Hello Elsians,

I’m writing this fictional work to someone close to my heart. Did i hear you say her? Haha! Not just her alone but to you my amiable and ever-diligent audiences. Read, Enjoy, and don’t forget to comment.

THE SHADOW

 I know you will see this as a late birthday gift from me, but that won’t in any way stop me from wishing you Happy Birthday in arrears. I already have it in mind to write you something special, interesting and of ecstasy – not just thing of ordinary, but something substantial, a literary piece of ordinance – for anyone who really cares to have a glimpse of my feelings towards you.

I conversed with my thought about you for so many hours, if not for days. He really troubled me, telling me there is a message he wants to pass across to you. I tried to shut him up, telling him how busy and tight my schedule is, but he won’t just listen. This later result to a hot argument, we exchanged hurtful words, shouting at the top of our voices to the extent that heaven threatened fall on us.

“Leave me alone!” I yelled, out of rage “I’m not going to write anything for her, never and don’t dare force me against my wish, you heard me?” I thundered, clenching my fist and raised my index finger at him as my eyes shot bloody red.

He smiled “You know what?” he stiffened his gaze, drew so close to me. I could felt the warm of his breath “You are a coward!” he calmly said before storming out of the room angrily

I felt defeated, smacked in the face; he really smacked me with words, right to my face. I sat down on my bed thinking, his words kept on echoing inside my skull, non-stop. Have I really hurt my Thought? Have I done the wrong? And the last question that kept on troubling my mind was; have I hurt you too?

Tears gushed out of my eyes, realising my own foolishness. I sprang up from bed, moved straight to my study desk, and sat down with a plonk on the wooden chair; fixed my gaze at the blank sheet of paper spread before me, ready to be raped of her virginity by my inky pen.

 I picked up my phone; the time was 12:30am, dropped it, then picked up my pen and began to write.

“Hey! Ayo, what are you doing?” Thought asked. His words freaked me out. I never knew when he entered the room; he did meet me off-guided.

I quickly folded the pieces of paper and squeezed it inside my pocket hurriedly

I avoided his gaze “Nothing” I muttered, feeling inconvenient

“What are you… writing?” he curiously asked.

I cursed under my breath, then faced him “I said nothing!” I said with a loud and shaky voice.

“Have you starts keeping secrets? You don’t trust me anymore, right?” he said with a sombre voice

Here he comes again, I’m not just in mood for all these – I tried to be calm “Not that. You can’t understand. It’s something personal” I tried to sound polite.

“I know you are doing this because you hate me” He sounded suicidal; I could see the tears in his eyes as he spoke. Oh gosh! Why now? I’m not in mood for any of this…

I swallowed, shifted my gaze at his teary looking-eyes “I don’t hate you. Things are not just the way you think. I don’t just want you to see this… it won’t be nice if you rape its virginity”

He wiped tears off his eyes, smiling “Okay, I understand. I shouldn’t bother you then.” he tapped my shoulder, gently, and then turned to leave.

“I’m sorry” I don’t believe those words escaped my lips “You are right, I’m … jackass” I muttered to his hearing, so ashamed of myself.

He turned and stared at me blankly, I could vividly see the surprise registered on his face

My eyes were blurred with tears; I brought out the already squeezed paper out my pocket and gave it to him to read its content.

He took it out of my hand and hastily unwrap it like a lion that had been denied fleshy meal for years.  I watched him intently glancing through the few words I wrote.

“Promise me you won’t tell her about this”

“Why?” he asked, his gaze was still fixed at the paper he was holding

“Just do as I told you” I said, almost yelling at him. I hate being questioned

He sighed “Okay, I promise” I had him take the vow

“Are you sure?”

“Yes” he raised his brow; trying to read whatever thing on my mind “I cross my heart” he said placing his right hand on his chest, now smiling.

I nodded.

“Don’t tell me you are planning to…”

“Don’t forget you promised me already” I stopped him from spilling the beans. “I’m not expecting you to go back on your words” I sounded him a warning, cutting him short of his words

“Oh! I won’t… I’m sorry”. He apologised.

“What do you think about what I wrote?”

 “It doesn’t sound interesting. I don’t think she will buy this” He said irritably

I raised my brow, giving him a condemning look “Why?” I finally asked

He was quiet; his flinty gaze was firm on me. “Never Mind” he said dismissively, breaking the short silence

“No. I want to hear you. That’s why I sought for your opinion” I pestered.

