Shadow Man; A Dark Story of Jude Rutherford

Han Eduardo Dies

Staggering like a wounded soldier, I approached Han Eduardo in my human form. He had also returned to his human form... And he was dying.

Seeing me, he managed to smile.

"I knew you would come..."

His voice sounded like the crisping sound of biscuit crackers. Barely audible, burdened by friction and accompanied by coughs.

He tried to wear a smile on his face, but it faded the more he tried. He was in stinging pains of death.

"Who is he?" I questioned with a vengeful aura the identity of the dark giant mutant who killed my mother, I needed to know it now!

"This shadow power... We are not the only ones with it..." He uttered, faintly.

I figured that out by now. I had thought I was the only one who could harness the power of darkness and shadows, but the first day I saw Han, I knew that others might have my power. And with what I had seen tonight, I knew that the dark figure was a shadow himself.

"Who exactly is he?"

I was referring to his real identity. I wanted to know what his name was. Where he lived. Who his family was. Why he killed my mother. Something told me that Han knew all the answers. He just did not have the strength to respond.

His eyes went down on my body, and he suddenly jerked in suprise.

"Where is your bracelet?"

I checked my wrist. I remembered throwing away the bracelet my mother gave to me before coming out tonight. But what did that have to do with anything?

"That bracelet... You have to find it... Your mother... She gave it to you for a reason..."

Now that I thought about it, my shadow senses had begun to malfunction ever since the time when I threw the bracelet away. Could it be that...

"That bracelet is the reason you have been able to control your powers better than the other mutants..."

Many people went crazy when they got their powers, unable to control it. But unlike most of them, I was able to hide my powers from my family and from my school mates. I was able to live a normal life, switching between Shadow Man and Jude Rutherford anytime that I so wished. All this was possible only because of my mother's bracelet?

"Without it... You will be in trouble... The world will be in trouble..."

I never knew the bracelet was so important. I only saw it as a means to reconnect with mother. That was why I threw it away... So I could forget all about her...

Loud sirens came from faraway. Somehow, the police had gotten to know of the mutant clash of chaos that had just happened. They had devised new ways to detect extreme mutant conflicts, just to reduce the carnage on our dear city.

I tried to bend closer to Han to help him get up so we could leave before the police arrived.

"No! Just go. Find the bracelet."

I stood still for seconds, unaware of what exactly to decide.

The flashlights came from behind. They were getting closer to the scene.

"Go, Rutherford!! Go!!!"

I turned towards the night, transiting to Shadow Man again. As I disappeared into the night, I glanced back at Han Eduardo for the last time. He has transited into his shadow form too, ready to die with his identity concealed.

The police cars lined up around him in numbers, and as I flew higher, the scene became smaller. Till I could no longer see Han, till the flashlights of all the cars became a single tiny shining hole.

Going back home, my shadow powers kept malfunctioning. By the time I was back in my street, I could no longer endure it.

"Oh shit!!!" I cursed, smashing onto the ground with a thumpy force after having to switch abruptly to my human form.

Hurriedly, I dashed towards the ground beneath my window. That was where I had thrown the bracelet earlier. But it was not there. I searched everywhere, I could not find it.

When I finally found one bracelet, it did not have the golden line. It was not mine, probably one of Bruno's protection bracelets.

"Where the hell did it go?!"

Han's dying words rang in my head again.

"Without it... You will be in trouble... The entire world will be in trouble..."

"Your mother... She gave it to you for a reason..."

But I could no longer find it. It was gone!

With nothing else to do and with a heart full of grief, I staggered towards the door of my home. Normally, I would enter through the window but now I could no longer count on my shadow powers.

I expected the door to be locked but as I pressed through, it opened.

"Jude...?"

Father was in the living room. It was as if he was waiting for me.

"Where have you been? I have looked for you all over? Don't tell me you sneaked away just for a girl..."

The tears in my heart swelled up.

Being an extremely brave, stronghearted, young man, there were barely times when I cried. But tonight was just different. Tonight was the night I found the man who killed my mother, and I was not able to do anything. Tonight was the night when I lost the special gift that my mother gave to me all those years ago. My eyes were red with pain.

"Jude, what happened?" He held me up by my shoulders and looked into my eyes.

"I thought you left..."

"I changed my mind," he said. "I decided it is high time I stop appearing and disappearing whenever I like. As a family, we have to be there for each other. I have to be there for you".

He threw a hug around my downtrodden shoulders. That was probably the first time I would hug my father since I became a teenager. It felt weird, but it gave me solace after everything that had just happened.

"Do not worry son, I am here for you now..."

I knew I needed to find my bracelet, and I needed to find it as fast as possible. Then I needed to find that giant shadow again, so I could take my revenge. So I could seek justice for my mother.