Disclaimer: I don't own anything worth taking- in or out of this story, so don't bother suing me, oh ye great Final Fantasy gods of Square Enix.

Author's Notes: This is my one shot answer to a fic challenge issued by my friend, Pied Flycatcher over at Genesis Awards… Since we at GA are a Final Fantasy VII fan fiction site, I figured that eventually someone should actually post a little fan fiction based on our Challenges thread. Since I had an idea, and a little time on my hands, I'm doing just that.

If any of you guys have considered getting into this challenge thing, but were being shy because no one else seems to be posting thier challenge fics, you just ran out of excuses, so just do it!

I warn you; I am really terrible at first person, and I despise writing in present tense, but I'm posting this little train wreck anyway! So, you have no more excuses, people of GA! If I can post this atrocity, you guys can surely come up with something eventually, right?!

Writing is a learning process, and as my composition teacher is fond of saying, "We learn more from our mistakes than our successes in learning to write!" I have a feeling I'll be learning a great deal from this slaughter of the English language…

Sodon't let anything stop you, either!

Shadows

Day and night, shadows fill the crowded blocks of open space between the pillars. There are lights, but they offer little relief from the oppressive gloom and small monsters roam the shadows as freely as rats and the humans.

Shinra closed its mythril mine unexpectedly; shutting down all operations in the city of Kalm except for the small Mako reactor in the town square, so my husband moved us here the next day. He loyally believed Shinra's promises that another job was available to him. Instead we arrived and found only lies- and we weren't alone in our situation. It's been a year, and I can't get used to this place, with its endless shadows and the horrible scent of Mako mixed with rusting iron…

My house, if you could call it that was built out of the pieces of an old storage shed, and our bedroom is a section of an old cement water pipe… I am using a broom that has lost most of its bristles to sweep our small front porch- which was once the roof of another structure. My husband is late getting home, and his dinner is getting cold by now. I should be getting my daughter ready for bed, but I feel uneasy. I want to wait out here.

The deep shadows of the night always bring with them a sense of restlessness; and Wall Market has been unusually quiet since people started saying that a resurrected AVALANCHE was threatening to start trouble for Shinra. Yes, the company deserves to get a few of its teeth knocked out, but I know instinctively that innocent people will be hurt too. I've never been afraid to question Shinra, but I truly hate this place; I don't want to die here, and the rumors I have heard are frightening indeed…

I hear a strange tapping noise behind me and I turn around just in time to see a plump, pink Whole Eater crawling onto the porch. It's still small and I don't hear any others, but I'm still afraid. The foot long monster has hundreds of jagged teeth in its huge, circular mouth that never closes. I take a long step back, and try not to breathe. I've heard that they don't see well, and it must be true, because it turns away from me slowly.

The monster's long, segmented legs scuttle lightly along the tin covered planks looking for food. I know how it feels, but I know that the front door is open, and I can't let it inside. I shiver and run at it with the broom; I swing the boom stick as hard as I can and the toothy little fiend spins off the edge. It scurries back into the shadow of the Weapon shop across the alleyway with an angry chatter, but I still feel uneasy.

I sense more movement there but I feel relieved when I realize it is only the shop's door.

After my brush with the small monster, I feel certain that I've been away from my daughter for too long waiting out here. But I feel something watching me; I pause and turn around again. A shape appeared in the doorway while I was distracted below the pink neon sign. I'm looking into the light, so the emerging figure is cloaked in shadows, but it could never be dark enough to hide him.

The man leaving the shop is big trouble; I can feel it instinctively, but I also know that he isn't one of the Don's men. He's black and a walking mountain of muscle with an equally intimidating gun arm. His eyes are dark and determined, but cold too. Whatever he is planning, or wherever he is going, I wouldn't want to be standing in his way. He leans down, and easily lifts a huge box; he rests its weight on his gun arm and starts to walk away from the shop.

I watch quietly, until his broad back disappears into the shadows around the corner. I wonder who he is, but I just walk into the house and my daughter smiles at me from her place on our thread bare sofa. "Mommy, is Daddy home?"

"Not yet, Kayla," I reply. "Go brush your teeth and I'll read you a story before bed."

"Will you read me the one about the chocobo races?"

I smile, already forgetting the terrible things brewing on the horizon, I'm happy to concentrate on her. I nod and she is in the bathroom with the sink running before I can even turn off the television she'd been watching.

I look at the clock on her dresser as I sit down on her bed. She sleeps in a room made out of the hollowed out cabin of a massive crane, she set it up so that she uses the dashboard for a bookshelf. Since we have so little money, her only toys are a stuffed chocobo and her books. Our house is pitiful, but Kayla is smiling when she jumps through the doorway and into her bed. She crawls up into my lap and her smile widens when she sees the book.

"So, what page were we on?"

