Hiding in the Shadows

The last few days have been a bit cloudy and rainy, so I thought it might be fun to share a somewhat darker short story I wrote awhile back. Enjoy!

Hiding in the Shadows
Paul was still wide awake after what he assumed was a couple hours. Sleeping shouldn’t be this hard. He flopped onto his back and stared up at the ceiling, recalling what the doctor had told him.
He had said Paul was still depressed from Bianca leaving him for Stuart. His groomsman, Stuart. Old buddy, Stuart. Jackass. The doctor rambled about how childhood trauma had resurfaced or whatever because of this. What was it? Abandonment? Either way, this is what the good old doctor described as the culprit behind why Paul suddenly couldn’t sleep to save his life.
What a quack.
He lazily sat up and checked his alarm: 1:36 a.m. He shrugged before sliding off the bed. An irritated groan came from the floor beneath his feet.
“Marvin, I’m sorry, bud. You can’t just lay right where I put my feet.”
He heard the sound of thumping and turned the lamp on to see a shaggy tail wagging back and forth at the sound of his voice. He smiled and nudged the dog with his toe.
“Let’s go for a walk.”
The wooden stairs creaked on his way down from his third story apartment. Occasionally, a sudden bump or what was hopefully a laugh sounded from behind the walls of the other rooms on the way downstairs. Marvin would pause and look to Paul tentatively. Paul met Marvin’s timid gaze, patted him, and they continued their journey to the lobby. Marvin was a wuss, but his devotion to Paul made him pretty damn endearing.

The lobby was empty and only had half of the lights lit. The street lamps were orbs of light high above the blanket of mist that covered the city streets below. Paul and Marvin made their way out onto the street to be swallowed by the darkness. The wet pavement glistened underneath sneaker and paw as they meandered down the street. Paul breathed in the misty air and let out a sigh. A smile crept over his face. This was April’s favorite kind of night. His pace quickened.
He thought back to their first encounter three months before on a warm July night. Paul was used to his lonely night walks. His insomnia had gotten worse, and after reading that it’s sometimes better to just get up and do something when he couldn’t fall back to sleep, he took up the hobby of night walks. However, his friends, mainly Tom, thought it would be better for him to have some form of companion around to make the trek a little more “fun”. That’s at least what they told Paul. They knew where Paul lived. His neighborhood wasn’t exactly Beverly Hills. Paul’s apartment complex had nightly visits from the police, and on more than one occasion, he had a pregnant woman banging on his door demanding money from the father (which was apparently Paul) to support her and the unborn child. Paul would shut the door after saying, “If you think I’m the dad, then you don’t need any money to buy more of whatever drug you’re on.”
That being said, Paul agreed it may be nice to have a companion on his walks. Marvin, the Irish Wolfhound, was enough to satisfy Tom. He didn’t need to know Marvin was the real life version of Scooby-Doo.

Paul never saw too many people on his walks, so he was taken aback at the sight of a perfectly normal-looking woman sitting on a bench at the bus stop. To Paul, normal-looking was anything besides the scraggly, grungy older homeless women he passed by in alleyways begging for money or crack, or the scantily clad young women lounging on the corners of corroding brick buildings, their lipstick illuminating with a sickly glow from the neon signs overhead.
She was reading the advertisement on the side of the bus station shelter-the woman on the poster was smiling and holding up a “new and improved” duster.
She looked up as Paul approached.
“Hi” she smiled.
“Hi” Paul hesitated, “Can I sit here?” He started to move toward the shelter when a growling sound halted his movement.
“Oh stop it, Bunny!” The woman scolded and looked behind her.
Paul peered into the darkness of the bus stop and jumped back. Marvin yelped at the sudden movement and hid behind Paul’s legs, growling.
“What is that? That can’t be a house cat!”
The woman laughed and lightly pulled the leash in her hand. Paul hadn’t noticed the leash when he first saw her. The leash twitched from the other end and a massive brown paw crept out from the shadows. Paul and Marvin took another step back as the cougar stretched from underneath the bench and sat at the feet of the woman, daring them to come any closer.
“She’s not going to hurt you-right, Bunny?” The woman stroked the cat on the head. Its deep purr sent shivers down Paul’s spine.
“Why-how do you have that?”

