The ghostly shadow

Pulling her scarf tightly around herself, she stepped forward into the woods, towards the place where the shadow had been…

She could feel its chill, feel its cold, frigid fingers grasping her sweaty arm. Her hair stood on end, she wanted to turn and run, scream into the fog that surrounded her.

But she couldn’t.

She was trapped, the ominous shadow seemingly whispered to her, it's eerie voice calling out into the sinister woods. It was everywhere, shapeless, bodiless, but always there, stalking her, chasing her. Her hair whipped her face as the rough wind blew her around and tossed her, like she was a ball being carelessly thrown from one menacing hand to the other.

She was falling, reaching, grasping into thin air as her limp body dove further into oblivion…

It was exquisite, the blushing pink clouds slowly drifting away in the cool, pleasant breeze.

She felt careless, indifferent, as she walked along the boulevard, she was sober, but didn’t feel it, all was so peaceful and calm...

It was dark, she could feel the shadow slowly but surely closing in, closer and closer till she could hardly breath and all she inhaled was the icy air around her. Her death was certain, she could feel her body shaking, trembling, a chill ran up her spine.

A figure emerges from the shadows and gently wraps his warm arms around her quivering body.

Tears well up in their eyes and slowly fall down their cheeks and onto the wet concrete. Their hands interlock and the walk off, side by side, together.

Behind them the shadow slithers behind the trees and wraps itself around another victim.

Foot note

The victim of the shadow and the mysterious boy lived a loving life together. They never knew what became of the shadow but hear frequent knocking on their window every night.

Once a shadow finds a victim or a curious, careless girl it will never stop haunting them, it will always come back and get you, you will never be safe.

Dear diary part two

1st of January 2000

Me and papa sit on the old couch which sagged under our weight. Tears slide down our bony cheeks as we clench each other, holding on for dear life. We look around our house for the last time, the peeling walls, the faded paint. We sit in silence, thinking, no-one dates speak a word. It's been so long since we last had a cherished memory, something to hold onto. It's been a year since we ran along the soft sand, I, oblivious, he, concerned. I imagine poverty, imagine sitting under a murky tunnel with nothing but a cardboard box. It's too much to bear, if dad won't do anything, I must. I stand up, my body so frail and weak it's hard to lift my arm just enough to reach my hips and look stern. I talk slowly, my voice wispy and hoarse.

'Dad we must do something, together, whether it's working or school, we can't sulk around, filthy, living like animals with no money and all we do is beg. Is that how you want it? Well I certainly don't. Remember the days we were happy? We can't mourn our whole life.' 

I sit down exhausted but hopeful and fulfilled. Papa opens his mouth then shuts it, dazed. We look at each other, it's clear what we're thinking: dive, like we did 1st of January 1999 exactly one year ago. We make our way to the shore and swim, swim to a new life, a new place, a new home.

Dear diary part one

L1st of January 1999

I held my papa's hands, we fled along the sand, kicking our muddy shoes out onto the prickly grass. We stopped and stared at each other for a moment, it was clear what we were thinking. We dived, splashing around in the icy waves. Papa turned and looked at me. He spoke kindly, his words warm and comforting against the cold breeze.

'My lovely princess, what would I do without you, your full of life, of laughter, of fun. I'm nothing without you, nothing.'

His words were soft but his eyes cold as ice, I could see years of misery within his grass green eyes. We hugged, a great big bear hug as he twirled me around like a ballerina. Together we ran home, happily, as if this moment would be our last