CHAPTER ELEVEN

His head felt like it was getting three-thousand needles shoved into it all at once. His spine was anchored to the ground and he couldn't open his eyes. His hands were tied behind his back, and his legs were sore. Whatever he was laying on was hard and sharp, like all the windows on the Empire State Building had cracked and converged to wherever the crap he was.

His head, though. Every couple of seconds he could feel his pulse race, and once it got to his head, a bomb went off. One, two, three, trigger explosion. Fire, burning, death. The whole package. Seventy percent off, free sale, doomsday device for the kid that obviously needs medical attention and a psychologist that cannot help him with any of the crap he's already gone through.

Oh, you were magically turned into a walrus? Can't help with that. It must be your overactive imagination, kid. That doesn't happen to people.

Oh, you got a sword that escalated your rage and made you feel like you could take on the world by yourself and then your sister took advantage of the situation when you were passed out and killed the thing you wanted? Sorry, buddy, but you were a little passed out.

Thanks for making me feel better, you ass-faced psychologist.

The resulting feeling made the glass shatter into sand and the rope around his arms disintegrated. His head hurt a little less. He sat up from the floor, his eyes still shut. He tried blinking several times, and noticed that it wasn't his eyes that were the problem. It was the severe darkness in the room.

Seth.

The boy nearly jumped out of his skin. What the heck was that?

Seth.

He didn't jump nearly as hard this time.

He blinked, and a white form appeared in front of him, and then dissipated.

Close your eyes, Seth. See me with your mind.

He looked around the dark room one last time, and, leaning against the wall for support of his back, closed his eyes.

The grey outline of the figure floated above him, with no bars or walls restricting him or the ghostly apparition. "Who—"

The ghost raised her hand. Don't speak out loud, child. Speak with your mind, and move with your mind.

Seth's eyes widened. Who are you? Why does your voice sound familiar?

The ghost settled on the ground, gathering her dress. She sat down in front of Seth, taking him in with those large brown eyes, milk chocolate and delicious. Her hair had a platinum blond tint, and her clothes and complexion were very pale and very ragged.

You've heard me before. In your dreams. That's why you can only see me with your eyes closed. You've dreamed about me.

But I've never heard about you. Nobody's told me anything about you. You… You look like a doll.

The girl smiled. You have nightmares about what your abilities might do to you. About what that creature turned you into.

Seth cocked his head. 'Creature'? You mean Graulus?

She frowned. Names are important, and have weighty power in this place, Seth.

Okay…

But I'm not here to talk about the politics in this place. You'll learn them over time. The more time you spend in here, the less you have to learn in the real world.

Real world? Am I… I'm not in a nightmare right now, am I?

The girl actually giggled. Of course, not silly. This is your current internal mental state. The blackness you see when you open your eyes is your current situation.

So I really am stuck in a black room.

You can make it brighter.

Seth looked up at her. I can?

Yep. And you can do it from in here. In fact, every time you walk into a dark room, all you need to do is close your eyes and you can see perfectly fine. And you can share this ability with anyone who is with you. But, she warned, you have to be able to do it right.

And how do I do it right? Right now the only thing I can see is you. And darkness.

The girl looked saddened. This darkness that you see is the darkness that you envision yourself having.

So it's how I view myself?

Exactly.

So if I lighten it…

Your mood should lighten.

But what about the nightmares?

Unfortunately, you can't control those.

The new voice startled Seth so much he opened his eyes. "Who's there?"

Seth!

What is it?

It's in your mind, Seth. The voice is just another part of you. The darker part of the Shadow Charmer.

After a second or two, and a heaved sigh, he closed his eyes again. There are good parts and bad parts?

Shadow and lighter shadow, yes.

The girl slowly appeared again, like the sun slowly coming up, just as bright as the moon—soft and mysterious. Behind her, off in the distance, was a boy all cloaked in black. He looked like an older version of Seth, or maybe what he thought he would look like in a few years. Now that he thought of it, the girl looked like a slightly different version of Kendra.

Kendra?

Her purely-lip smile cracked a little bit. Sorry, but I'm just a copy of your sister. I'd prefer to have my own name, but I can't think of one.

Kendra Mark Two would look terrible on a resume.

The blond laughed, but the boy behind her didn't. Stop playing around, he ordered without his mouth moving, and let's get on with it.

The girl looked back at him, a sad look on her face, like she was hurt that he felt that way. Like all his emotions rebounded onto her. Maybe they did. He was more shadow, and she was still shadow, but lighter. Of course the darkness would affect her.

She turned back to Seth.

Seth Mark Two would look bad on him, too, Seth replied silently. This doesn't mean have telepathy, do I?

She laughed, opening her mouth. If you train hard enough, I guess it could come to that.

The boy glared at Seth, his dark eyes flaring into a crimson red. It'll take more practice than you can imagine. I wouldn't take the risk.

Seth slouched. You two need better names than Seth and Kendra Mark Two. He raised a finger and pointed at the girl. You're a Cicely and… he pointed at the boy. You're… a… Zerah.

Cicely turned to Seth. Zerah means to arise, or dawn. Why would you name him that?

Seth smiled. Because the dawn brings new beginnings.