There is no hesitation when she answers. "It was right before the Rank S Gold Saucer Derby. That's page 82, Mom."

I flip open the book, and start reading. She knows every line by heart and could probably read it to me now, besides she's already up past her bed time, so I know she'll fall asleep quickly.

"Stand still, Red," one of the grooms said.

The saddling paddock was even more crowded than usual with people who wanted to watch the chocobos get ready. The birds and even their normally cool and reserved jockeys were edgy; everyone felt the tension of the owners and trainers, and even the wagering fans. This was the race, no one wanted to loose on Derby day, but there could only be one winner.

The tall bird shook his magnificent head and arched his long neck. His red feathers gleamed in the artificial lighting of the track area, but even if he lost the race Amber couldn't be more proud of him. Her dad's reputation as a great trainer was already saved and it was all thanks to him. This was the biggest race of the year and maybe the biggest race of his life, but Amber no longer cared if he won, she just wanted him to be safe on the track.

She reached up and took one of the reins from his groom. The bird stopped fidgeting and dropped his head into her hands. She smiled and pressed her forehead against his and closed her eyes. "I love you. Be safe out there," she whispered.

"Number 5, Red Thunder," it was a steward, holding a clipboard. He looked at Amber and smiled. "Is he ready to go?"

She smiled back. "Yes sir!"

"Hey! There's my two girls," the soft voice I heard from the doorway startled me. I smile up at my husband. He has his supper plate in one hand and a fork in the other and he grins playfully at my startled expression. "She's asleep already; I think you're done reading for the night."

I knew she was tired, but I was still shocked when I realized he was right. Her green eyes are closed and her breathing is deep and even. I ease Kayla's head over onto her pillow and smooth the delicate blonde curls away from her face. I see so much of my husband in her beauty and personality that I know I'm doubly blessed to have two such bright spirits in my life. I kiss her cheek before I slide out of the bed to join him in the pitiful living room.

"Where have you been, Jason? I was worried sick about you," I growl, before I can stop myself.

His smile wavers, but he takes my hand and leads me into our bedroom before he answers. "I was working over in Sector Seven again today, and I heard that AVALANCHE is planning a move- tonight."

The terrible feeling in my gut that I needed my family safe and in my arms was back…

"My boss on the construction site knows a couple of Barret's guys really well, and I guess that ex-SOLDIER they've been trying to recruit has finally agreed to help, so they're attacking tonight."

I felt dizzy all of a sudden… "Tonight? A-Are you sure? Where? What are they going to do?"

"I don't know, all I know is they've probably already left for Sector One. Barret just had to get one more thing from the Weapon Shop here in Wall Market; he was going to meet the others at the Number One Reactor."

"Wall Market," I sink down onto our bed, but I can't stop thinking about the massive black man with the box I saw earlier. He was Barret, leader of AVALANCHE, and now innocent people were probably going to get hurt…

"Cindy? Are you ok," I heard him say my name, but I just start to cry.

I can't believe I didn't realize who that man was sooner. How many enormously muscular 6'6'' black men with gun arms could there be in Midgar?

"Jason, I saw him! It's too late. But, I saw him," I whisper. "He was at the shop right over there and now I can't help thinking about the large box he was carrying..."

He puts an arm around me, but I don't feel it. "You didn't know, Cindy but it's gonna be okay, honey..."

I know he is only trying to make me feel better, but it isn't working. I scowl at him. "You don't know that, Jason! What if AVALANCHE decides to attack Sector Six next time? I hate this city, I want to take Kayla and get out of Midgar, right now!"

He looks down at the floor and nods quietly. I feel guilty this time. I know he has always done his best to take care of Kayla and me, but I stay quiet. I still want to leave. I have never felt safe in this city. I feel as if the whole thing is a gigantic house of cards built on shadows and lies and I'm the only one who sees it…

"You're right," he says. "I don't know where they'll strike next, but I can't let you or Kayla get hurt. Tomorrow I'll go to the Security office and get three gate passes."

"You'd really do that?"

He doesn't get a chance to answer me though; the whole sector is rocked by the sound of thunder and a huge tremor. It was an explosion, but of a magnitude I've never imagined was possible and several smaller ones follow it. Jason and I walk out onto our porch together quietly. Wall Market is always busy, even at night. A few of our neighbors are watching TV though and I shiver as they show Sector One's massive reactor exploding into a mushroom cloud of angry red flames but the tremors have shaken everyone up on the street too. It could have happened here…

We stand there, holding each other, but numb and silent; listening to the chilling wail of countless sirens in the distance. All eyes are looking toward the Sector One; I know that we are all hoping that the impossible is happening- that somehow everyone's friends and coworkers from Sector One are still alive. I am also praying that Shinra will still be granting gate passes to leave the city tomorrow morning.

Author's note: If anyone is interested in visiting GA, the link is available on my author profile…