pte

omehow I never felt comfortable in running shorts. Even in hot weather I tended to go for the pants option. While I had skirts that showed nearly as much leg, somehow the thought of exposing that much skin while barreling full tilt through the world with a very p

excitement as he saw my stretches come to a close. I clipped his leash onto his collar and the two of us headed out. My breath puffed white in the air and I could see frosted dew on the

both me and Winston, although I'm sure the dog could do away with the warm up. On that first stretch I could alwa

things in the dark, the shadow monsters, wasn't an easy thing to forget. I was eight when it happened to us. Sean, a few months older, had just turned nine. It was

nd picnic baskets to the neighborhood park next to the community center for free entertainment. Along with us, of course, was nearly the entire

f puberty unless something drastic happened to give them a jolt. I remembered the cold fried chicken, which smeared grease on lips and fingers and giant bowls full of homemade potato salad. I remembered running around with the

nt the day in the freezer to make the insulated liner as cold as possible and copious amounts of ice were added b

chatting and laughing softly amongst themselves as we children ran ahead still filled with sugar amped energy. That night, Sean and I fell behind the mass group of screaming children, somehow beco

king more substantial than the rest of their bodies. They filled the space around us, separating us from everything in a great, gray cloud. Sean and I screamed in unison as something bit into my leg and something clawed at his arm. On instinct rather than conscious

t and the sudden silence their flight left behind seemed terrifying. The family explained it to the non-magical neighbors as an animal attack, a r

and told how we would need to spend the next thirty days complaining about the required shots an

ly, none was

from my bones with good honest sweat. Winston delighted in the faster speed, his powerful muscles working hard under his covering of fur and lo

catch my breath. Winston waggled his body in happiness. Sean was awake and sipping coffee when we re-entered the apartment. Dres

un?" he

wl had yet to be filled. "Yes, yes, I hear you, " I said as I picked up his bowl. I opened the cupboard and sc

only one who missed the m

en, I headed back to my room, took a quick shower and got dressed for the day. As I would be spending my day in the back of the shop, predominantly with sandpaper and varnish, my work clothes were significantly les

pushing aside nagging thoughts about

sounds like the usual; standard variations for each room so everything is similar, but not identical, followed by some individual pieces for impact in the public areas. In addition to th

y before the deadline. I can easily take a break when you need me, although I doubt I'll be company ready." My bagel finishe

g back into the shop, " Sean said. "It'll add that direct from the craftsm

f and his full belly in the patch of carpet illuminated by the sun streaming through the windows. I knew that throughout the day, he would gradually shift himself like a canine sundial as the sun moved. I liked to think he spent the day recharg

t the entire time sitting by the door waiting for us to return. Despite being a normally sociable creature, he didn't even acknowledge the other do

we could catch him. Since then we let him stay at home and he seemed content. As I watched him settle in for his sun bath I contemplated getting a second

"Be good, " I told him as he cracked an eye open. His stumpy tail waggl

d my keys. A short brisk walk later and I was in the Appleton Furniture Shop. I

e I was out of town and the new jobs that came in. As usual, it was a mix of reupholstering and refinishing and he let me know who each job had been d

ll-oiled machine, but didn't do well with surprises. "Gracie also might stop by, " I added. "She tried to

and liked to know where he could find people when things went off schedule as well as when the possible interruptions

e. Once in back, I shucked my coat and hung it on one of the pegs by the door. At the moment the workshop was silent. While Sammy always arriv

oad. In addition to the three, we had a couple of part time workers who came in when we had an extra-large job to do. With the

ny excess glue or slight imperfections from my work, wanting a satiny smooth texture to the surface before assembling and staining

essence of it. There were a host of people who either weren't in a living situation conducive to having shielding put on their homes because they didn't actually own th

shapes moving in the darkened yard, hungry eyes occasionally catching my gaze. After I woke up one night to find one of the s

to remind me to

ay-Glo yellow paint so I could see them in the dark, at least until the weather wore the paint off anyway. It not only kept the shadow creatures out of the house, but an entire yar

f shielding could be paid in installments as I was usually sent to extremely well-heeled clients. I did know that the Commission provided shielding for some of the private schools attended by only children from the magica

om the upper echelon of our society. This meant that for us, any after-hours school event required vigilance and planning. Thinking children easier targets than adults, the shadow creatures often lurked around school yards waiting for twilight opport

inary at all. My abilities with shields gave our group a protective covering if anything chanced upon us, although I was useless with offence. Jimmy Lucas however could cause an ele

had to concoct a cover story. The four of us often moved through the darkness together. We had a system. I shielded, Jimmy zapped from behind my shie

arcy growing up to be head cheerleader and prom queen, while I fell into the art-geek category with Sean as my chess club partner in crime. We worked well together because we all

ed me out of my introspective mood even though I normally reveled in my alone time. Today my th

was working on; showing the drawings I made of what would hopefully be the finished product. Luckily, the piece was more than halfway assembled and it actually was

esigners said, looking worriedly at the piece I was working on. It was comprised of several different types of wood, fitted to

the tables that had been through the process. The piece was a solidly build wooden table with classic lines. The designer who brought it in wanted a similar pop of bright color to modernize the piece and so the wood had been sprayed a

tain dried, the piece would be sealed. Once the sealer dried, it would be placed with the rest of the shipment and packaged for deliv

nd I to each establish separate homes, I knew I would provide Sean with the strongest shields possible, despite the Commission. I had the feeling the Commission, or more specifically

them all, " I

ump with surprise, my brushes clattering into the si

d, ignoring her question as I picked up the brushe

he replied with a smirk. Gracie turned to the piece I le

ng I hadn't turned the phone ba

black curls a toss as she continued to circle my creation. With the black cur

n I left the apartment. Somehow I had never gotten the drive to be connected at all times to the general goings on of the world tha

Gracie tended to ignore the world around her when texting or talking on the phone and the workshop was not a good place to do such a thing. After a near disastrous accident involving a table saw,

g Sean when they had a job for me. More accurately speaking, they called Sean's assistant Gina, who passed me the message to call James. While James often compl

"Some days you cause me to despair, " sh

ded cell phone usage being responsible for the rise in brain cancer, but today I was glad

d tomorrow around tw

dn't hurt to indulge Gracie's desire to attend a foreclosure auction with someone who wouldn't necess

s with my

e people running it." She told me. I watched as Gracie rummaged around in her giant purse. I was fairly certain it was

up for sale, " I asked figuring I migh

ing sold. I'll pick you up and bring my laptop so you can look at them on the way there if you'd like.

d my schedule. I could easily put the sealer on my finished piece, run to the bank and then the auction. I figured the auction couldn't take that lo

expectant Gracie. "I'm in, " I told her. She grinned. "Just don't