? The Plague of the Shadow Usul
Chapter 5 : Special Delivery
No more breaks. Denver thought about the murders. All of them must've come from the cards. He sat at the
desk and flipped through the sales records. Isabella , Marcus, The Bread Master. . . Al of them had bought the
cards. There were still nine more records. He looked closely at them all. He read the next one in the pile out loud to
himself:
"Name: Rupert Maroo.
Species: Blumaroo.
Business : Usuki Collector Salesman.
Final Sales Price : 1, 400 NP.
Home address : Not Applicable."
"Oh Goodie" Denver said, "now I gotta hunt him down. Well at least we have his business." Denver flipped to the
next one.
"Name: Ashton Trel
Species: Gelert.
Business : Unemployed.
Final Sales Price: 1, 500 NP.
Home Address: 17825 Neopia Drive
Neopia Central, Neopia 67834"
"Well, at least we got this guys address. . ." Denver thought out loud. He opened his fatigued jaws and yawned
loudly. Then he flipped to the next record:
" Name: Shane Epul. ( "Epul?" Denver exclaimed, "poor fella' " )
Species: Lupe.
Business : Toy Salesman.
Final Sales Price: 1, 700 NP.
Home Address: Not applicable."
"Another genius" Denver laughed. He pulled out the next one.
"Name-" Denver froze. "Oh god" he whispered. Then he continued.
"Name: Trista Inu.
Species: Uni.
Business: Café Acara Waitress.
Final Sales Price: 1,250 NP.
Home Address: 17820 Neopia Drive
Neopian Central, Neopia 67834"
"Trista. . . " He said, a tear glistening in his eye. He loved her. The minute he laid his eyes on her, he knew she was
his muse, his reason of being. He couldn't tell her. They weren't of the same species. Besides, he promised his heart
to an Ixi a month ago, Jasmine Xii. Jasmine was a fine Ixi too. She had beautiful gold fur adorned over her entire
body, and sharp gold hooves. Her eyes. . . Her eyes were big and beautiful, like a newborn baby's eyes, taking in all
the world all in a second. Jasmine also wore a charcoal black head dress, a gold and blue collar, and a gold and blue
cape because her owner had won a Desert Paint Brush, and took her to the rainbow pool, coming out with beautiful
Desert clothing, and eyeliner permanently stained on her eyelids. She was beautiful, but his love for Trista was
overpowering Jasmine's beauty. The way Trista's eyes glistened like she had stars trapped in her eyes made his
knees quiver. The way her mane blew in the wind like sea grass in Maraqua's depths. If she were to die. . . he'd
have to tell her. He couldn't bear to hold her in her arms, her not knowing of his passion. He read on.
"Name: Tobey Nui.
Species: Uni.
Business: Café Acara Waiter.
Final Sales Price: 1,300 NP.
Home Address: 15273 Neopian Lady Way
Neopia Central, Neopia 48295"
"My competition" he thought. He knew about Tobey and Trista's little "thing". He was determined to win her. He
withdrew the next record:
"Name: Richard Hasai.
Species: Aisha.
Business: Personal.
Final Sales Price: 1,700 NP.
Home Address: 12390 Cardinal Red Lane
Neopia Central, Neopia."
"Weird, that name sounds familiar. . . ." Denver thought suddenly. He quickly rid the thought from his head, and
read through another record.
"Name: Sarina Shiaa.
Species: Aisha.
Business: Personal.
Final Sales Price: 1,500NP.
Home Address: Not applicable."
"Not another missing address! This is gonna be harder than I thought" Denver said shaking his head. There was a
knock on his door. He got up, letting the last record float down to his desk. He looked through the peep hole, and
saw the mail Scorchio, standing impatiently at the door.
"Hey Colin!" Denver said, opening the door wide.
"Hey Denver" Colin said, smiling a little reluctantly, "Package." He held out a small box. Denver took the
box, a little quickly, and thanked Colin.
"Just sign here" Colin said, holding out a clipboard with a form. Denver signed, and shut the door, letting
Colin go about his business. Denver sat at his desk. The wrapping was regular brown paper and twine. There was no
return address. He untied the twine, and cut the tape with his claws. The brown paper fell and revealed, to Denver's
horror, a Shadow Usul Special Edition Collectable Card. Denver looked at the last record. Sure enough, it read:
Name: Denver Draik.
Species: Draik.
Business: Private Eye.
Final Sales Price: 1,800 NP.
Home Address: Not applicable.
MAIL TO OFFICE: SPECIAL DELIVERY.
"Shit!!!" Denver screamed. Just then there was a loud crash outside. Denver dropped the record and
slipped the card into his pocket. As he got closer to the door her could hear Colin the Delivery Boy's voice. It was
panicked and out of it's usual tone, like he was frightened.
"Please! Let me go! I told you, I don't know any Denver Draik!"
