Elara woke from a restless night, her dreams still heavy with whispers and shadows. The fatigue clung to her eyes, her tangled orange hair falling messily over her shoulders as she stared into the mirror. Her hazel eyes looked hollow, but behind them still flickered a stubborn spark of defiance.
As she brushed a strand from her face, a voice slid into her thoughts like a quiet wind.
"You look tired… but still beautiful."
She froze, her body trembling as her gaze darted to the corner of the room. Empty. Her mind screamed that last night had been nothing more than an illusion. Just a trick of exhaustion. Just fear.
Swallowing hard, she whispered, "Was it… was any of it real?"
The reply came, calm and cold:
"I think it was."
Her throat tightened. "Who… who are you?"
"I am your shadow."
The words turned her blood to ice. Her entire body resisted, every cell screaming at the impossibility. How could a shadow speak? How could it feel so present, so near?
"You won't… hurt me, will you?" she whispered.
"No. I'm not here to harm you. I only want to talk."
Her knees buckled slightly as the ground seemed to quiver beneath her feet. She struggled to convince herself this was madness, nothing more. But the voice pressed on, steady, insistent.
"Do you believe me? Do you want to see me?"
"No!" she cried, waving her hands wildly. "I don't want to believe you. I don't want this!"
Silence. Then, a whisper almost pleased:
"Good. Better that way."
Exhaustion dragged her back to sleep, though fear still clawed at her chest. When the sun finally rose, her eyes opened to find a figure in the mirror.
A man stood behind her reflection. His form was translucent, his body outlined in mist, but his face was eerily similar to hers—like a distorted echo. His eyes glowed faintly through the haze.
She stumbled back against the wall. "Why… why did you show yourself to me?"
He smiled faintly. "Because you can see me. That makes you different."
"I… I can see you… I really can."
She dressed hastily, pulling on a violet shirt and jeans, leaving her hair loose around her shoulders. He followed her silently, like a shadow stepping just out of reach, as she left the house and walked to school.
On the way, she asked with strained breath, "Why do you speak? Why do you walk beside me like this?"
"Because I am cursed," he said. "Once, long ago, I was human. But shadows like me were damned since the dawn of humanity. Most of us remain bound, trapped by our hosts. Only when our hosts die do we become free—independent creatures, never returning to what we were."
Her skin crawled. "So… not all shadows are like you?"
"No. Most are killers. Once freed, they destroy their hosts to claim life for themselves."
"And you? Why do you appear only at night?"
"Because daylight blinds us. It hides us. Only the night reveals what you now see. And when shadows are freed, hunters come for us—an organization that trusts no one, whether we are peaceful or not."
Elara walked the rest of the way to school in silence, her mind struggling to make sense of the impossible.
---
At School
The classroom felt as dull as ever, the teacher's voice droning like a faded spell. Elara sat distracted, her eyes constantly flicking to the corners where shadows lurked.
Beside her, Sofia nudged her with a grin.
"Hey… you've been staring off a lot lately. Don't tell me you're still thinking about him. Did you like someone at that party?"
Elara forced a faint smile but gave no answer.
---
Back Home
Later that day, she returned home exhausted, tossing her bag onto the couch. The phone rang again—Sofia, persistent as always.
"You're not skipping out on me this time," Sofia insisted. "We've got a reservation at Albert's Bar tonight. It's going to be amazing. Everyone will be there—you can't miss it!"
Elara groaned. "Sofia…"
"Dress up! I'll be at your house by nine. Don't argue!"
The line went dead before Elara could refuse. She sighed, dropping the phone beside her.
From the corner of her eye, she noticed her shadow sitting on the couch, watching her carefully.
"I don't want you going out tonight," he said firmly. "Stay here. With me."
She turned her face away. "…Fine. As you wish."
---
Preparing Again
But Sofia's determination won out. By evening, Elara found herself once more in front of the mirror, sliding into a crimson dress that clung to her figure, her hands trembling as she applied light makeup.
The doorbell rang, and Sofia burst in, eyes wide.
"Oh my god! Elara, you look stunning! Where have you been hiding this side of you?"
Elara blushed, looking away. "Let's just go."
Sofia laughed, linking arms with her.
"Tonight, you're a princess."
---
At the Bar
The bar pulsed with dim lights and loud music. Students crowded the floor, dancing and laughing.
But Elara's eyes caught him again—the same tall figure with emerald eyes, the same stranger from the party.
Her breath caught in her throat.
"I'll be right back," she told Sofia, then moved toward him with hesitant steps.
"Hello again," she managed, her voice uncertain. "I'm Elara."
He turned to her, his gaze cold and distant. "Aldric."
Her heart raced. "What are you doing here? Were you… at our school before?"
A faint, mocking laugh escaped him. "I'm no child like the rest of you."
"Then why are you here?"
His expression darkened, scanning the room as if danger loomed. "No reason that concerns you. I should go."
He turned abruptly, slipping into a side corridor. Without thinking, Elara followed.
And then—she froze.
Aldric raised his dagger and plunged it into a stranger's chest. Blood splattered across the wooden floor, gleaming under the dim lights.
Elara's scream tore through the bar.
"No!"