Shadow Man; A Dark Story of Jude Rutherford

The Foundation of Everything

"You petty thief!" I sneered at Dylan. He responded with a dismissive wave and continued to speak on the phone, negotiating the price for the precious bracelet my mother bequeathed to me and me only.

But I was not ready to allow him to conclude his negotiations. Not in a lifetime.

"It is not for sale!" I made that as clear as light, screaming into his phone and forcing him to end the call.

"What is your problem, Jude?"

My problem? He wanted to know my problem! My problem was that I had a whole city getting ready to be consumed by the roaring flames of mutant fires! A whole city waiting to be saved by me and I was not even able to use my powers, scared that I would become a shadow monster again all because some random kid that lives in my house wants to become a pirate of bracelets.

"You are not the one who found it. I found it." He defended his theft immediately, almost as if he had been preparing for my confrontation.

"And that's because I left it there where you found it."

"That