Denver opened up his door a crack. If his voice box was working, he would have screamed. Colin was
floating in the air, and wrapped around his neck was a long shadowy arm. Denver followed that arm down to the
owner. The Shadow Usul stood about an inch away from Denver, and had a huge frown etched across her horrid
face. She shrieked and yelled,
"LIAR!" Her grip on Colin's neck tightened , and he couldn't breathe. Denver's hand suddenly dove into
his pocket, uncontrollably. He tried to fight it, but it was as if some cold palm was shoving his hands in his pocket,
searching for something. . . and it found what it was looking for. Denver's hand came up again, and grasped in his
quivering hand was the Special Edition Card. The Usul in the picture. . .moved. It looked directly at Denver, and
twinkled. Just then, Shadow Gazer stopped. She released Colin, who got up and ran for his life, and turned towards
Denver's door. Before Denver had time to take a breath, Shadow Gazer flew at him, and grabbing him by the mid
section, threw him across his office. He hit the window making glass shatter and sprinkle across his floor. Denver
had a huge cut across his forehead, and he couldn't move his left leg. Shadow Gazer laughed. It sounded like
squeaky chalk on a dusty chalk board.
"Be gone evil spirit!" Denver yelled, finding his voice again.
"You pathetic little morsel!" Shadow Gazer said, starring straight into his eyes with her piercing red pupils,
"I gave you time! I let you go along spreading my disease. . . Now your time is up!" She opened her mouth to reveal
several Sharp, rusting, festering nails. She extended her arm, and held Denver up to his office wall. Then she took
out a Hammer. Shadow Gazer set the hammer on Denver's Desk, and Spat a nail into her palm. She then stuck it
straight through Denver's stomach, until it was driven into the wall. Denver felt his stomach explode, and his bile
leak into his blood stream, along with the other acids, causing his blood to boil, and his organs to disintegrate. He
wailed in pain as the escaping stomach acids began to eat away at his pancreas. Shadow Gazer just watched him,
with a huge grin across her face. Denver looked down to see his skin leaking with blood. The acid had burned
through his skin and bones. He howled knowing he would be dead in a few seconds. He looked down at Shadow
Gazer. There was something on her leg. It looked like a chain. With all his remaining strength, he managed to spit
out the words,
"Chain anklets are out you know."
Shadow Gazer looked down at her leg, and the smile faded from her terrible face. She stuck her hand out and let
some of the acid fall onto her fingers. It didn't go through her skin. The last thing Denver saw was the burning and
suffering in her eyes. He yelled,
"You're being-" but as Shadow Gazer shoved the acid into his eyes, burning his pupils away slowly,
Denver, Neopia's only hope, passed into the Shadow that is Death.
Chapter 5 : Special Delivery
No more breaks. Denver thought about the murders. All of them must've come from the cards. He sat at the
desk and flipped through the sales records. Isabella , Marcus, The Bread Master. . . Al of them had bought the
cards. There were still nine more records. He looked closely at them all. He read the next one in the pile out loud to
himself:
"Name: Rupert Maroo.
Species: Blumaroo.
Business : Usuki Collector Salesman.
Final Sales Price : 1, 400 NP.
Home address : Not Applicable."
"Oh Goodie" Denver said, "now I gotta hunt him down. Well at least we have his business." Denver flipped to the
next one.
"Name: Ashton Trel
Species: Gelert.
Business : Unemployed.
Final Sales Price: 1, 500 NP.
Home Address: 17825 Neopia Drive
Neopia Central, Neopia 67834"
"Well, at least we got this guys address. . ." Denver thought out loud. He opened his fatigued jaws and yawned
loudly. Then he flipped to the next record:
" Name: Shane Epul. ( "Epul?" Denver exclaimed, "poor fella' " )
Species: Lupe.
Business : Toy Salesman.
Final Sales Price: 1, 700 NP.
Home Address: Not applicable."
"Another genius" Denver laughed. He pulled out the next one.
"Name-" Denver froze. "Oh god" he whispered. Then he continued.
"Name: Trista Inu.
Species: Uni.
Business: Café Acara Waitress.
Final Sales Price: 1,250 NP.
Home Address: 17820 Neopia Drive
Neopian Central, Neopia 67834"
"Trista. . . " He said, a tear glistening in his eye. He loved her. The minute he laid his eyes on her, he knew she was
his muse, his reason of being. He couldn't tell her. They weren't of the same species. Besides, he promised his heart
to an Ixi a month ago, Jasmine Xii. Jasmine was a fine Ixi too. She had beautiful gold fur adorned over her entire
body, and sharp gold hooves. Her eyes. . . Her eyes were big and beautiful, like a newborn baby's eyes, taking in all
the world all in a second. Jasmine also wore a charcoal black head dress, a gold and blue collar, and a gold and blue
cape because her owner had won a Desert Paint Brush, and took her to the rainbow pool, coming out with beautiful
Desert clothing, and eyeliner permanently stained on her eyelids. She was beautiful, but his love for Trista was
overpowering Jasmine's beauty. The way Trista's eyes glistened like she had stars trapped in her eyes made his
knees quiver. The way her mane blew in the wind like sea grass in Maraqua's depths. If she were to die. . . he'd
have to tell her. He couldn't bear to hold her in her arms, her not knowing of his passion. He read on.
