Short stories

Oliver's Shadow

AN: So this is my short story for an assessment I had. I was proud of it but it needed to be fixed a little so here. The picture at the top is what we had to base the story off.

"Hey! Oliver! Go to the shed and get a bucket." Oliver's dad yelled out, catching Oliver's attention. Oliver stood up from the little mud patch he was playing in and trudged over to the green shed.

The orange sun set over the land, making large, long shadows. Oliver smiled at his shadow on the green shed and hopped and twirled around, essentially dancing with his shadow.

"Hey Olli! What are you doing over there? Hurry up! It's getting dark," Oliver's dad yelled from the cow pen.

"Ok! I'm coming now," Oliver called back, turning back around to unlock the door. He turned back around to a still dancing shadow, he smacked himself, in disbelief that his shadow is actually moving. His shadow suddenly slapped itself too.

Hm, I think it was just the sun, I mean I think that's how it works, Dad never had enough money to send me to school. Oliver shrugged off and opened the shed quickly grabbing the bucket and running over to his father.

***

Oliver sat near his window, looking out to the big moon, he sighed and leaned out of his window. I can't see the moon very well this way, I might sneak out, just to the front deck. I'll be fine. Oliver stood up and placed each of his feet carefully on the creaky floorboards. He knows which ones creaked and which ones don't from staying up late a lot.

It was a full moon tonight. The moon cast shadows that made the whole farm look like it was out of a fantasy movie. He took a couple steps off the deck and onto the bare ground in front of the house. He looked at his shadow and noticed it started dancing again, without him moving! Oliver looked at the shadow with amazement, he watched the shadow dance and groove around on the ground. He started to sway, the dancing getting to him, almost contagiously. He danced around with the shadow, twirling and hopping and giggling. He couldn't believe it, this was so cool, he didn't know nature could do this.

***

Oliver's dad sat up from his bed hearing the noises from outside. Oh god it's that damned fox coming for my chickens isn't it? Dad stood up and grabbed the shotgun he kept next to his dresser. He ran to the front of his house and pointed his gun, finger on the trigger.

***

Oliver doesn't get a gun pointed at him often, actually he's never had a gun pointed at him. Oliver looked at his dad, eyes filling up with tears, scared, terrified actually. His dad then lowered his gun, noticing it was his son not a fox. Oliver's dad ran to Oliver and hugged him. He was so close to pulling that trigger. Oliver and his dad sat on the ground hugging each other for a minute, maybe two. Scared from that experience. They were both shaking.

Oliver's dad grabbed his son firmly and looked him in the eyes.

"What were you doing outside? It's late, you should be in bed," Oliver's dad spoke.

"I just wanted to look at the moon and then my shadow started dancing, so I danced with it!" Oliver explained.

"What? Your shadow doesn't move son." His dad said, looking at Oliver confused.

"Look!" Oliver turned to his shadow and just saw him sitting next to his dad. He couldn't believe it, he saw his shadow moving just earlier. "But it was moving a minute ago! I swear!" Oliver wailed.

***

"No, please doctor! My kid has nothing wrong with them. He just saw a couple things. Don't take him, please. He's just a kid. He didn't do anything wrong, I'm telling you!" Oliver could hear his dad arguing with the doctor from the waiting room outside.

"Mr. Smith your son is having hallucinations. He needs to be taken away." The doctor responded.

Oliver looked down at the ground and saw his shadow.

He angrily stomped on the shadow and felt tears prick his eyes. He hated his shadow.

He started to cry as the shadow grew off the floor and stood over him.