The Shadowy: The Girl who was a Shadow

1: Natalie

I almost breathed with relief. "But...but..."

There was a conflict in Jenny's eyes. One I'd never seen before. I swallowed. "Alright. Could I be excused for a walk?"

"Yes," Jenny said quickly, although I could tell Mr. Haynes was not as sure.

I sprinted toward the wet grass. It had rained earlier, and now the sun was shining. This didn't fit my mood.

What's next? Rainbows and unicorns?

I reached the fence that ended the school's property and sighed.

Let me look somewhere else. Anywhere but the school. Where all those events would be replaying. Over and over again.

I looked at the fence. It reflected my shadow back to me.

Shadows are such interesting forces.

I walked more slowly now.

My eyes kept flickering back to the school, warning me of the change to come, but I just didn't want to be reminded. I wanted to cherish what freedom I had now.

I forced my eyes to my shadow.

Wait...I didn't have pin-straight hair.

I wasn't wearing shorts. I didn't wear that many bracelets.

That wasn't me.

I shook my head, trying to rid my brain of such ridiculous thoughts.

But they stayed.

Alright, Em. If apparently you have a different shadow now, experiment! Find out!

I reached out a hand to my shadow.

It reflected that. Then I touched it.

And screamed.

Twice.

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The hand was sizzling hot, and ice-cold at the same time; laced together.

I might have even shrilled, but pretending to be calm, I climbed up the fence.

The shadow didn't move.

I closed my eyes and opened them again.

Nope. Still there. I pinched myself sharply and let out a yelp.

Still there.

"What's going on?" I whispered.

"Hi."

And of course, I screamed. Again. Because what would you do if your shadow talked to you?

"I see the spell has worn off," the shadow said. "Am I changing?"

"This is so freaky...wait, yeah you are."

I tried not to faint. The shadow was beginning to colour. I could see it/she was wearing peach flats. She wore blue shorts and a frilly fire tank top.

Her skin was ivory and her hair was silky and brownish black. It was obvious she was Korean-American, or maybe Chinese.

"Oh...My...God."

"Hi, Natalie Lockhart. I'm Lilia Ellery."

"This is the most creepy thing that has ever happened to me! There is no way I am talking to a shadow."

Lilia Ellery looked offended. "I'm not a shadow right now!"

"But you were!" I cried. "I might even faint from all this!" I backed away.

"I thought you knew!" Lilia exclaimed. "I'm your shadow! I follow you everywhere! I'm your opposite! Or at least intended to, anyway. But not fully. And get used to it. At your new school, there will be people like you."

I stopped in my tracks. "What do you mean people like me?"

"People from The Shadowy," Lilia responded. "Even your friend Cornelia is a Shadowy."

"Cornelia?" I said, and must have sounded shocked.

"You must be the only Shadowy since the Old Ages to not know anything about it!" Lilia complained.

"Cornelia knows?"

"You bet she does, Ms. Lockhart. In fact, I'm surprised she hasn't noticed you're a Shadowy."

"You keep saying Shadowy this, Shadowy that. What is the Shadowy?" I asked. Why hadn't Cornelia mentioned anything to me, anyway?

Lilia rolled her eyes. "Not even that! The Shadowy is a group of unique humans who have power over the dark which includes shadows. They always have their own shadows, but there are rare humans who don't know anything. You're one, apparently. Anyway, The Shadowy's haven't used shadows since the Dark Ages."

"That's seriously all you're gonna tell me?"

"Just start packing. This is the most important day of your life."

"Besides my marriage?"

"Besides your marriage."