"Name: Tobey Nui.
Species: Uni.
Business: Café Acara Waiter.
Final Sales Price: 1,300 NP.
Home Address: 15273 Neopian Lady Way
Neopia Central, Neopia 48295"
"My competition" he thought. He knew about Tobey and Trista's little "thing". He was determined to win her. He
withdrew the next record:
"Name: Richard Hasai.
Species: Aisha.
Business: Personal.
Final Sales Price: 1,700 NP.
Home Address: 12390 Cardinal Red Lane
Neopia Central, Neopia."
"Weird, that name sounds familiar. . . ." Denver thought suddenly. He quickly rid the thought from his head, and
read through another record.
"Name: Sarina Shiaa.
Species: Aisha.
Business: Personal.
Final Sales Price: 1,500NP.
Home Address: Not applicable."
"Not another missing address! This is gonna be harder than I thought" Denver said shaking his head. There was a
knock on his door. He got up, letting the last record float down to his desk. He looked through the peep hole, and
saw the mail Scorchio, standing impatiently at the door.
"Hey Colin!" Denver said, opening the door wide.
"Hey Denver" Colin said, smiling a little reluctantly, "Package." He held out a small box. Denver took the
box, a little quickly, and thanked Colin.
"Just sign here" Colin said, holding out a clipboard with a form. Denver signed, and shut the door, letting
Colin go about his business. Denver sat at his desk. The wrapping was regular brown paper and twine. There was no
return address. He untied the twine, and cut the tape with his claws. The brown paper fell and revealed, to Denver's
horror, a Shadow Usul Special Edition Collectable Card. Denver looked at the last record. Sure enough, it read:
Name: Denver Draik.
Species: Draik.
Business: Private Eye.
Final Sales Price: 1,800 NP.
Home Address: Not applicable.
MAIL TO OFFICE: SPECIAL DELIVERY.
"Shit!!!" Denver screamed. Just then there was a loud crash outside. Denver dropped the record and
slipped the card into his pocket. As he got closer to the door her could hear Colin the Delivery Boy's voice. It was
panicked and out of it's usual tone, like he was frightened.
"Please! Let me go! I told you, I don't know any Denver Draik!"
Denver opened up his door a crack. If his voice box was working, he would have screamed. Colin was
floating in the air, and wrapped around his neck was a long shadowy arm. Denver followed that arm down to the
owner. The Shadow Usul stood about an inch away from Denver, and had a huge frown etched across her horrid
face. She shrieked and yelled,
"LIAR!" Her grip on Colin's neck tightened , and he couldn't breathe. Denver's hand suddenly dove into
his pocket, uncontrollably. He tried to fight it, but it was as if some cold palm was shoving his hands in his pocket,
searching for something. . . and it found what it was looking for. Denver's hand came up again, and grasped in his
quivering hand was the Special Edition Card. The Usul in the picture. . .moved. It looked directly at Denver, and
twinkled. Just then, Shadow Gazer stopped. She released Colin, who got up and ran for his life, and turned towards
Denver's door. Before Denver had time to take a breath, Shadow Gazer flew at him, and grabbing him by the mid
section, threw him across his office. He hit the window making glass shatter and sprinkle across his floor. Denver
had a huge cut across his forehead, and he couldn't move his left leg. Shadow Gazer laughed. It sounded like
squeaky chalk on a dusty chalk board.
"Be gone evil spirit!" Denver yelled, finding his voice again.
"You pathetic little morsel!" Shadow Gazer said, starring straight into his eyes with her piercing red pupils,
"I gave you time! I let you go along spreading my disease. . . Now your time is up!" She opened her mouth to reveal
several Sharp, rusting, festering nails. She extended her arm, and held Denver up to his office wall. Then she took
out a Hammer. Shadow Gazer set the hammer on Denver's Desk, and Spat a nail into her palm. She then stuck it
straight through Denver's stomach, until it was driven into the wall. Denver felt his stomach explode, and his bile
leak into his blood stream, along with the other acids, causing his blood to boil, and his organs to disintegrate. He
wailed in pain as the escaping stomach acids began to eat away at his pancreas. Shadow Gazer just watched him,
with a huge grin across her face. Denver looked down to see his skin leaking with blood. The acid had burned
through his skin and bones. He howled knowing he would be dead in a few seconds. He looked down at Shadow
Gazer. There was something on her leg. It looked like a chain. With all his remaining strength, he managed to spit
out the words,
"Chain anklets are out you know."
Shadow Gazer looked down at her leg, and the smile faded from her terrible face. She stuck her hand out and let
some of the acid fall onto her fingers. It didn't go through her skin. The last thing Denver saw was the burning and
suffering in her eyes. He yelled,
"You're being-" but as Shadow Gazer shoved the acid into his eyes, burning his pupils away slowly,
Denver, Neopia's only hope, passed into the Shadow that is Death.