Brightest Shade: Legacy's Lament

By Jo'Anthony Dellarro

Beginning a new life in a small college town, a young couple befriends a tattoo artist who's developed a shimmering gold ink. When demand for tattoos made with the beautiful ink explodes, they open a tattoo parlor—but the ink isn't just beautiful. It's powerful, and when the wrong people discover it, it could spell the end of the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Aug 26, 2019
• ISBN: 9781543982497

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©All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Print ISBN: 978-1-54398-248-0

eBook ISBN: 978-1-54398-249-7

Table of Contents

Prologue

CHAPTER 1

Leaving Home

CHAPTER 2

First Stop

CHAPTER 3

Meeting Dayvid

CHAPTER 4

Shayn’s Bedtime Story

CHAPTER 5

The Second Stop

CHAPTER 6

Eddicci Academy

CHAPTER 7

Taking Care Of Business

CHAPTER 8

Shayn’s Bedtime Story Part 2

CHAPTER 9

Sahae’s Missing Notes

CHAPTER 10

Returning Home

CHAPTER 11

Last Stop

Epilogue

Prologue

Author Unknown

My name is Sahae. A lot has happened to make my life change dramatically these past few years. I’ve been putting the pieces of my broken spirit back together after hearing from the members of my family and my closest friends about all that helped lead me to this point in my life. I’m searching for my mom and dad now. Searching is depressing, but talking about it helps. I’m not sure if they are alive or dead. If they are alive, I feel as though I should know where they are. But, I’m missing a clue to their whereabouts. Every day I comb through the sequence of events. I’ll start with my husband Hedg’s story, verbatim.

I remember walking to the train station with my pregnant wife. The sun was setting, casting shadows, and a stillness hung in the air, somehow echoing the somber way we felt. We were saddened by the drastic change of our little home town Leinohri since we had left years ago. Our only consolation was knowing that we had our new home waiting for us in the E.C.C.

I wished things were different. I had no family members left. My uncles, their wives, my cousins, and Grams were all gone. To make matters worse, my family home had been left in shambles. In the kitchen, pots remained on the stove, appearing to have been used to cook the evening meal. The remaining food had been picked at by wild animals and infested with maggots. Half eaten plates of food sat on the dining room table, and a few had been overturned on the floor, which suggested that the occupants had left in a hurry. Something wasn’t right. Nothing made sense. They never said anything about leaving Leinohri like I had when I had left. Sahae, my wife, didn’t have her homestead anymore either. Where her beautiful two-story home once stood now an empty, unpaved parking lot sat. Her father’s store had been gutted; half the roof had caved in, and all the windows were broken. We didn’t know what could have provoked such an evacuation, destruction and vandalism.

People are very steavish* in Leinohri now. Everyone is more suspicious of the next. They stared at us as if we didn’t belong, which made me beyond uncomfortable, said Sahae.

Me too, I replied. It’s amazing what poverty does to a community. They acted like a pack of wolves stalking a wounded deer, I thought. I cupped Sahae’s face with my hands, and she held onto mine. She is beautiful even when she cries. I leaned in and kissed her gently on her full lips. When I finished, her eyes remained closed. She smiled. I love making her smile. Still holding her face, I spoke softly and reassuringly, Sahae, in spite of everything going on here in Leinohri with our families, our new life in the E.C.C. is better. We will make out just fine. As long as I have you, I know all will be well. I promise. I smiled at her. I wanted to put her nerves at ease, and I didn’t want her to be stressed in her current state. As she reopened her eyes, her smile faded, and a look of concern washed over her. What’s wrong my love? I questioned.

Someone’s running toward us, she told me, and she watched over my shoulder at the approaching stranger. He’s wearing a half mask and moving pretty quickly. Not sure what to make of it, I slowly released her and started to turn, but I was stopped and grabbed by a forceful hand. I am sure my wife saw the fear that gripped my body come through my face. The assailant put me in the first stage of Hadaka Jime, and with his free arm, stabbed me in my back with what I assume was a knife. As the foreign object entered my body, I winced in pain. Sahae shrieked. I was stunned by what was happening. Then the assailant whispered into my ear in a deep husky growl.

