A/N: Howdy peoples! Here is the next installment of 'A Walk Through
Shadows'.
Replies to reviewers:
kelaal: Yes, I actually prefer the A/H pairing... when it is done correctly. There are some people out there that just about butcher it, but whether or not I'm butchering it I cannot say... Thank you for the review!
lutefa: I know, I am evil. And I must say I'm very proud of that. Because if I'm a good enough writer to make my readers call me evil for leaving them at a cliffhanger then I am doing well. If you did not care about what would happen next, then I would be worried. Thank you.
superbob: *sigh* Mr. Superbob, you have given me twelve reviews that say the exact same thing. And I must say I'm rather annoyed. First off, if you must make me read something a dozen times over, then try to make sure what you are saying is entirely correct. You must put into the equation that authors can be unpredictable if they want to. What if I don't let Holly heal Artemis, what if something happened first. Then maybe Arty would die, maybe he wouldn't, it's up to me. But then maybe I'll go the predictable way and Holly will heal Artemis. Now I must tell you, I like surprises, I like the unorthodox. So of course, I had to do something different, something a bit more original and unexpected. I have already put out clues to what will happen next, it is your job as the reader to find them and define them. But here is what I must tell you, when you find those clues, look at them in everyway you can, because not everything is obvious. And yes, this is how you spell obvious. Thank you for your review(s).
Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl. blah blah blah... Doesn't everyone know that by now?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A Walk Through Shadows
Chapter 1: Captured Again
Holly heard a swooshing noise, and she immediately curled herself into a ball. Was she under fire? Was Artemis here to take her back to Fowl Manor? She knew she shouldn't wish for such a thing to happen, it would cause havoc underground. She reached for her gun, on the side of the clearing someone cried out in pain, and the bushes rustled. She crept towards the shrubbery, keeping low in case someone decided to make her a target. She pushed the branches aside, ready for anything, or so she thought.
Holly gasped, and put down her gun, forgetting completely that she was in danger of being shot. She turned the unconscious boy on his side, it was Artemis, she was sure now. He had grown much in only a year and a half, but she would recognize his face anywhere. Then she saw the serious dilemma he was in. An arrow shaft protruded from his back, and his breath was slowing as the mortal wound took its deathly hold.
Holly wasted no time; she yanked the arrow from his body, the head and much of the shaft black with blood. She discarded the arrow and placed her hands on him.
"Heal." She whispered, her breathe came quick with excitement from seeing Artemis again, and also with the urgency of the situation.
Blue sparks danced down her arms and onto his back. Having done the Ritual only minutes ago she had plenty of magic. The sparks centered themselves around the wound, which was no longer bleeding freely.
Then something sharp was pressed against her neck, Holly froze. "Step away from Artemis." The voice was firm, and threatening.
Holly obeyed, standing up slowly. Just as slowly she turned her head. And, her second surprise that night, she gaped at the one-legged man that stood before her. It was Artemis's father, Artemis Fowl Sr. And he was wearing sunglasses.
Master Fowl scrutinized her with a fierce, cold expression, so much like Artemis's own face when he became angry. "Who are you?" The thin-bladed sword Artemis Sr. held was still threatening to cut Holly's throat.
Before Holly could answer a second Mud Man appeared out of the trees, well, in actuality, this was a Mud Woman. Mrs. Fowl was panting hard from running, her face turned white behind the reflective lenses of her glasses when she saw Artemis. "Oh! My baby! My poor baby!" She knelt down next to Artemis and turned him over onto his back, stroking the hair from his pale face.
"I asked you a question, fairy!"
Holly looked at Mr. Fowl startled by his knowledge. "How do you know I'm a fairy?!" Had Artemis told his parents about the People?
Mr. Fowl's eyes narrowed behind the glasses, and he was quiet for a moment. He glanced at Artemis. "Might you be Holly Short?"
Holly's eyes widened. Artemis had told! "Y-yes. That's my name. How-how do you know my name?"
Mr. Fowl caught sight of the bloodied arrow that had landed next to a tree trunk. Then he looked at Artemis again. "You healed my son."
