Shannon the Shadow E-Book

Dennis Lee Elliot

• Herausgeber: BookRix
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Beschreibung

This story depicts a young woman with hero tendencies and bossy ways. Her zeal gets in the form of her cause. She learns how not to react to things before she studies them. Shannon is patient in her field of career but not patient with people. She meets a guy who puts her on her path to redemption and discovery.  Shannon is not uncomfortable in any surrounding and adapts quickly. She misses her dad who died suddenly in a car accident which changed her dramatically. After his death, Shannon started to have warrior dreams although not a historian Shannon’s dreams take her to various historical battles. Shannon is fighting and defeating her foes but never satisfied, at last, she is in a fight that she believes she can't win her imagination, and fears.

Leseprobe

Dennis Lee Elliot

Shannon the Shadow

Street Fighter

I would like to thank my wife Andrea and my daughter Heaven and son Dylan for their support. My mother Lillian who passed onto me her writing gift. My cousin Edward “Butch” Hutton for his love. My cousin Wilson who let me stay at his house until I was able to venture out on my own. BookRix GmbH & Co. KG81371 Munich

Chapter One The Accident

Chapter One

The Accident

Shannon’s mom got the bad news immediately her about husband and Shannon dad. He had been in an accident not far from the house. Shannon was out the door after hearing her mother on the phone she knew the route he was taking. Shannon saw her dad’s life-less body in the car.

“Wake UP DAD! Wake UP”! “Wake UP!” Shannon’s mother ran to her she was talking to Shannon, but Shannon could not hear her. She could not hear anything she was in a trance. She gladly fell into this trance while standing cold shivering, and This trance took to happier events she remembered the birthdays she had with her dad, the videos he made of her running, jumping playing, helping her with her science projects, taking her the many practices of the many events she was involved. He was always there for her; he was always listening, her dad was always loving, always patient, always her dad. While looking at his body in the car, she was afraid to approach maybe it was a dream. Her knees gave way she finally succumbed to the reality of the burden she would carry for years, what would she do now how would she survive? He's dead.

Minutes after the accident and hearing the news form her mother’s conversation on the phone. Shannon ran out of the house on her way to help her dad. She knew a shortcut to the accident.

While cutting through the neighbor's yard and climbing on fences, she was in a hurry to find her father she left the house in a flurry leaving her socks and shoes behind. “To late to go back now.” She thought to herself while she climbed over one of her neighbors’ fences. While scaling one of the walls she heard sirens heading in the direction she was going. “I’m getting close.” she thought to herself. The rain was coming down something fierce. Shannon began to slow down as she approached the scene of the accident. She saw the lights from the emergency vehicle flashing, there was a crowd of people around what looked like a car, a large truck was on top of what looked like her dad's car but how could it? It was smashed like a pancake her mother made for breakfast. Shannon now felt the rain as she walked toward the wreckage. The violent wreckage she was seeing, and hearing, turn off the damn siren she wanted to say. Guys in bright yellow rubber coats were restraining Shannon's mom let her go, Shannon, said “she’s is a nurse! My mom is a nurse." But no words came out. Then she saw him, her dad on his back he’s hurt. Someone was holding a jacket over his face while he was being worked on Shannon felt the rain she had no shoes it was slow motion. She began a chant “Wake UP DAD! Wake UP”! “Wake UP!”

One hour before the accident!

“Dad put your seat belt on,” Shannon said as the seat belt coach in the family. It was her job to make sure everyone had a seat belt on in the family car. Her dad hated seat-belts on him.

Her dad's girth had started to grow, and the belt needed to be refitted in his classic 1956 Bel Air 2Dr. Sedan. He loved it when people would ask him about it or when he would get offers to sell it.

“No!” he would say, “you’re asking me to cut off my right arm” he’d say with a smile. She was holding onto her box with her new eighth-grade graduation dress. She was so excited to show her mom. It was so funny that dad knew more about picking out dresses and stuff like that then mom. Shannon thought no one in the world was better than her dad.  The president could teach her dad anything he was wise, knew many things taught her how to read the bible with its hard words, so school was a breeze if she knew how to say “Nebuchadnezzar” when she was four her first-grade words were no problem. Her dad was great, looking out of the window was difficult. The rain in June was unusual, its ordinarily dry. Why was it running so hard?

