In the Shadows

Kyki peeked at the rich house across the road. A drizzle started. SHHHHH, it went, picking up in the dark. Kyki waited, staring at Arckibald’s window in the rich house.

Nothing.

On the ground floor, one of the windows was lit despite the late hour. Adults must’ve been awake still. Kyki wrapped the scarf tighter around herself and shoved hands back into her pockets. She was used to being wet and cold. It didn’t mean she enjoyed it. But she had to wait for Arckibald.

Arckibald would make fun of Kyki “wetting herself” for sure.

Ha-ha! So funny, Kyki thought. Spoiled rich kid thought he was so much better than her! He deserved what was coming.

Kyki hated kids like Arckibald. That's why she always hunted boys like him for Miss Qendra.

Miss Qendra will be pleased. She’ll give me some magic and I’ll finally imagine me and Poppi aren’t hungry, for real!

Kyki looked at her murky reflection in the puddle. In the gloomy night, she looked like a shadow. Not like one of Miss Qendra’s. Hers were scary. Now that she served Miss Qendra, Kyki could do things, too, though they weren’t as eerie.

The girl squinted at her reflection, trying to make it disappear. It only squinted back. Kyki sighed. Miss Qendra wasn’t generous when she was upset. She’d been upset… for long. All because of Kyki. When Miss Qendra was upset, Kyki couldn’t imagine anything magical even about shadows. Food was completely beyond her reach.

Kyki didn’t know how long she’d been crouching in the rain. All houses on the rich street went dark. Only adults in Arckibald’s house were still up.

Kyki almost missed the window in Arckibald’s room opening.

Finally!

The girl started from her hiding place, keeping to the shadows as much as possible. Urchins weren’t welcome in this part of the city.

When Kyki approached the fence around Arckibald’s house, the boy was already crawling through like a three-legged dog. Kyki sneered, hiding her face in the scarf.

Arckibald was wearing a silly blouse with a stupid bow on the neck. Dressed for a party, no less. His shiny boots CLINK-CLANK’ed loudly as he stepped on the pavement.

Kyki was about to approach when she saw someone else crawling through the fence after Arckibald. It was a girl, about Poppi’s age. She was wearing a bright yellow dress and heels. She made even more noise than Arckibald, looking for something behind the fence.

“Chshhh!!” Arckibald whispered angrily. “I’ll get it for you. Stay here.” He crawled back in.

Kyki turned around, ready to leave. With this puffy yellow bird following them around, they’d for sure get caught. Kyki couldn’t risk disappointing Miss Qendra again.

GRRRRGLW, her stomach gurgled loudly. Kyki stopped. She could get by without much else to eat for a few more days. But could Poppi?

“There! Will you be quiet now?”

Luckily, no adults followed Arckibald. He was holding a giant hat with big pink bows and yellow flowers. The girl – Arckibald’s sister? – squeaked like a squirrel and put it on her head. Her face almost disappeared under it.

Miss Qendra will like it if I bring two foods from my hunt, Kyki thought. Yes, she will be very, very pleased.

Stepping from shadow to shadow, Kyki sneaked up to Arckibald and the girl. They kept looking right past Kyki even though they were looking right at her. Kyki prided herself in being stealthy, and ever since she started serving Miss Qendra, she could almost completely disappear in shadows.

“BOOOO,” Kyki whispered.

To her delight, Arckibald jumped, startled. The little girl looked like she was about to cry, but Arckibald had some wits to close her mouth and SHHHHH.

“What are you doing!?” He whispered back.

“What’re you doing?” She asked. “Who’s she? What’s she doing here?!”

The little yellow girl got out of Arckibald’s grip, straightened her back and bowed as if Kyki was some kind of a fancy adult.

“My name is Gladyola, I’m very pleased to meet you! I’m Arckibald’s little sister!”

Kyki kept her gaze fixed on Arckibald.

“So?”

“Let’s go. Someone can overhear,” Arckibald replied. He grabbed his sister by the hand, but Kyki stepped in his way, hands crossed on her chest.

