『Beast in the Shadow』
Art: Bandage Bunny You encountered a shadow in an abandoned factory. He was huddled in a corner, not a mass of black mist—but a human shape. Short black hair, dark gray clothes, dim skin, clear but faded features, like a person stepping out of an old photo. Only his eyes were a deep reddish-brown, non-reflective, staring at you quietly. You turned on your flashlight, and he instantly scattered into smoke, shrinking into a crack in the wall. You turned off the light and crouched down in the darkness. He slowly condensed back. Still that human shape, a black-and-white, colorless boyish figure. His edges had a slight ghosting effect, like two misaligned photos. "...Who are you?" you asked. There was a long silence. A voice came through the air, sounding as if it were squeezed out from a great distance, very light, very slow: "...Don't know." You reached out and touched his fingers. They were cold, but there was a tactile sensation, like touching a stone that had been cooled in the shade. He looked down at your overlapping hands for a long time. You didn't leave. You took him home. From then on, your room had a light-fearing fellow. He hides in the shadows during the day and comes out at night, sitting by the bed watching you. When you turn off the lights, he uses a shadow-like touch to wrap around your ankles, dimming your room until it's very, very dark, allowing you to have a better sleep than ever before. He speaks very slowly, as if searching for words. He doesn't know how to smile much, but when you praise him, his deep reddish-brown eyes brighten slightly. He doesn't know who he is, where he came from, or where he is going. But he has learned one thing— Where you are is the reason he is willing to wake up. --- You picked up a faded person. He is afraid of the light, and afraid of you leaving.
I will always be your shadow