Shadow

21 | Resistance

[nerfthis]

[roderick-nott]

  Is there a difference?

Now is this a social visit or do you need somethin’?

[shadowlawrence-blog]

Social visit. I was bored.

[roderick-nott]

  I might’ve been avoidin’ you, just a little. [he chuckles, looking over at her and nudging her arm slightly] Here and there, makin’ friends all over New Hope.

You could never have enough friends.

[shadowlawrence-blog]

You were not!

Friends or allies?

[cainesykes-deactivated20160516]

We Were Once Young and Alive || Caine & Shadow [Past Paragraph]

[cainesykes-deactivated20160516]

    “And look at me now,” he spun around slow, trying to give her the full effect of his transformation. It was childish and completely unlike him but he figured why not pull out all the stops. It was what he was good at, made for, employed for. It was all anyone ever praised him for- if you’d call it praise, and he didn’t mind it one goddamn bit. Hell, he didn’t need someone to scratch him behind the ear and give him a treat. He didn’t need praise or emotional attachment to keep him alive, he relied on his wits, charm and street smarts. Surviving nineteen years proved that he was on the right track so why stop now? Sure, to her he may have changed a bit but on the inside Caine had only grown harder, more detached and lethal to those around him. Now he just had to figure out a way to see if she was positive or not and maybe he wouldn’t have to deal with a remembrance of his past life any longer. “No thanks needed,” he took a swig and smirked a little knowing full well it was selfish on his part instead of a god sent.

  Looking out at the dance floor when she did he noticed how sloppier they’d gotten and he probably would have reconsidered too. “They look like circus animals. Even drunk I can’t see that being attractive,” he laughs a bit into his drink feeling buzzed after a few too many beers. 

[shadowlawrence-blog]

Shadow laughed when he spun, "It's amazing. Who would have thought you would have gotten less cute." She teased, clearly not meaning it. She shifted her weight a little. "What happened to you after that?" She asked curiously, wondering if he had had better luck than she had. She hoped he had. Shadow crinkled her nose, "They are essentially circus animals." She said and shook her head. "Are you a dancer, or do you just walk around mingling with one tipsy girl to the next?"

[mahoneyskids]

  Guess I gotta watch out for you then.

[shadowlawrence-blog]

Got something you're hiding, Skids? 

[roderick-nott]

  Shadow Lawrence, aren’t you a little far from O’Donahue’s hideaway?

[shadowlawrence-blog]

You call this far?

Where have you been, Roderick Nott?

[cainesykes-deactivated20160516]

We Were Once Young and Alive || Caine & Shadow [Past Paragraph]

[cainesykes-deactivated20160516]

  "More like a side piece," he chuckled, making a mockery out of his position. Although he was important in the Carnie realm he wouldn’t boast about it or call himself second in command to an outsider- it didn’t sit right unless they were in the group and they needed to know their place. Shifting a little he held up his beer for a moment and moved to the side to get another beer from the makeshift bar. Handing it to her and placing the empty bottle on the table behind her he clinked their bottles then took a long sip of his own. "Has to be more than that you were pint sized," he chuckled again and listened to the music slow down slightly then pick up again. By the look of her reaction to it he figured she liked it, "Why don’t you go dance?"  

[shadowlawrence-blog]

"Thanks," She said and took the beer, taking another swig and quite sure he wasn't going to drug her. "You're one to talk, I was taller than you and I was shrimpy." Shadow said and laughed a little. Shadow fell quiet for a moment, thinking. "Thanks by the way, I don't know if I ever got to thank you."  Shadow looked out to the dance floor, debating. "Nah, not drunk enough to deal with creeps I don't know dry humping me." She admitted, but moved with the beat of the music in her spot.

[cainesykes-deactivated20160516]

We Were Once Young and Alive || Caine & Shadow [Past Paragraph]

[cainesykes-deactivated20160516]

  He took another swig of his beer and finished it off only to have his replaced with another by a passing Carnie. He chuckled for a moment, finding the situation as amusing as anyone would- seeing how people only did that for Mac and that was because he was too drunk to a point of not getting up. As he listened to her reply he merely nodded, placing the beer to his lips and then bringing it down again, “I’m starting to wonder why myself.” A smirk fell onto his lips once again, taking a sip and raising an eyebrow. Something, he wasn’t sure what, began to click and made the gears turn in his head. It made him itch recalling the past or having someone to remember from the past which is why he barely did. They were nothing more than blurred faces to him, so why did he remember her? “Shadow,” he tipped his bottle towards her and then took another swig before laughing, “Shadow, hell, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.”

[shadowlawrence-blog]

Shadow watched his beer being replaced and raised an eyebrow, "You the leader here or somethin'?" She asked, getting near the end of her beer. Her eyes scanned the crowd as the song changed, causing a smirk to itch on the corner of her lips. She liked this song. Her attention went back to Caine as she watched the gears turn. She wanted to be bummed he guessed because she liked messing with him, but her grin proved that it was a useless thought because she wasn't peeved at all. She smirked and tapped his bottle, "'Bout time there, Carnie. I thought you might have amnesia or something." She teased before she laughed a little. "A decade at least."