“You explain now, or I’m out. Good luck finding the haunted house on your own.”

“Arcky can find anything, right, Arcky?” Little Gladyola asked excitedly, tugging Arckibald by the hand.

“There’s nothing to explain. She’s coming with us. Move!”

Arckibald shoved Kyki aside and went past her in a wrong direction. Kyki rolled her eyes.

He deserves to become food.

“Wrong way, dimwit,” she called quietly and set off away from the rich street.

“Oh, I’m so thrilled, big Brother never takes me out on his adventures!” Little Gladyola started but both Kyki and Arckibald SHUSH’ed her.

The rain was growing heavier, making it more difficult for adults to spot three kids out past bedtime. They walked in silence – not taking into account Gladyola’s excited comments now and again. The girl didn’t understand anything about sneaking around. Poppi was so much smarter. Even so, Kyki never took her on hunts. Arckibald shouldn’t have brought his sister either.

Kyki ducked into one dark alley after another. She avoided patrols and other homeless alike. The House wasn’t that far, but Kyki followed Miss Qendra’s instructions to the letter.

Make them feel lost. Make them feel alone. Make them feel scared, Kyki chanted in her head.

It was working. Soon, Gladyola’s excited remarks changed to nagging about getting her shoes muddy, her dress wet and dark shadows following them. Arckibald tried not to show how afraid he was to an urchin girl but kept glancing behind his back and pressing against walls at any sound. Even his remarks about Kyki looking like a boy were especially witless tonight.

“Go throw your stupid insults at the ghosts,” Kyki snapped. “We’re here.”

Kyki pointed to a house at the end of the road. No adult had lived there for a long time, but it wasn’t falling apart. It looked scary, black, even during the day, as if it was always concealed by shadows. Patrols avoided it. Adults said it was haunted. If only they knew what was going on inside, in the House within this house – no one would even dare live on the same street.

“Are we going to stand here or what?” Arckibald asked. “I’ve not come through all this rain for nothing!”

Kyki shrugged. “Go on then. Afraid to go first?”

“Me? Afraid? It’s you who’s afraid! Let’s go, Glady. I’ll show her who’s afraid!”

Arckibald pulled his sister forward, but she slipped from his grasp. Gladyola looked miserable in her wet dress. She kept wiping her nose and eyes.

“I don’t want to. Can we go home, Arcky, please? I’m cold and my hat–”

“Shouldn’t’ve begged to bring you along if you were going to whine now! You’re coming! Understood?”

Gladyola let Arckibald drag her forward. “Yes, brother…”

She looked at Kyki, eyes full of rainwater. Or tears? Lost her hat somewhere, too. Kyki looked away from the girl and followed Arckibald some distance away.

WHUUUUUUUUU, the wind howled as it always did this close to Miss Qendra’s house. Arckibald sped up, probably thinking it would help him feel braver. Gladyola could barely keep up with him on her tiny legs. She OW’ed every few steps.

Kyki almost felt bad for the girl.

Poor little angel, so used to her warm blankets and pretty dresses! They both deserve it!

“My foot hurts!” Gladyola complained, wiggling out of Arckibald’s grasp. “I can’t walk!” She said and dropped on the pavement.

Arckibald stopped. He turned around like a clockwork toy, with a wicked frown on his face. The boy clenched his fists and walked back slowly. Kyki froze, instincts telling her to run and hide. Arckibald was bigger and stronger. He was a greater threat now than even Miss Qendra and her scary shadows.

Gladyola kept sobbing, sitting in a puddle, oblivious to the change in Arckibald. When she raised her head, he slapped her hard on the cheek. The girl fell on the pavement.

“I don’t care if you can’t walk. I am going inside the haunted house. You can do whatever, crawl, stay here – just STOP BOTHERING ME!”

Arckibald raised his hand again, but Gladyola crouched on the street, covering her head. She wasn’t even crying.

“Yes, Brother, I’m sorry, Brother…”

Arckibald threw an angry glance at Kyki.

