*Based on the book, The Forbidden Game. Story takes place at the end of the third book in the lighthouse. Enjoy!
Jenny watched as Tom stood in front of the Shadow Men, ready to take her place as their prey. He looked so strong standing there, as if nothing in the world scared him. Her heart went out to him; she loved how strong and brave he could be.
Then, Jenny felt the icy air around her shift, as if a great decision had been made. The shadow men all nodded in agreement, their grotesque faces smiling slyly. A deep shudder ran up Jenny's spine; she wrapped her arms around herself and wished with all her might that Tom wouldn't do anything rash.
"Yes, this one will do just as nicely," said the tallest Shadow Man. Julian stepped forward quickly, a sound of denile escaping his lips. Then, all too quickly, the tall, ugly Shadow Man envoloped Tom into a swirl of shadows. Julian reached, stretched, hurried as quickly as he could to get to Tom, to save him, Jenny thought. But he wasn't fast enough. The Shadow Men were gone, Tom along with them, the room returning to a musty, warm temperature. Everything happened too quickly for Jenny. One moment Tom was there and the next he was not. After a stunned moment of silence, Jenny screamed.
"Tom!" she cried. "Oh, no no no NO!" She nelt down at the place were Tom had so recently been. "You can't do this!" she screamed at the Shadow Men. She didn't know if they could hear her, but she screamed anyway. "I didn't except to this! Take me!" Sobbs racked her body. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She couldn't stop the onslaught of greif that suddenly claimed her.
"Hey, there, Jenny. It's over now. There's nothing we can do," Dee said, giving Jenny an akward one-armed hug. Jenny couldn't take comfort in her friends effection, though.
All Jenny could think about was what would happen to Tom? What if the Shadow Men did to him what he did to P.C. and Slug or her grandfather? What if they skrewed off his head and made him part of an arcade at an amusment park? What if he was being tortured right now? Jenny couldn't bare the pain of her Tommy having to go through any of this.
She felt a soft touch on the back of her neck. "Julian," she said, rubbing her nose with the back of her hand. "You have to help me get him back. I didn't mean for him to go in my place. Please, you have to help me."
"It's over now. There's nothing we can do," he said cooly.
"How do you know?" Jenny whispered. She looked into Julian's hypmotizing blue eyes and was suddenly afraid of the answer.
"I'm a Shadow Man, Jenny. I just know," he answered. Jenny threw herself into his arms, burrying her face in his chest. She needed comfort. From anybody. She sobbed in his arms for a long time, only faintly aware of all her friends surrounding her, sobbing right along with her.
Suddenly, the weight on her shoulders was too heavy to bare, and she slipped away into unconsiousness. . .
Julian held Jenny in his arms as she cried. He weaved his hands through her hair and kissed the top of her head. Her arms were wrapped around his waist lightly, and he couldn't help himself from feeling happy. He knew that she was in pain, but now that ungrateful Tom was gone. Did this mean that Jenny could finally be his? Were his troubles in winning her over finally gone?
He tightened his arms around the girl, barely aware of her friends that surrounded them. Then, Jenny's arms went slack, and her sobbing stopped. She had fainted. He picked her up in his arms and carried her to the door that led to her grandfather's house. He walked through, not checking behind him to make sure Jenny's friends where coming.
"Where are you taking her!" came a demanding voice. Dee, he thought.
"I'm not taking her anywhere," he sighed. Julian was tiered. He was done playing games and was ready to quit. If Jenny wanted him, so be it. If she didn't, there was nothing he would do about it.
Julian rested Jenny on the floor, carefull not to wake her. He brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her forehead softly.
"Get a blanket on her," he commanded the tattered and energy-drained teens. He looked behind him to see them all cramming into the hallway before shutting the door behind them. Then, he carresed Jenny's cheek before dissapearing into his invisable form.
Now, where to find some yellow roses, he thought.
Jenny opened her eyes. She was laying on the floor of her grandfather's house with about a million blankets pilled on top of her. The house was very quiet. The only sound was the faint buzz of the air conditioning. Surrounded by her make-shift bed were yellow roses, too many to count. They were pilled around her feet, her arms, her head, and there were even some on top of her. She didn't even have to guess who had put them there. She just knew.
Sitting up slowly, Jenny looked around her in the dim light. She could see figures huddled on the floor swathed in blankets, noticed the faint rise and fall of their chests.
She suddenly wished she knew what time it was. How long had she been asleep?
Thoughts from before rushed into her mind. Tom was gone. Tom was. . .gone. She felt hollow and lonely inside. Her chest was numb, and for a moment, she wondered if her heart was still there. She placed a shaking hand on her chest and waited. In stead of silence, she felt the steady thrum of her heartbeat. It pounded in her chest just as steadily as before.
When Tom had been away from her before, she had always aced to have him near her again. Now, when he was gone for good (she couldn't think the awfull word) there was only a numbness throughout her body. A shallowness that couldn't be easily described. Maybe I havn't excepted his death, Jenny thought. She didn't understand why she couldn't really miss him.
Quietly, she lay back down on the floor, closing her eyes, emagining Julian's tender touch and kindness toward her. She took the rose closest to her head and stroked it's pettles against her cheek.
*Please review so I know if I should write more!