The House Full of Shadows

¨ Ooh, look at this house?¨

Amelia shows me a huge, gray house.

¨ It´ s big.¨

I say and she laughs.

¨ I know. I love it.¨

¨ Ok Amelia. So, you want this house?¨

¨ It's as good as any, so yes.¨

¨ Then let´ s go check it out.¨

I say, and she smiles.

********

I slowly walk into our new home.

¨ What do you think?¨

Amelia asks.

¨ I think that it´ s...creepy ¨

I mean what wouldn't be creepy about a house in the middle of nowhere that looks abandoned-and probably is.

¨ It´ s different.¨

My best friend Amelia says.

¨ It´ s creepy. And you know it¨

¨ Well it is our new home for now, so you are just going to have to deal with it.¨

I make an annoyed sound as we walk inside. Something moves in the corner of my eye.

¨ Did you see that?¨

I ask Amelia but she shakes her head.

¨ You are really tense. Loosen up a bit! Think of all the good memories that will be made here.¨

But when I see another shadow, my uneasiness grows. Amelia notices my discomfort and leads me to my room.

¨ Look at how big it is!¨

I nod and go sit down on the bed-my bed. But as I do, I see another shadow sweep across the wall.

¨ Amelia, are you sure your not see those?¨

¨ Seeing what?¨

¨ I don't know, they are like shadows or something.¨

¨ Lex, you are scaring me. And you are also seeing things. Stop, please.¨

I know I am not seeing things but I nod for her sake.

¨ Good, now let´ s go check out my room.¨

She leads, and I follow, aware of all of my surroundings.

¨ Ooh! I love it! See? Not so bad anymore is it?¨

¨ Nope.¨

I lie, giving her a tight smile.

¨ We are going to have so much fun in this house.¨

I doubt that.

¨ So much fun.¨

I say, even though I am still unsettled.

Amelia turns to me and gives me one of her biggest smiles.

¨ Let´ s go eat. I ´ m starved.¨

********

I awake in my sleep that night at the sound of my lamp falling.

¨ Amelia? Is that you?¨

But no one answers. I have seen this in the movies. The idiots who follow the scary sounds. And then-they die. So I am not going to make that same mistake. Instead, I sit in my bed and pull the blankets up over my head. I hear a shudder from my window. I look over and see that it is open. I never opened it. Then, I hear my door open. Shit.

¨ This is not funny.¨

I say, immediately regretting making a noise. I hear footsteps coming closer. My heartbeat speeds up and I can barely breathe. Please go away. Please go away. Please go away.

Suddenly, my blankets are lifted off me, making me shiver from the sudden cold change in temperature. I look up and see nothing. Something touches my face and I scream. Amelia bursts into my room and turns on the lights.

¨ What is going on in here?¨

She demands.

¨ There were...were...¨

Amelia comes to sit beside me on the bed, concern written all over her face.

¨ Did you...see those shadows again?¨

Her voice turns to a whisper as I nod.

¨ Me too.¨

My eyes go wide.

¨ Can we leave? Now, please?¨

¨ Gladly.¨

I get up out of bed just as the lights turn off again.

¨ Amelia...did...did you turn out the lights?¨

¨ I was sitting right next to you the whole time. How could I have turned off the lights?¨

¨ We need to get out of here. Right. Now.¨

I grab Amelia ´ s hand and practically drags her with me to the door-but it shuts. I try to open the door back up but it won't budge. I curse under my breath and this time Amelia has to drag me.

¨ The windows.¨

She whispers and I nod.

¨ We have to jump.¨

I say, and she gives me a knowing look.

I grab my hand in hers and then we jump. We somehow land in a bush and end up not dying.

¨ Ok, now we run.¨

We make it about 100 feet from the house before shadows erupt all around us. Amelia and I scream. They encircle us until there is nothing left but shadows. Shadows, everywhere.

********

I wake up.

¨ Who am I?¨

I ask no one in particular.

¨ Your one of us now.¨

I look around for the person who spoke. But all I see are shadows.

¨ Welcome home!¨

I hear a girl say from downstairs.

¨ Time for you two to get to work.¨

¨ What will we be doing?¨

¨ You will be scaring the hell out of those girls and then you will turn them into shadows like us. Then, we will do it all over again.¨

¨ Ok.¨

I say, not really understanding anything at all.

********

The next morning, we have an addend of three new shadows.

Then, we do it all over again. Scaring people and then turning them into shadows like us over and over and over again.

¨ Hi.¨

I say to yet another new shadow.

¨ What is going on?¨

He asks.

¨ Basically, you are a shadow now like us and you have to scare people and turn them into shadows like we did you.¨

He looks over, eyes searching.

¨ Who said that?¨

¨ Oh, you can't see me. Since I am a shadow and all.¨

¨ But I thought you said I was a shadow as well.¨

¨ You are.¨

¨ Then why can I see myself.¨

¨ Because shadows can see themselves but can't be seen by others.¨

¨ Oh, ok.¨

¨ You will get used to it, don't worry.¨

I did, eventually.