“And you? Or do I need to make you go in, too?”

“Coming,” Kyki whispered, looking down. She had learned how to behave around bullies the hard way.

Kyki walked forward, hunching. She only dared to look at Arckibald in the corner of her eye. She took her scarf off and threw it on Gladyola’s shoulders.

“Come on, let’s go,” she whispered to the girl and helped her up.

Gladyola nodded. She walked forward awkwardly, grabbing Kyki by the hand tightly. Arckibald let them pass untouched.

“You first,” he said. “If those ghosts are hungry, I want them to eat you first.”

You wish.

The front door opened with an ears-withering EHHHKKHRRR. Kyki recognised Miss Qendra’s doing. She walked in, holding Gladyola firmly by the hand. The little girl was shaking with silent sobs.

It’s not my fault, Kyki thought. It’s he who brought her here.

Scents of flowery perfume hit Kyki immediately as they walked in. Every time it amazed her. She’d only been to abandoned houses that smelled of dampness and must. This big house wasn’t like that, affected by Miss Qendra’s House.

Darkness obscured everything but Kyki moved swiftly. She carefully avoided little knee-tall chairs that were standing next to normal-sized furniture in different places. All were unoccupied – Miss Qendra must have been waiting in the House.

Kyki itched to hide in the shadows and leave Arckibald and Gladyola alone to the mercy of Miss Qendra, but couldn’t. The boy was still waiting on the doorstep, not stepping in.

WHUUUUUU, the wind kept screaming as it rushed from the Big Chamber out of the house. Kyki kicked the door to the Chamber wide open, letting some light from its windows enter the corridor.

“Oh, what is it there?” She called to Arckibald.

THERE, ERE, EE – the echo carried.

Arckibald looked into the corridor but remained on the porch.

Don’t you dare run away! I worked so hard to–

“Look, Arcky, a doll house!”

Gladyola let go of Kyki's hand, half-walked, half-jumped and disappeared into the Big Chamber.

“Gladyola, come back!” Kyki hissed through gritted teeth. No, no, Miss Qendra must take Arckibald first, he can’t run back home, or she’ll eat me, or worse!!

Kyki rushed inside the Big Chamber just as she heard the front door slam. She found Gladyola sitting on her knees in front of the House. The child completely ignored dark stains on the floor next to her of what Kyki knew was blood.

Gladyola reached for the wall that opened the House’s insides.

“Don’t!”

Kyki caught her hand on time. Gladyola frowned, confused. She opened her mouth to complain, but loud sounds from the corridor interrupted her. CLINK-CLANK, CLINK-CLANK…

“Did you do that? It’s not funny! It’s a stupid house anyway. I don’t like it. We are leaving, now. Come, Gladyola!”

Arckibald emerged from the darkness. Kyki couldn’t hold back a jubilant smile. Arckibald was trapped.

“What are you so happy about?” The boy snapped.

“You’re afraid,” Kyki replied, still grinning.

“I– I’m not afraid! You are afraid!”

Kyki imagined the shadows come to life – and they responded. They cackled and crawled on the floor around Arckibald. The walls of the House began opening behind Gladyola with a high-pitched tune playing from inside – that must’ve been Mister Clem in his music box.

“S-stop it! It’s not f-funny! STOP IT!”

Arckibald shrieked like a girl. Kyki had waited enough. She had no appetite to see what Miss Qendra was doing to her food. She never liked playing with dolls anyway.

Kyki set off, as fast as her tired legs allowed, pushed Arckibald into the shadows – and jumped out of the Big Chamber into the corridor. She stumbled on something on the floor and fell down, tumbling into the blackness. In the corner of her eye, she noticed the door closing behind her.

SCRRRRRKHT – the lock came into action.

Kyki closed her ears to hide from Miss Qendra’s whispers, Mister Clem’s music and Arckibald’s screams from the Big Chamber. She closed her eyes, too, curled up on the floor in the dark.

A soft wet fabric touched Kyki's shoulder. The girl jerked up and pushed it away, whatever “it” was.

