Not Human

Chapter 5 | Bacon, Egg and Cheese

We arrived at a local restaurant, one of my favorites as a kid I might add. It's been years since we last ate here, and the style hasn't ever changed. The same green and white checkered pattern tablecloths, the country lifestyle decor, the old 1950's telephone booth you could go in and pretend to have a call. The restaurant was one of a kind, you felt at home. Walking in they have a miniature store in the front where the checkout was, several aisle of candy, and in the front some in-state trinkets. That's what I remember at least. My favorite dish to get was the bacon egg and cheese sandwich with a side of corned beef hash, and let me tell you I mean always. I'd only changed the order one time to their burger, but every time I'd get the bacon egg and cheese.

"Where are you?" I asked. Seriously, this is getting stressful.

"I'm in your shadow." it said.

My face gave off all the tension I had, however it made sense. My cursed shadow kept in my shadow. We walked up to the restaurant entrance and I felt it. A similar sensation from whenever I was in the bathroom and I did not enjoy its presence. My skin crawled as we walked in.

"Ahh..." I exhaled out of a strong sense of relief.

The restaurant smelled so good from the inside, almost all worry vanished. As my parents were talking with the table assistant I felt a strong feeling of the shadow growing behind me.

"What are you doing?!" I said. I had almost yelled too.

"In darker lighting I can get slightly more free. Do not worry, it helps me." it replied.

I sighed.

"As long as no one can see you." I said.

This was going to be a problem. The restaurant's lighting was dim and relaxing, just the right amount of setting. But enough I could understand the sudden movement from its part.

"Follow me to your table, please."

It reminded me what we're here for, food–I love food. Good food too, making me lose all sense of worry, again. As we sat down I asked my shadow,

"Do shadows even need to eat?"

The only thing I could think was if this thing could eat, I wonder what a hefty appetite could result from it.

"No. Rather, I feed off of your emotions." it said.

Great, a emotion eater I thought, never heard one of those have you.

"Ri-"

"Hey bud, who are you talking to?" dad said.

That was when I made a rookie mistake, as the shadow lord. The name came from an anime I had watched, though it was mainly because I literally had a shadow I made. What was that mistake you may ask? I forgot that I'm talking out loud, and no one else can see it. My face turned, mouth wide open. I was shook. No, shocked! I locked in, I had too.

"Are you...okay?" my mom asked.

Right in the jugular. It hurt me that–I may have seen skitzo in front of my parents, but even worse–the waiter had come back.

"Hey y'all, my name is Sarah. I will be your waitress for today, and what can we get for drinks?"

Sarah, my new challenger against time. The battle between my parents' concern and a simple, yet so painstakingly hard question at the same time. My mind racing, I quickly say the split second after she introduced herself I blurt,

"I-I'll have water!" I thought.

Water is the easiest choice without thinking about anything, and my parents looked at me in disbelief, how loud I had been. This battle is not over, I need a way to ease the situation. Even the shadow gave me a look, and it doesn't even have eyes.

"Oohooey, someone's excited!" the waitress said in a bubbly manner.

The waitress came in clutch. If she had responded awkwardly my life would have been over mentally. As she finished taking drink orders, my parents gave me the most uncomfortable look I'd ever seen in their life. To be honest it wasn't our first time here, so it's not like we were unfamiliar with the workers, so I should've expected as much.

"Y'know we'll talk later, let's just..enjoy the time here." Dad said.

Dad, you saved my sanity for a little bit–however I hate the later talks. The waitress came back giving us our drinks–as well as taking out food orders. I turned and looked at my shadow. Even it had been confused.

"You...okay?" it said.

"We'll talk later," I muttered.