Shadows

Two shadows followed them.

It was just a normal shadow, following behind them because their bodies blocked out the sun. There were two, just walking down the road that didn't seem that extraordinary. There were mountains in the distance, a sunset on the horizon. The shadows held hands, though the people didn't touch.

They were talking, low murmurs as they walked. Neither wanted the walk to end, but neither could allow it to continue on forever. The shadows held onto each other tightly, as though trying to become one shadow, one patch of darkness smeared over the ground.

The first person stopped, turning toward the second. They stood and faced each other, still speaking softly. The second was shaking their head, covering their face. But the first continued to speak. The shadows turned to each other as well. One reached inside itself, pulling out a shadowy heart. It pushed its gift toward the first, gesturing for the other to take it. It was vulnerable, pulsing. The first shadow pushed the heart away, almost afraid.

“Please,” The second person whispered, reaching to touch their friend. The first turned away, tears flecking their face. The shadow slumped in on itself, quivering. Then pulled something from inside itself. The second shadow still held the heart, reluctant to pull it in. The first brought out a long sharp tool.

The knife wasn't substantial. It was a just a shadow, an echo of something real. But it was sharp, like the tooth of a jaguar, or the tongue of snake. It reached forward, piercing into the tender skin of the vulnerable muscle. It sliced through the meat, ripping the soft organ apart, like the tearing of a lamp chop or chewing through a steak. The second shadow tried to pull back, squirming and writhing in terror and pain. The person reached out to the companion, trying to touch their hair. The second fell back, holding their head in their hands. Both shadow and human shook and trembled, their movements matched and reflecting. The shadow pulled into itself, becoming nothing more than the huddled shadow of the huddled person who sat on the ground, unable to stand.

Tears streaked down the first person's face, as they turned away and began to walk back down the path. But the shadow smiled as it turned away, pulling out a cloth to methodically clean its hardened blade.