The Shadow

“Leave me,” the shadow whispered and the man pushed himself along the bench, coming under the light of the street lamp. “Leave me like all the others.”

“Who are you?” the man asked, his voice quavering. He wrung his hands.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Where do you come from?”

“Why do you care?”

“I…” His voice trailed off as he searched for an answer. He quickly realized he didn’t have one. “I’m just curious, I suppose.”

“Curious,” the shadow parroted. A car sped by, the headlights twisting the shadow into impossible shapes.

“Yeah,” the man replied. He raised his eyes to look at the sky. Gray clouds were rolling over the stars, causing them to disappear like a magician would his assistant.

“Leave me,” the shadow repeated.

“Why?” the man replied.

“Everyone else does.”

“Why would you want me to leave? I never bothered you.”

“People always leave. They’re scared of me.”

“Scared? Of what?”

The shadow did not answer. A truck sped along the road and the shadow jumped and shimmied away from the beam of its headlights. The man sighed and leaned back against the bench. He checked his watch. The bus was late.

“Why aren’t you gone?”

The man grunted and stood up.

“No,” the shadow protested. “Don’t leave.”

“Clearly you want me gone,” the man replied. “So I’m leaving.”

“Are you scared?”

“What should I be scared of?”

“The dark.”

Vines sprouted out of the shadow like a dozen arms. They stretched out towards the man, wrapped around him tight. He opened his mouth to scream but a strip of darkness slapped itself over his lips. He struggled, but the shadow was stronger. It tugged him away from the street lamp, out of the light. It swallowed him whole.

The bus pulled up to the stop and its door yawned open. A figure emerged from the darkness, tall and lean, and strode towards it. It took the steps two at a time, walked slowly down the aisle and settled into the back seat. It stretched its arms and legs and yawned rather loudly. As the bus pulled away from the stop the shadows followed it, yelling things only the figure could hear.

Don’t leave me behind this time.

Author's Note

I have no idea where this came from. I really just used the first line as a prompt and went on from there. Comments and crit appreciated.

Reviews

[Selina DeMarkesa]

Very strange and very dark. I like! I wouldn't have been able to come up with something so unique, given the prompt. Kudos to you!

[Aekmy]

This is sort of sinister, but very cool! You did great for only creating it from a prompt. Lovely job. (:

-Luna