Darkness Rising (Book Two of the Into the Shadows Trilogy)

By Karly Kirkpatrick

**The Into the Shadows finale, After Dawn, is now available!**

Branded as an Enemy of the State, Paivi Anderson left everything behind to start a new life. Torn from her parents and now a fugitive from justice, along with her brother, Torsten, and former frenemy Christian, she is desperate to save her family and escape her country's tyrannical rule . But in order to outsmart the Anti-Terrorism Coalition, she'll need to learn to control her powers. When Paivi discovers the true meaning of the EOS list, she realizes that she may end up saving much more than just her parents.

Darkness Rising is the second book in the Into the Shadows Trilogy is 50,000 words. Look for Book Three in Fall, 2012.

Check out Karly Kirkpatrick's other titles:
Into the Shadows (Book One of the Into the Shadows Trilogy)
Bloody Little Secrets
The Green
EIGHT - A Collection of Short Stories

For more info on Karly Kirkpatrick and her books visit her website...karlykirkpatrick DOT com

You may also enjoy books by the following authors:

The Soulkeepers (a trilogy) by G.P. Ching
Anathema (The Cloud Prophet Trilogy) by Megg Jensen
Sleepers (The Swarm Trilogy) by Megg Jensen
Loramendi's Story (The Lords of Shifters Series) by Angela Carlie
How to Date an Alien (a trilogy) by Magan Vernon

• Language: English
• Publisher: Karly Kirkpatrick
• Release date: Jun 3, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476184555

Karly Kirkpatrick

Karly Kirkpatrick lives in Elgin, Illinois, with her husband and daughter. INTO THE SHADOWS is the first of many books to come. Find out more at www.karlykirkpatrick.com. Read more about Karly's upcoming releases and other quality ebooks at DarkSide Publishing, www.darksidepublishing.com.

Book preview

Darkness Rising

Book Two of the Into the Shadows Trilogy

by Karly Kirkpatrick

Copyright © 2012 by Karly Kirkpatrick, Smashwords Edition

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the author or publisher.

For Missy, Seamus the Pirate, Diamond Lil and Salty Bob, and all the other stars in the sky.

First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.


Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Martin Niemöller, 1946

Chapter 1

Paivi stood, frozen to the spot, just like she was in all her visions. She struggled to move but her feet were nailed to the floor. The walls pressed against her in the heat of the day. The thin wooden walls of the shack did little to keep the stifling air out. Dust filtered between the planks and floated in the sunlight.

In front of her stood a man, tall and tan. He wore army fatigues that were the same color brown as the shack and the dirt outside covering the ground. Large, rocky mountains loomed off in the distance. The man’s face was chiseled, nose and jaw sharp. His broad shoulders led to muscular arms, encircled by a tight, tan cotton shirt. His arms hung at his sides, twitching and occasionally fingered the large leather bullwhip rolled up and attached to a clip on his belt. His eyes were fixed on the subject below, narrowed and intent.

I will ask you one last time, said the man gently, almost kindly, but with a snarl twisting his lips. Who did it?

The pile of rags spoke, its voice raspy and rattling.

"I told you, sir. It emphasized its final word. I don’t know anything."

The man’s nostrils flared and his eyes widened. He snatched the bullwhip from his belt and in one flick of his wrist lashed the long braided leather across the dirty rags. Aside from the loud crack that echoed in the small room, the pile of rags was silent. A gaunt face rose from the floor. The sunken eyes glistened with anger, but continued to look toward the floor, not daring the bullwhip to a second attack. The rags hung from the man’s frame. They had once been clothes.

She recognized those eyes.

They belonged to her father.

Anger welled in Paivi’s core. If only she could move, she would make sure he couldn’t touch her father again. Rage coursed through her veins.

The man flicked his wrist again.

CRACK!

The tip of the whip lashed its target, slicing through the ragged clothes.

CRACK! CRACK!

Another blow, then another as blood spattered onto the wall behind the heap. Her father showed his face again, his lips pulled back in agony, eyes wide with horror. He sank back to the floor, limp and unconscious.

