When Shadows Fall

A man stood on a cliffside watching his numerous workers meticulously move dirt from what seemed to be a large entrance in the valley below him. A chill ran down his spine. Man, why did I agree to take this job? This place gives me the heebie-jeebies.   He was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of another voice asking, "How much longer will it take for them to uncover the artifact, Mr. Grayson?"

The first man smiled, "Not much longer. I'd give it another half an hour and it will be completely uncovered."

The second man moved to stand beside him on the cliff, nodding his head. "Very good. We are back on schedule. That will please the boss very much, Mr. Grayson."

"I don’t want to upset the boss's schedule any further, Mr. Reinhardt. I know how he likes to keep things in order." He replied. The original schedule was 5 months, but due to the numerous setbacks they had had during this dig, it had been pushed to a year.

The first week, twelve of the workers mysteriously vanished and were never seen again. The others thought that they had gotten scared out of their wits and ran back home. Well, also put that with the numerous cave-ins and animal attacks that have stalled them in the weeks after, it caused his employers to be unhappy with their progess. Very unhappy. Keith thought as he absentmindly rubbed the angry red marks along his arms.

"I am pleased you have learned your lesson well, Mr. Grayson. It would have made me so very upset if I had to give you another lesson in time management. I do so abhor violence."

Keith started to shake, the memories of Mr. Reinhardt's previous lesson flashing through his mind, and he dropped to the ground in agony, the angry red marks glowing a brillant bright red. A scream tore from his throat causing Mr. Reinhardt to laugh heartily.

He knelt down, removing his sunglasses to reveal pitch black eyes with flecks of red swirling around the pupil. "That's the funny thing about my lessons, Keith. Anytime you remember anything from them, the pain will come back threefold, as if you are going through the lesson again and again. "

"That's enough Reinhardt. Let him up." A raspy voice reprimanded him.

Reinhardt rolled his eyes and placing his sunglasses back over his unnatural eyes, he snapped his fingers and Keith gasped in relief as the pain left him. Keith rolled onto his side facing the grizzled features of an elderly man seated in a wheelchair not three feet from him.

The old man smiled, but there was no warmth in his eyes, "I thought I overheard that we are right on schedule again, Mr. Grayson. Is that correct?"

Keith couldn't speak, the screaming had left his throat raw and bloodied. He could only nod in assent. He jumped when the old man started to laugh. "Good, Mr. Grayson, very good indeed! I have just one more request of you before you receive your payment."

Keith nodded, and asked with a scratchy voice, "What do you need, Mr. Setek?"

"Once the artifact is uncovered I need you to check for cracks in the structure. That way we can better assess how to transport it without further damage."

A sigh of relief left Keith in a rush, if that was all he had to do, then it was nothing at all. At first he had no problems working for Mr. Setek, but over time he started have his doubts. Even more so after Mr. Reinhardt's little lesson about 'Proper Time Management." Even the workers digging away in the valley below are frightened to death of both Mr. Setek and Mr. Reinhardt, if those were even their real names.

He slowly moved to stand up and answered, "Of course, Mr. Setek. I will go down there right now, so It can be done as soon as the workers are finished."

"Very good, Mr. Grayson. Just remember that this artifact is very rare and therefore comes with a hefty price tag as well. If you continue to do your job in a timely manner, you will be rewarded handsomely."

Keith nodded again and all but ran down the path leading to the main site.

When he was out of hearing range, Reinhardt turned to Mr. Setek and spoke again. “Why do we continue this façade? The artifact has been found. We should kill them all before-“

“No, Reinhardt. Why would we kill them before we know the full extent of it’s powers. Just think of it, this way it will take care of two birds with one stone, so to speak. I prefer to sit in the background while others do the dirty part of the job for you, Mr. Reinhardt. It is rather tiring doing it all by yourself and these humans are a dime a dozen and so easily persuaded by greed.”

Reinhardt threw his head back, roaring with laughter. “That is genius, Master! Let the human race be the cause of their very own destruction, oh how rich!” Chuckling darly, Mr. Setek replied, “Let’s go see how the artifact is coming along. We wouldn’t want to miss the unveiling, now would we?”

The man standing bowed, a sinister smile on his face and helped to turn the wheelchair around. He followed his master down the sloping path to the digsite. Dark clouds slowly began to gather overhead.

Mr. Setek spoke, “It has begun. Soon the Shadows will cover the earth and devastation will rain upon the human race once and for all.”