Dad dropped off Shannon at the house to show her mom the dress. He drove in the driveway, so Shannon would not get wet. “Are you coming to the house dad?”

“Not yet Shadow” His pet name for her “I have to see why the car is stalling I’ll be back get the popcorn ready.”

“Dad put your ...” dad was gone before she could finish her words.

He left without putting his seat-belt on.

She was waving bye the wave felt uneasy she never waved before, she felt the rain. Running in the house, she showed her mom the dress, the shoes, and the hat. You did not go out in a dress without a hat her mom insisted. Her mom approved of the choice her dad and Shannon had made and looked forward to the graduation next week. After about an hour of trying a combination with the dress, Shannon went into the kitchen to make the popcorn this weekend would be different she would try putting butter in the popcorn. The movie would start in 30 minutes where was dad? He would call the shop if he needed a ride home he was never late for movie night.

The phone rang not the typical high tone ring it was an uneasy sound like the news on the other end was not good mom was upstairs getting ready to come down she answered it with the words

“What happened, he was in an accident on what street near the auto shop?”

Shannon’s mom rushed downstairs and told Shannon “your dad has been in an accident."

Before she could finish, Shannon was out the door running in the direction that her dad would go to the shop that worked on his car. It was two miles down the road that was nothing for her to run. Her mom was still in the house looking for her keys. Shannon decided to take a shortcut. Her mom was out of the house the roads were very slick it did not rain at this time of year, so the oil from the cars made the roads slippery.

The Aftermath

Shannon woke up in her bed, “oh my god it was a dream no a nightmare’, she thought

Shannon got out of bed slowly and went to her mom and dad’s room they were not there.

The lights were on downstairs she heard voices she saw it was her Pastor, her mother, and a police officer she asked: “Where is my dad”?

Her mother began to shake violently, and cry.

 Shannon knew it was not a dream she fell again this time hard and heavy. This time she was dreaming she was in a small room with a force field around her.  She could look out but could not get out, she kicked hard at the force field, threw her body at the force field it would not budge,

” If you think I’m going to stay in here you're crazy,” she thought.

She could see outside the box. Shannon was unaware she was amid a battle, for her mind.

Shannon’s dad was a history teacher he told of all the significant events of the world where was she who were the armies, why was she here in this dream state? What kind of dream is this?

This time, Shannon woke up in the hospital her mother standing over her talking to her. Slowly she came to herself and asked her mother “how long”? Her mother knew what she was asking, how long had she been unconscience,? “Five or six hours” her mother said, to Shannon it seemed longer, she was trying to make sense of the trance-like state and her reality,

“Dads went right”? Shannon asked her mom.

“Yes,” sweetheart, he is for now” Shannon’s mother was looking at her daughter in a venerable state. Her mother felt fragile also.

But always remember he’s with you in your heart just like Jesus." her mother said.

“You need your rest sweetheart I’m right here” This time she could not sleep she wanted to talk she asked her mom the why questions.

“Why now? Shannon asked looking at the wall.

Why us?  Her mother was still close to her,” I don’t know sweetheart.”

“Why not someone else?”

  “I can’t answer that either Shannon,” Her mother said as she sat down it a chair next to the bed.

“Why before graduation?”

 Her mother understood Shannon needed to go through this process. She had seen it hundreds of times as a nurse many families can let go if a loved one lingered between heaven and earth for some time.

 It was the sudden departures that were always the hardest.

Shannon’s mother saw her grieving would have to take a backseat to Shannon’s ability to cope.  Her husband passing was not something she ever saw coming; He was such a great man and husband the whys were also echoes of her mind and thought but as a mother she would wait to ask for herself.

Why did he not have his seatbelt fastened?

Shannon was not seeking answers she was only asking questions.

This thought angered Shannon she had told him repeatedly.

