Susan took the number two train into Harlem. Her hand was trembling, and although she made a conscious effort to stop the trembling, there was no helping it. She climbed the staircase onto the dark street. The cold sting of the autumn wind chilled her to the bone, and still there was the scuffling of feet. She knew Paul was in the shadows. And those shadows moved with a sinister scowl.
Strangely enough, the streets were barren, with the exception of an occasional corner market catering to the night owls who talked with thick tongues and moved so slowly their actions were hardly caught by the eye. She entered one of these markets and was greeted with inquiring eyes that stared so intently she could feel them moving across her skin. But she wanted to take notice of Paul. She wanted to see how intent he was on following her into the dark annals where such people normally did not dare to travel at such a dark hour.
Taking a deep breath, she pretended to look over the fruit stand, peeking from the corner of her eye out the window. Again the shadows, and she knew that Paul was across the street in the alley, watching.
“Can I help you?” one of those thick, droned voices asked. He was dressed with an apron. His eyes were so tired they bore a yellowish color. “Seems like you’re a bit out of place, if you don’t mind me saying so,” he said.
“Don’t mind at all,” Susan replied. “Just killing some time before meeting up with a friend.”
He nodded with a slight grin. “Suit yourself. But if you need anything you just give me a holler, I’ll be restocking the shelves in the coolers,” he said, pointing to the back of the store where a row of beverage coolers were strung together.
“Thank you, but I think I’ll be fine.”
“To each his own,” he said, then walked toward the coolers.
She watched him go. He walked so slowly, just about dragging his feet.
She watched as his hips swayed from side to side. She watched and waited until he was gone. The shadows appeared to creep up on the store and make their mark on the window to crawl across the glass.
There came such a growl from within those shadows. It was if they were aware that soon they may be gone, threatened by the coming of the Lord.