Page 230 of Shadowman
But I can’t help my curiosity. Furthermore, I have to assume he has windows with a great view—like his office in the prison does.
Tiptoeing closer, I peek through the open doorway.I don’t think anyone’s in here…
Stepping inside carefully, I glance around in awe. It truly is the King’s chambers. That’s exactly how it looks.Regal.
Royalty rests its evil head here.
There’s a set of French doors at the far side of the room.Bingo. Jumping into action, I forgo snooping and head straight for them. I can see right away that they lead out to a large balcony.
The winds are so strong, I have to grip the handle tight and pull toward myself to keep the door from flying open. It’s brutal out there… Rain pelting and stinging my face. I can barely see through it, but I manage to gaze out into the storm, at a view that literally steals my breath.
Wow…
Despite Mother Nature’s fury, I’m astonished. From up here, everything looks so picturesque.Stunningin its misery. Skies of dark gray tinted green from the storm oversee a beckoning obsidian ocean. Trees like skeletons performing a ritualistic dance.
It’s so mesmerizing, I almost miss it. But when my eyes focus, they widen, despite the pelting raindrops.
“Holyfuck…” The words gust from my lips.
Alabaster Penitentiary… has a fucking hole in it.
A large structure, what looks to be the guard tower—I remember passing it when I was running from Trevel earlier—has broken off near the middle. And apparently, it fell right onto the prison.
That’s what that sound was…
“Oh my God. What the… shit,” I gasp, wiping rain and disbelief out of my eyes.
The destruction is staggering. I have a bird’s-eye view from way up here, and it doesn’t even look real. Like a photograph taken by a drone for someNational Geographicmagazine type shit.
I’m just gaping and balking at the damage, unable to move. Nearly half the prison is just…gone. Nothing but rubble. The guard tower clearly hit the East Wing, and the impact took down the rest because of its weak goddamn structure.
“Fuck…” I shiver as time speeds up, panic sweeping through my entire body.
Shit shit shit. Trevel was going there… At least, I think he was. Dammit, why didn’t he tell me where he was going?!
Fuck! Luthor and Ren…
Joy, Rook, Velle…
People were in there! People I care about…
“Shit. Fuck,” I mumble to myself, mind racing, limbs buzzing with a need for action.
I gotta go. Now now right now.
I need to go check on my friends.
Finding Trevel and making sure he’s okay is even more urgent now.
I won’t be able to handle it if he’s… not.
Gulping down the dread crawling up my throat, I dart back inside. But before I can close the door and run, something stops me. Yet another loudbang!It scares shit out of me, and I jump.
But this sound is very different from the others. It’s instantly recognizable.
Fireworks…
I’m back out on the balcony in a flash, catching the tail-end of green fizzling off in the distance. Barely ten seconds later, there’sanotherthunk, followed by awhoosh, then an explosion of blue, embers falling like a waterfall of color.