Now you will know how it feels to be left for dead!

My eyes widened. I was in shock, and confused by what was happening. I felt my heart beating slowly and quietly. The pain of where the blade entered coursed up my back to my brain. Time was moving barely at all. The man pushed me forward, leaving the object embedded into my body. I felt nothing in the lower half of my extremities. All I could do was fall. I didn’t know what was going on. I remember thinking, is this real? Did I really just get stabbed? Am I going to die? What else is this man going to do now that he shoved a blade into my back? Then my concerns quickly changed to my wife. With me out of the way, she was an easy target. As I was falling, I yelled, Run! Panic and fear had me in its sharp talons. I was afraid not only for myself, but my wife, and most of all, our unborn child. I believe she understood the severity of what was happening, and without protest Sahae did as she was told.

Sahae ran as fast as her swollen feet could carry her. Unfortunately, the assailant wasn’t done. Another dagger just like the one in my back I assume, materialized as if out of nowhere into the crazed man’s hand. Seeing Sahae run, he began running after her and left me for dead right where I fell. Just as he had promised. I tried getting up but realized that I was indeed paralyzed. Seeing his next move, I acted the only way I possibly could. In disregard for my own health and safety, Oh no you don’t, I barked and grabbed his ankle. He fell face first to the ground. I smiled but didn’t fully understand his determination to finish his mission.

The man quickly turned over with me still holding onto him, and, with his free foot, he kicked me in my face with the bottom of his steel slider bearing biker boot. The blow felt like being struck with a hammer. But I dared not to release him. Not right away anyway. After three more of those power shots to my face and a lot of squirming and twisting, he managed to weasel out of my grip.

The masked man leaped to his feet and ran after Sahae. She was smart though. She saw a lone house and dashed for the gate screaming, Help, help! The marauder ignored her screams toward the giant residence and continued his pursuit. He was gaining on her before the porch light came on in the driveway. This made him stop dead in his tracks almost fifty yards away from me. He was still quite some distance away from Sahae. He stood still, in a creepy fashion, watching my wife, almost as if he was rethinking what he was doing or why he was doing it.

The black ski masked man dropped the dagger. Before the dagger hit the asphalt, it evaporated into a cloud of golden smoke. Then he undid his trench coat so that it fell open to his waist, revealing his tattooed torso. He kept his eyes focused on Sahae. He then reached over his shoulder to his back and pulled the tattoo of a golden arrow away from his skin. He brought it into his arms and set the arrow with his hands. He balanced it with his left hand and pinched the feathers between the fingers of his right. Then he began the motion to draw the arrow. I was puzzled why he was doing so until I saw something else beyond comprehension. As he pulled the arrow backward, a sparkling golden, long bow appeared around it. I could only see some of what was happening, but I assume that the handle grip of the weapon was in the man’s fist, guiding the arrowhead because the string perfectly aligned behind the feathers, and the more he retracted the arrow, the more the bow bent and the string stretched. The feat was truly a sight to behold.

The masked man was steady, barely breathing. He released the arrow. I was helpless. I wished I could have stopped him. My head was pounding. I was fighting to keep my eyes open, as if watching could do anything to prevent tragedy. I fought to stay conscious as the arrow flew toward Sahae, then I heard her scream. My heart sank, and the world faded away.

CHAPTER 1

Leaving Home

I was born and raised in Leinohri no different than any other local child. I’m a good artist and musician, learning from the time I developed the motor skill to control a paint brush and the strength to carry an instrument. Like my cousins and their parents, I resided in my grandpa’s massive house. The reason for this was that my granny didn’t want her sons to move out. I thought this was a good thing because someone was always home, food was always cooked, and something to do was always available. Life was great, and I loved every moment of it.

