“Who?” she asks, looking past her. Not seeing anyone, she slams the door closed, pushing Caderyn to the couch, and looks at her carefully. “What are you wearing?”
“The dream came back, and this time, the Shadow saw me, Jaz! He knows my name!” she says terrified and unable to stop shaking.
“You are overworked; this job is stressing you out, right? That has to be it Cadie! It’s just not possible!”
“Explain this dress then, and look!” Caderyn says, lifting her damaged feet.
“Oh my God! What did you do to your feet?” The blood has soaked through the bandages, and her feet are throbbing.
Jaz jumps up and runs to the kitchen. She returns with a bottle of rum and a medical kit.
“Drink!” she orders. Jaz takes one look at her friend’s feet and grabs the bottle back and takes a big swallow before she begins patching her up. Caderyn takes another big drink and coughs. “What kind of dreams, hurts you?”
“I don’t know, Caderyn, start over. I’m still waking up, it’s only six o’clock in the morning! Is it possible you were sleepwalking?” Taking another pull on the bottle, Caderyn looks at her and starts over.
“No. I was in my house! I fell asleep on the couch, and the dream came back. This time, I was following the evil shadow, wearing this dress and no shoes. I never have shoes! A hummingbird was leading me, and when the Shadow looked at me, he knew my name!”
Jaz cleans the wounds and then uses butterfly bandages to close the small gash. She listens to Caderyn and finishes wrapping her feet before taking another large swallow from the bottle. Coughing once more she hands the bottle back to her friend.
“You must realize how crazy this sounds,” Jazmin says.
“I know it! Look at this dress! Have you ever seen me in something like this before? You know me better than this! I don’t believe in fairytales! I believe in reality. Things I can touch and feel, and I feel right now!” Caderyn shouts.
Jazmin stares at her best friend and takes note of the dress and wounds. “What is happening?” she whispers taking another pull of the bottle and handing it back to Caderyn.
“I don’t know, Jaz.” The shaking has slowed, and Caderyn’s body feels warm all over. “But I have to save him. He’s being tortured. I’m not sure how long he will last. I need… He needs me.” She jumps up waving the now empty bottle, no longer feeling the pain in her feet.
“Of course, he does. But first, we need more rum!” Stumbling to the kitchen, she returns with a bottle of vodka. Indignantly she says, “You drank all my rum. This will have to do.”
“Okay, let’s go look at my blue ball,” Caderyn says giggling as the alcohol hits her system.
“I will call a taxi. You,” she points, “are way too drunk to drive,” Jaz says marching off, handing her the vodka bottle.
Sipping on the bottle, Caderyn coughs and thinks about the damage to his body.
“That bastard was enjoying hurting him, I have to help him,” she declares and limps to the closet to borrow her friend’s cowboy boots. Vodka bottle in hand, she calls for Jazmin as she hears the beep of the cab.
They share the cab and more vodka, which Jaz hides in the pocket of her sweatshirt. Caderyn tries to be brave as they pay the cab driver and stumble out of the car at her house. Before they enter the house, they take another shot of courage and push the door slowly open.
The blue gazing ball rests quietly on the fireplace, and the girls breathe a sigh of relief. No fog, no mist, no crazy shadow calling her name. Jaz pushes her forward and says, “Tell me what you did?”
Caderyn sees her sketchpad on the floor where she threw it. She limps over and picks it up saying, “I fell asleep and when I woke up… NO Jazmin don’t touch it!!” She screams too late. Jaz touches the ball, and immediately she sees the Shadow waiting for her. He seizes her mind, and she starts screaming.
“Don’t be shy, Caderyn. I have been waiting for you!” He says, and Jazmin’s body begins to turn to mist. The Shadow laughs, pulling her forward into his world.
Caderyn screams, leaping for her friend. The second she grabs Jazmin’s hand a white light explodes from her body, striking the Shadow. He screams in agony, blinded by the power of their friendship. Jaz falls to the ground and curls up into a small ball.
Completely sober now, Caderyn grabs a cloth and wraps the gazing ball, careful not to touch it. Dumping a small box out, she places the wrapped item inside and seals it closed, praying for protection from the evil.
“He thought I was you,” Jaz cries from the floor, turning she sits up against the couch. “Cadie he said horrible things. You’re in serious trouble,” she says despondently.
“No Jaz, we are in trouble. He has not seen me, until now. He thinks you, are me,” Caderyn explains.
“What are we going to do?” Jaz says jumping up, “We need help.”
Caderyn looks at her best friend and tells her, “No we, I! I am going to get help, and you are going to stay away from me until I figure this out!” Stomping around, she runs to her bedroom to get dressed.
“Like hell, I am. I’m not going to let you do this alone Cadie. That thing was evil, and now I am marked. Do you think I can just hide from him? He said he was coming for me Cadie. I’m scared!” Jaz follows