“Put your seatbelt on.” As she thought about it he was not thrown from the car the cement truck rolled on top on his car, he was trapped.

The shock and trauma caused him to have a heart attack that's how he died; the seat-belt was not a factor.

“Why was it raining?” The slipperiness of the road played a factor, it made the cement truck veer to the left as Mr. White’s car was passing and when the cement truck started to tip over her dad had nowhere to move.

“Why did he have to check on his car?” She already knew the answer to this question; his car was his joy apart from his family.

“Why was a truck on the wrong road?” Shannon wanted to speak to the driver but was not allowed he was not drinking nor was he impaired.

“Why did his breaks jam?” Brake failure was not a factor Shannon had begun to assume.

“Why did she have an empty hole in her,” She knew the answer to that.

She went to sleep, asking, “Why?” A nurse came into the room her mom did not notice the nurse.

This time she began to dream she was in a room with no walls again this time with a door.  She turned the knob, once, and yet it would not open. She was locked inside, and her dad was on the outside standing looking at her smiling she began to yell “dad don’t leave’ “don’t go!"

She woke herself up this time still in the hospital her mom in the chair next to the bed asleep. All she heard was beeping sounds.

Chapter Two Good Grief, Bad Grief

The two opponents faced each other determine to teach Shannon a lesson. Shannon had said “the two boys tried to extort money from her,

and Shannon’s friend the person Shannon was fighting for was not that a friend.

Shannon did not have friends she did not make friends easily

“Fight, Fight, Fight.” It was not much of a fight. Shannon stood over two boys that thought they could take her and her neighbor's lunch and money. The boys complained that she attacked them first but when Shannon explained “I had marked the two dollars.” the money in question was in each of the boy's pockets and the boys could not explain how it got in their pockets. They boys were suspended and Shannon started to get a reputation for not being pushed around. Shannon fought almost every day. Students new her dad was dead. They wanted to capitalize on his absence he had been the high school football coach and history teacher, and he had made enemies with either failing children who were not trying or not letting them make the football team because they were lazy. Many of those children wanted to take advantage that he was gone and use their influence towards Shannon.

Shannon started her 9th-grade year with a bang. Greeted by the staff and students at her dad school Shannon had celebrity status she was over overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and affection the students, staff, and state had for her dad. Shannon thought to herself “I knew my dad was bigger than the president.”

At his funeral thousands of people showed up he had helped thousands of kids finish school and go on to a successful career she met Jimmy Flame the quarterback of the Kanas Comets, dads old high school player, dad bailed him out of more situations Shannon would ever discuss. She met Janice Jennings world discus thrower whom coach White persuaded to switch for the javelin to present within two years, and she was a national champion. After all the fuss was over, and dad was laid to rest starting life without him would begin, money would not be an issue Shannon’s dad had left his daughter and his wife a hefty insurance policy that double upon the accident. The money would not be an issue ever again. Also, he made sure that Shannon would have a large endowment on her twenty-first birthday if she would finish college with a degree.          

 Something had changed with Shannon although her grades were all A’s and her attitude was the same alert, polite, carefree, no one, but her mom knew about the dreams. Shannon could not spend the night at anyone's house. No sleepovers, the dreams would take over, sleepwalking, open-eyed staring but asleep, her mom took her to a psychiatrist Shannon did not want to go.

Dr. Stiff was rather tall about 6 feet five inches and on the thin side not very athletic not much of a talker, gifted at reading people was used almost exclusively for picking jurors for both defense and prosecutors defense paid better. Although Dr. Stiff saw Shannon for several months, he did not say much but wrote down the dreams. Shannon has had in vivid details, and after several sessions, he called her mother and Shannon.

He did discover Shannon was taking a drug to make her sleep. Her mother was unaware.

It was called ‘Dreamscape” her mother was a nurse however she was not suspicious of Shannon.

Dr. Stiff after meeting Shannon knew something was going on, but he waited for the appropriate time to ask Shannon how long has she been using the drug?

He knew the time was right. He chose a day in which session did not include Shannon's mother it was a time he could discuss it Shannon thought she had fooled everyone.