“I work with an organization that rescues and rehabilitates wild animals. We usually release them when they are healed and ready to go, but Bunny here was saved as a baby and doesn’t know how to live on her own.”
Paul watched Bunny’s claws glisten from the street lamp overhead. I’m sure she’d be fine, he thought.
She smiled at Paul, who immediately forgot the large cat. She stood up and stretched, flexing her hands open and closed and arching her back.
“Care to go for a walk?”
Paul hesitated before he said, “sure.”
He knew it was against his better judgment to stick around that night, but something about her was so comfortable and familiar to him. She had the same easy laugh as Bianca, but there wasn’t judgment when she looked at him. She wanted him around, something he hadn’t experienced through Bianca or even his mother. He briefly thought about staying at friends’ houses growing up because his mom, who was probably high, forgot to tell him she’d be gone for a few days with her new druggie boyfriend. He pushed the anxiety that was now gnawing at him away. He didn’t feel afraid at the somewhat incredible circumstance of meeting someone like this in the middle of the night.
He discovered that her name was April—that name had a nice ring to it. Nicer than Bianca, that’s for sure.
“I live in that apartment right over there,” she pointed to a darkened building not far off to their right.

Paul examined the towering structure her hand pointed to but hardly felt any discomfort with the fact he had never noticed it before. Everything was surreal around him, and he did not worry. He liked this feeling. He liked the feeling so much he didn’t even pay attention to the fact that all of his surroundings were unfamiliar to him. Marvin raised his hackles.
“That’s weird, I never noticed the neighborhood went this far. I didn’t even know that there were apartment buildings over here.”
April’s laugh filled his ears. Paul watched Bunny slink to April’s side and begin weaving around her legs.
“Not brave enough to travel past city limits?”
Paul smiled but then shook his head. This was part of the city still, wasn’t it? Before he had a chance to reply she was already at the top of the stairs, about to head through the open door. It was completely dark inside.
“Well, it was nice meeting you, Paul.”
Paul was amazed at her speed. Or maybe he was just spacing out again. “I always walk at this time every night. Want to meet again tomorrow?”
She smiled. “See you then.”
Paul and Marvin watched them glide away into the darkness. Their last glimpse was of Bunny’s large head swinging back towards them; her amber eyes glinted in the shadows.

Paul stopped walking. Marvin pawed at his leg, whining softly. He hadn’t thought about the first time they met since that night. For some reason, he couldn’t seem to remember much when he wasn’t with April. He only knew that when he was with her again, he felt better.
They had met every night since their first encounter—same time, same place. Paul would always leave her feeling on cloud nine, but by the time he reached his apartment, he’d be a wreck. Why was he never able to ask her the important questions when they were together? It seemed a bit ridiculous to meet someone this randomly and have it work out. He would just text her his questions or call, but she didn’t have a phone. He would then realize how stupid he’d been for not asking to meet in the day. Why hadn’t he asked?
The pair would be walking side by side and laughing, while Marvin was pressed to Paul’s other side, occasionally letting out a low grumble if Bunny got too close.
“Marvin, knock it off!” Paul would say.
Marvin would hunker down and look apologetic before setting off again and sticking even closer to Paul’s side. After a particular instance of Paul scolding Marvin, he glanced towards the big brown feline that squatted a few feet away. He gasped slightly, but his nerves quickly subsided when April’s hand brushed his. He looked back at Bunny. Cats don’t smile, he thought. Do they?
Occasionally, April wouldn’t be waiting to greet Paul and Marvin at the entrance her building. Instead, Bunny would be blocking the stairs with her massive body. The first time this happened, Paul tried to approach her. He faltered and stopped moving when he looked at her expression. The amber eyes burned into him and left him feeling his close proximity to this predator for the first time. Her lips pulled back to reveal razor sharp teeth. Marvin began growling and tugged on the leash in Paul’s hand. Paul stood, transfixed on the cat’s eyes. It contorted its face to look like it was laughing again. Mocking Paul. As if she knew something he didn’t. He hated that cat. Rage filled his body.
“Go to hell!” He yelled, screaming at the darkened building.
“Dude, whatever drugs you’re on, I want some.”
Paul glanced behind him to see a homeless man staring at him. He turned back around,
but the building was gone, along with Bunny. And April.
He let Marvin lead him home, feeling more lost than he ever had been before. When he later questioned April about his terrifying ordeal with Bunny and the
disappearing building, she just shook her head and responded, “Bunny was with me the whole time, and the building didn’t disappear as far as I know.”
“And where were you?”
“I wasn’t feeling well.”
“This is why I wish I could have your number. Then you could’ve told me you wouldn’t
be around.”
“I already told you I don’t have a phone.”
“Why don’t we ever meet in the day?” Paul surprised himself with the question.
April’s eyes flashed. “I told you, I’m busy. If you don’t like it then maybe we don’t have
to meet anymore.”
Paul felt panic rising in his chest. April stuck around for him, so he’d stick around for
her. He couldn’t lose another person.
“You’re right, I’m sorry. Meeting at night is fine.”

