Tuesday, September 20th, 2017

The day had started out plain and boring, as usual. The main difference was that it was sunny, and it’s never sunny here. Everyone was being followed around by their shadows, which is a rare sight. Also, my mom’s car wasn’t in the garage, even though she’s always around when I’m home. I was a little freaked out to be honest, and it wasn’t like I’d never been home alone before. It was just that everyday of my life had been the same for 17 years and suddenly it was different.

As I was watching TV, I saw a shadow right next to my window. I didn’t think much of it because it was a sunny day, but then I noticed what looked like a piece of paper glistening underneath the shadow. Out of curiosity, I got up and looked at the paper, which turned out to be a picture of nothing but blackness. Initially, it was really confusing, but after flipping it over and reading, “I’m here to stay Mikey,” I assumed that it was just my dad trying to scare me. The thought didn’t cross my mind again, at least that day.

 

Wednesday, September 21st, 2017

It was the next day, and yet again I had no source of comfort. Everything was different and I think I was actually starting to get a sunburn. When my best friend Maggie and I were walking to my car I asked her if she thought all of this change was a bit odd and unsettling to her, but she said it was a nice break from the normalness of our lives. I turned around for a second to brush the brown hair out of my face, and then she was gone. Usually, Maggie and I drive home together, but apparently she had other plans.  

Maggie leaving me threw me for a loop, but I continued to walk to my car. I was keeping a look out for Maggie hoping maybe she just went to the bathroom, but instead I found a shadow that seemed a bit out of place. All of its features stuck out to me and it was  very defined. Though I barely saw it for two seconds because it disappeared as quickly as I noticed it. The one thing that didn’t disappear was the picture. I assumed it would be the same one as the day before, but this one showed a single blue eye with what looked like the frame of a pair of glasses around it. This whole “shadow thing” was starting to get a little weird to me, but I still didn’t mention it to anyone.

 

Saturday, September 24th, 2017

It had been a few days since I had last seen the shadow and most of my life had gone back to its usual, boring self. Maggie and I were having a sleepover, like we always do the last Saturday of the month. Now, for some reason, when Maggie went upstairs to go pay for the pizza a wave of paranoia hit me and I swear I saw the shadow again. I tried to tell myself that it was either Maggie or her parents , but then I saw the picture again, this time of beautiful blonde locks.

I decided I had had enough. I finally confided everything into Maggie. When the first word came out of my mouth I was instantly filled with regret. I had known Maggie for a long time, but I had no idea how she would react to the words that were about to enter her brain.

 

When I was finished, silence. All she did was sit there with this a look on her face that made her seem like she just found out some awful news. I didn’t think things could get any worse but then I heard it. Laughing. Now I knew that my feelings of regret were justified. I thought she would tell me that she was there for me and that I was just imagining things, but no, I was wrong.

 

Monday, September 26th, 2017

This time, I saw it during school. I was walking to my biology class with tons of people around me and still I was the only one who noticed the shadow and the picture that it left behind.

This picture was by far the most revealing. The pictured pieced all of the features together, but was missing one part, just enough so that I couldn’t put my finger on the shadow’s identity. Knowing all of this information about my stalker really freaked me out, but it also comforted me in the fact that I might be able to recognize him.

 

Wednesday, September 28th, 2017

Having not seen the shadow in a few days was starting to get to me. I didn’t know what was happening. Was he going to reveal himself? Was he going to attack me? I had so many unanswered questions, and it was really messing with my head.

In the middle of my American History class, the teacher got a call that I was needed in the counselor’s office. The call confused me quite a bit, but I still went down to his office anyway.

When I entered the room the counselor, Mr. Espia, was facing the wall with a lime green notebook in his hand. The room smelled musty, like it hadn’t been occupied in years and the cobwebs lining the walls confirmed this, but the room seemed too organized to have been abandoned. Despite the two of us being in the room, it was dead silent, to the point where you could hear someone coming from a mile away.

It seemed like an eternity had gone by before he gave me any acknowledgement. Once he finally did, it definitely wasn’t the hello I was expecting.

“I’ve seen a lot of interesting things from you lately.”

