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Although  the  boy was only six years old  the  child  carried himself with the bearing of a small man.  Mature  beyond his  years he  had never allowed anyone to  coddle him,  much to  his  mother  Carrie’s chagrin. At this moment he was angry with both of  his older sisters for teasing him by calling him a baby, all because his mother insisted on putting him to bed before the moon was even full in the sky. The three children  had been lounging peacefully in their playroom, each engrossed   in   their   own  activity  until  Carrie  interrupted  them changing the mood entirely and causing Eddie to become the center of  unwanted attention and teasing  “You’re just a  baby Eddie  and babies need plenty of sleep…. I’m old enough to know that at least!” Sofia  whispered  behind  her  hand,  as  she  pretended to rock her Thumbelina doll to sleep.

“I’m  not anybody’s  baby n I don’t need  no sleep…. Anyway…. Who you calling baby Sofia?!… You’re just barely older me!”  “You…Eddie… B-A-B-Y! “ she  spelled  out. “And I  am four whole years older than you…which  makes  me  way older! If you weren’t  such a  baby you would be  able to count!” Sofia chanted gleefully enjoying torturing her little brother;  he  was too big for his britches as far as she was concerned. “Mama…Sofia’s calling me the “B” word.”  “Oh why don’t you stop being such a brat and go on to bed,  so we can all have a little  peace  and quiet?!” Odele chimed in with  her typical haughty attitude.  She was trying to read her Movie Stars fan magazine and all  the  noise  was getting  on  her nerves. On top of that, the last thing  she  wanted  was  her  mother  to  come  running  to Eddie’s defense as  she always  did when it came  to  her  son.   In Odele’s opinion her mother Carrie  had never displayed love to anyone other than her sons. 

If  she’s  not careful God  will  take this one too,  Odele thought and just as quickly tried to  banish the thought from her mind. She loved Eddie and never wanted anything to happen to him, its just that she never understood why her mother’s face never lit up for her the way it did with Eddie…. the same way it had for her older brother Edward before his death.  No matter what she or her sister Sofia did, it was never  worthy  of  more  than a nod  of approval from their mother.  Consequently her sister Sofia chose their father Logan as the parent she sought approval  from;  whenever he  was present he could  be relied on to freely give  all  his children approval and affection.  The only problem being that as a prominent minister, he was a very busy man and frequently not at home.  Even with Logan’s many absences Odele gave him credit for never showing favor for one child over the other.   Hearing the sound of her mothers’ approaching footsteps as her heels tapped on the hardwood floor Odele buried her face in her magazine,  pretending  to  be   too   engrossed   to   be   disturbed. Surreptitiously  she watched  as her mother’s eyes quickly assessed the situation. 

“Sofia…stop  irritating  your  younger  brother…not baby…younger.” Smiling at  Sofia she winked conspiratorially  while Eddie studied the exchange  closely  and  in  his  childlike  way  realized he was being placated  and  didn’t  care  for it one bit. Without being consciously aware  of  the impact  of  his actions, he instinctively responded to regain  a  position of strength.  Emulating  his father Logan, the boy stood  with  his  shoulders  erect,  as  he had seen his father do so often  in  the  pulpit,  until  he  knew  he  had everyone’s undivided attention.  As  it  was  with his father,  so it was with Eddie; within moments  every  eye  was  turned toward him. Purposefully ignoring both of his sisters, he stepped forward grabbing his mother’s hand in his and slightly tugged it to  indicate she should follow him as he led her from the room. Just as they crossed the threshold, Sofia quickly put her doll in its crib and ran to Eddie hugging him close.  Standing still  he  allowed  himself  to  be  hugged  as  though  contemplating whether  or  not to return her affection.  Momentarily  he  hesitated before  conceding  yielding he brushed her hair gently  with his small hand  his anger forgotten.  Glancing  past  Sofia,  Eddie and Odele’s gaze  locked  and  fastened  black  eyes  met  hazel  wit h an air of expectancy, for a moment the air was charged as though both were trying to gauge whether to war or  acquiesce.  Just as suddenly the charge  left  the  air  Odele  stood  up  magazine in  hand feigning a yawn.  “I’m  tired too…think I’ll go lay in bed and read a little more.”  Walking directly to her brother she leaned over and whispered… “If I get  scared  I’ll  come  and  get  you… you  know…for   protection.”  “G’night Mother”,  Odele  walked  past  Carrie  without  making  eye contact.   She  was  always  careful  to   walk  the   thin   line   of respectfulness although she was never affectionate.