I spent a lot of my time going out with friends, but being home was equally fun. My mom and dad spoiled me because I was their only child, treating me to almost anything I wanted. Everything they gave was within reason. I reciprocated their generosity with humble gratitude. I tried hard to keep my grades up. I was an above-average student, and they were proud of me for doing my best. I did nothing that I thought was wrong and always checked in with them so that they knew where I was and what I was doing. I loved seeing my parents happy. This is how my life went along, until something changed all that.

One Halloween morning, I awoke to find my light on, and my mom standing over me. My dad was sitting on my bed next to me close to my stomach. He began talking about how I was a responsible young adult and that he thought it was time for me to have a little freedom. This puzzled me because, as far as I was concerned, I was already free as a bird. My girlfriend would come over whenever, and I had no curfew. I had a set of keys for each vehicle in the garage, which I could take at my leisure without permission. What other freedom would any young man need? My father saw by my expression how confused I was.

Hedg, what I mean is that you need to hold down the fort for us. Your grandparents, cousins, and uncles and aunts will need you to pick up my slack. Your mother and I are going out.

I nodded, said okay, and tried to roll over and go back sleep. But I was disturbed by my father yet again and rolled back to pay attention and show respect.

Son, understand that when I say ‘going out,’ I mean for about six months. We planned to start tonight because we haven’t gone to a Halloween party in years, and we have one lined up.

Again I said okay and was told that they had decided it was time for them to take a nice vacation or date excursion. I had no problem with this. My parents have been on dates before, weeks at a time. This would be the first six-month run, but I figured that it shouldn’t be a problem because I knew this procedure. I asked my pop where they were headed in case of emergency, and he explained that they would be stopping at Mom’s job first for the Halloween party, then after that, they weren’t sure. They planned to just drive to the next big city and go wherever from there. My mother promised that when they stopped, they would call home and give their whereabouts. I wished them the best of times and reminded them that I loved them both dearly. Then I rolled over in an effort to go back sleep again because the clock read six forty three, and the sun had yet to rise. Again I was disturbed one last time before my parents exited the room and turned off my light.

We will be coming back home after the party to collect our luggage, she said. I gave her a thumbs up. She flicked my light switch and closed my door. I tried to go back sleep, but I could hear my little cousins running about in the hallway outside my room. They were clearly excited about Halloween and their costumes. They always got up at the break of dawn like clockwork. They thought they had the best and scariest outfits in existence. I was happy for them because our granny made each one from scratch, while letting them help. Letting the little children help with things took some time, but Granny always said that anything worthwhile takes patience.

Trick or treat. Smell my feet. Give me something good to eat, the little ones kept chanting at the top of their lungs. I didn’t mind. I was used to their hijinks. I loved them dearly. Later on my plans were to put on a costume myself to take the little ones out house hopping for candy. But at this time, I rested, pretending I was still asleep.

A while later, I got out of bed to find almost an empty house. My grams left a note saying that she, Mom, Dad, and my cousins were going to the market. They took the minivan. I was fine with this. I wanted to go see my girlfriend and was happy for the time to myself. I went up to my room and freshened up in my ensuite bathroom. I then grabbed my keys, went to the garage, jumped into the sedan, and drove by my honey’s house. Her father, Mr. Cyien, was out in the yard and told me that Sahae was at the video store. I thanked him, then drove back home to park the car. The video store wasn’t far from my house, and I was always walking to places if I could. I’m not a health nut, but I get exercise where I can.

I left the car outside on the back lawn, thinking that I didn’t want to block up the garage in case the family had a ton of shopping bags and needed the room to maneuver. I hopped over my boundary wall, went through the neighbor’s yard, down the embankment, and across a giant field adjacent to a parking lot beside the video shop. I found my girlfriend vacuuming inside the video shop.