Most of Paul’s friends were skeptical of his newfound relationship, especially Tom. They’d known each other since high school, and Tom was like a big brother to Paul. Paul felt his cheeks burn when he thought of his conversation with Tom the previous day. Tom had asked to meet at the local breakfast cafe. when Paul arrived, Tom was already at a booth. He looked up when Paul sat down, then resumed stirring his coffee.
“Hey, Tom, what’s up?” Paul drummed his fingers on the table top. When Tom made no move to speak, Paul pulled Tom’s cup from him. His hand shot forward to snatch it back. Coffee spilled down the sides of the mug onto both of their hands.
“Ow! Tom! what was that for? What’s your problem!”
Tom leaned close to Paul. “My Problem? What’s your problem!”
“What do you mean?”
Tom sighed before he began talking in hushed tones. “What’s been going on these past
few months, Paul? First, you told me you have trouble sleeping so you walk around the city at night. Now, you say you suddenly meet this girl in the middle of the night in a random previously unknown location who refuses to meet in the day and has no cell phone. Does that sound about right?”
Paul began to feel the doubt creep in again. He just needed to see April and talk to her-then he’d feel better.
“Paul? Paul!” Tom’s hand was waving in front of his eyes. Tom sighed and looked at Paul’s face.
“And this happens, too. It’s like you go somewhere else.” His eyes softened when he met Paul’s.

“Do you think, I don’t know, that you may need to go see someone? Like, get some help? How much have you been sleeping lately anyways? It hasn’t been too long since Bianca. And I know when you were little you had that thing with your parents-“
“No!” Paul surprised even himself at the snarl emitted from his lips. Tom gaped at him before shaking his head. Paul straightened himself. “She’s real Tom. I’m fine! I’m not going crazy! Come with me tonight and meet her, then you’ll see.”
Paul realized he’d stopped walking when he felt Marvin tug on the leash in his hand. They continued to walk through the mist when a called greeting stopped them. Tom was huddled under a streetlamp. His shoulders seemed to relax when he saw a familiar face. Paul nodded to Tom and they began walking in silence to April’s apartment.
“It’s weird I’ve never heard of this part of town before,” Tom paused to look at Paul. “I didn’t even know the neighborhood extended all the way back here.”
Paul remained silent. He’d show Tom. April was real. Paul was fine, there was nothing wrong with him. That’s what April said.
They arrived at her building and Paul let out a sigh of relief. Her apartment was still there. He suddenly felt panic. Why wouldn’t it be there? He wasn’t crazy. April was real. As he was thinking that, he saw April and Bunny appear in the doorway. April was waving.
“Tom! There they are! See? I’m not crazy!”

Paul was laughing now and beckoning April to come over. To his surprise, she shook her head no.
“Paul. There’s nobody there. There isn’t even a building there. This is an alleyway-there’s nothing.” Tom was inching towards Paul and rested a hand on his shoulder.
“Let’s go home, okay? We’ll sort this out tomorrow.”
Paul felt the panic rising in his chest. He wasn’t crazy. April was real. He was fine. April started motioning for him to come to her. This time Paul didn’t feel comforted. Bunny’s eyes were glinting in the darkness. He took a step forward.
“Paul! Come on, bud. We have to go home now!”
Paul began thrashing in Tom’s grip, struggling to get to April. She started to vanish in the darkness. He continued to struggle. Marvin whimpered and buried his nose in Paul’s leg.
“I’m fine, Tom! I’m not crazy! I can’t lose April, too!” He hunched over and to his surprise began crying. “I’m fine I said! But where’s Bianca? Where’s my mom? Where’s April? Why do they leave me? I’m not crazy!”
Tom wrapped an arm around his shoulder and began leading him away; Marvin pressed into him on the other side.
“We’re here for you. You aren’t crazy. Everything will be okay, Paul. Let’s go home and we’ll figure this out.”
Paul took one last look behind him. April’s arm dropped to her side and she stared at him before being swallowed by the darkness. He saw Bunny turn her head and for a brief minute they locked eyes. She pulled back her lips like she was laughing. Marvin raised his hackles and began barking at the cat as it disappeared into the shadows.