The Shadow Prince

Chapter 7

"You've what?" I shout-out on the phone with a frown when I heard the information that my mother tells me on the other line.

'I'm sorry, darling, but I have to finish it as soon as possible and no connection in the Dingle so I thought I'll finish it here and stay for a night'

She left me here? Alone?

Sighed, I know how important this job for her since it was the only money source for us, I know my father send me some money but I don't want to touch or do anything with it.

But, if she want...

"Mom, you know you can use my money that.. "

'I won't touch your money, it yours'. She interjects quickly and I know the real reason that she won't touch it, because it's from my father and she made a promise to never involve with anything about him 'I know sleeping alone in the small town near the spooky forest is scary but I called my friend, Cindy, so she'll come and accompany you for a night, how was it?'

"You call someone to babysit me?" Another shocking news, please tell me she's kidding. "Mother!!" I exclaim desperately to hit her.

What will people say if they knew a teenager is being afraid for left alone and hire a babysitter?!

But my crazy mother just laughed 'I thought it was great idea?!'  She sound happy.

I rolled my eyes "what am I, 5?" I sighed loudly so she could hear my annoyance.

She laugh louder, geez mother.

'I'm sorry but Cindy already on her way with Phil'

What?!

"Phil?!" I gasped in horrid "You also call the cops?!"

I can't believe her!!!

"MOMMM!!!"

'Ugh.. please don't do that, I just want to make sure you're safe'

Signing louder, I know I can't argue her more because it's already done.

"Fine!"

'I'll be back tomorrow at 5, take care baby'

"Yeah. Bye, mom"

I touch my forehead and start message it when the headache come, thinking about spending night with stranger, not that I hate the idea but what will they think about me? 17 but afraid with dark and being alone? Ugh.. I felt like 5 years old.

Knock.. knock..

I raise my brow and stood up from the couch in the living room before walk to the door.

I guess that's the troops.

"Lucia" Phil was the one who greet me with a big smile.

"Hi Phil, you alone?" I ask when he comes and I see no one behind hhim "Where's Cindy?"

He nod before start inspecting the house and check everything.

I follow him check the back door and windows with a raise brow "What are you doing?"

"You're going to be okay, Lucia" He said before tap my head, really?! he tap my freakin' head like I'm such little girl!!

Don't know how to respond or even smack his hand from my head, I just nod awkwardly before take one step back away from the man.

"Um.. Thanks" I speak at the same time someone knock the door and shouted.

"Yuhuu.. Lucia, Aunt Cindy's here!!"

Oh God..

How can I survive this night?

**********

"I'll be around so you both don't worry, okay?" Phil said when he putting on his jacket on the door.

"We'll be fine, go!" Cindy shushes him and I didn't realize I blow a relief breath when finally see him drove off from my grandma house.

But, when Cindy turning her gaze on me, I know the real nightmare is just started.

Me and my mother was the silent person, we just talk when it needed or necessary but not Cindy, It's like she knows everything in this town and always have a subject for speaking that much.

She never stop and I keep my face neutral or nod when she saw me to shows that I listening even though I have no idea what she's talking about.

But I can tell she's a nice woman.

She cook me her special pasta for dinner and I'm quite surprise that I like her company.

Until she asked me question and make me choked on my own food.

"What?" I coughs and quickly grab the glass of water before drink it fast. "What do you mean 'what's with me and the Black'?" I asked her back in wonder, I heard the rumor about the black curse but is it true that people still thinking about it and trust it?!

She scoffs and waves her hand.

"Oh please, everyone saw you both spending around the town together, Lucia" She state like it explain that something must be going on between us because we're hanging around the town.

I just sighed, welcome to the small town when everyone knows everything, I thought and shrugs my shoulder.

"He just takes me around" I replied lightly, because I know Malcolm is one handsome man but we're truly had nothing, for now.

She look unsatisfied with my answer but thank God she didn't push me more "It's odd actually that they arrived at the same time you does" she state and I raise my brow in interest, what does she mean about that? "Actually everyone never meet the Black family so we all kinda surprise to know they come to your grandma funeral" She continue with a shrug.

"No one ever sees the Black family? How?" I quickly asked, now I'm interest.

She nod "They kind of hid themselves from us in their huge mansion on the woods, they know people in this town hate the forest but they dare build it there 100 or more years ago" 

"100 or  more years ago, wow" I whisper in amazed.

"Yes, Wow and Phil also said that the paper mention that Malcolm Black Damon was the name who own that land for that 100 years and no one ever change it"

What?

"Malcolm owns it for 100 years?" I muse in wonder, how on earth he had that land for more than 100 years? He looks no more than 25.

Cindy nod hear head before take a sip on her coffee before stood up to put the dirty plate on the sink.

"Same name like 'the Malcolm' you spend today" She replied like she know what I had in my mind right now "I guess his parents decided to give his grandfather's name on him, so they won't having an update land-paper" She try to give a reason and I follow her with my dirty plate to the kitchen she quickly added "I'll take care of it, darling, don't worry. You go and watch TV or something"

I nod and thank her before grab one of my book that I left beside the TV.

It's only a minute when I close the book, this is odd, I can't find my interest to read it because my mind kept thinking of the story that Cindy told me.

'Phil also said that the paper mention that Malcolm Black Damon was the name who own that land for that 100 years and no one ever change it'

That's weird.

100 years, it was owned by the same name?

So they only name their son 'Malcolm' ?

Because of the story I heard today, for the first time since I came here I had the dream.

-- The dream –

"Lucia, do not go to the silent forest, there's a scary castle there" my grandma shouts for a thousand times.

Grandma?

"She makes me want to go and take a look if she keep warning me like that" The little girl murmured while start walking to the other direction but take a glance to where the Silent forest.

Is this Dingle?

And that's me.. it was me when I was little.

I don't remember this, when I come here?

Lucia...

Gasped, I watch the young me turn around and see around.

Who?

Why I can hear it also?

Isn't it dream?

I watch myself pick the dried branch before take a seat in the sand and start reading.

Smile when watching me read, I take a seat beside the younger me.

This is really weird.

I never have a dream like this.

It's only a minute before I heard an agony scream coming from behind me.

Quickly, my young me and I stood up to take a look around until we both saw a man crawling from the Silent forest with blood in his clothes.

The young me gasped before she leaves the book on the ground and start running to where he lay on the ground.

"Hey.. Hey.. are you okay?" She asked breathlessly while I'm studying the scene in front of me.

I know this scene...

I heard coughing and down my head when the young me gasped loudly with blood comes out from him.

Him..

Who is he?

"Oh my God" I heard myself whispered "I need to call someone"

"No.."

That voice..?

"Don't speak" The young me demand before open her jacket and wrapped it in his "You keep bleeding" She shout panicky.

He laugh in between his cough and make me frown.

"It's not funny!!" She exclaims before we both hear howl coming from the wood.

"What's your name?" he asked and touch her cheek softly.

"Um.. Lusy.. Lucia. You're bleeding; I need to make it stop!"

"Thank you, Lucia"

I gasped and close my mouth when the man raises his head and meet my eyes.

He knows I'm here?

He can see me?

Isn't it dream?

How?!

"Thank you for coming back to me"

He speak directly to me with those gray eyes lock on me.

Those eyes...

Blood hid his face from me but I guess I know him.

It was him..

Oh God...

How?

He...

He's Malcolm!

********************