“Goodnight,  weetheart”,  Carrie  watched  the  exchange  between her children always amazed at her son’s ability to turn a situation to his advantage.  He  had  a  special language with his sisters, always insisting that they respect him.  Like many households that had one son  among  several  girls,  he was referred to  as the little man and accustomed  to   being  catered  to.   Carrie  hadn’t  overheard  the whispered remark from Odele,  she just observed  her son’s response and knew that it had been just what  he  needed  to  hear.  Looking from  Eddie to Odele,  she attempted to  catch her eyes  to nod her approval but  as customary  her daughter passed  her with an air of indifference uttering a perfunctory goodnight. 

At eleven  years old,  Odele  was the  most difficult of her children, although  Carrie realized  tha t in  large  part Odele held her directly accountable for her unhappiness.  Acknowledging that her daughter was justified,  Carrie  took full  responsibility.   Even  now she could recall  how  she  had distanced herself  from her  children  after the death  of her first child  Edward.  Emotionally numb,  she  had  been devoid of  the  ability  to  display maternal affection;  that was until she  had  Eddie… but  by   then   too   many   years   had   passed. Understanding  the  dynamics  that  had  plagued  her  family,   she reasoned  that  it would take years to repair the damage.  Even still Odele and Sofia’s  desire  for  motherly affection and admiration had been  negatively affected each handling the  void differently.  Odele had  created  a  universe  where  she was the axis surrounded by a wheel of admirers.  By  the  time  she  was  ten  years old, she was emotionally   estranged from  her family,  with  Eddie  being the sole exception.  Sofia  attempted  to  emulate  Odele to win  her  sisters acceptance as a feminine replacement for her mother. At best Odele seemed  to   tolerate  her  sisters’   efforts,   preferring  always  the company  of her elite and snobbish circle of friends.  It  was a rarity that  made  Carrie’s  spirit’s lift to see her eldest daughter’s respond kindly  to  one  of  her  siblings.  Observing  the brief exchange with Odele, Eddie had stuck his chest out confidently, turning back to his mother he whispered, “I’m ready for bed now.”

Mystified  by  her  son  she  took  his hand and walked the few feet from the playroom to his bedroom thinking  that in  his  own way he had reprimanded his sisters through his actions as though he were a man.  The Daniels home was designed with a wing of the house just for the  children.  They  each  had  their  own  bedroom and private adjoining bathroom.  The  playroom  was located at the entrance to the wing and served as a common area for all  the children.  Eddie’s room was located between Odele’s and Sofia’s.  As Carrie passed by her eldest daughter’s  room she heard the familiar noise coming from behind the closed door.  Odele always dreamed of being an actress, and would often perform in plays at her school. Each evening it was her habit after reading her  fan magazines to sit in her bedroom and listen  to  her  favorite radio broadcast  “The Shadow.”   Smiling  to herself she could almost set her watch by Odele’s habits.

Once Eddie was tucked into bed, under the quilt made for him by his grandmother  Megan.   Carrie  left  the  room  still  thinking  of  the conversation she’d  had  with him about his sister’s teasing.  “Eddie your sisters tease you because they love you and that’s what older sisters do.”

 “They  should  never  tease the man of the house;  I  have to keep them safe.” He stated completely serious, his  expression  fixed with firmness  uncommon  to a child.  Carrie  studied  Eddie  his  beautiful black  eyes  surrounded  by  sooty  lashes  his  eyes were  intensely compelling and uncharacteristically beautiful for a male.  Running her fingers through his coal black straight hair, she brushed it away from his brow.  My son is unlike any child I’ve had before; she thought to herself,  he  is  more a man than a child. It occurred to her that she had never spoken  to him in baby talk or used nicknames as she had done with  her  other  children.   As  though by unspoken agreement Carrie respectfully called him Eddie. 

Unwavering  Eddie’s eyes had held his mother Carrie’s compelling her to reply,  “Eddie,  you  are the man of the house when you father is not here.  As for our safety, now that’s the last thing I want you to worry about. We are safe.”

Eddie  continued  to  study  his mother intently weighing her words; she  noted  a shift in his eyes signaling he had arrived at a decision. Instinctively  she  knew from  his  expression  that he did not agree with her.   “Good night Mama…I love you.”   Leaning  forward Carrie kissed her son’s brow.   “I love you too son…. Mama loves you too.”

