A Midsummer's Treat

The sun beat down on the field where tall grass swayed in the gentle breeze. Dogs were panting. People were fanning themselves with their hands or leaves. Leo's strawberry ice cream was melting, dripping the sweet cream down Leo's hands. A cloud blanketed the park in darkness. A quick break from the relentless heat. Just as quick as it came, it went once more, bringing the scorching sun back.

Leo felt a tap on his shoulder. "Hey," a voice like that of an announcer on an old radio said. Leo glanced around but didn't see anyone. "Hey! Down here."

Leo looked down at the ground between his feet, where his ice cream dripped. There sat a dark figure, flat against the ground, shifting in shape like formless darkness but always resembling his likeness. When Leo moved his hand, so did it. When he clapped his feet so did it. Yet it smiled at Leo like this stranger was a close friend of his.

"Close your mouth. You're going to drool all over the ice cream. Speaking of, can I have a bit more?"

"You can talk!" Leo exclaimed, astonished by seeing it move its mouth.

"Of course, I can talk. Do you think we shadows would sit down here in silence?"

"Well..." Leo looked around to see if anyone was watching. "I don't think shadows are supposed to talk."

"And I suppose that we can't do this either," Its translucent black hand crept up Leo's leg and chest and snatched the ice cream from Leo's hand. It bellowed a cackle like that of an old phonograph. It stood up from the ground and danced off across the field.

Leo leapt to his feet. He pushed off the bench with the force of an elephant. His feet pounded the ground with the speed of a cheetah. The wind whistled in his ears like a hawk diving. The shadow scrambled to its feet. Its face was struck with shock. Leo grazed the sun with his fist and brought it down upon the darkness.

"Heh." The shadow looked into Leo's eyes, his fist in its hand. "You really thought it would be that easy."

There was a flash of motion. Leo felt his rib cage cave in. The cracking and pops of bones and joints were deafening. He grasped at his stomach. He took a quick breath and thrust his body towards the shadow. There was a gasp, but it felt like he was ramming air. The shadow was launched across the field. It graciously brought its feet down and skidded across the pond.

"You may think of yourself as a god, beast! But, light will shine down upon these lands." Leo flew across the pond. Fire licked his fist. He gave an uppercut that shone brighter than the stars. The shadow shot into the sky and simply stopped. It remained in the air, hovering above the pond.

"I don't think you understand how this works Leo. Shadows only grow stronger on bright days." The shadow held its legs straight and brought its arms up. Leo's skin began to boil. The sky grew white like the inferno of the pyre. "I will make sure you perish from what you love most!"

Leo's legs wavered and toppled. His arms limp as his muscles cooked. Leo let out an earth-shatter scream. His lungs were scorched with every breath. He closed his eyes and lay there. Still. Unmoving.

Leo felt a drop. It trickled down his face and by his chapped lips. He gave a lick. It was sweet, creamy, and tasted like strawberries.

His eyes shot open. He stared at the shadow. "All those who DARE touch my beloved treat shall return from which they came!"

Leo held out his hand. Light danced in the air and began to swirl. Faster and faster it spun like a whirlpool. It pulled and tugged itself. Blues ripped from greens ripped from reds. The cone of light grew tighter and tighter. It sped up like a ballerina pulling their arms close. It grew as thin as a line. It grew as small as a point. Leo clenched his hand.

It went dark. No light. No sound. There was nothing. Leo sat in the void he had created. He took a deep breath. He thought of the sweat on his forehead. The sway of the cattails by the pond. The chirping of sparrows in the trees. The laughter of other kids at play. He thought of his strawberry ice cream. He held out his hand once more. Aimed it straight ahead. He opened his hand.

The light of a thousand suns blazed forth, obliterating the dirt and water in its path, erasing them from the universe. The shadow screamed with such agony as to be only rivalled by the souls of the damned. The shadow was there. Then it was not.

All that was left was the strawberry ice cream cone.

Leo grabbed the cone. Walked back to the bench. Sat down and enjoyed his treat.