Sahae, why isn’t your dad in today? I asked. Shouldn’t he be here since he gave his staff the night off for Halloween.

Well I wanted to relieve him, she said. As the owner, he doesn’t get much time to himself. Plus he has been teaching me to run the store lately, so this is a test for me.

Cool, I said with a shrug, are we still going house hopping after closing?

Sahae nodded.

Well, I said, I know that I’m off, but you know I’m all about helping my colleagues, especially the one that I love the most, so I will kick in and give you a hand.

The time flew. Before we realized it, everything was done, and the work day was over. Before we left, we finalized our strategy for candy collection and synced our watches. I left the video shop hoping that my uncles and little cousins would be home and ready for trick-or-treating. The darkness had set in, so I had Sahae call her dad to pick her up and take her home. She would wait for me to come get her. I got home and found that my parents had left on their date. An ‘I love you’ was posted on the refrigerator for the family. I smiled. Then I went up to my room and put on my Halloween attire. In my white t-shirt, skeleton hoody jacket, black jeans, and white sneakers, I knew I looked great. Then I added finishing touches by painting my face and putting on silver handcuff chains so that when I moved, I jingled. Sahae had planned on wearing a similar outfit, but hers was less dramatic and a lot more feminine and formfitting.

I joined my little cousins and their fathers in the minivan for our outing. My uncles were dressed up as well. They had on knight armor ensembles, including capes, gauntlets, boots, and weapons. Their children were all medieval figures as well, from a miniature king, a diaper-wearing purple dragon, a copper green gargoyle, and a beautiful princess, who was my oldest cousin in the kiddie pool.

We drove over to Sahae’s house and picked up her and her siblings. We all had the time of our lives trick-or-treating in different areas of Leinohri. Before long, the children were all tired, and the younglings had full sacks of candy. Sahae and I had only a little bit of candy, which we snacked on during the ride back to Sahae’s house. After dropping Sahae’s troop off, we went home and put my cousins to bed. I had the task of packing away the candy, handfuls of which I helped myself to. As I retreated to my room to get ready for bed, I was very happy with myself for helping my family and fulfilling my father’s expectations. I went to bed with a smile on my face and slept peacefully that night.

The next day was eerily calm. The silence in the house was like a graveyard. A cold chill ran through the air and down my spine. I had terrible nausea for some unknown reason. I figured that I felt sick because of the candy I eaten the night before, but the day just didn’t feel right. Something was different. I slowly got up and went downstairs. As I walked through the house, I didn’t hear anyone, not even my little scamp cousins, which was strange. But stranger than that, no smell of breakfast cooking lingered in the air. This was quickly becoming the weirdest day of my life.

I started toward the kitchen and heard sobbing. I picked up my pace. When I entered, I found my granny sitting at the table bawling her eyes out. My grandpa and my aunties were trying to console her, but between the uncontrolled weeping, she kept repeating, My son, my son, my first born. I cannot believe he’s gone. My son. That sentence cut through me sharper and faster than a guillotine. I knew she was crying over my father. My body trembled. I started choking, and tears began to flow down my cheeks. I dared not make a sound, but from that moment, my fun was over. I had become something that I had only heard of in stories and on television: an orphan.

I dashed back up to my room and sprawled out on my bed. I wanted to go back to sleep and wake up again to find that all that had just happened was only a nightmare. I knew it was reality, but I wasn’t excepting it. I heard my phone ding, filling up with messages from my friends. They were all sending their condolences. I thanked them with a party text. But I wanted details, so I messaged Sahae and a few others. I found out that my parents had died in a car accident, only miles outside our town, at three thirty in the morning. Apparently, the news of this tragedy had spread like wildfire hours after it happened. I felt like I was the last to know in my community. My town felt bad for me.

A knock on my bedroom door broke my train of thought. Hedg, its poppa, my grandfather said through the door. Are you awake, lad?