Paivi could hear herself screaming, the noise piercing her own ears and somewhere she thought she recognized the sound of shattering glass. She hoped she had startled the man with the whip, but when she opened her eyes the scene had changed. At least she was awake this time. Around her floated concerned faces. Her eyelids fluttered, the view obscured by a veil of tears.

They’re getting worse, a familiar voice muttered.

She struggled to sit up. Torsten put his hand on her shoulder and helped her up. His dark eyes were red and puffy; his mouth firmly set in worry.

It’s getting worse, Torsten repeated.

I heard you the first time, she snapped back, not wanting to see her brother’s reaction to her harshness.

I should try to be a little nicer to him, she thought to herself. He didn’t deserve this. We didn’t deserve this.

It had been three months since Paivi and Torsten Anderson, and their friend Christian Nelson had been dropped off on the frigid Canadian shores of Lake Superior. After fleeing President Stevens and the Anti-Terrorism Coalition, Paivi felt like they were in limbo. Unable to return to their old life and unable to move forward.

Paivi should have been grateful. Without their cousins, Tim and Alissa, they would have never made it to safety. In the woods near the lakeshore, they had discovered the cabin. Inside were people much like themselves, not criminals, but special—and hoping to survive.

Lil was the only constant. Others came and went on their way quickly. Paivi still ached for her parents. And, unfortunately for Paivi, she could see what was happening to them in the camp they’d been sent to by the ATC. Or rather what was most likely going to happen to them. This did not make her life any easier.

Since arriving at the cabin, Paivi had been tormented with visions she did not want to see, but couldn’t stop. It was as if someone had flipped a switch and, any time her brain was idle, thousands of images came pouring in. She couldn’t control them but was frantic for them to stop.

Paivi avoided sleep, stuffing herself full of caffeine and passing time by walking around in order to stay awake. But none of it was successful. Eventually she would collapse in exhaustion and awaken, thrashing and screaming as her brain overflowed with disturbing pictures.

Paivi crossed the small room in two strides, her long legs making the distance short, and flung the door open.

I need some coffee, she mumbled as she headed down the thick wooden stairs.

The cabin was built out of the trees from the property. The large beams that held up the roof were nothing more than tree trunks with the bark removed. Despite the open design, the walls still felt tight. It didn’t help that in spite of the calendar reading the first day of spring, the piles of snow outside said otherwise. The bright sun reflected off the snow crystals and spilled through the grand windows across the glossy wooden floor. A fire crackled in the fireplace, casting a glow of its own and filling the room with warmth.

Paivi stomped past the cozy scene into the kitchen, a room choked with country-style decorations.

How’d ya sleep? asked a soft voice from the corner of the room. Lil sat drinking a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper, her white hair pulled back into a neat bun.

Paivi didn’t answer. Instead she grabbed a mug out of the drainer and headed straight for the coffee maker. After pouring a full cup, she walked slowly across the room, trying to sip from the full mug as she went. She slid the chair out from under the table with her foot and plopped down.

Like you need to ask, she said between sips.

What did you see?

My father being beaten by that maniac. She took another deep sip from the mug. Curls of steam carried the beautiful scent through her nostrils, making her body instantly perk up. I swear Lil, if I ever meet that guy…

Well, not to burst your bubble sweetie, but other than spit in his face, I doubt you could do much. Lil set the paper down and looked at Paivi over her reading glasses. She shoved the front page forward. The headline read SEND EOS BACK and in the photo was a group of haggard people in handcuffs marching to large police trucks.

Ugh, Paivi groaned. I should have guessed Canada wouldn’t want us either. Especially after the incident in Edmonton.

Canada had initially been welcoming to the Enemies of the State refugees from America, however, they revised their stance due to public pressure after an EOS refugee had murdered a family of five in Edmonton. He left the family’s bloody heads lined up on the front porch for police to find.

We’ll discuss this more after breakfast. We’re going to need a plan if you all are gonna stay safe here. Lil gathered up the paper and grabbed the comics. Ah, just what I was looking for, she uttered with a smile.

Paivi couldn’t take her eyes off the photo. It wasn’t long ago that her own parents were dragged away by the ATC. Paivi, Torsten, and Christian would have most likely suffered the same fate if they had stuck around.

