SHADOW

The shadow

A full moon rose in the sky, and trees in the garden pushed long, dark shadows above them. When Princess Iolanda stepped so close near her that Sha could smell her heavy perfume, it was a mix of sweet flowers in putrefaction and old blood. The smell was so heavy and strange in contrast to her pristine white skin and dress. The princess looked like an angel in the moonlight—so beautiful and yet so terrifying that skin crawled on Sha's back.

"Let her go. I need her intact. I do not have time to search for another girl," said Count Ambrosio and rose from his chair.

Iolanda sighed, and a gush of putrid air filled Sha's nostrils, making her gag. Maybe she had rotten teeth, thought Sha, and moved in the other direction. Tears gathered in her eyes, but she would not let them spill out, would not let this spoiled, jealous princess see her pain. She was sturdier than that.

I am going to survive this evening, but will I survive the plan or these two? Should I ask them, or should I keep my mouth shut? she thought. IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THEY WOULD NOT TELL HER THE TRUTH ANYWAY.

"We have to attend the ball at Marquis Demelior's mansion," said Count Ambrosio and walked toward the portico that exited the garden.

Sha sighed and hoped the princess would follow him, but the evil woman still stared at her. With a vicious kick, she upturned the plate with cupcakes, the smell of vanilla and peaches filling the evening air. Sha watched with sadness how the creamy, sweet filling spread on the old pavement and pursed her lips. The princess moved in her face and, with a firm step, crushed the beautiful dessert, splashes of white cream splashing on her skirts and grass around her.

"I will crush your skull like this if you dare step between me and what is mine," whispered Princess Iolanda and marched away after the Count.

What a stupid woman, thought Sha, watching with sorrow the waste, that now was carried away by greedy ants and other garden insects. She dreamed with open eyes that one of those desserts would end up in her stomach—and now what...

"I do not care about this wretched count and this spoiled woman," whispered Sha more to herself. This waste of food is unforgivable.

"Indeed it is unforgettable," replied another voice at her back, and she jumped off her chair, looking around.

"There is no need to get scared of me," whispered the shadow that now separated from the darkness at the base of a big tree.

"Who is there?" asked Sha, wondering if she must scream or run away into the castle, sizing the distance she must cover in case the stranger was a real danger and decided to attack her.

"I am not going to attack you," replied the shadow, and Sha worried that the thing was reading her mind. She often read stories where different evil creatures, especially demons, could read people's minds and do other mischievous things.

"Do you like your new position as daughter of Count Ambrosio?" asked the shadow and stepped forward. It was quite disconcerting that Sha could not see the person's face or even shape—it was so strange, like a two-dimensional shadow was moving and talking to her.

"It is very strange to talk to a mere shadow. What kind of creature are you? Are you a demon?" asked Sha and took one more step toward the main building.

"What makes you think so?" After a long pause, the shadow spoke again. "No, I am not a demon, but people sometimes call me so," it replied and laughed.

It was distinctly a male voice, but with demons you could never know—at least so read Sha in the secret library at the Academy. THINGS RARELY WERE WHAT THEY SEEMED.

"You took something that belonged to me. And now I have no choice but to pollute your existence. Where you go, I go. I am going to be your shadow companion from now on. You are quite entertaining, so I do not mind—for the moment," replied the shadow and lounged on one of the patio chairs.

"What do you mean 'for the moment'?" asked Sha and took a few more steps away toward the entrance.

"Well, at least until I figure out how to recover my essence from your body or to take you over," replied the shadow and sighed.

"Recover your essence or take me over? You mean you are haunting me like an evil spirit or a ghost and you want to possess me?" Sha could not believe her ears. What was this nasty thing that clung to her?

"No, I am not a ghost, far from it. As for being evil—it depends what historical chronicles you read. Some considered me a savior and a grand personality, others considered me a monster and an abomination. And no, I would rather consume your essence and replace it with mine. Haunting is not an option," replied the shadow in a casual voice, like it was telling her about going shopping for new gloves or fresh bread—not about consuming her soul or essence. She did not know what essence was anyway—such a notion was unknown to her.

"Why do you think I took something from you? If it is about Count Ambrosio—he is not mine. And the first pretender to his heart is Princess Isadora—no, no, Princess Iolanda, pardon me."

The shadow laughed and laughed, and Sha took three more decisive steps toward the house. But she decided not to run until the matter with the shadow was settled. Maybe she had a chance to convince this creature to go haunt the princess and not her—to sort out this unreasonable mistake with words, not with blood or soul corruption.

"No, lady, it is not about that dark and humorless man. You took a vial from a tomb a few days ago. Remember? Dark tomb, small vial with liquid. Well, that was not destined for you. And for the universe's sake, I do not understand why you had to drink a vial of liquid in an unknown dusty chamber. Do you usually go around consuming strange things that you find? It is the most idiotic thing one could ever do..."

The shadow ranted, and anger and despair sounded in its voice.

Sha must admit that it was indeed idiotic and incredible, but in that moment, when she was alone, closed into a dark tomb without escape, and the air was thin—claustrophobia, panic, and hysteria clutched her in a tight fist, and her brain shrunk under pressure. The pressure that made a fast end from an unknown poison better than a slow agony without air, in the darkness, with rats. That was the reason in that moment, but she did not think the shadow cared.

"So you are the ghost of the dead guy in the casket—come to haunt me because I DRANK YOUR stash of precious liquor? It was foul and rotten after so many years—you didn't lose a thing. I could vomit it out, but it was already mixed with cupcakes and other sweets I gorged myself with these days in the castle," she replied and hoped to sound funny—or more idiotic, it seemed.

"Arrrr, you are the most terrible, ignorant woman I ever met. I am going to strangle you!" replied the shadow and jumped toward her.

"AAAAA, go away, you nasty pervert!" screamed Sha and ran as fast as she could toward the castle entrance. She almost tumbled on the polished floor and slid along the colonnade, grabbing one of the cold pillars to stop herself. Her heart was drumming against her ribcage, and everything she ate that day lurked at the edge of her throat, ready to burst. She gulped slowly and turned toward the garden, watching the golden light from the house ending at the edge of the portico—and the shadow that slid along the edge like a snake, trying to find a crack in the wall.

"Damn you, I will get you once you step out of the house, and then I will watch you dance, you evil witch!" the shadow growled.

"Aha, I will ask Count Ambrosio to bring a priest and banish you to the afterlife, you nasty pervert! I can't understand why you decided to appear right now. So many days passed since I took that damn vial. What made you angry suddenly? Did you get tired watching me bathing at the Academy or other young women—and now since I am here under the protection of the house you can't enter? No more fun, you ever-watching pervert ghost," replied Sha and rolled her eyes.

"I wonder if you are even able to hurt me or you just have a big mouth. Maybe I am running away from you in vain, and you are just an impotent ghost and nothing more."