Yeah, come in, I answered. Light blinded me from behind the old man as he entered my room. He opened the curtains to pour more sunlight in. I watched him look out the window at our backyard. He took a deep breath and gave a heavy sigh. I noticed that his face was red, and his eyes were bloodshot. I said nothing. He then came over and sat on my bed beside where I was lying.

Son, the police have informed your grandmother and me that your mother and father died mysteriously in a car accident last night. I am sorry. It pains us all deeply, but we must accept what has transpired and look toward the future. Our kin would want that. This changes things, and we must accept the change and live. Please know that we are here for you, and we love you. The old man got up, then walked out. What he said was very true. A lot of things had changed from then on. From chores, to the places set at the dinner table, to my figures of authority; I understood that I would be treated differently now. Not in a bad way, I noted, but this loss of my parents hurt me deeply.

Everyone was being sympathetically helpful to me. I was able to do anything I wanted, when I wanted to do it, which felt uncomfortable. I can’t say I liked the attention I was getting. I had never been treated as though I was helpless before. Every day reminded me of what I was missing in my life. From my morning routine, to interacting with family, to going out with my girlfriend and peers, life was less enjoyable because everyone wanted to hold my hand like I was a baby. I had to do something.

My grandparents’ huge home of thirteen rooms was well suited for my comfort, but I had a deeper issue. Living in this house that my mother and father had shared prior to their death, made living without them stressful. Everything reminded me of them. My image of a normal day had been shattered forever. I was slowly becoming a hermit. My new life was surreal, and I began to stop caring about anything. My sanity was holding on by only a thread. I started talking to myself, reminding myself of how my dad had aspired to live vicariously through me. This thought weighed heavily on my mind and depressed me. My dad had been waiting for me to do something big once I graduated college, but now I wanted to drop out. I couldn’t focus. I didn’t know what my namesake wanted of me. But I did know that I had been left behind, wanting, and unhappy.

The legacy left for me in Leinohri was one no one would forget nor wish on anybody. My friends and family tried their best to comfort me and make me feel better, but it was to no avail. I saw only one solution that no one questioned. They all had to understand. The lifestyle I had was great, but its goodness was outweighed by the horror that shadowed me. Even though I had it all, more than anyone could ask for, I had a gaping hole in my heart. I wanted a new life. I needed a new life outside my family, my job, and Leinohri. I wanted to start fresh and be out from under the storm cloud of tragedy. I had to begin another life story and find my own destiny. I felt the first thing necessary to accomplish my goals was to leave my home, my friends, my past, and my sheltered existence.

I expressed my plight to my grandparents; I told them that I wanted to leave. They tried to change my mind, but I wouldn’t falter. With the passing of each day, my desire to leave increased. So instead of continuing my torture, they decided to let me go. Their objection had changed from trying to persuade me to stay, to being sure I had a destination and the provisions necessary for my journey. My grandparents worked diligently in getting me prepared. They worked tirelessly day in and day out until I had my luggage, two travel bags packed in one, traveling food, and legal documents necessary for the border control. But of all the supplies I received, the most valuable was my inheritance.

My mother and father had substantial life insurance policies, plus a few small investments that had matured. This money was more than enough to help me start a new life, provided I didn’t gamble or squander it all away. Also amongst the riches was the contents of my dad’s safety deposit box, which was mostly pictures and poems in small envelopes, but one envelope looked entirely different than the rest. The envelope was darkened and worn. Compared to the others, it clearly was the oldest. I inspected this one closer, setting others aside.

I took the battered parchment out of the bundle. Hedg was written on the front, along with a stamp dated twenty years before my birth. I thought it was peculiar as my dad would have been the same age as I when he received it. Coincidence maybe. Granny always says that everything happens the way it is supposed to. I flipped the envelope over. On the opposite side was a wax seal that had been sliced when the envelope was opened. Most likely by a letter opener. The wax seal was an insignia, but it was too worn to make out. I didn’t pay it much attention. My curiosity was for the contents.