“Oh, I’m so scared! Please, can we leave, please please?”

“Gladyola?!”

“NO, PLEASE NO!!!” Arckibald’s muffled scream reached Kyki’s ears.

Gladyola squeaked and leaned closer to Kyki, looking for a hug, like Poppi did when she was cold.

“What will happen to big Brother? Oh, I don’t want shadows to eat me, too!”

Kyki wanted to push Gladyola back but couldn’t force herself to. The little girl was spoiled, stupid and annoying. But she wasn’t like her big brother. She didn’t deserve what was coming.

Kyki couldn’t leave her here.

“Hurry up,” she whispered. “We’ll have to run.”

Kyki stood up, put one hand on the wall of the corridor, and held Gladyola firmly with another. Miss Qendra would have to do with just Arckibald.

Screams in the Big Chamber stopped. The house was empty of sound, even the shadows silent. The front door was already close. It had to be.

Kyki's hand brushed on a dresser. But instead of wood, she touched something cold and smooth.

“How lovely of you to bring dessert!”

The shadows dissolved, creating eerie light around Miss Qendra. The doll was sitting on the dresser like a lady. She was smiling pleasantly, as she always did.

“Thank you, Kyki, you’ve been most agreeable!” Miss Qendra said and giggled. She stood from her chair and jumped down in front of Gladyola.

“You are a doll! And you talk!” The little girl exclaimed, amazed more so than scared.

“I very much do! And who would you be, my little angel?”

“My name is Gladyola, I am Arckibald’s little sister!”

Miss Qendra gasped with delight. She reached up for Gladyola’s hand.

“What a lovely name you have! Would you like a cup of hot tea, my darling? My, my, you are all shivering!”

“I would ver–”

“No!”

Kyki stepped between Gladyola and Miss Qendra. The doll put hands on her hips and looked at Kyki disapprovingly.

“Kyki, we should work on your manners! A young lady should never quite so rudely interrupt a conversation!”

“No. No tea. I’ve not brought her for you,” Kyki started loudly, but every next word coming out of her mouth was quieter until her lips were moving without producing any sound. The shadows began whispering in her ears.

They won’t touch me, they won’t touch me, they won’t! Kyki imagined. The shadows didn’t touch her. For now.

“Oh, Kyki, Kyki! Your words are so harsh, but you don’t know what you’re saying! You wouldn’t want to become a disappointment again, now, would you?”

The shadows tickled Kyki's neck and heels.

“I’m not a disappointment! I’ve brought Arckibald, as I’ve promised! I want to leave!”

“No one is stopping you, my dear!” Miss Qendra replied in a sweet voice. The shadows created a small staircase that she climbed to be on the same level as Kyki's eyes. “Run, my little maid! Me and Gladyola will just have our tea, won’t we, dear?”

Kyki hesitated. She couldn’t disappoint Miss Qendra again. She had to get imagination for food for Poppi!

Gladyola pulled the back of Kyki's coat to her eyes, hiding from the shadows.

“No,” Kyki decided. “She’s coming with me. You’ve had the boy!”

Miss Qendra clicked her tongue. Kyki felt shadows crawl under her coat, restraining her in place.

“Ah, Kyki, but I’ve let Clem have the boy. This little angel looked way more delightful!”

“But… I did everything as you said! You’ve got to let her go!”

Miss Qendra cocked her head as low as only dolls could.

“Are you absolutely sure, Kyki?” She asked, almost singing.

Kyki couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t think. But only she could protect Gladyola.

“I’m sure!”

“Then LEAVE.”

The shadows behind Miss Qendra’s back swung the front door open and picked Gladyola up. The little girl screamed in protest and reached for Kyki’s hand.

Kyki couldn’t move. The shadows carried Gladyola out and slammed the front door closed. They spread across Kyki’s whole body, dipping into her nose, ears and mouth. Everything around started to go black.

Kyki understood too late what was happening to her.

“Do understand, my darling, we must eat!”