Shadow with Hope

Long ago, before words were just words, every word had its own form. Our story centers on a few particular words, of course.

Long ago, there were different Shadows. One Shadow followed Darkness, one followed Light. The Shadow following Light brought Terror. Whenever Light left whomever it had just visited, this Shadow would bring Terror to those left behind. This Shadow loved the pain it could inflict.

This Shadow was in the form of an angelic blond young girl. Terror was in the form of a little sweet boy. The other Shadow was dark-haired, with sharp features that made People think she was the evil one. She brought with her Hope. Hope was a beautiful little innocent child who did not know what Evil was.

Light tried to go everywhere at one time, but knew he could not. He was in the form of a robed man, carrying a lantern from which there were light following it. Light hated the Shadow that followed him before. He did not understand that she followed him to bring Hope. Light had tried to go everywhere at once, but instead he blinded everyone around him. Light understood that he had to bring Shadow along where ever he went. However, he did not think that the Shadow who followed him was the one who brought pain to the people he left, for she was so angelic looking, what could she do?

Darkness was a dark brooding man, always shrouded in blackness, so his face was never seen. He didn't like Shadow who followed him, but he never cared, until one day, the other Shadow came up to him.

"Hello, Darkness. Why so brooding?" she asked him sweetly.

"It is nothing, nothing but Nature," he answered gruffly.

"Nature. Would you like to know how to get rid of Nature?"

Darkness looked at Shadow. "How?"

"You do know of my sister, do you not?"

"The one who follows me about?"

"Yes. All you have to do is to capture the child she carries with her and kill her."

"Is it true, what you say?"

Shadow smiled. "Of course."

Old minds are not so cunning as new minds, as they say. Darkness wasted no time in talking the Shadow who followed him to leave Hope for a moment. He snatched her away and ran into the great Caves of Horror. Shadow who carried Terror laughed as she watched everything.

Shadow cried after him, but to no avail. Finally, with no one else to turn to, to guide her, she turned to Light.

"Please, one who shows the many different paths, help me find my charge. Hope has been captured and kept by the Darkness in the Caves of Horror. I have done no wrong, but to have a sister who hates me so. Please help me."

Light laughed at her face. "I know who you are, your dark face is easily seen. You are who carry Terror with you. Begone from my sight!"

Tears began to fall from Shadow's face. "I meant no harm, Light. Just give me a small candle to seek my way through the Caves of Horror. That is all I ask of you."

Light consented to give a candle to Shadow. Suddenly, from the other side, the other Shadow came forth and cried, "You surely would not give her the candle, would you? Look, here is Hope, safe and alive!" she brought forth Terror.

Of course Light did not know that Hope was a girl child. He looked at Shadow, who was still crying. "Tell me who lies and who do not."

Shadow rushed forward and snatched the lantern from Light. She ran towards her treacherous sister who withdrew from the Light, crying, "You who bring Terror and make people cry with pain! You who speak to the Darkness to capture Hope! When the time comes for you to be judged, sister, I will not speak for you!"

Terror screamed and cried, kicking away from Shadow. Shadow took Terror back into her arms and screamed yet again, for the light blinded her. Terror's face was so ugly as he cried.

Light drew back in horror. As the Shadow who brought forth Terror withdrew and ran away a good distance from the light, he took back his lantern. "Forgive me, I see I have trusted the wrong person. You are indeed the one who brings Hope. Tell me, why did you stop following me?"

"I followed Darkness for when Darkness left all around him needed Hope while waiting for you. They need Hope to live. Without Hope, there would be no reason to live and wait for your return to them."

Light, satisfied with her answer took her to the Caves of Horror. "I can only hope that Darkness has not harmed my little charge, for the cost of her life would be terrible," Shadow whispered.

As they entered, they noticed no one around. Oftentimes whenever Shadow followed Darkness here, there would be so many people, lying on the ground, crying. By all was silent now. Except that there was laughter of a child ringing from the deeper caves.

Light drew forth his Lantern and walked on steadily. As they reached the inner caves, they saw Hope sitting on Darkness' lap, laughing, dancing and singing. They saw many people standing about, crying. Why were they crying? They cried because Hope had brought the Fairies of Happiness to them, so long had they been with such innocent laughter and song.

There were Suffering, Pain, Agony, Tears and even Sadness himself, all crying because the soft light about them brought forth by Hope's musical laughter lightened their hearts and faces. Even Light himself blew out the candle in his lantern to watch Hope dancing in the soft glow of many colors. Her lilting song brought gladness to each and every heart that listened.

Yet Shadow stayed between Light and Darkness, for this was the way of Nature. The two could not go near each other, otherwise the most odd thing would happen. No one wanted to take that chance.

Darkness' face could now be seen. His face was careworn, yet handsome as he smiled. While Hope giggled, he held her out to Shadow, who held Hope in her arms, also crying from happiness.

"I understand why you follow me, young Shadow. I understand why Hope is so important, not only to you, but to all around her. I can understand why you believe even those with evil heart can love, for they can."

Shadow did not answer. She let Hope dance and sing among all around her.

�Jaymee Goh

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