Lil stared at her for a moment and then patted her hand.

I so wish I could help you get through this and make the visions stop, but I’ve never met anyone with such a strong ability. Your powers are way more advanced than mine. Compared to you, I’m lucky I can predict what we’ll have for dinner tonight! She chuckled at her own joke before returning to her paper.

Paivi couldn’t help but let out a little giggle. She sucked down another sip of coffee. Lil had been so kind to take them in.

Torsten shuffled into the kitchen. She took a good look at her little brother. He looked older and a bit taller. He had always been tall, like Paivi, but she swore he was starting to pass her up. His dark hair had been shaved and dyed blond for their escape to Canada. Lil had shaved the blond off and it grew back dark and wavy once again. Dark circles ringed his eyes and his thin face seemed to be a permanent shade of gray.

Her own blond hair had been cut short and dyed black before they left. Lil had helped her keep it that way. Paivi didn’t feel the blond was her anymore. Blond Paivi was someone else, from another time.

Christian followed Torsten through the door, his white-blond hair sticking up in all directions. He was the only one who hadn’t changed his hair color.

I think you should consider that style your new look, Christian. Paivi snickered.

He rolled his ice-blue eyes at her. Just a few months ago, Paivi was terrified of those same eyes. To think she used to hate him because he used her ability to illegally bet on sports. It seemed like an eternity had passed since they had first met.

Less than a year ago life had been so different. President Stevens’ success at removing the Enemies of the State from the public had not only made Paivi lose her parents, but her friends too. She thought about Jason often and wondered if her maybe-almost boyfriend was all right. She’d tried sending him messages through her magic locket after Christian showed her how it worked. But it still hadn’t given her that message-received status she so desperately wanted.

Paivi sank back into her chair. She took a sip of coffee and let the warmth roll around her mouth before making a hot trail down to her stomach. She had to figure out something soon. She couldn’t live on coffee and sleepless nights forever.

Chapter 2

Lil originally had a lot of people move through her cabin. When Paivi first arrived, there were eight people staying there. They were all adults and were only using the cabin as a stopover to their final destination. Paivi, Torsten, and Christian had nowhere else to go and very little money left after helping Lil with groceries every month. They thought they might appeal to the Canadian government for refugee status, but after the reports circulated about how EOS refugees were being sent back to the U.S., Paivi realized they needed a new option.

Paivi reclined on the couch in front of the roaring fire as dusk settled around the house. She was excited because the light stayed just a little bit longer every day. She’d never known such a dark place and longed for the warmth of the sun. The fire helped a bit, but she would give anything for palm trees and a beach, not that she had that back in St. Andrew, Illinois, but it would be nice in any case. She sipped her coffee. It was piping hot and if she closed her eyes she could feel the warmth spread down to her fingers and her toes.

Christian plopped down on the couch next to her. He grabbed the remote and the TV popped on. More images of the EOS refugee roundup splashed across the screen behind a news reporter. Christian flipped the channels, only to find more of the same until he landed on a cartoon station. The corner of Paivi’s mouth lifted briefly as she watched Wile E. Coyote trying to outsmart and catch the Road Runner. She could identify with the Road Runner—but he made escaping look so much easier and so much less tragic.

That’s the most I’ve seen you smile since we’ve gotten here, Christian said, turning to look at her.

Dude, what’s there to smile about? Her face crumbled back into a frown.

I think it’s time we come up with a plan. We need to move, do something. We can’t stay here forever. Christian stretched his arms and folded them behind his head.

We say the same thing every day, but look at us—we’re kids. We have nothing. No money, no papers. We’re stuck here. Sometimes I almost wish I was with my parents. Her voice dropped to a whisper at the end, hoping that Torsten wasn’t around to hear her negative thoughts.

Christian turned to gaze at her again. You can say that all you want, but let’s be honest. No matter how pissed off we are that we’re stuck here, doing nothing, if our parents knew we were safe, out of Stevens’ grasp, they would feel that it was the best possible situation. If we could only send them a message.

He fingered the chain of the amulet that hung around his neck. It had the same ability as Paivi’s locket. It sent messages to