As he turned around and started inching towards me, it hit me. The blue eyes, the blonde hair, the glasses, everything matched the pictures. I had seen Mr. Espia around school before and seen the resemblance, but I never thought much of it. I never knew someone who was supposed to help you could hurt you.

I reached for the doorknob, but he beat me to it.  The feel of his frigid fingers on mine forced a scream out of me, “Get away from me!”

He creepily smiled, “Don’t worry, I’m not here to hurt you. I just want you to love me.” I didn’t think the atmosphere could get more tense, and then I felt his sharp nails digging into my skin as he pulled me into him. I smelled his sour breath on my face and then I saw his chapped lips making their way toward mine.

Kicking and screaming, I struggled to become free of his grasp. While fighting as hard as I could I felt him pulling me harder and harder against him until finally the anger in me took control, “Get off me and get out of my life!”

After a second of silence passed he gently set me down, but then his hand forcefully grabbed ahold of mine as he began mechanically saying, “Don’t you love me? Aren’t I always on your mind? I promise to love you if you promise to love me back. I know this seems soon, but I just can’t take my eyes off you. You are everything I’ve ever wanted and more. Just say you love me and everything will be okay, I promise.”

I had probably been in his office for an hour when the final bell of the school day rang.

I got up to leave, but that’s not what he had in mind.

“Not so fast. You can’t leave yet you haven’t confessed your undying love for me yet. You are not leaving until you do.”

“I don’t love you, I’m leaving and there is nothing you can do about it!”

Saying that was about the stupidest thing I could’ve done. The second it came out of my mouth he grabbed me by the waist and practically threw me into the wall. I must’ve blacked out for a decent chunk of time because next thing I knew I was stripped of everything except for the clothes on my back and the door had been barricaded.

When I 100% grasped the situation I promised myself one thing. I had to remain silent. I could not tell him what he wanted to hear. I had to stay strong.

The silence between us seemed to last a lifetime, for it was now 10 at night. While I was sitting there, I started to do some evaluation of the situation. I tried persistently to tell myself that my mom, Maggie and the authorities were on their way to find me. To convince myself that I was going to be okay. My mind was filled with these thoughts when I finally tried to get some sleep.

 

Thursday, September 29th, 2017

As my eyes slowly blinked open to the morning light I, once again, realized where I was and what was happening. I glanced around and saw that he was still sleeping like a baby. Quietly, I crept over to the phone that was sitting on the round table in the corner, and dialed 911; I confided in the lady on the other end, explaining to her that I had been trapped in a counselor’s office at Slokine High School. When I was finished she assured me that I would be okay.

After the phone call, I returned to my spot, in the corner of the room, and I saw him finally open his eyes. When he glanced over at me, seeing I was already up, he strutted his stuff all the way over to me and just sat down. Yet again, he took my hand and tried to take my life away.

“You know, last night was just so great, because I loved having the chance to spend all that time with you. And I didn’t think this was possible, but you look even more beautiful when you are sleeping. I, Dave Espia, am so in love with you, and I hope everyday of our lives is like the day we had yesterday, so pure and wholesome.”

Shocked and scared. That is what I was after the first time I heard his full name and the billionth time I heard his plans. Suddenly, I felt lightheaded. And for the first time in my life I longed to hear the familiar sound of a siren, and see flashing lights. But instead, what I was given was the whole plan for my future and the person who wanted to be the one I spent it with.

Weeeeeooooo Weeeeeoooooo Weeeeoooooo!

My ears perked, my body froze, and I didn’t register anything. The next thing I knew I was watching as he drove out of my life. All of a sudden the anguish in my life was gone, but I knew my life would never be the same.

 

Monday, October 17th, 2017

By now I’ve, for the most part, gone back to my normal life. Now, walking through the halls my name isn’t the only thing that I hear, but occasionally I do hear a few remarks. Also, from time to time I do get a little scared of my own shadow.

 

Tuesday, October 18th, 2017

Ring! Ring! Ring!

I pull my phone out of my pocket and look at the caller ID: unknown. Despite everything I was taught when I was a kid, I answer the phone.

“Hello, who is this?”

“You know who.”