Deceived by Stephanie Nelson

Dorian wanting me to connect with the darkness just to learn it scared me. Kye’s insane sister flashed in my mind and gave me enough reason to want to study to be a spirit walker. I didn’t know why she had gone insane, but I didn’t want to end up like her. “Alright, teach me, old wise one.” My sarcasm tended to show itself when I was scared or pissed, at the moment I was a little bit of both.
    “Close your eyes.” Dorian instructed, ignoring my cynicism. My eyes snapped shut, and I waited for him to tell me what to do next. I heard the squeak of vinyl, and his body press along the side of me. Dorian slipped his hand underneath mine and made me to jump.  “Keep your eyes closed.” I did as told, but my heart beat faster at our closeness. It seemed too intimate for a lesson.
    “Now,” Dorian began, his lips entirely too close to my ear. I could feel his cool breath on my skin and it caused goose bumps to erupt along my body. “Do you feel it, Gwen? The cold darkness?” His lips touched my ear, and I almost jumped away, but his grasp on my hand tightened and stopped me. “Connect with the darkness, Gwen. Feel their souls calling to you.” His voice was low and soothing like a steady hum that relaxed me. The air around us dropped a few degrees and a slow breeze stirred my hair. A symphony of voices whispered on the wind and called to me. Although my eyes were closed, I could see the owners of the voices. Gray figures stood against the darkness of my eyelids and walked towards me. I bit my lip to stop my teeth from chattering when one of the spirits touched me. His hand rested on my shoulder and traveled down the length of my arm. Icy pinpricks danced in his finger’s wake and caused me to shiver.
    Dorian released my hand and the spirits turned and walked back into the darkness. When my eyes opened everything came rushing back at once, the people talking in the bar, the music, the smokiness, and Dorian. It was so drastically different from the place I’d just been it took me a moment to get my bearings. “What happened?” My voice was a mere whisper. I looked over at Dorian, who still had his arm around my shoulders.
    “What did you feel?”
    I looked away because our faces were too close for comfort and focused on my hands. Visions of the gray figures occupied my mind as I tried to understand what had happened.
    “It got cold and then I saw a crowd of gray figures,” I said simply and paused. “It was…peaceful almost, like a dream.” I glanced at Dorian and he smiled.
    “I told you it wouldn’t always be scary.”
    “But what happened?”
    “I brought you here because most of these people are guilty of murder. Being close to those who’ve killed is the easiest way to connect with the dead. We can connect with their darkness and therefore connecting with the ghostly realm is easier.”
    My eyes traveled over the bar patrons, and I saw them in a whole new light. Darkness clung to them and tainted their souls. I felt pain, hatred, and regret within them. Their emotions overwhelmed me and left me panting. My chest rose and fell heavily as I absorbed what they had done. “I need to get out of here.” I pushed against Dorian, and he slipped out of the booth. I quickly got to my feet and ran out of the door. The frigid winter air smacked my face as I burst through the bar doors. I leaned against the brick exterior of the bar and braced my hands on my knees as I bent over and sucked in the clean air.
    Dorian followed me out and waited by my side while I tried to regain my calm. The experience had been fascinating, but seeing the people for what they’d done had been like a fist wrapping around my lungs. The fury and ugliness weighted and crushed me and revved my anxiety and fear. “You okay?” Dorian placed his hand on my back and I shrugged it off. I couldn’t have him touching me; it only made the connection to the dead and evilness of the people stronger.
    “It was worse than seeing the