Twenty years ago my shadow left me, and something much darker, more devious took its place. Stalking me during every waking moment, waiting for the chance to consume me and take my place. I could feel it every day nibbling away at the very core of my substance, as if I were slowly unraveling. Only in total darkness did I find relief, because without light there can be no shadow.
I finally ran away, haunted and hunted until I found this cave two weeks ago. Since then I have explored ever deeper into the velvet darkness. I found my way by feeling along the cold rock walls until I found this place to hide. Finally I have found peace and the shadow has lost. Sitting in the darkness I eat from the cans of food I brought, the ones that have pull tabs on them to open them. Sounds travel quite a ways here in the dark and I have heard the sounds of the people who have come looking for me but for the last two days they have been unable to find me, hidden back here in my haven of darkness.
“Wait, I found some tracks here in the mud along with the lid of a soup can,” they sound closer as the voices echo in the muffled darkness. “There are some food wrappers over here, and an abandoned backpack,” a dim light makes my fingertips barely visible. “The tracks lead down this way to a dead end.”
The light grows brighter and I can see the walls of the cave, and the shadows that cover it. I scream but it’s too late, the shadow has finally won…
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©2011 Neil Leckman
Tags: Neil Leckman
