Rising Up Out Of The Shadows

Is this the end?

Cold was the night, as crickets echoed through the streets. Not one person ventured out of their homes, not tonight. For danger lurked in the shadows, for tonight was the very anniversary of the living shadows. I now, in my old age still wait for my daemon to face. It has been more than twenty years since I have seen the shadowed being and its red embered eyes promising of the darkness to come. Darkness may have not come yet but, the promise of every person facing a daemon has. Almost assigned at birth, we battle our daemons, day to night. Many have overcome and won against them yet, many have lost and paid the greatest price. Lives have fallen and darkness slowly seeps through the gaps the light cannot touch. Though I cannot speak for the fallen and their struggle but, I do dare to say their battle was long and hard but, they fell with honor and grace.

'You don't say, dear friend' spoke a voice I have almost forgotten but, still crept in the back of my mind 'Do I still taunt you? I hope I didn't drive you to madness already. I want you sane for what approaches old sport'

"It been a long time daemon, what brings you here. What could you possibly want from me in my old age, what could I offer you? If you wish for a fight you came a few years too late I'm afraid." I sit unamused and unafraid, for this daemon no longer haunts my dreams but, my inescapable memory.

"Is that any way to welcome such a dear friend? Have you forgotten our history, or shall I turn back to yester pages? You once trembled at my being and now you sit and merrily drink your brandy. You not shake at my voice but laugh at it with your comedy."

"I don't fear your daemon nor would I tremble at your being. For one I cannot see you and two, as I said I do not fear you" I let the words glide off my touge, stabbing the daemon's immense ego.

'If you do not fear me, humor me and blow out the candle and allow me to grant you my appearance'

"I'd buy your game" I replied licking my thumb and index finger to put out the candle, leaving only a sole floor lamp dully illuminating the room. Letting darkness cast over and letting corrupt soul climb up the walls and gradually open two eyes, red as blood.

"I see you taken the change of my pupils. You should mourn them, for they are the blood spilled from those who have died playing our rivalry." Years before the being of this daemon never once dared to move but, now shakes with it laughter. Even in my bewilderedness I stay composed and take yet another sip. "Come old sport, mind your manners, laugh with an old friend, for it might be hard to laugh once decreased. Did you begin to think I forgot about you? How could I forget my first comrade?" A new feature moved an across the daemon resembling a sly grin and teeth loosely forming out of lost souls. No doubt the very ones who lost their lives due to this horrid beast.

"I take you don't like my new simile old sport? Why ever not?"

'A mouse does not like the look of a lion's grin." I said lifting my head staring into the daemon's eyes, grinning

"Are you such a mouse? I suppose since you are trapped within my claws."

'And are you forgetting it was the mouse who saved the lion. But there will be no heroism such as that in our story. I'm afraid that this mouse will be slaying the lion.'

"Enough with senseless metaphors and nonsense. It is true we are yin yang my darkness has touched your lighted and your light has sullied my darkness. The daemons eyes grew wide and furrowed during his amplification "Yet we shall live in harmony no longer it is finally time to conquer and rid of the light. Tis now the time that you shall finally face me in a battle. You have grown old and weak with impatience but, I have grown only smarter."

As if a last source of strength in his last few words, the daemon grew and blew out the few sources of light within the room. Knowing not of the match in the small pocket of my sweater, waiting for the right moment. Even though the darkness I took one last swig of brandy and stood to face the mighty beast.

"What other way to burn out the light, dear friend, other than to share it with my immortal being. Never again shall light resurface."

"If light is still on earth, then it shall carry on, no matter how you try shade it, when I am the only one surrounded by your darkness."

The daemon's laugh echoed and boomed in the infinite darkness. "still your eyes remain closed, you are the source of light the world. The darkness you now see is not your surrounds. Open your eyes the darkness is your being for now you are I and I to you."

Struggling against my own body I forced my eyes open and the daemon was right. I saw the world I once knew through two red glowing embers. I look for my own hands yet even they do not look the same. The aged wrinkles that once laid are now replaced by flawless youth. I am now the deamon I hated for so long.