Listening  for  the click of the door as it closed Eddie lay staring out the window deep in thought. She doesn’t know about the monster’s that’s  why  she   thinks   she’s  safe.   Pulling  the  radio  from  the nightstand he placed it on his bed under his  covers.   Adjusting the dial  he  repositioned  the  antenna so he could hear the broadcast. Eagerly  waiting  for  the  beginning  of  the  show, he listened with baited breath anxious for the adventures of  “The Shadow” to begin he hummed to the commercial.  “Brylcream….a little dab’ll-do ya!” As the  show  began  he  leaned  forward  his nose almost touching the small speaker in the radio so  intently  he  paid  attention  while  his imagination gave him the ability to see the  broadcast on the screen of his mind's eye…chills  ran  down  his  spine  as  he listened to the familiar refrain,  indicating  the  program had come to an end   “Who knows  what evil lurks in the hearts of men?... The Shadow knows!”  Letting out a sigh of relief,  Eddie  returned the radio to its place on the nightstand and stared out of hi s window  hypnotically.  Fighting to stay  awake,  he hoped Odele would be too scared to sleep alone tonight.   Finally  unable to stay awake any longer he gave in to the lure of sleep.  In  his  dreams  he  pictured  himself  as the hero who rescues his sisters and mother from The Shadow,  Eddie slipped into a  deep  sleep  only  to  be  awakened  a  short  while  later  by real screams that were not coming from his radio.

“No! Please stop Logan…please!.....Stop…Please!” 

Not  certain  if  he was dreaming or awake for a moment he thought the  screaming  was   right  outside   his  door.   Awaking  with   an indescribable  sense  of   dread;   disoriented   Eddie   automatically wanted  to  do  as  any   six   year   old   awakened   in   unfamiliar circumstances… tears  immediately  sprang to  his eyes…  his mouth opened  to cry out  for  his  mother… but  then  he  stopped  short, recalling  that  only babies cried. Again he could hear a scream then muffled cries.   Jumping  from his bed he  ran  in the direction of the sound.  His  knees  felt  weak,  but  his  determination  to  be brave overcame his fear.   Running down the hall toward his parent’s room, he  gave  a  startled cry  when someone grabbed his arm pulling him unceremoniously  into  the room where  he  came  face to face with Odele her face red and swollen from  crying he saw Sofia also crying softly sitting on the bed. 

“Sssh! Be quiet,  it will be over soon… Eddie  just stay with  us we’ll protect you”.  Odele  whispered.  Shaken, Eddie broke free from her grasp,  staring  at  his  sisters  in  stunned  disbelief  his  awareness shifted  and  like  a  blind  man  his  vision blurred as he lost sight of them.  Their  fear  was  so  palpable that it  filled his senses until he could taste the bile in his throat.

There’s a  monster in my house and I have to protect them from  It. he  thought with  childlike rationale.   Wrenching  free  from  Odele’s grasp he  ran  from the room toward the sound without a backwards glance determined to find his  mother,  he  was sure she needed  his immediate protection.  Heart hammering in his chest,  Eddie stood in the hallway listening keenly  for the monster… the  same monster he imagined that dwelled in the  recesses of his closet.  Hearing a thud coming  from  his  parent’s  room,  he  walked  woodenly toward the sound.  With each step he readied himself to  face the monster fully expecting  it  to  jump  out and confront him at  any given moment; that is until he came face to face with  it.  Turning the knob silently he entered the room hoping to launch a surprise attack. His eyes as large as saucers,  Eddie’s knees weakened and his bowels turned to water as the monster came into full view.  To his horror the monster and his father  were  the same  person,  almost.  The  monster must have   transformed   into   his  father,  this  disheveled   man-beast standing before  him was barely recognizable to the boy.  Eddie had never seen his f ather  in  his  present  condition,  his  hair  mussed, cheeks  flushed  beet red and his eyes bloodshot from rage reeled in anger at the audacity of someone entering the room.   Logan turned toward the door demanding.  “What do you want boy?!  Get the hell outta here…I’m talking to your Mama!

Jumping in  fright, his gaze fastening on the naked form on the floor as the realization  washed  over  him  that  the  bruised,  disfigured woman was in fact his  beloved mother.  “Do  you  hear  me  Boy?!” Eddie could not miss the underlying tone insinuating imminent danger still he remained. No monster was going to get his mother  “Uh, uh... monster-Daddy  you’re  not  talking…Mommy’s hurt! I’m here to save her!”   Logan’s  lips  curled  in  disgust  the  veins in his neck pulsing dangerously...  “Save  her…. Save  her?!  Why boy…I’m the only one that can save her! I’m gonna beat all  hell out  of  her….  Save her?! Even God couldn’t save her from being a whore!” 

Although  he  didn’t  understand  the  barrage  of  insults,  the word whore was stored in his memory to be retrieved later when he could fully  understand  it’s meaning.   This  event  would  forever change Eddie, without his knowledge or permission his view of marriage and 
relationships    would    always   remain   scarred   by   his   fathers accusations and his mother’s action.  No matter how much he loved her,  women  were whores.  This  event impacted his ability to love, trust and respect a woman.  Despite what he saw unfold, he always remembered what he heard and what followed.

