The shadows

Day 34

10:30 a.m.

Hanna, who had not joined my group, passed past me and muttered to me that Alain was getting on her nerves, before walking away as if nothing had happened. I wasn't sure why, but I didn't trust her.

The sun shone brightly in the yard. I was standing there watching my friends start a basketball game when I noticed a shadow in front of my feet. My shadow was not only too small to be my own, but I also didn't feel the same. How long before someone figured out what was going on and revealed the truth?

Bell! And that's the end of class!

My basketball buddy Lucas, who had fractured his leg in a scooter accident during the summer vacations, and I left school together. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, who

We were strolling down the sidewalk next to one other, and I was concerned he'd notice that our shadows were different sizes, mine being smaller than his despite the fact that we were virtually the same size. But he didn't seem to notice our movements, perhaps because of his brace, which was giving him a headache. From the first day of school, the students dubbed him Captain Hook.

My mother says that I have a very active imagination.

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Day 35

Since I had absorbed Alain's shadow, I had been feeling quite uncomfortable; there had to be some sort of side effect to this strange phenomena, and this concept was not meant to reassure me.

The darkness had altered again when I approached the crossroads on my way home.

I went to the garden when I came home to investigate the phenomenon further.

I spent the afternoon playing with my new shadow and, to my astonishment, I felt reborn. I felt like a different person for the first time, even if it was simply a negative printed on the ground.

'Dear VIP2, 1000 points have been credited to your account. Congratulations!’

I climbed up to the attic later that evening. I had a plan in my head. There was a wide skylight in the attic, as round as the full moon, and the moon was completely full tonight. At all costs, I had to figure out what was going on with me. Stepping on someone's shadow and walking away with it was no little matter.

I'm standing in front of the attic window, straightening up to see the moonrise. It's full, and its light is falling on the attic's wooden planks. I can even see dust particles floating in the air, which adds tranquility to the event. I went to my father's study to get some books on shadows before heading upstairs.

I was able to notice a lot of information about how to make them emerge, move, and lead them. As soon as the moon aligns, my plan should work.

Finally, the event I had been anticipating occurred. I could see the shadow stretching across the attic slats right in front of me.

"You are not my shadow!"

In hushed tones, the shadow replied to me.

"I understand."

There was complete quiet.

"You're Alain's shadow! Right?"

'Yes,' she said softly in my ear.

It's as if the shadow is playing music in my thoughts as it speaks to me. 'Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please....'

"Why me?" I inquired.

'Didn't you know I got away?'

"How did you get away?"

'Do you know what it's like to be a dummy's shadow? It's too much for me; I can't handle it any longer. It was unpleasant even when he was small, but the older he gets, the less I can bear it. The other shadows, particularly yours, mock me. If only you knew how fortunate your shadow is, and how arrogant it is toward me. It's all because you're special.'

"What makes you think I'm special?"

'Ignore anything I just stated. The other shadows claim we don't have a choice; we're always the shadow of one person. For your situation to improve, that individual would have to change. I might as well tell you, that the future I have in store for me is not the most glorious. Can you image my surprise when, the instant you arrived at his side, I felt like I could disconnect myself from him? I didn't think about it because you have tremendous power, and it was now or never to make me beautiful. I took advantage of my size and the fact that I was Alain's shadow; I have justifications. I pushed yours to fill in for him.'

"And what did you do with my shadow?"

'What are your thoughts? She needed to hang on to anything, so she is with my previous property owner. She must be in awful shape right now.'

"What you did to my shadow was awful. I'll return you to Alain tomorrow, and I'll retrieve it."

'Please allow me to accompany you. I'd like to know what it's like to be a decent person's shadow.'

"Decent person? Me?"

'It's true that you're a selfish jerk who hurts everyone, but your friends put up with you because you're the best basketball player in the school, and you acted as if you owned the cup when you scored the game-winning point in the inter-school game. You're well aware that you didn't win the game by yourself. Anyway, you selfish, horrible scumbag that you are... you can still be a decent human being.'

"I'm afraid I won't be able to keep you."

'I can assist you. Staying in the shadows is in my blood. We'll get there with a little training and a little teamwork.'

"However, you're three feet shorter than I am."

'It's simply a matter of time; it won't always be the case.'

"How would you want to assist me?"

'Assist you in gaining points.'

"How well-versed are you in the subject of points?"

'It's a bonus system. You can pick what you want to accomplish with your power once you have the proper quantity of credits.'

"How does it work?"

'Well, it's straightforward.'

"No, it's not!"

'Indeed, it is! You have the option to do whatever you choose. Don't worry, there's a lot on the list; you'll discover something to make you happy.'

"Like what? Give me an example."

'Graduating from high school without attending college, earning the income you desire without working, purchasing a village...'

"And I pay with my credits?"

'Tss, tss, tss, tss, tss, tss, tss, tss, tss, tss, tss, tss, You are just like your parents! It's not for nothing that they are both wealthy and impoverished. Yes, you can use your credits. In any case, you'll need to earn credits and level up in order to get there.'

The shadow shook his head. When I walked away from the skylight, it vanished.

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Day 40

Lucas sat on the bench during every school recess. He didn't have much else to do with his crutch and brace.

He motioned for me to join him, and he pointed to Alain.

"Here, assist me in walking; my leg is stiff."

We took a few steps together after I extended my hand. As we reached Alain, a tiny ray of light broke through the black sky, proving to be my fortunate day.

I gazed down at the courtyard floor, which was a jumble of shadows overlaying. I shifted to the right a little, and bang! Five in a row.

'Dear VIP3, you've earned a total bonus of 5000 credits.'

Congratulations to me! Let's go on!

When someone shoved me in the rear, I planted my foot on the left shadow and chopped three shadows instead of one.

‘Wishing you all the best, VIP4! Your account has been credited with 10,000 points.'

Oh! It gets even better!

I had forgotten to inquire of Alain's shadow as to which level I may select. It was only a matter of increasing my credits account and raising my level.

I was no longer avoiding the sun; instead, I was following it around every corner, looking for a desperate shadow eager to quit its owner.

Alain's shadow was correct; all of the shadows I had gathered had chosen to leave their owners because they were sick of being around people they despised.