Far From Neverland by Rylee Hale

Author:Rylee Hale [Hale, Rylee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Vicious City Press
Published: 2023-01-09T16:00:00+00:00

The auditorium is packed. The noise of the crowd reaches backstage as I run around helping the students who need last minute tweaks to their instruments. There’s so much nervous energy back here that it becomes contagious and starts infecting even me.

By the time I make my way to the sound booth at the back of the auditorium, I’m sweating profusely—thankful that I chose my darkest green dress shirt for this occasion so any sweat stains aren’t as noticeable—and trying not to make eye contact with anyone in the audience. Most of them are already in their seats, facing the stage where there are dozens of chairs and instruments set up and waiting for their musicians. We’re a small community college, so the auditorium isn’t as big as some. However, it looks like most of the seats will be filled, which is still pretty impressive. And a little intimidating.

Simon is at the lighting console when I approach. “Dude, we have a front light out.”

“Seriously?” I look up at the catwalk, and sure enough, one of the lights is out. “Fuck.”

“You want me to—”

“Nah, I got it,” I say as I’m already walking away, not about to make the man with the sprained ankle go up there.

Glancing up at the catwalk, I think how easy it would be to fly up there. Well…once upon a time it would have been easy. I still haven’t tried to fly since I got my memories back—or use my magic at all. I’m sure I’ll be rusty. Or maybe I can’t fly at all anymore. Though, if that’s the case, I’m going to have a much bigger problem than a light being out.

Like my shadow devouring all of Neverland.

Yeah, that would be a much bigger problem.

A long time ago, my shadow was a part of me. I always kept it close. Because it was the darkest parts of me turned flesh…well, almost. Not quite flesh. He’s made of darkness and shadow and smoke. He started pulling away from me little by little without my notice until he got too out of hand. Neverland banished him. It was my fault, I’ll admit to that. I had one responsibility as a child. One. Keep my shadow on a short leash. Because I knew what it was capable of. I knew if given the chance, it could grow more powerful than me. It could kill Neverland’s star and swallow everything in darkness.

I don’t know how he escaped whatever prison Neverland made for him, but it seems that’s exactly his plan.

I can’t let that happen. I only hope I remember how to fly.

After taking the stairs up to the catwalk, I go over to the light that’s out. I check it, and I’m pretty sure it’s the bulb. There are some extra bulbs at the end of the catwalk, so I go get one. As I’m walking back to the light, something catches my eye from below.

There’s a bright glint in my periphery. It’s brief, like a flash of lightning.

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