The Afterdark retired soon enough to his computer room, as his favorite daytime television programs were airing only clip shows and nothing new. In his swivel chair, he turned back and forth indecisively before opening up a blank text file. He moved to type something and then stopped, having forgotten the idea. He sighed heavily, unable to remember the last time his life had had this much stress.
It was two in the afternoon, which was not his favorite time of day. With the sun so high there would be no shadow in which to sneak around, and he didn't really like going out in daylight when just anyone could look at him and stare. In day, there were so many people he couldn't possibly wipe all of their memories of his memorable stature. At night, though, when it was dark, and people were mostly drunk and there were fewer of them on the streets, it was easy to go out and pick up women.
On his over-sized keyboard, he typed, "PLANS" in all capital letters.
He'd almost been ready to get to work when Nell popped into his computer room. "Can I come in?" she asked quietly, no doubt remembering the last time she had come into his private work area against his wishes.
He nodded and turned his whole chair to face her. "Any ideas for catching him?"
The girl's hair was still quite wet, and when she brushed her bangs out of her eyes, the water made them stay that way. Nervously, she told him, "No."
He swiveled back to his computer.
"Derek," she said. He turned back to her, eyebrows raised. She avoided looking him in the eyes and then said, "Nevermind. I--do you have any ideas?"
The Afterdark shook his head solemnly.
Nell sat down on the floor. He'd seen her do this before--the cold, hard surface apparently didn't bother the girl. He supposed that if he lived on the streets he would be used to floors and roads better than he was. She asked, "How long can you stay in the shadow?"
Derek gleaned her meaning and said, "Depends. If it's just me I can hold it up for days. If it's maximum area, I can only do it for a few minutes. It's almost literally like carrying something, because it's my muscles that get fatigued when I use it too long, and the smaller it is, the lighter it is."
After he spoke, he realized how willing he'd been to share that secret of secrets. He asked in turn, "Why?"
It was two in the afternoon, which was not his favorite time of day. With the sun so high there would be no shadow in which to sneak around, and he didn't really like going out in daylight when just anyone could look at him and stare. In day, there were so many people he couldn't possibly wipe all of their memories of his memorable stature. At night, though, when it was dark, and people were mostly drunk and there were fewer of them on the streets, it was easy to go out and pick up women.
On his over-sized keyboard, he typed, "PLANS" in all capital letters.
He'd almost been ready to get to work when Nell popped into his computer room. "Can I come in?" she asked quietly, no doubt remembering the last time she had come into his private work area against his wishes.
He nodded and turned his whole chair to face her. "Any ideas for catching him?"
The girl's hair was still quite wet, and when she brushed her bangs out of her eyes, the water made them stay that way. Nervously, she told him, "No."
He swiveled back to his computer.
"Derek," she said. He turned back to her, eyebrows raised. She avoided looking him in the eyes and then said, "Nevermind. I--do you have any ideas?"
The Afterdark shook his head solemnly.
Nell sat down on the floor. He'd seen her do this before--the cold, hard surface apparently didn't bother the girl. He supposed that if he lived on the streets he would be used to floors and roads better than he was. She asked, "How long can you stay in the shadow?"
Derek gleaned her meaning and said, "Depends. If it's just me I can hold it up for days. If it's maximum area, I can only do it for a few minutes. It's almost literally like carrying something, because it's my muscles that get fatigued when I use it too long, and the smaller it is, the lighter it is."
After he spoke, he realized how willing he'd been to share that secret of secrets. He asked in turn, "Why?"