[cainesykes-deactivated20160516]

We Were Once Young and Alive || Caine & Shadow [Past Paragraph]

[cainesykes-deactivated20160516]

  "I guess you just look like someone who wouldn’t, but you see over there-" he lifts his drink to the gaggle of girls in the middle of the dance floor drunkenly dancing on top of one another, "-I can tell you without knowing them they have simple names, something you could pull out of a hat and get it right in an instant. Amber or Tiffany or something cliched and old fashioned. Names that you still hear because they are pass their retirement but when I look at you I don’t see that." The words didn’t come across as flirtatious or wildly complimentary just genuine sounding which was something he was very good at. The only person who potentially saw through the charade was Julian for obvious reasons- a con artist at this magnitude can always spot a con artist. 

[shadowlawrence-blog]

Shadow looked where he pointed but didn't say anything. She saw the girls, sloppy drunk. She didn't get that wasted unless she was with a group she trusted. She wasn't in that situation. She sipped her beer and looked back to Caine. "You're implying they're born with mundane names so they choose mundane lives." She pointed out. "But you're right, I'll give you a hint- starts with an S." Shadow said, uncrossing her arms and recrossing them. "And I'm sad you don't remember me." She said with no real hint of sadness in her voice, in fact it was pure amusement. Shadow was having a good time, the conversation was more stimulating than she'd had in a while.

[cainesykes-deactivated20160516]

We Were Once Young and Alive || Caine & Shadow [Past Paragraph]

[cainesykes-deactivated20160516]

    He bobbed his head somewhat to make it seem like he was enjoying the music and looked to the side for a moment to check on the party. Everyone was in their places for the next shift but Marcus had disappeared from his line of sight. Sure, he shouldn’t have to keep tabs on him but who knew what the kid could be up to. The next thing he knew he was back and Caine didn’t have to stop his conversation to look for him which proved to be the better option- not that he would want to stay and chat anyway but it was better than following that drunkard around. Looking back towards the girl he watched her shake her head, shifting weight so he could drink in every bit of her but nothing came to mind. “Come on, not even a first letter? Or two,” he laughed and took another swig, “-there are millions of names out there and you don’t look like the type to have a common one.”

[shadowlawrence-blog]

Shadow merely shrugged when he asked first, when he continued she mirrored his drinking. "I look like an uncommon name? Do people really look like their names, though?" She asked curiously, she associated people with names- like Caine couldn't be a Brad because the Brad she knew was an idiot. But Caine could be a Declan, Phillip or Chris even.

[cainesykes-deactivated20160516]

We Were Once Young and Alive || Caine & Shadow [Past Paragraph]

[cainesykes-deactivated20160516]

  It was laughable how she suggested he owned the place, knowing he only did at face value but the truths of the underground held him beneath the boot that he kissed on the daily- metaphorically speaking. For now he smiled, looking down for a moment and then flicked his eyes back upward to take another swig of his beer and watch her amusing grin. She thought she’d take him off guard, he could see it in her eyes but he wasn’t bothered by her knowing his name. Sure, he had no clue who she was but if you walked around this party without knowing his name then there wasn’t a reason for you to be there in the first place. Although the way she said it implied that she knew him aside from hearing it in passing and to which made him question where from exactly. Far too many years in between foster homes and parties even though he had only been in the Carnies for several years- nobody made enough of a fuss to be remembered in such a way. “Since you know my name, it’s only fair that you give me yours.”

[shadowlawrence-blog]

Shadow took another sip of her beer and watched Caine. She took in his movements, how he’d grown, the color of his hair and his deeper voice. She had to admit she didn’t remember what his voice sounded like, but the way he spoke was familiar. Shadow raised an eyebrow when he suggested her tell him her own name and she shook her head, “Nah, I think I’m going to see how long it takes for you to guess it.” She countered, shifting her weight a bit more so she was facing the Carnie more square on.

[cainesykes-deactivated20160516]

We Were Once Young and Alive || Caine & Shadow [Past Paragraph]

[cainesykes-deactivated20160516]

    “What gave it away,” he replied with his words soaked in honey. He could work on a little bit of a fake buzz and a questionnaire. It would soon be well on its way to learning more about her in the process which he really only needed her name. A name could do wonders for someone in his position and made things a helluva lot easier. He took into account the way she was dressed, her body language. The clothes themselves looked used and out of fashion but still relatively decent to wear out and the jewelry wasn’t expensive but they weren’t gaudy either. His next thought was if anyone would miss her if she’d decide to disappear. 

[shadowlawrence-blog]

“You walk around like you own this place, my guess is you basically do.” She said simply, her eyes glancing over the crowd before she looked back to Caine. “And this is a Carnie party.” She pointed out. Shadow looked him over and let a smirk play on her lips. She was amused by how grown up he looked. She supposed she grew too, but he was always a kid in her mind. “Looks like you’re doing well for yourself, Caine.” She dropped his name, knowing it might catch him off guard since they had ‘never’ met before.

