The Unseen Shades

Page 1

My name is Arieve, I can see these things. I've been able to see these shades as I call them since I was very little. I don't know much about them but I learn more everyday. Two distinct ones have followed me around and are somehow 'attached' to me whether by a sense of bounding or something entirely different. I am 20 years old they've both been by my side since I was 10 I guess, I'm not particularly sure but I know there was an incident where I was almost crushed and the pure white shade saved me from the falling pallet that had toppled over at a department store. Which was before my 10th birthday. Should have seen the faces of the workers. And my... Parents...

Now there are two shades one is kind of scrawny but is very agile. He is almost pitch black with shades of lighter Grey that over time gave him features which sets him apart from the aimless shades on the streets. He talks to me, tells me jokes when I'm sad, entertains me when I'm feeling depressed, he even distracts me when I'm panicking. Becuase of his demeanor and how funny he is, after we discussed the importance of names when we were little , I wanted to name him jester but he wanted to be called the dark one. So his name us the dark jester.

The other one is mysterious. He is almost completely white aside from shades of Grey outlining his developed features that occurred over time. I call him Lancelot becuase he seems to have an honorable air about him. Not to mention his grand presence that gives off warnings sometimes and his disapproval of some of the dark jesters jokes. He doesn't speak though. Not a word he just stands there always nearby I feel like he could protect me from anything. And not just because he has saved me before. He gives off this aura like that of a Guardian or protector.

They both stand at my height always have. Even when I was ten and they were featureless shades they stood as tall as me. Jester is a curious one and we've talked for what seems like centuries now about them, who they are, what they are, why do they have personalities and gained physical features based on my opinions of them. For instance the dark jester once was just a basic shade of pitch black. Now he has more shades of Grey and his body is more formed in a way that looks far more agile, he also formed a jesters hat with a little black soundless Bell at the end of its pointy top. Lancelot has always had what looked like robe-like cloth slung over his shoulders but his head has formed into a helmet like shape like that of a Knight. It's almost like they project a personality then change Their appearance over time based on my opinion of them.

My days consist of me occasionally having to go to the site of the energy plant my parents had owned to make corporate decisions. But mostly I just wander around town visiting various places and looking at all of the shades. I've noticed the more populated the area the more shades there are.

I've never seen any other shades like the two that have followed me around and have some sort of obligation to me. Jester has told me his purpose is to serve me. But I still don't quite get it, and neither does he, seems like even they don't know about their existence.

I guess in a way humans don't exactly know that either we only know what we believe in.

I yawn as I get up. Jester is watching TV since he's been curious about so much and there's a history channel, a science channel, and a spiritual channel on TV that he really likes to watch. I regret ever showing him that circus show. He'd been pulling all sorts of tricks and stunts since then. But it's definitely entertaining which is why he does it.

I start getting up and see Lancelot looking out the window. 'I wonder what he thinks about' I think to myself.

Jester turns the TV off as he has noticed I am awake. He comes towards me and hops on the bed jumping up and down on it saying, "morning, morning, morning. " he then jumps in front if me and looks at me and it's almost as if I can make out a Grey outline of a wide grin on his faceless face. After a moment jester says, "so, you sleep well? "

I chuckle finding jester funny as usual and say, "yeah, had a weird dream about battleships and elephants."

Jester almost looks as if he's chuckling and then says, "I was watching about pearl harbor then I switched to watching about elephants. It's interesting to me it entered your dream. I hope it wasn't bothersome. "

I say, "not at all it was amusing especially when the elephants were on the battleship and they made it sink. "

Jester says , "I am... Hmm... What is ut called again? That feeling when something was not bad and it was good? "

I answer, "glad? "

Jester jumps up and says, "yes! Glad! I am Glad! "

I laugh and say, "my mornings are never boring with you around jester. "

Jester looks at me and makes a sort of smug gesture then says, "dark jester. "

Lancelot stirs from his looking out the window and walks over to my bed and stands there.

"morning Lancelot see anything interesting? " I say to him even though I know he won't talk back.

He bows and then shakes his head left to right as if saying no.

I stand up and start getting ready for the day. No matter what my life would have been much worse without these two. But i'm just curious about one thing. Why am I the only one that can see them? How come they don't follow any other people? And most importantly Why are these two so different from the lifeless aimless shades that wander around on the streets? I hope to one day find answers to these questions. But for now I'm just glad they are friendly I've seen a few who were quite evil.