A Shadow That Makes Its Own Decisions
With every breath, the air grew heavier. The darkness Ethan had struggled to control now pulsed through the room like a living entity. For a moment, there was silence—an eerie stillness that felt more like the calm before a storm.
Ethan thought to himself, Well… maybe it's finally over.
He sat on his bed, took a deep breath, and ran his hands over his face. His mind was still clouded with the recent events. The darkness he thought he could command had nearly consumed everything just moments ago. But now, it seemed as though things had returned to normal.
Or at least, it seemed that way.
As night fell and everyone drifted off to sleep, Ethan, for the first time in days, felt like he might finally get some rest. But just as his eyelids grew heavy and he teetered on the edge of sleep, something in the room stirred.
At first, it was subtle—a small shadow slithering out from the corner. But then, as if it had just discovered its own freedom, it began to move faster. It slid across the walls, darted along the floor, and silently crept through the room's nooks and crannies.
The shadow had made its own decision: it was done waiting for orders.
Morning Horror
"AAAAAHHHH!!"
Alice's scream shattered the morning silence.
Ethan jolted awake, only to slam his head against the edge of the bed in a panic.
"Damn it! What's going on?!" he groaned, scrambling to his feet and rushing out of his room.
What he saw left him utterly speechless.
The house was a disaster. The curtains were shredded, the dining table had been overturned, and dark smears ran across the walls as if someone had dragged their hands through black ink. But the worst part? A once-serene painting of a mountain landscape now depicted a twisted, nightmarish scene.
Alice, pale as a ghost, pointed a trembling finger at the wall. "Who turned this place into a crime scene?!"
Fayra, her hair disheveled and her eyes barely open, stumbled out of her room, looking both exhausted and furious. "If this mess is your doing, Ethan, I swear I will wake you up with an explosion next time."
Ethan, still in shock himself, scratched the back of his head. "I swear, it wasn't me!"
But at that moment, something in the corner moved.
Tiny Shadows, Big Trouble
All eyes turned toward the movement.
Selena narrowed her gaze and focused on the darkened corner of the room. "There… something moved."
Before anyone could react, the shadow suddenly multiplied.
Ethan's eyes widened in horror. "No, no, no! What the hell is this?!"
One of the tiny shadows leapt like a playful cat onto the dining table, sending plates and cups crashing to the floor. Another crawled up the wall and scurried across the ceiling. And one of them—without warning—jumped straight onto Alice's head.
"AAAHH! Get off me, you filthy demon!" Alice ran around the room, desperately trying to shake it off.
Luna, barely holding back laughter, giggled. "Oh wow, looks like we've got ourselves a little army of darkness!"
Ethan still couldn't believe what was happening. He had just wanted to control his ability—not turn his house into a battlefield!
Selena frowned, her voice quiet but grave. "If these shadows keep multiplying, they could become something far more dangerous…"
Fayra clenched her fists, her expression darkening. "So… does that mean I have permission to burn them all?"
Ethan immediately threw up his hands in panic. "No! They're part of my ability! Please don't blow them up!"
The Last Resort: Fighting Darkness with Darkness
One shadow, unlike the others, came to a halt and turned toward Ethan.
A second later, two glowing red eyes appeared within its form.
Ethan felt his breath hitch.
"Oh… crap."
Before he could react, the shadow lunged straight at him!
Ethan barely dodged, scrambling onto the table, but the other shadows followed, swarming around him. The entire house had turned into a battleground!
Luna cheered with excitement. "Get 'em, Ethan! Just like a hero!"
Fayra ignited a small flame in her palm, her eyes gleaming. "I say we burn the place down—might solve the problem."
Ethan groaned in frustration. "NOOOOO! Fire is NOT an option!"
But the shadows weren't backing down. One of them leapt from the wall and landed directly on Ethan's head.
Luna burst into laughter. "Hahaha! You've got a shadow hat now!"
At his wit's end, Ethan squeezed his eyes shut and tried to reach out to the darkness.
Listen… You're a part of me. So please, just stop causing chaos!
But the response he got sent a chill down his spine.
A low whisper echoed in his mind.
"No."
Ethan's eyes snapped open in horror. "What?!"
And suddenly, from within the writhing shadows, a fully-formed figure emerged.
A tall man, clad in black, with piercing red eyes and a sinister smirk—Ethan's perfect dark reflection.
The doppelgänger stared straight at him, voice deep and haunting.
"I am you… but stronger."
For a long moment, everyone froze.
Alice's voice was barely above a whisper. "Oh no… this one looks like serious trouble."
Fayra cracked her knuckles. "Finally. Something I can explode."
Luna, eyes sparkling with excitement, murmured, "This is amazing!"
Ethan, sweat forming on his brow, took a shaky breath.
"…Okay. So what the hell am I supposed to do now?!"