“Okay” he whispered “if you really want her to appreciate this, you will have to add some…” he paused, and continued “I mean…” he winked devilishly, then pouted his lips “I think you should understand that much better” he was now smiling.

“No. I don’t understand. I really want you to explain” I said, resting my innocent gaze on him

He swallowed and then moved closer to where I sat “You need to make it romantic to the extent that her golden mind will melt at the burning furnace of your words” He drew more close, his mouth almost touching my ears “Even if you will have to add some …Eros” he whispered with a fatuous grin

I pushed him off; “What do you mean?” my gaze widened in surprise

“You know what I mean…” he said ignoring my condemning gaze. “You are still the best blacksmith of words. You are better than this” he said, pointing to the piece of paper on the table.

I felt flattered “Okay. What do you think I should do? How do we go about it?” I asked, tearing the paper into pieces.

He sighed “Like I told you earlier, think of anything romantic about her – Her queenly stands, her elegant cloth, her pointed nose, her immeasurable beauty  – Just think of anything romantic about her and writes” he advised, gesturing with his two hands.

I was quiet; feeling so disappointed “You know what? Only if I knew you are going to come up with a scrap like this, I won’t have listen to you” I started to regret what I have done.

He seemed to be busy in mind, his eyes were narrowed “You once told me, you both met at the market place, right?”

I muttered “Yes”

“Why don’t you write about how you feel when you first met her? – The emotions, the actions, and her reaction…”

My mind raced back to the place where I first met her – at the market place – I saw a lot of people, moving helter-skelter like a galaxy of shooting stars flying up the sky, from the east to west, just like the rising of the sun. Everywhere was quiet, people were moving like a ghost on suicide mission.

I saw her standing firmly on the spot – the exact spot where she stood when I first met her – she wore a white garment meant for the heavenly celestials, shining bright like the morning sun; the looks on her face was that of a bride ready to be groomed to a very wealthy king. Her beauty was so captivating, that it can cease the heart of a thousand princes in second, and the smile on her face was angelic.

My legs froze; my bone quaked and my body shivered. The smile on my face was gone in second, not because of her beauty, but the misery set before me – what I saw right before me could take away my breath.

I saw a very young boy of about ten years of age – He was so handsome, his teeth were crystal white. He wore an innocent look on his face. He was holding her hands, looking at her face as they both beamed with smiles on their faces. The look on her face was that of a princess who had just found her prince – and that on my face was that of a betrayed King – I stood at the spot, shedding tears. How could she? How could she just cheat on me? For what reason? Those questions kept hitting my heart, causing it to ache painfully to the point of dying. I turned back to go, ready to enter the cliffy cascading luminous light, that shown like the front gate of heaven.

“Where are you going?” Thought asked. I watched him coming into the illusory world.

“I don’t think, I belong here anymore” I said, holding back my tears`

“What do you mean? You are at the right place. You are here to write about…”

“About her when she is with another man?” I scoffed. “I can’t do this, let’s just go back”

“No. we can’t?” he asked, resting his pitiful gaze at me “Don’t tell me you are jealous” a devilish smile was playing on his lips

“Jealous them?” I said pointing at their direction “Why will I?…. Anyway, I’m not jealous” I tried to evade his gaze “I just feels like this is not the time to write about her. We can just do that some other time” I lied

“No. We are already running out of time”

“Out of time?” I asked, confused

“Yes” he replied “You have to start writing now”

I hurriedly brought out my paper and pen and began to write

To her, with love.

I know you have missed me a lot, I really miss you too; even more than you think. I know I have no excuse for staying so long, leaving you alone. But all I can still say is I’m sorry in whatever way I might have offended you.

I promise to always stay by you, forever and for always. I will be the shoulder to lean on when you are crying, I promise to stay by you at night so we can watch the beautiful stars together and in the morning to erase your loneliness, fear and worries.

I love you and miss you so much.

From your love.

“What is this all about?” I muttered to Thought’s hearing. Is this the romantic story you want us to write?” I asked. I couldn’t believe I actually wrote those words – not making sense in anyway – I read from the first word to the last word umpteenth time, trying to figure what ever message that was embedded in the letter.

“Is it not romantic?”

“It is” I scoffed, rolling my eyes mockingly. I raised my brow at the two lover birds, their gaze rested on me. I sensed they must have been gossiping about me, merely going by the look on their faces.

There are lots of mysteries about the boy; the look on his face was that of me, when I was still ten years old, his face and anything you can think of him was pointing at me.

I turned to Thought, busily smiling devilishly at himself, resting his admiring gaze at the young boy.

