Shadow Lain

The evening was growing cold as the bright sun set. I stared blankly out the window as my mom and I were returning home from the school prom. It was rather boring I must say. My mom must have noticed how bored I looked and smiled as she turned on the radio. I only sighed as the song played and continued to watch as the streetlights turn on, creating the beautiful circles of light on the ground. Carefully, I watched the lights as our car zoomed by. I just sat and stared, but quickly I noticed a figure just ahead. He stood still under one of the lights. I must say, he was a rather attractive man. He had dark brown hair that reached just below his neck and he wore all black. It looked like a suit. I watched him as our car moved by and I know he was watching me. He had a slight smile spread across his lips. I gulped and waved as he quickly became a silhouette in the growing darkness.

When we returned home my mom set her keys on the counter and turned to me with a grin. I smiled back as I leaned against the sink. "So," She started enthusiastically. "Want a snack, Lily?" I twirled a loose strand of my golden brown hair around my finger as I thought. I just had a big meal of chips and pastries at the dance, but... I nodded and pushed myself off of the sink. My mom smiled and went over to the fridge "How about soft pretzels?" She asked taking out the bag filled with said treats. I replied with a simple yes and plopped down onto the recliner. I grabbed the remote and turned on our medium sized flat screen. "Is there anything on?" "Not really." I replied, continuing to pass through channels. "Lily, turn on the light. You'll get a headache." I nodded, agreeing. I scooted over to the light and flicked the switch, sending bright beams of light through the small room. "Hey mom." I began as I looked back to the television. "Yes?" She asked as she waited for the pretzels to finish. "Where is John?" Mom looked back at me with her arms crossed. "John is staying over at his friends place. He left right after we did if you don't remember." I nodded, realizing my memory sucks. I looked back at the television only to have the crap scared out of me. Briefly, a shadow seemed to have run from one end of the room to the other. I rubbed my eyes and placed my hand to my chest. My heart beat up against my ribs and my head was spinning. "I'm imagining things." I whispered to myself, easily convincing myself it wasn't real. And I knew that after only a few minutes I would forget I ever saw it.

After a minute or so my mom came in with the pretzels and some nacho cheese. I gleamed at the sight of the cheese. My mom knows me very well. She sat down in the chair next to me and set the cheese and pretzels on the table between us so we could share. "It's nice isn't it?" I nodded as I didn't have the ability to speak at the moment due to my mouth being full of pretzel. She shook her head with a chuckle. "I mean being alone together. I'd say this is our first girl's night." I bit my lip and covered my mouth to keep from laughing and spitting food onto my mom. After having a little conversation about the party I got a quick chill. Mom must have noticed because she went over to check the temperature. "What the heck?" I asked aloud. Mom looked at me, and then back to the thermostat. "Why did I get that weird feeling?" I asked, a quick feeling of panic ran through me. I got a feeling someone was standing directly behind me. But that wasn't possible. I was sitting on the recliner, which was right against the wall. And, not only that, it was only mom and myself home at the time. As if reading my mind, whatever was there stroked the back of my neck, making me inhale sharply. I told myself over and over there was nothing there, we're alone. But it refused to let me think so and kept messing with me. Mom sat back down, as if nothing was there. "M-mom." I squeaked out. She looked at me with a funny face as I grew paler and paler as the thing kept touching me. My hair, and mainly my neck. "Mom."

"yes? What's wrong? Are you sick?" She asked, clearly concerned, but not for the right reason. Before I knew what was happening, cold hands wrapped around my neck. I gasped in terror at what was happening. Mom shot out of her seat and ran over to me. She was shouting but my ears were plugged up. I couldn't hear anything but my own struggles to breath. As soon as everything went black I felt my eyes open, and I was staring at the roof of my bedroom.

It was 8:00. It was dark out and I was in my pajamas. "I..." was all I could choke out as I realized I must have been dreaming. I was feeling paranoid now. I looked around my dark room at all of the shadows. The shadows where monsters were said to live when you were a child. I suddenly got scared and flicked on my light. I felt a wave of relief flood over me as the room became brightly lit. I fell onto my back with a sigh as I closed my eyes. I suddenly became very tired as I forgot about the strange dream that had previously held so much fear. After a bit of light napping I felt something tickle my foot and on instinct began giggling. I sat up and looked over to my foot. Nothing was there. I scrunched an eyebrow in suspicion but shook it off as my imagination. As I was about to rest I felt a pressure pushing down the side of the bed next to me. I was growing positive someone just laid down next to me. I looked over to see nothing. But what I did notice was a mark as if a body was laying down. I stared in horror at the mark and jumped from my bed. Slight laughter sent chills through my body and increased my heart rate. I looked around the room to see if anyone was hiding or to find some kind of answer to the figure imprinted on my blankets, and that's when I caught sight of the shadow. On my wall was a shadow of, I guess a male. He was lying on my bed, the shadow of my bed that is. I couldn't get myself to move. I had no idea what I was seeing. I stared for a while before the figure began shifting into unnatural shapes. I screamed and ran for the door but was knocked to the ground. It felt like someone had grabbed a hold of my ankle, but nothing was there. The shadow on the other hand, had been grabbed by 'it'. I clawed at the floor to try and get away but it wasn't doing a thing as it began dragging me back. I screamed again, louder. "Let go! Let go!" I shouted repeatably, even though I knew it wouldn't. I kept clawing, trying to get free. I didn't know what to do. It kept laughing at my fear. It enjoyed how scared I was. "Lily!" I looked up at the door as my mom came running in. The moment she did it vanished. I jumped up and ran to her, giving her a hug. I cried into her chest as she looked at me with worry.

I was frightened. I guess it sounds kind of stupid, but I was frightened to sleep. I didn't know whether to sleep with my light on or not to go near light. I was paranoid. But what really gave me chills afterward was the man I saw on the street after my prom. I had to think about it for a bit but I realized, he didn't have a shadow.