doing?"She asked herself as she watched them, "and who is that?"
"Come to my parlour kids, and i will give you a tarot reading" said the man in a charismatic way.
"Tarot readings" Olivia thought."Oh, oh no, he's a witch doctor" Olivia gasped as he lead her friend away into another street.
-
Olivia followed them as they turned so many corners it was starting to make her feel dizzy. When they suddenly turned into a dark alley, the sunlight disappeared and so did they as they continued. Getting worried Olivia continued to follow them.
"What would a witchdoctor want with my friends" she thought. Suddenly they stopped in front of a door which read "Dr Facilier's Voodoo Emporium".
"Oh no" Olivia thought as she stood in the middle of the dark ally as the witchdoctor opened the door and pushed her friends inside. Olivia ran to the door but it slammed shut oh by itself.
"Wow" she complemented and pressed her ear against the door.
"Nothing" she signed, as she then tried to open it but it was locked "dam".
"But wait! Maybe he's got a skylight". She looked around for away to get onto the roof. After a few minutes of looking she noticed some stairs going up to some small flats just next door to his emporium. She ran up the stairs and reached out to try and grab the edge of his building.
"Just a little too short, double dam", but then she tried to jump and slipped. Luckily she managed to grab the edge with her left hand. Dangling about 15 foot up she then managed to pull herself up and roll onto the roof where she collapsed.
"Huff and puff" .She then pulled herself up to her feet, and browsed around searching for the skylight.
"Yes" she thanked herself as she spotted a large skylight with purple windows out in front of her.
"Boy does this guy like purple or what?" she joked. She then kneeled down and looked through, only to see her friends sitting around the table with cards.
-
"soooooo ermmmm, how does this work again" Hannah innocently asked.
"Oh for the LAST time! Pick three cards, that's all" he snapped.
"I'm sorry" pleaded Hannah.
"Hannah its fine just pick three" Josh suggested.
"Ok, ok ummm (she picks three cards from Dr faciliers hand) there".
"Bout` time Cherie, I thought u` wound never pick" he joked.
"Sorry about her sir, she's just nervous" Amy replied.
"NERVOUS! OF ME! NO SURLEY NOT!" he said loudly in a sarcastic tone." Whatever" he laughed. Actually change of plan" he quoted.
"Huh? What the hec!" Amy snapped.
"Change of plan, each of u pick 1 card each". The three of them looked at each other unsure what it make of this. Then without warning he snatched back the cards and re shuffled them.
"AHHHHHHH" Hannah screamed,
"what?" Amy jumped.
"What's wrong!" Josh asked.
"it, I-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t its alive" Hannah stuttered and pointed at Dr Faciliers shadow.
"Oh calm down for goodness sake girl! He won`t hurt you!" Facilier snapped and returned to the cards.
"Ok now kids pick one each". They all picked one and Facilier, very skilfully laid them on his table.
"Ok past, present and future. Got it?" he asked. They all nodded slowly while Facilier flipped over the first card.
"Ah I see. Your all on a school trip, from England aren`t ya?" he asked
"yes that's us" replied Josh as he looked onto the card.
"Yes indeed" Dr Facilier said as he flipped over the 2nd card "oh, u arrived this morning, on a bus and your going to the firework display later today" he read.
"Wow you're good" Amy complemented
"why thank ya` Cherie" Facilier commented charmingly as he flipped over the last card "oh. Very interesting" he replied to the card.
"What?" the three of them questioned.
"Well according to this, your goin on an adventure where you`ll lose something very pressurise. The three of them looked at one another then back at him.
"W-w-what do u mean exactly?" Hannah asked. She then asked "what will we lose? When will it happen?"
"Well" he replied "you`ll lose something that can`t be replaced, which starts NOW". Suddenly the room was smothered with chanting and sinister looking masks appeared in front of them. Josh leaped out of his seat, only to be grabbed by Faciliers shadow. Whereas 2 huge snakes popped out from under the seats and each grabbed Amy and Hannah in a deadly squeeze making them both scream. Facilier turned to face the biggest mask.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING? YOU MAD MAN?" yelled Josh.
"Well didn`t I say your goin on an adventure?" he replied when he spun back round with a skull mask on his face making Josh shiver in fright.
"Well let's start the adventure boy. THE ADVENTURE TO DEATH!" He pulled out a frightfully sharp dagger with a purple handle. He then lifted it so it was positioned at Josh's heart. Josh struggled and kicked but the shadow held him tight and steady." Its all over kids" hissed Facilier. Josh closed his eyes wishing for it to be a nightmare. When suddenly...
"BANG"
"What was that?" Hannah screamed as Josh fell to the floor.
"What just happened?" Josh shrieked as Facilier was scurrying around.
"Where did that come from?" he yelled at his shadow which shrugged nervously as there was another bang and a firecracker bursting threw the skylight.
"Duck" Amy yelled at Josh as it narrowly missed him.
