Helen Phifer - The Secrets Of The Shadows

When she was finally happy her picture was good enough she took it to show her mum, who was busy talking to Father John, who was always around lately. She hovered at the kitchen door until the priest took his eyes off her mum and smiled at her.

‘Hello Sophie, what have you got there? Let me see.’

Sophie walked reluctantly towards him and handed him the piece of paper. He took it from her and smiled, ‘I didn’t know you were a budding artist.’ He looked at the picture and his face froze. Sophie knew then that the priest had seen the shadow man before.

‘Why have you drawn this, have you seen this man Sophie?’

She nodded her head but didn’t speak; she didn’t want to make her mum angry again.

‘When did you see him?’

She looked across at her mum who had turned from stirring whatever it was she was cooking on the stove to watch them. Sophie walked up to Father John and stood on her tiptoes, she whispered in his ear, ‘Yesterday, upstairs and he doesn’t like me.’ Sophie’s mum Beth looked at her daughter, whose face was pale, and then at Father John. His face was whiter than Sophie’s.

‘What’s going on, what are you talking about Sophie? What did I tell you about making things up?’

Father John stood and passed the picture to her; she took it from him and blanched. ‘Sophie that’s horrible, why would you want to draw someone who looks like that? No wonder you’re scaring yourself. What have you been watching on the television?’

Father John turned to Sophie. ‘If you see him again I want you to tell me. Was he mean to you?’

Sophie nodded.

‘He doesn’t like me either, but I can make him go away. He may just have been passing through on his way somewhere else.’

The thought of this made Sophie feel better and for the first time since yesterday she didn’t have that sick feeling in her stomach. ‘I will. Do you really think so because I don’t like him and he smells really bad!’

Father John grinned at her. ‘I’m sure he was and yes he does smell really bad, like an old dustbin.’

They both started giggling and Beth shrugged her shoulders, she had no idea what they were talking about but let them get on with it.

Father John stood up to leave. ‘I’m going now but I’ll be back later, I’ll bring some holy water and bless Sophie’s room.’

Beth nodded her head. ‘You two are crazy but if it makes you feel better then knock yourself out.’

Father John winked at Sophie. ‘He doesn’t like holy water either, it smells too clean for him so he won’t come into your room.’

Sophie watched as he put his coat on, not wanting him to go. She felt safe with him here, especially if he knew about the shadow man. Father John walked to the front door and she followed him. He paused then fished around in his pocket. He pulled out a small, bronze St Michael medal and handed it to her. ‘Wear this or keep it with you, it will help.’

Beth looked at him. ‘Come on Father John, what are you trying to do, brainwash my daughter? Sophie go and get Sean and take him up to clean his teeth, I’ll be upstairs in a minute.’

Sophie turned and ran back to the living room to drag her brother away from the television. The priest waited until she was out of earshot. ‘I don’t think you understand Beth but there is a very real threat from this shadow man as Sophie calls him. I’ve seen him myself when I was a bit older than Sophie is now and he isn’t very nice.’

‘Are you expecting me to believe that my daughter has seen a ghost? Because I don’t believe in any of that nonsense.. You’re supposed to be a man of God; next you’ll be telling me that he’ll be popping around to speak to the children as well. I don’t want to hear any more about it and please don’t encourage her. I have enough to worry about.’

‘I’m sorry, you’re right Beth but you need to know whatever or whoever this shadow man is he is real. I was terrified of him when I was a boy. It was such a shock to see that drawing.’

‘Bye, Father.’

She shut the door and John turned and walked to the gate. He turned to look up and saw Sophie at the window with her face pressed against the glass, waving at him. He waved back and said a prayer to keep her safe, no-one knew what they were dealing with except him and he had blocked it out for twenty three years.

Father John walked the short distance to his church. The house that Beth and her children were living in belonged to the church. It was used as a house for poor families or anyone in desperate need. Beth had been in a desperate situation when Father John had met her for the first time with a black eye and broken nose. He had found her huddled at the corner of the church with her two children and a suitcase. He had only just joined the parish but he couldn’t ignore them. He had led them around to the presbytery, cradling a sleeping Sean in his arms. Beth had followed with Sophie and a battered suitcase. That had been nine months ago and he had watched Beth grow in confidence and they had become good friends. In fact, truth be told, he was in crisis at the moment because he very much wanted to be more than good friends and he knew that this could never be. He knew that he should be trying to distance himself from her but he couldn’t. He found himself drawn to her, to them, more than ever. He hadn’t felt this way before and wondered if it was because he wanted to protect them, protect her. Now this – how could the shadow man be here after all these years? John needed to speak with Father Robert, who was much older and wiser than him. He twisted the black iron ring on the church door and walked inside; he needed to pray. The silence inside the church reassured him and he felt as if he had come home, that God was waiting for him and it was a good feeling. Despite the internal conflict he was suffering he knew that this was where he truly belonged and that somehow God would help him.

Chapter 4

Annie woke to the smell of frying bacon and her stomach groaned, she was starving. Throwing the duvet back she swung her legs out of the bed, sitting on the edge for a minute in case she was mega hung over. She stood up and felt fine, no pounding head or churning stomach – Annie 1, alcohol 0. She got dressed and went into the bathroom to freshen up. Her hair was much better, it was now a short, shoulder-length bob and suited her much better than the half a skinhead she had been sporting last year. Wetting her fingers she ran them through her hair and scrunched it up and then she squirted some toothpaste onto her finger and rubbed it all over her teeth. At least she wouldn’t smell and she was excited to see Will and make it up to him. Last night was the first night they had spent apart since she had moved in with him.

Going downstairs into the kitchen she was greeted by a bright and breezy Alex who was making bacon and egg butties. Jake was nowhere to be seen.

‘The big guy’s in bed, he can’t move his head and has been up all night throwing up. Tequila obviously doesn’t agree with him as much as he thinks, but you my dear look fabulous so you can gloat over him all day if you want.’

‘I’d love to but I’ll save it until he’s back at work. I’d love a quick sandwich if it’s okay and then I’m off to go and see Will. I think I have a bit of grovelling to do.’

Alex grinned, ‘Well just don’t grovel too much and remember he was at fault as well.’ He handed her a sandwich made from two thick slices of freshly baked bread. Annie took a bite and groaned, ‘Thanks Alex, you know how to look after a girl.’

He began to laugh. ‘I do indeed.’ He looked in the direction of the stairs. Annie stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. As she turned to leave he shouted her back – he had her phone in his hand.