"What are you talking about I'm not using any drugs."

Shannon thought she would beat Doctor Stiff however he held his ground with no smile.

“I can tell you're using Dreamscape.” you know it is sleeping drug you can be coy, but I will have to bring your mom into this, and if she is supplying you she can be in much trouble

Shannon decided to come clean. “No! she does not know.”

“How can she not know?” “She's a nurse.” Doctor’s Stiff was perplexed.

Shannon continue, “she's a type not only cannot she see the forest but if she loves you, she cannot see the trees the plants or what color the forest.”

“Okay I will leave your mother out of this for now,” said Dr. Stiff.

“I want you to stop using Dreamscape immediately I’m going to admit you to rehab he said while writing on his notepad.”

“Rehab I'm not going to rehab Shannon said standing up.” “Forget about that I can stop on my own" Shannon was walking towards the door.

“Okay if that's the way you want to do it, but I will bring in law enforcement to find out who is giving you the drugs. In addition, your mom might lose a job in disgrace and is that what you want?”

Shannon never thought she would use the words that she did

“You're bastard.”

“I've been called worse; so, what's your answer are you in or is your mother out?”

Shannon thought about ways of killing Dr. Stiff; she knew she was far gone because of the way she was feeling.

“I'm in what do I say to my mother?”

 Shannon was bewildered her mask of invincibility was coming off fast.

“I know what to say to her.” Dr. Stiff said he has already taken care of that.

“She won't know that you're in rehab for drugs I will say is for exhaustion.”

“When do I leave Dr. Stiff?” Shannon said beginning to cry.

“Tonight, there’s a bag packed for you already your mom is outside.” He got up to walk her towards the door.

When Shannon emerged from the session, her mother was standing in the hallway crying.

"I wish I was stronger.” Her mother said while staring into space.

Her mother kept repeating it they both standing in the middle of the long hallway in the business building crying.

For the first time, Shannon had noticed her mother being a timid woman in charge of so many but fragile herself.

"Mom I'm determined to get through this.” Shannon meant it.

On the elevator heading towards the car waiting to take Shannon to the rehab center she wished she could run away very far.

When she got off the elevator, two huge men were waiting for her. They got on both sides of her. Shannon is only 5 feet five and a small frame each man stood 6 feet three over 250 pounds the image of her between those two men was it amusing if not for the sincerity of the problem.

The car was a sedan nothing would give the impression she was headed to an expensive rehabilitation facility. It was a two-hour drive. Both men did not say anything she sat between these two mountains of men. She did feel safe for some reason protected. She tried to make small talk, but they would not be having out of it. Everything was quiet except the music she heard Johan Sebastian Bach Takata in D minor she knew the music when she played piano why would she think about playing now. The architect Dane Constantine did the edifice.

Shannon had run 5 miles the day before she was not lazy but the walked to the building ever so slowly as possible, and the men walked with her slowly. Johan Sebastian Bach played in the car, and the music was appropriate for a walk like a funeral march. Dr. Edelstein was standing at the door of the hospital waiting; she would be her physician. Dr. Edelstein was smiling broadly she was a woman that liked like she was from India what was she doing with a name like Edelstein? Shannon bolted as fast as she could they have caught her somehow these guys knew their job. They had picked her up by the elbows, she was running, but she noticed her feet were not on the ground. Dr. Edelstein said “we will have none of that we will take care of you. A first-class facility and you will be treated with honor and respect. If you behave, if not we have other ways.” They took her to her room, it was very nice it had:

a kitchenette and nice bathroom they told her they would have taken her around she had not tried to run. “

Shannon, now I understood the severity of what she did. Trying to run. They knew, and Shannon knew her mother was in the eye on the hurricane scandal or even jail time.

Shannon put her face in our hands and started to do something she had never done even at her father’s funeral. She cried. She cried so long her gown was soaking wet. She changed her clothes crawled in the bed and started crying again she went to sleep. While she was sleeping, Shannon dreamt that she was at school and had noticed everyone talking to each other. She walked around trying to get into a casual conversation, but she was ignored entirely being alone never bothered her before because she always had her dad, but with him gone she only had a mom she had no friends it was strange to she never cared about friends.

