Shadow Dweller

"Are — Are you part of the covenant ceremony?" Was the only thing that left my mouth. And if he wasn't part of it, then why is he even here? Why would a devourer be here in the first place?

"No," he flatly said as he circled around me. "But I've been with you for quite some time already."

"I — I don't understand."

"Really, Sean? Then to put it simply. I've been living in your shadow for quite a while already. You didn't notice?" He then hovered to my front and brought his face closer to mine. "And let me tell you this, Sean. I don't plan on leaving any time soon," he added.

"W—Why of all places? Why me and — and why now?" I don't know. I'm a jumbled mess of emotion right now. And I'm totally confused by what he was saying. But what? I've been living with a devourer and I didn't even know that?

"I don't believe you. Stop making a fool out of me."

I clearly remember Mr. Vlad's descriptions of these creatures. The only ones who can see them were those who'd been at death's door before and those who are practicing dark arts.

"Do I look like I'm fooling around, Sean?" the devourer said. "Look at me. Do I look like I'm fooling around? Hmm?" As he said that, he grinned at me and pointed to something on the floor. It was my shadow. "You don't believe me, Sean? Then watch this." As he said that, he went into my shadow. I mean, literally. He got inside my shadow! Everything happened way too fast I didn't even get any time to react.

He popped out a few seconds later and circled around me and said, "What now, Sean? You believe me now?"

"Why me?" I asked. I didn't want anything to do with a devourer no less. Of all people, why me?

"Why you? It's because you're weird, Sean. I've been living for hundreds and hundreds of years but it was my first time seeing a soul dwelling in a different body. It was my first time seeing a shadow I can dwell in too!"

I suddenly froze when he said that. He knew? I didn't really think about it 'till now but he's been calling me Sean since earlier. So of course, he knew.

"And let me tell you this again, Sean. I don't plan on leaving any time soon. Your shadow is the perfect place to hide from other devourers, you know?"

"But I don't want to do anything with you," I told him. "And I don't want you dwelling in my shadow either. So please, just leave. Leave me alone. I don't want anything to do with you."

But he only laughed. He laughed and laughed and then told me, "You don't really get it, do you? I can get inside your shadow whenever I wanted. With and without your permission."

"But why would you do that?" Probably forgetting that I was talking with a devourer at that moment, I started to raise my voice.

"Uhh… Because I can?"

"But I don't want you doing that! Just leave me alone, please. Find other people to play with. Not me, please!"

"But your shadow is the only shadow I can dwell in. It's comfortable inside too not to mention."

"Stop fooling around!"

"But I'm not, Sean. But what if I tell you that whenever I'm in your shadow, other devourers and other nonhuman creatures won't notice you as much as when I'm not."

"Bu—what? What did you say?"

"Let me tell you this, Sean. I noticed you on the first night you started living in that body. In fact, every other devourer in that area was in disarray when they felt your presence. Because you're an anomaly. Had I not been there, who knows what could have happened?"

"That body you're dwelling in right now has been dead for a couple of minutes already before you came. I was tasked to fetch that body's soul to bring it to Death, I'm certain you must've heard of Death already. But the soul was nowhere to find. I was about to leave but the body came back to life. But it was no longer that body's soul. It was you, Sean."

I didn't know what to say at this point. I've always believed no one knew of my secret in this world. Turned out I was wrong. And it was a devourer no less.

"Let me ask you one question."

"Sure!"

"If I allow you, are you certain other creatures won't notice my anomaly?"

"Of course!"

"But why did you only speak to me now?"

"I tried twice! The first time was when you were in the ga—Veritas. Yes, Veritas. You were in the maze garden and I tried speaking to you but that rabbit companion of yours noticed me. The second time was in your apartment but you didn't understand a thing of what I was saying."

"I — I see. But won't he notice you though?"

"But did he noticed me though? I've been living in your shadow for days and days. Did anyone noticed though?"