Chapter 2

Malachi sat with eyes half open. The board at which he stared was as boring as the professor teaching it. He already understood the complex equation before he was even
finished writing it. Professor Henry was a short, stubby man with a comb-over and a belt that was to tight for his bulging stomach. He had bifocal lenses in his large glasses and every time he turned a certain angle, they would refract a beam of light from the fluorescent lighting into Malachi's drooping eyes. "Mr. Stoneburge?...Mr. Stoneburge!" Malachi's eyes opened fully and he looked up at the the Professor. "Malachi, I don't appreciate daydreaming in my class. Is there something you wish to share?" Mr. Henry enjoyed belittling his students and making them think on their toes to give him some slipshod out-of-the-box answer. "Well..." began Malachi with a sarcastic tone," I was contemplating how you manage to retain a streak free shine on that head of yours." The class was histarical. All of course for Mr. Henry who was straight faced and reclining at his desk staring directly at Malachi. "Goodday Mr. Stoneburge." 'He looks serious.' thought Malachi. 'I better listen this time.' "Alright, alright. Can't take a joke, can you?" Malachi said as he rose from his seat and descended from the Colosseum style classroom. He exited without another word.

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Malachi hailed a taxi and climbed into the dilapidated yello cab. The air within the rear of the vehicle was thick with a sweet smoke. The cab driver, the smoker of a large cuban cigar, turned back to Malachi. "Where ya headin'?" asked the driver in a clearly smoke infested voice. Malachi was taken aback by the up-front attitude of the driver. "23rd and Manhattan." The car wizzed forward and down into the lights of the city ahead of them. Malachi stared out the window at the people of the streets. Everyone had a place to be, someone to go there with, something important to do when they got there, and all so late at night. Malachi secretly envied their importance and tact when it came to such matters. Everyone seemed so punctual to any situation except for him. He was late to class at New York State College almost every day. Mr. Henry threatened to flunk him should he be late again. Malachi just didn't see the point to school. He felt it held nothing he didn't already possess or know. He rolled down his window. The cool summer night breeze blew through his black locks. He took a deep breath of the clean air and closed his eyes. The cab driver looked back at him through the rear view mirror. "Hey pal, what's your deal? You got a hang-over or somethin?" The cab driver's indisgression pestered Malachi. "Naw. I just got lots to take care of." said Malachi between breaths of fresh air. The cab driver seemed unsatisfied but backed off and focused on his driving. He took one more puff of his cigar and stamped it down into an ash tray clearly foreign to the vehicle. It was wedged haphazardly between the two front seats and was made of blue glass. The car slowed to a halt infront of a building across the street from an opera house. Malachi exited the cab, payed his fine, and walked into the building across from the opera house. This Building was his apartment. One wouldn't know coming in however because the lowest level was an irish pub. A well running one at that. Malachi made his way past a couple of drunkerds and a few more pool players and seated himself at the bar. "Hey Mo,"started malachi in a regretful and figity voice "I'll take a bud. Put it on my tab." The bartender got out a pint glass and filled it to the brim with budweiser."Here ya go champ. Hehe." remarked the bartender jokingly. "Dont call me that, Mo. I've had a rough day." Malachi took a couple sips. "Alright, alright. Hey guess what? This'll cheer ya up pal." Mo motioned for Malachi to listin. "I got a new bartender coming in tomorrow night. I know she'll drive ya nuts. Hech! Hech! Hech!" Mo was laughing out loud at this point. Malachi sighed deeply in annoyence and departed from the bar having only taken a couple sips. He clattered through the rear door to the pub and followed down the hall to the elevator at the end. He stepped inside an pressed the '3' and waited.....waited....waited......*Ding!* The door began to close to the elevator. Just as it did however, a women had just emerged from the same door he had come from from the bar. "Wait!" she yelled down to him. "Hold that elevator!" She was in full gallop at this point. Malachi held out his hand to prevent the door from closing and let the woman catch up. She finally stepped into the elevator cabin whilst taking deep recouperating breaths. "Whew! Thank you very much. I'm glad I didn't have to take the stairs." She giggled in a way the tickled Malachi to make an unintended smile. She smiled back and cleared her throat. "Which floor?" said Malachi pleasently. "Three I beleive. I'm new here I just moved in." "Oh wonderful!" exclaimed Malachi. "We're on the same floor." They waited and the door closed. They made random conversation whilst riding the elevator up. Nothing serious but it made pleasent conversation. Malachi looked in awe of this woman's beauty. She was kind of short, Malachi guessed at 5"1. She had dark brown hair and blazing green eyes that peirced deeply. Her smile was more than just attractive. It was, to say the least, intoxicating. Her personality was agreeable to Malachi; something he didn't find often. They reached the third floor. They continued to talk all the way down Malachi's apartment. "105 this is it." Malachi smiled. "Really?" began the woman,"Im 104! Across the hall! How exciting!" She smiled back at him and held out her hand to shake it. He grabbed her hand and shook. "Excuse me ma'am I didn't manage to catch your name now." "Its Crystal. Crystal Black." She continued to shake his hand until she pulled the key from her pocket. "It was nice meeting you. See you around. Goodnight." "Goodnight," agreed Malachi and she closed her door. Malachi stood there for a moment to analyze what had just happened. "Crystal eh?" He said as he stepped into his apartment. He kicked off his shoes and walked to his room. He stripped to his boxers and laid down in his bed. He thought of the experience he just had. Of his new friend and their encounter in the elevator. He drifted off to sleep with the relaxing tune of opera ballads from across the street.

Chapter 1

Dark. Quiet and still. The feeling of darkness can be either oppressive or it can embody those who fall victim to it. It consumes them with fear and makes them do unintended things. Malachi was there. Squirming on the floor of a dark chamber. Trapped in what seemed like endless darkness, His pupils dilated to conform to the utter darkness. He fidgeted with the buttons on his shirt, His hands demanding to be occupied in activity at all times. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths. His right leg ached. He bit his lip to cope with the pain. His mind thought through his situation. He wasn't sure how he'd allowed these events to pan out. He started his thoughts from the beginning, going over every detail. From start to finish...