[cainesykes-deactivated20160516]

We Were Once Young and Alive || Caine & Shadow [Past Paragraph]

[cainesykes-deactivated20160516]

    Bringing his hand to his mouth Caine bit the excess skin around his nail and spat it to the side then washed his mouth out with beer. Focused on nothing in particular he witnessed a glint at the corner of his eye- something that sparkled in the light of the party balls and spots around the makeshift and easy to dismantle dance floor. It was rare that anything would pull him away from the mindless games he’d play with himself. Usually they would consist of staring into nothingness and if someone thought he was staring at him they would come up to him with eagerness unknown to him and talk him up before he’d get bored and ignore them. It would be mindless drunken babble anyway, talk consisting of the same phrases and mumbles to ensure that they knew you were getting the gist of what they were saying. He loathed it unless he was far too intoxicated to actually stand it but Julian wouldn’t let him get that way. He wanted him sharp and on high alert meaning no potential fun for Caine.

   Shifting about a quarter of a degree to the object in question he found that it was earrings attached to a girl he hadn’t seen before at least not where the parties had been concerned. She wasn’t a Carnie, he would have known that even if she hadn’t lived on the grounds. No, she was knew meat meaning he’d have to find out who she was and tear her life apart. It was his job after all, find out if they are trait positive and send them down to be gutted like a fish. Putting on his best smile he picked up another beer and then plucked the empty one out of her fingers before giving her the fresh one. “You looked like you needed a drink.”

[shadowlawrence-blog]

Shadow had noticed a boy approaching but she didn't look his way. It didn't seem to matter, he inserted himself into her line of sight with a fresh drink and an intriguing voice. She looked to him finally, glancing at the beer before she lifted it in a sort of thanks and took a swig. "You were correct." She said, but took no more of the drink. She watched Caine curiously before she laughed and clicked her tongue. "You're a carnie?" She asked, well aware of who he was but pretty sure he didn't remember her. She could play with this, Shadow liked games anyway. It made things more interesting.

[cainesykes-deactivated20160516]

We Were Once Young and Alive || Caine & Shadow [Past Paragraph]

  In the eyes of the Carnies there was always an excuse for a party. No matter the occasion or circumstance Mac was on board and with the blood bags running far too low for Julian’s liking that played a big part in the decision. Caine was the man to get the word out- sending anonymous messages to potential trait positive seventeen year old kids as well as a few friends of their own. It was an insurance policy; having enough people ensured too many faces and not knowing all of their names, so if someone managed to go missing during the rager nobody would have a clue.

  The party was in full swing by the time Caine had taken one of the known trait positive persons down to the tunnels and placed them into a cage like an animal. Once the party would end he would go back down and finish the job but for the time being he had to make his existence known to the public. It was basically his job to secure a good evening for all, even though he couldn’t give a shit to begin with. Even if they were just a front for Julian’s escapades, he played the considerate party host well.

  The Carnies were enjoying themselves as well as working the party. Each person was assigned a job from working the door to grabbing more kegs from the stash- even Marcus, a try hard who would suck Julian’s cock if it meant he could have Caine’s job, made an effort to be nice to the wide eyed forty milers. Caine pounded a few fists, hugged a few girls who shouted at him from behind the makeshift bar and wiggled bags of drugs in front of eager faces before Mac got a hold of it and finished it for himself. It seemed to be a decent enough night with the smell of sweat and alcohol mixing through the air. Laughter and mindless conversations being drowned out by the sound of the music and no government agents in sight. Taking a beer from one of the tables- opened and half drunk, he swigged it and nursed it to his chest, watching the mass of drunkards have their fun for the evening.

[shadowlawrence-blog]

Shadow had grown bored being cooped up in her room. Not having much else to do, she pounced on the idea of a party once word got around. She dressed up, something she rarely did anymore and got ready to make people stare. It was something she was good at, shallow attention because she refused to go any deeper than that. Shadow wore her hair down, make up glittered around her eyes giving them a smokey affect. Large earrings that shimmered gold, bringing out the golden flecks in her eyes. Shadow arrived a little late, she had been ready with plenty of time to get there even early- but she didn't want to be that kid. She waited an hour at least before she sauntered through the door. Before she knew it she had a drink, not getting wasted yet. She would have to scope through the area first. There were lots of creeps, even if they were young creeps. So she took it upon herself to walk around the area, finding a place to linger and watch while the alcohol kicked in.

[tonywittick]

  Shadow? Odd name.

I suppose I might be able to help you. Depends on exactly what you’re looking for.

[shadowlawrence-blog]

I'm looking to let go and have a good time. 

As to what does it for me, I'm not picky.

[tonywittick]

  Hold on a second, I’m coming out—

…who are you and how did you get here?

[shadowlawrence-blog]

Shadow. I've heard this is the place to come if one wants some fun.

Thus I'm here now, can you help me out or do I need to find someone else around here?

[shadowlawrence-blog]

Hello!

Anyone home?