Holly nodded. "I found him in the bushes, with that arrow in his back." She pointed to the arrow, but Mr. Fowl didn't appear to be listening.
He was looking at Artemis, who lay with his head in his mother's lap. To Holly's relief Mr. Fowl lowered the sword from her neck, but did not sheath it in the scabbard he held that was disguised as a cane. "You are a friend of my son's?"
Holly nodded. But she suddenly felt angry with Artemis for telling his parents about her and the People. She also felt angry with herself for putting down her gun.
Mr. Fowl saw Holly glance at the gun on the ground next to her feet. He picked it up and pocketed it with a look on his face that said he didn't trust Holly. "You will come with me." He grabbed her by the neck and pulled her along through the trees. Holly decided not to argue the man was stronger than she'd have thought and she was unarmed.
Holly could hear Mrs. Fowl shuffling through the leaves behind her; from the sound of the way she was moving she must have been carrying Artemis. "Timmy dear, do you think it could have been the same man?"
Holly thought they could have been talking about the man that had shot Artemis. But why they thought they might have heard of, or met him before she didn't know.
"We will discuss that later Angeline. At the moment it would be best if we get ourselves and Artemis back to the Manor." Mr. Fowl replied coldly. Holly shivered; Artemis must have picked up his attitude from his father.
When they got to the Manor Mr. Fowl led Holly down a different corridor than the one Mrs. Fowl took with Artemis. Holly looked at the cold stone walls of the hallway, it seemed so familiar... And when a door creaked open and she found herself thrown down into a cement cell with nothing for furnishings except a steel framed cot, she remembered.
As soon as Holly realized where she was she started pounding the cement floor with her tiny fists. "AHHHHHH!!!!" Of all places, they had to put her in the cell Artemis had used to contain her during the kidnapping.
~*~
A/N: Okay, I know this was short, it is really a continuation of the prologue. I really meant to make this chapter longer, but the next part of the story just wouldn't fit in with this chapter. It has to go in the next otherwise it would feel queer, at least it would feel queer to me. Okay, I'm rambling, so please don't listen to me, as I am talking nonsense. JUST REVIEW! Pwetty pwease? *bats eyelashes*
Replies to reviewers:
kelaal: Yes, I actually prefer the A/H pairing... when it is done correctly. There are some people out there that just about butcher it, but whether or not I'm butchering it I cannot say... Thank you for the review!
lutefa: I know, I am evil. And I must say I'm very proud of that. Because if I'm a good enough writer to make my readers call me evil for leaving them at a cliffhanger then I am doing well. If you did not care about what would happen next, then I would be worried. Thank you.
superbob: *sigh* Mr. Superbob, you have given me twelve reviews that say the exact same thing. And I must say I'm rather annoyed. First off, if you must make me read something a dozen times over, then try to make sure what you are saying is entirely correct. You must put into the equation that authors can be unpredictable if they want to. What if I don't let Holly heal Artemis, what if something happened first. Then maybe Arty would die, maybe he wouldn't, it's up to me. But then maybe I'll go the predictable way and Holly will heal Artemis. Now I must tell you, I like surprises, I like the unorthodox. So of course, I had to do something different, something a bit more original and unexpected. I have already put out clues to what will happen next, it is your job as the reader to find them and define them. But here is what I must tell you, when you find those clues, look at them in everyway you can, because not everything is obvious. And yes, this is how you spell obvious. Thank you for your review(s).
Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl. blah blah blah... Doesn't everyone know that by now?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A Walk Through Shadows
Chapter 1: Captured Again
Holly heard a swooshing noise, and she immediately curled herself into a ball. Was she under fire? Was Artemis here to take her back to Fowl Manor? She knew she shouldn't wish for such a thing to happen, it would cause havoc underground. She reached for her gun, on the side of the clearing someone cried out in pain, and the bushes rustled. She crept towards the shrubbery, keeping low in case someone decided to make her a target. She pushed the branches aside, ready for anything, or so she thought.
Holly gasped, and put down her gun, forgetting completely that she was in danger of being shot. She turned the unconscious boy on his side, it was Artemis, she was sure now. He had grown much in only a year and a half, but she would recognize his face anywhere. Then she saw the serious dilemma he was in. An arrow shaft protruded from his back, and his breath was slowing as the mortal wound took its deathly hold.