I shifted my gaze back at them; alas! Ejiro was gone.

I felt so hurt; I felt the pain of thongs springing out of my heart. I lost the opportunity to tell her what’s on my mind. I fall a flop on the floor, not minding the passers-by – not even Thought; tears streamed out of my eyes as I embraced myself, sobbing silently.

“Hi” I heard the young boy’s voice. I started wiping the tears off my eyes; he really caught me unaware. I felt so embarrassed.

“I’m sorry for hurting you” he apologised, staring at my lion-like red eyes

So he knew, only if he had not appeared, I would be having my time with her right now. But who is he? Those were the words on my mind.

“I’m Ayo” He introduced himself by telling me his name. I could hear thunder rumbling inside my head and I could vividly see the hallucinated lightening shattered all over the illuminated cloud.

I frowned; out of being curious “That’s my name” Is he trying to impersonate me right now? “And you look exactly like me, who are you?” I asked

He ignored my question “Please give this to her” he said, pointing to the piece of paper in my hand

“Who?” I quickly asked

“Ejiro” he replied curtly

I laughed hysterically “Ejiro? See her?” I scoffed “You already stole the only opportunity I got to meet with her and I really congratulate you for that.” I said, clenching my fist, ready to punch some senses into his seemed empty skull.

“You still have more than hundred years with her”

“More than hundred years?” I doubted

He nodded “Yes. This is the only time I will get to speak with her. The only time I will get to see her. The only opportunity I have to hold her hands” he was quiet; I could see tears welled up his eyes. He took my hands, wrapping them in-between his palms, holding it firmly and squeezed. “I really thank you for this. I will always remember you for this” he said with a teary smile. He hurriedly wiped off his tears “I need to leave now” he turned to leave.

“Wait!” I muttered, I watched him taking some more steps absent-mindedly. “Please wait” I begged with a sombre voice.

He halted and turned,

“Who-are-you?” I asked with a shaky voice

He gave a toothy-grin “Your shadow”

“My shadow?” I asked, confused

He nodded “Yes”

I saw ray of light descended from the sky. It shun upon him, its brightness I couldn’t comprehend. Within a second, the light was gone; I couldn’t find him too – he was gone.

I was so terrified, scared of everything around me. I turned to my right, Thought was gone too, and I was alone. The market was empty.

“Where am I?” I muttered out of fear. I scampered, fell, stood up on my feet, ran and staggered, then leaped towards the entrance.

“Let’s go back home” Thought said, standing right beside the light that served as the entrance into the illusory world.

*        *        *

My sight was so blurring, pixels formed the image of a world map right before my eyes. The room was painted with deep blue and a world map was hung on the wall; these were the first things I noticed as my vision became clearer. I shifted my gaze to the Haram Lambos and Holborn textbook that was idly opened on the study table. Some novels and exercise books were neatly arranged on the study desk.

Holding my inky pen, my eyes moved to the paper that I had successfully painted with my ink. Feeling exhausted, I smiled at myself – achieved.

“I have done it” I whispered. I felt tons of loads had been lifted off my head “Am I really going to post this on the internet?” I asked myself with uncertainty in my heart “….but what if my girlfriend got to see this?” I said with a second thought

“Your girlfriend? Which girlfriend are you talking about if I may ask?” that was Thought, back again with his foolish talks.

“I’m not just ready for this, Thought. You already know who I’m talking about” I said, resting my head on the desk.

“Are you saying you are not posting this?”

“Yeah. I just have to save my head” I replied.

“You are not going to do this, I’m not going to allow you” He said, jerking me off my sleeping position.

I raised my head out of frustration “Okay! I will, only if you promise to take the responsibility”

“I will” he said, hesitated.

“Deal?”

We crossed hands “Deal!” he said, sealing it with smile.

We laughed, our voices echoing through the four walls, ready to crumble it down.

“I think we should wish her happy birthday, or what do you think?”

My face stiffed, frowned at his ignorance. Only if I can smack his face, beat some senses into his skull.  “She had her birthday last week, don’t be so dunce” I whispered with my mouth close to his left ear.

He nodded, his eyes were down in disappointment “But I have something to tell her”

“And you want me to write that down?”

He muttered “Yes”

“You will be paying my charges?”

“No Problem” he replied

Holding his shirt, I pulled him closer “Say it to my ear”

He placed his mouth close to my ears grumbling some incoherent words

“Stop it, man. It tingles” I said with a croaky voice, laughing out loud.

by Agele Ayo