Unable to reconcile the scene that played out before him, Eddie saw his father as the embodiment of  The Shadow, pure evil,  a monster. As  though  a  spell  had  been  broken,  he  mutely  ran toward the monster disguised as his father, fists flailing wildly intent on stopping this attack against  his  mother.  Bravely  he  stood  up  against  his father  receiving  Logan’s wrath in order to save his mother from the savagery of his rage.   No  longer  able  to  hide  in their rooms after their brother’s departure,  Odele  and Sofia followed in his wake.  He attacked  the  monster  moments  before  they  entered  the room.  Hearing his sister’s screams of horror, he was momentarily  confused looking  around  he  fully  expected  another monster to show itself. The young  boy  fought  wildly trying  with all his might to physically disable  his  monster-father  and  interrupt  the  attack  against  his mother.

Blinded by  anger and jealously,  Logan regarded his son’s assault as a  personal  affront and fought  him like an  adversary instead of his own child.  At  first he willfully  ignored  the cries and pleas from his wife and daughters to  have mercy  and stop his attack on  his son, intending to stop short  after  he  taught  him  to stay out of grown folks business. He had almost come to his senses until in an attempt to save Eddie,  Odele  jumped  on  Logan’s back scratching his face and pulling his hair. “Leave him alone!”  She screamed manically. For the first time in  her  life  Odele’s  loyalty  had  been challenged, she chose  Eddie.  At  the  same  time  Carrie twisted her body free and started  biting  and  scratching  Logan demanding  Eddie’s  release.  Determined  not  to  be  defeated,   Logan  fell  back  into  the  wall knocking  the  wind from  Odele  causing  her  to slide from his back. Swinging  around  wildly he kicked Carrie a satisfied smirk lit his face when  she  doubled   over   becoming   motionless.  Turning  his  full attention  toward  his  son,  completely unsympathetic Logan’s face contorted grotesquely as he released a guttural scream of rage. 

Terrified  Eddie  felt  his bladder release even  before  Logan’s  hand connected with  his jaw.   Gaping in stunned silence he watched his son sail across the room, his small frame smashing headfirst into the wall.  Sanity  returned to  Logan immediately  with painful clarity his scream of rage becoming shrieks of grief and remorse.

In  the span of milliseconds Eddie’s  eyes  filled with tears of shame, he  had  not been able to help his mother…. he could even hear her screaming  his  name  somehow she was drowning out the monster.  Without  warning he  felt his neck  snap forward as his head hit the wall.  Letting  go  he sought the solace of unconsciousness and the company  of  the Shadow killer. Later in life when he became a man, he would recall  that night,  not  because  of the beating…but what came after. 

Logan’s  blow knocked Eddie unconscious,  resulting  in a concussion that left him hanging on to life in a semi-coma for over a week. 

During  his  recovery  his  mother  explained  that  while he was in a coma  she  remained  by   his   side  sitting  near  his  bed  for days watching over him. Because of her fear of hospitals after the loss of her first child,  Carrie insisted that Eddie stay at the Norton’s home. Louise Norton  was his mother’s closest friend, she and her husband Thomas came to their rescue after the assault by Logan. His mother told him that for  four  days  he never moved a muscle.  The doctor had  closely  monitored him  and instructed her to continue to speak to him  softly.  He  also  cautioned  her  of  the  risk  of  moving him because  of  his  injuries  and the possibility of internal bleeding.  On the fifth day just as the doctor left the room, Eddie cried out like an infant curling his body  into  a  fetal position.  Carrie knew then that she had to ignore Dr. Washington’s directions, she had lost one son; she did not intend to lose two. 

Grabbing  the  frail  boy  she pulled his body out of the fetal position using all of her strength despite her own injuries. Demanding that he wake  up  and  fight  back.   Even  as  his body resisted and tried to maintain the fetal position,  his mother Carrie pulled and tugged until she forced him to  uncurl by placing her body over his, pleading with God to give  her son  back  to  her.   She  begged  His  forgiveness, assuring   Him   that  she  would  guard  this  child  whose  life  was balanced on a thread because he had tried to protect her. 

As   Eddie  listened  to  his  mother  describe  the  events  after  his accident,  he  was never able to explain to his mother that although God answered;  it was not her prayers, but his that were answered. At the same time that Carrie was petitioning God,  so was Eddie, his request  was  simple.  “God  please  send  me back so I can protect them  that’s  all…just  protect  them.”  And  when  he  reached that thought,  in  his  prayer  he felt God smile and sensed His nod…in his mind he heard I am  Jehovah Elohim!  I will protect you.  Death tried to snatch him, but through grace he had just been reborn………Eddie awoke leaning his head back he looked upward uttering Jehovah.