Inside I found a single folded piece of notepaper. Its heading read Ohnefant Police Department. The message was handwritten big, bold, and underlined: Leave Leinohri or you will be killed.

What? I thought, My dad knew he was going to die? Why hadn’t he said anything? He should have told his family at least. Why would he have stayed? I needed to talk to my granny. She had to know something about this.

I dashed downstairs to confront my grandparents. How could they overlook such a serious message? They were in the dining room, going through paperwork.

Granny, Poppa, did you know about this? I asked and showed them the envelope and message it contained. My granny took the note from me for a closer look. She read it and gasped.

Oh my, she said as she shook her head. Who gave this to you, dear? Where did you get it? Do you know anything about this? she asked my grandfather, showing him the letter.

I remember that, said Grandpa. Hedg kept it a secret from you. He didn’t want you worrying. The old man then took it from her and handed it back to me. Your dad received this when he was helping me build this house. Your uncles thought it was a prank. But he sure took it seriously. He even went to the place it came from. What it’s called? Ohnefant? He went looking for whoever wrote it. He never found them. But boy was he spooked. For a long while at that.

Well, then, my message is clear. I thought to myself. I had my heading, appointed by fate. I need to find my parents’ killer! I announced.

I concentrated on making sure all my bases were covered before I started my journey. I didn’t want my boss to be left hanging because I loved my job, and the man treated me well. I had to let him know my plan. He already knew that I was distant, but now that I had a place to go, the time had come to move on. Working with his eldest daughter had been great, though. She and I had grown up together in that store. She had been my childhood sweetheart since nursery school. Maybe the boss favored me because he had a biased opinion of his daughter’s boyfriend. Whatever his reason, I would be missed. The ties I had with my job had to be severed. I felt obligated to make nice before falling off the map. At the end of my shift the next day, I told my boss that I was planning to leave and turned in my notice. The old man was quite upset. I told him in the letter my reason for doing so, but the old man still couldn’t fully understand.

The letter said:

Dear Mr. Cyien,

Thank you for everything you have done for me. I appreciate the time I have had here working for you, and I regret to inform you that I must resign from my post as of immediately. The reason being is, as you know, my parents were in a mysterious car accident and passed away some time ago. From the day of their funeral, I have been slipping deep into a depressed state. Sir, I miss them tremendously, and it is beginning to affect my day-to-day performance. Every day I get up, I smell the food my aunts and grandma are cooking in the kitchen, and I remember my mother isn’t helping them. I see my uncles getting ready for their jobs, and they all ride their motorcycles in a great thunderous harmony. My father isn’t a part of the convoy anymore. Instead his chopper stays parked. I hear my grandpa getting my little cousins ready for school, and he comes into my room and asks me to drive them. My mom used to take them every morning on her way to work. I would still be sleeping until it’s time for my shift here at your store. Mr. Cyien, I have nightmares about this town now. I hallucinate seeing my dad in my room sitting next to me when I play my game console. I miss him so much. He made my day that much better. I miss them both. Life here in Leinohri brings back too many memories. I will miss you. And thank you.

Yours Sincerely

Hedg

The letter was handwritten and a little sloppier than my normal handwriting. I was hurting when I wrote it, and the sadness lingered. Usually, late afternoon was my favorite part of the day, but the afternoon I wrote the letter was altogether different. I caused my boss pain. I felt as though I was cutting out his heart because of the way he looked at me after he read the resignation. He asked me to change my mind. Unfortunately, I couldn’t. This had to happen. Mr. Cyien and Leinohri would be fine without me. I refused to put myself through such hardship of staying. Going made more sense.

For a person to leave Leinohri never to return was unheard of. Everyone loved their home. Everything was very convenient, and everyone was content. People only went away to travel on vacation, for business, or for school. Everyone always came back home to live. Life was easy in Leinohri. I would be the first to go with no intention of returning. I figured that the time for a first had come, and I was destined to leave.