"There's something on the roof" Facilier snapped as he stormed towards the door.
"Grab hold of the boy!" he ordered his shadow as he ran out the emporium .As Josh fought the shadows strength only for it to whack him in the stomach.
"Ouch" when suddenly something red fell from the ceiling and skilfully landed on its feet. Everyone was gob smacked when they realised who it was.
"Are you guys alright" Olivia asked
"Olivia? What are you doing here"? Amy demanded as she struggled to breathe.
"Well I followed u and that tall guy. And now I'm helping you" she replied in a nervous tone. She took one step towards the snakes only to be hissed by them. The Shadow was confused, unsure what to do with this young girl. So it decided to hold onto the boy and wait for its master to come back.
"Olivia it's hopeless. Their not going to let go" Hannah cried.
"No wait!" Olivia added "I've got an idea" she reaches into her bag, only to get a can of deodorant.
"What the hell! How is that going to help?" Josh snapped.
"ssssuh, he`ll hear u" Olivia pleaded.
"Now watch". she shook up the can and walked slowly towards the snakes one snake made an attempt to strike at her, Olivia narrowly douched it as she sprayed at it franticly. She was aiming for the eyes, and it hit its target. The snake screamed as it uncoiled Amy and winched in pain. Olivia then turned her attention to the other snake which had Hannah trapped in its coil. Like the first one this snake made an attempt to snatch her only for Olivia to spay into its mouth, and then again into its eyes. It realised Hannah and went to join its companion in the winching game.
"Come on lets get outta here" Hannah screeched as she hopped over the winching snakes.
"Wait! wa` about me" josh stuttered.
"U two go on ahead. I'll help Josh" Olivia suggested, as soon as that was said Amy and Hannah disappeared out of the emporium.
"What now?" he asked. Olivia checked the cost was clear of the witchdoctor before answering.
"I got it". She spotted a big wooden stick resting up against the wall. She picked it up, sprayed deodorant on the tip and using a spare hair band she found in her coat pocket, she attached a firecracker to the tip.
"Oh crap! Your not doing what I think ur doing. Are u?" Josh asked as Olivia lit the firecracker and the whole tip exploded into a mini fire ball.
"Yes u are! You're mad!" Olivia ignored him and walked closer carrying the flaming torch. The shadow was looking increasingly concerned; it couldn't `t touch fire or fire touch it for it will hurt. Suddenly Olivia lashed out, and jabbed the shadow with the flaming touch. The shadow screamed in pain as it dropped Josh and retreated to a dark shadow in the corner of the room.
"Thanks, i ow u one" Josh thanked. Suddenly Olivia dropped the torch, the fire was travelling quickly, it had already set fire to the whole stick. Suddenly Olivia grabbed Josh and the both of them ran out of the building as the fire spread.
"Come on. We got to get outta here before he sees us" Olivia panicked and the two of them ran out of the dark alley and kept on running into the street.
-
Dr Facilier was sprinting back as he heard a scream coming from his emporium .he was looking for what had smashed his window on the roof, but now has bigger problems. Suddenly smoke was spilling out of the door and skylight, wrapping the building in a cloud of smoke.
"Oh my god what happened" he yelled as he reached his emporium. Without thinking another thought he reached into his jackets pocket, pulled out some lilac powder and cast a spell to rid the fire.
"Oh my friends forever higher put out this blasted fire!" He repeated this three times and after the third time he blew the lilac powder, which smothered the room choking, killing the fire. The fire was gone but its destruction remained. Everything was destroyed, including his snakes which lay dead on the floor. He then called for his shadow, only to find it weeping in the corner.
"you baby" he spat " how could you let this happen you idiot , you call yourself a worthy companion, more like a useless shadow on the wall". His shadow let out a loud cry of frustration.
"What happened to those brats" Facilier asked angrily. Shadow knew but couldn`t explain, so pointed to the biggest mask on the wall.
"Fine, I'll ask my friends, if you're not going to help" he snapped. His shadow let out a frustrated scream and sulked in its dark corner.
"Friends, do ya know what happened here?" Facilier asked. The bigger mask let out a frustrated sign, it may have survived the fire but it was black with suit. the vibrant patterns and colours it was once coloured in has now been replaced with black suit. Then to answer Faciliers question, it opened its mouth to reveal a moving image of a young woman with brown hair and green eyes , in a red coat wearing a headscarf, and with her was those three brats walking and talking to her. Facilier studied the foursome curiously, and then turned to his friends again.
"This young girl .has she got anything to do with this"? His shadow appeared from his corner and nodded franticly.
"Did she set fire to my emporium? And let those brats go?" Facilier demanded, once again his shadow franticly nodded.
"She ruined my home, killed my snakes and she stole my victims. Your meal my friends"! Each mask pulled a deep frown full of anger.
"Oh she won`t get away with this, trust me she won`t live to see another sunrise".