Holly wasted no time; she yanked the arrow from his body, the head and much of the shaft black with blood. She discarded the arrow and placed her hands on him.
"Heal." She whispered, her breathe came quick with excitement from seeing Artemis again, and also with the urgency of the situation.
Blue sparks danced down her arms and onto his back. Having done the Ritual only minutes ago she had plenty of magic. The sparks centered themselves around the wound, which was no longer bleeding freely.
Then something sharp was pressed against her neck, Holly froze. "Step away from Artemis." The voice was firm, and threatening.
Holly obeyed, standing up slowly. Just as slowly she turned her head. And, her second surprise that night, she gaped at the one-legged man that stood before her. It was Artemis's father, Artemis Fowl Sr. And he was wearing sunglasses.
Master Fowl scrutinized her with a fierce, cold expression, so much like Artemis's own face when he became angry. "Who are you?" The thin-bladed sword Artemis Sr. held was still threatening to cut Holly's throat.
Before Holly could answer a second Mud Man appeared out of the trees, well, in actuality, this was a Mud Woman. Mrs. Fowl was panting hard from running, her face turned white behind the reflective lenses of her glasses when she saw Artemis. "Oh! My baby! My poor baby!" She knelt down next to Artemis and turned him over onto his back, stroking the hair from his pale face.
"I asked you a question, fairy!"
Holly looked at Mr. Fowl startled by his knowledge. "How do you know I'm a fairy?!" Had Artemis told his parents about the People?
Mr. Fowl's eyes narrowed behind the glasses, and he was quiet for a moment. He glanced at Artemis. "Might you be Holly Short?"
Holly's eyes widened. Artemis had told! "Y-yes. That's my name. How-how do you know my name?"
Mr. Fowl caught sight of the bloodied arrow that had landed next to a tree trunk. Then he looked at Artemis again. "You healed my son."
Holly nodded. "I found him in the bushes, with that arrow in his back." She pointed to the arrow, but Mr. Fowl didn't appear to be listening.
He was looking at Artemis, who lay with his head in his mother's lap. To Holly's relief Mr. Fowl lowered the sword from her neck, but did not sheath it in the scabbard he held that was disguised as a cane. "You are a friend of my son's?"
Holly nodded. But she suddenly felt angry with Artemis for telling his parents about her and the People. She also felt angry with herself for putting down her gun.
Mr. Fowl saw Holly glance at the gun on the ground next to her feet. He picked it up and pocketed it with a look on his face that said he didn't trust Holly. "You will come with me." He grabbed her by the neck and pulled her along through the trees. Holly decided not to argue the man was stronger than she'd have thought and she was unarmed.
Holly could hear Mrs. Fowl shuffling through the leaves behind her; from the sound of the way she was moving she must have been carrying Artemis. "Timmy dear, do you think it could have been the same man?"
Holly thought they could have been talking about the man that had shot Artemis. But why they thought they might have heard of, or met him before she didn't know.
"We will discuss that later Angeline. At the moment it would be best if we get ourselves and Artemis back to the Manor." Mr. Fowl replied coldly. Holly shivered; Artemis must have picked up his attitude from his father.
When they got to the Manor Mr. Fowl led Holly down a different corridor than the one Mrs. Fowl took with Artemis. Holly looked at the cold stone walls of the hallway, it seemed so familiar... And when a door creaked open and she found herself thrown down into a cement cell with nothing for furnishings except a steel framed cot, she remembered.
As soon as Holly realized where she was she started pounding the cement floor with her tiny fists. "AHHHHHH!!!!" Of all places, they had to put her in the cell Artemis had used to contain her during the kidnapping.
~*~
A/N: Okay, I know this was short, it is really a continuation of the prologue. I really meant to make this chapter longer, but the next part of the story just wouldn't fit in with this chapter. It has to go in the next otherwise it would feel queer, at least it would feel queer to me. Okay, I'm rambling, so please don't listen to me, as I am talking nonsense. JUST REVIEW! Pwetty pwease? *bats eyelashes*
