The Shadow That Followed

Liam Carter first noticed it on a Tuesday.

The morning sun stretched his shadow across the pavement as he walked to work, just like any other day. But something was… off.

At first, he couldn’t quite place it. Maybe the angle was strange, or maybe he was imagining things. He shook it off.

By lunchtime, the feeling hadn’t gone away. As he passed by a reflective glass window, he saw his shadow again—only, this time, it was delayed.

He stopped walking.

The shadow didn’t.

Liam’s stomach twisted. He took a step back. The shadow hesitated, then slowly followed.

His pulse quickened. This wasn’t normal.

That night, he tested it. Standing under the dim light of his apartment, he raised his right hand. The shadow raised its left.

Liam’s breath caught in his throat.

He moved forward. The shadow stepped back.

And then—

It turned its head.

Liam stumbled away, his heart pounding. Shadows weren’t supposed to move on their own. They weren’t supposed to think.

He barely slept.

The next day, he avoided looking at his shadow. He walked carefully, stayed in well-lit places, and tried to convince himself he was imagining it.

But by evening, he knew he couldn’t ignore it anymore.

As he stood in his living room, the lamp beside him casting a soft glow, he forced himself to look.

The shadow was still there, dark and shapeless.

But now, it was watching him.

Liam swallowed hard.

“Who are you?” he whispered.

The shadow shifted. For the first time, it separated from his feet—standing on its own.

Liam’s blood ran cold.

Then, it spoke.

"I’ve been waiting for you to notice."

The voice was hollow, like wind through an empty room.

Liam’s knees went weak. This couldn’t be real.

“What do you want?” he asked, barely above a whisper.

The shadow’s form flickered.

"You took my place."

Liam’s mind raced. Took its place? What did that mean?

Before he could speak, the shadow lunged.

Darkness swallowed him.

The next morning, Liam Carter walked to work like always. The sun stretched his shadow across the pavement.

But if anyone had looked closely, they would have noticed—

It wasn’t following him anymore.

It was leading.