The Shadow

Part 1

The loneliness is unbearable.

I sigh. This cell is so boring and pitch black. Solitary confinement will never be fun. I didn't do anything to deserve this. The shadow was going after me. They did this to me! It wasn't my fault! It wasn't m-!

"Shaji!" A voice calls from an opened slit in the door, "Get your food!" A tray with food then slides in from the slit at the bottom of the door.

My only interaction during the day is with the nice man who brings me food every day. "Thank you," I call out, but he never answers back... Maybe he can't hear me.

I look down at the platter of cheap cafeteria food. My stomach growls. Corn bits stare up at me, pork steams from its place, and discolored beans call my name. Like a savage beast, I wolf down everything on my plate. Bean paste covers my face, which I wipe off with my napkin.

I hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday, but now my hunger is satisfied. I'll take whatever food I can get if I'm hungry.

My thoughts are interrupted as a knock on the door signifies it's time for me to give my tray back. I slide the tray next to the slit, knock on the door softly, and then I make a playful leap back. I quickly get on my belly, the cool concrete pressing against me, to see if I can see the security guard. I never can, but it's fun trying to see them.

The slit opens, a metal stick quickly grips the side of the tray, pulls it out, and then the slit closes again. I let out a disappointed sigh as I get up to my feet. I'm starting to forget what people look like. It's sad.

I've been in this cell for 3 years, I'm 15-years-old. I haven't seen a single human since I was 12. I've gone out of my cell before, but only with a blindfold. Everyone thinks if I see a shadow I'll freak out. I'm not afraid of every shadow, only the Shadow.

The Shadow follows me when I'm in public. The Shadow mocks me. The Shadow plays with my mind. The shadow covers my vision with delusions. The Shadow won't go away. The Shadow won't leave me alone. The Shadow ruins my life. The Shadow put me here in this closed, empty cell. It's all the Shadow's fault. My life is in tatters because of the Shadow.

When I was ten, the Shadow frequently appeared in my dreams causing me to have nightmares every single night. Around 3 months after my tenth birthday, the Shadow started to appear in the corner of my eyes. 5 months after turning ten, the Shadow started moving from the corner of my eyes. It'd walk aimlessly and no one else would notice it. It'd sit when I'd sit and follow me around about 6 weeks later. A month later, the Shadow started poking me and other people, though, the others couldn't feel it. It started to act out in public about 3 months later. It'd smack people and punch them, but people paid no mind to it. Then, another 3 months later it started, it started, it-

I let out a blood curdling scream as the memories flow back into my mind. They won't leave me alone! Why? Why won't you just let me be normal?

"Leave me alone," I shriek and throw my head against the cement wall, "Stop it! Please!" I scream again earning pounds on the door telling me to shut up, but I ignore them. They don't know what it's like to be me. They don't know anything! They don't know!

Tears stream down my cheeks, one by one, they drop to the cement floor and blood drips from my forehead. I drop to my knees and sob to my heart's content. My own sobs slowly lull me to sleep on the concrete floor where I sleep for what feels like an eternity.

I'm awakened by a pounding on the cell door. "Prisoner Shaji," the voice calls out, "We're taking you to another cell for a little while." The door is slowly pushed open by a young, brown-haired police officer. He looks down at me as dim light slips into the cell.

He looks at my tattered, light brown hair and tear-stained face as he offers a hand. I gently take it and struggle to stand up as pain shoots up from my cramped knees. He's at least 7 inches taller than me. The young officer ties a blindfold around my field of vision, the usual whenever I get to leave my cell, handcuffs me, and guides me into the hallway, shutting the cell door behind him.

I stay quiet, not wanting to bother the officer. The cells I pass are vacant. The police officer and I are the only ones in this cell block. Less people, the less likely the Shadow will show up. Not like I'd be able to see it, though.

The nice officer leads me through a maze of cell blocks, "Cell Block C is where the mentally unstable prisoners will be staying for a bit."

Mentally unstable...? Right. What was I doing thinking this officer was nice? I can hear him open a cell door and he gently pushes me in. He then undoes my blindfold and unlocks my handcuffs. Wait... this cell is open. It's not dark. I'm not in solitary confinement! This isn't good. There are so many prisoners here! It'll come after me!

I grab the arm of the officer, "You can't keep me in here," I try to explain. "Please! I'm not safe here! Please, I need a confinement cell!" He tries to get me off him, but that just makes me cling to him more.

"Get off, freak," he shouts at me and raises his baton at me.

"F-freak...?" My eyes fill with tears. It's not my fault the Shadow follows me around. I let go of his arm and crumple to the ground. "I'm not a freak," I mumble as the officer quickly exits the cell, closes the cell door, and locks it behind him.

I scream. Tears stream down my face. Prisoners stare. The Shadow appears.

End of Part 1