Chapter 3 The Long Stay

As the dream continued, Shannon could not find anyone to say hello to her. Shannon woke up tired and hungry it was 7 AM the next morning and a bird American Robin which is native to the area she lived was sitting on the windowsill. It sounded like he was saying cheer up or cheerio Shannon like the sound of it I made a way to the breakfast area wish you met a few patients. Shannon was eating and noticed that many of the patients in there are her age. She thought they looked worse than her. Poor soul, she thought to herself she was different.

My name is Amanda. This girl came out of nowhere.

I'm Shannon Nice to meet you

Shannon thought about the dream with no friends and decided to change her attitude.

Janice said Amanda tell me about this place Amanda smile because she had been at this facility said she was 12 and she was 15 on and off. Agreed to take Shannon on a visual tour of the lunch area it was a large area where he stylist says a hotel in Paris the dining area for the evening was different than the lunch area. The evening dining time the patients were encouraged to dress nicely. They would listen to music and have conversations with many of the doctors, who were there on staff it was 24-hour service for the people who came to the facility everyone who was there had families who very wealthy. A person had to be prosperous to afford this facility however at breakfast time he can wear whatever you want if it was appropriate.

Amanda was a wealth of information she knew the old patrons and was learning about the new ones coming in. She felt herself to be the unofficial welcome wagon.

Amanda and the Hospital

Amanda introduced herself before she sat down next to Shannon.

Shannon had been refreshing her mind on the dream about not having friends; she was in the hospital at the beginning of the Christmas break three weeks to get her act together at least from the perspective of Dr. Stiff. Shannon’s making friends could be a sign of improvement.

"Yes, you can sit down" Shannon motioning with her hand.

"My name is Amanda" As Shannon was about to introduce herself Amanda interrupted and said "Shannon right"

‘I saw them bring you in last night I asked about you.”

 Amanda said while twirling her uncombed brown hair.

 Amanda had on the customary hospital robe with tennis shoes that did not match.

She told Shannon right off,

"I have ADHD so if I change the subject don't get mad."

"Ok, I won't Shannon" assured her.

After listening to Amanda Shannon concluded that Amanda was a wealth of information.

Amanda had even pointed out several of the regular patients. There was lying Larry light because of his envy although he was the richest kid at the facility his mother has more money than all the parent she owned several news outlets lying Larry would lie just to get attention there was stealing Steven he was still the chrome waffle hubcap he was insecure about everything BC would never have enough then a minute and then Amanda smile and wave that Danny the drug dealer he was the one who kept her supply whatever she needed provided it was hard to get cash in here when Shanna said, Danny, she gave him a smile also she thought to himself maybe he would be a person that she could use one time. Janet was eating a brisk breakfast toast orange juice eggs and well-cooked bacon. She thought to himself that the food and he was pretty good if breakfast was any indication of lunch and dinner Amanda assured her that the least of her problems were going to be how well she was fed she said this place makes a lot of money and they do put the money back into the service of the patients Shannon did not want pry. Amanda said;

“I have anger management issues. I have so many issues of anger are hard for them to just find the root every time the root it's connected to it is connected to another. I'm in here ha-ha almost like it here it's safer I go outside I can stay for a few months but then I get angry at something and my parents get scared I think I'm drunk sometimes but the parents put me in A good facility I'm able to paint do as I please I don't bother anyone until I start at I'm asked to do something out feel like doing so they next they naturally leave me alone hey, Rich so they keep me in here. What about you Shannon why are you in here?”

 Shannon was kind of put off by the question although she knew that Amanda had opened to herself she wasn't ready yet, she decided to allow Amanda peek into her.

 “Well I hadn't gotten over my father's death so I'm having a lot of issues with dealing with that really enough issues to put you in here yeah there are other issues that I'm dealing with, but I guess I'll tell you about it later”

Amanda said, “no rush how long you think you going to stay?” Shannon was happy about answering that question