Free Stalking Shadows (Scary Mary) by S.A. Hunter

sigils on them and the tattoos were pentagrams with various symbols and writing around them. Signs of power and protection. “Anything tugging at you, Mr. White? Pulling you down?”
    Mabel looked startled by her question, but Mr. White only chuckled. “Ain’t no shadows here, little girl.”

 
     
    Chapter 6
    The Shadowman
     
     
    After Mabel ushered them out of Mr. White’s room, she told them that they didn’t need to stop by his room ever again. Mary and Rachel nodded obediently, but Mary knew they would be going back. He was their only lead. They finished their shift and thanked Mabel for showing them everything. Once they were free of her, they went back to his room.
    “Do you really think he knows something?” Rachel asked.
    Mary shrugged. “He seemed to. He called me out clear enough.”
    “What if he’s behind the thing harming Vicky?”
    “I don’t know about that. Why let on that he knew anything? I don’t even know what’s bothering Vicky. He has a clue.” They were back at his door. Mary knocked, but Mr. White didn’t call them in.
    She opened the door cautiously. He was still propped up in his bed, but his eyes were closed and his mouth was hanging open. “Mr. White?” she called.
    He didn’t stir. They crept up to the bed. “Mr. White?” she called again. He still didn’t stir.
    “Do you think he’s dead?” Rachel whispered.
    “Do I look dead?” he snapped, opening his eyes to glare at her.
    Rachel jumped. “Um, yeah?”
    He smacked his lips and turned to Mary. “So you’re here about the Shadowman.”
    “What's a Shadowman?”
    “What you’re after.”
    “But what is it?”
    He just grinned.
    Her eyes narrowed. “What do you know?”
    Mr. White chuckled again and looked at his nails. “I know all sorts of things. Want a few things, too.”
    “You want us to bribe you?” Rachel asked.
    He pointed at her. “She’s quick. Can see why you keep her around.”
    “What do you want?” Mary asked, already getting a sinking feeling.
    “Stuff that ain’t on the hospitality cart. At least not yet. Gonna bring me a few things and then I’ll tell you about the Shadowman.”
    “That thing’s hurting people, and you’re going to force us to bring you stuff before you help?” Rachel demanded.
    “What I got to tell is valuable, isn’t it? Can get stuff for it. Capitalism is a lovely thing.”
    “What do you want?” Mary repeated.
    Rachel crossed her arms, clearly not happy to be even listening to the old man’s demands.
    “I want what any man wants: cigars, booze, and women. Get me a pack of Swisher Sweets, a bottle of JD, and a couple issues of Hustler .”
    “We aren’t old enough to buy any of those things. We’re not old enough to even touch them,” Rachel said.
    “Not my problem.”
    “How do you know about the Shadowman? How’d you know about me?” Mary asked.
    “Can see it. How else?”
    “What do you see?”
    Mr. White stared at her a moment and then his eyes slid away. “Can just see ya, that’s all.”
    “What about the Shadowman? What do you know about it? A classmate told me it was clawing at her. She thought it was going to kill her.”
    “Might do that. Better get me what I want quickly, if you’re going to stop it.”
    She stared at him. Frustration bubbled up in her. What he wanted was impossible. They couldn’t get those things. She didn’t even know where to get issues of Hustler . Like Rachel said, how could he demand these things when people were in danger? She wasn’t asking Vicky for payback for helping her. Rachel tugged on her arm.
    “Come on, Mary. Let’s just go.”
    Mary followed Rachel out of the room. She took one last look at Mr. White before closing the door. He’d leaned back in his bed, and his eyes were closed once again.
    “I can’t believe that old fart. Asking us to get those things-- isn’t that like corrupting a minor or something?”
    “He knows something, Rach.”
    “Yeah, probably because he’s the one