- The Shadow -
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As Samuel ran through the forest in search of the cub, he moved farther and farther away from the gunshots and screams until, suddenly, silence enveloped the woods. The outside world seemed to vanish, leaving only the dense darkness and the sound of his own ragged breathing. "Did I go too far? The cub couldn't have run this far. I just hope he wasn't caught by those hunters." His thoughts spun like a storm, anxiety clenching his chest like a vice.
With each step, the forest grew darker and more unsettling. The branches seemed to reach out toward him, and the shadows danced restlessly between the trees. "I need to find him soon. This is no place for a cub — especially not alone."
As he moved cautiously, something found him first. Between the trees, a shadow moved stealthily, gliding like a whisper. Samuel felt the air around him grow heavy, as if the forest itself were holding its breath. Just as the shadow was about to touch him, he turned instinctively, facing it head-on.
— Who are you? — he asked.
The shadow stared at him, its indistinct outline blending with the darkness. No response came — only an oppressive silence.
— Have you seen a cub around here? — Samuel asked again, his voice edged with fading hope.
Still silent, the shadow continued to study him. But as Samuel looked into its dark, hollow eyes, he sensed something — a deep, tormented feeling. There was fear, an echo of pain that had trapped it in that form. A soft voice, barely a whisper, echoed within him, pleading: "Help him."
— I can feel something in you — Samuel said, his tone softer. — A feeling, an emotion that consumes you.
The shadow hesitated, as if weighing his words. Finally, a pained whisper escaped its lips:
— Guilt...
Samuel felt a wave of empathy wash over him.
— Guilt... I know that one well. It can be a heavy chain, dragging us into darkness. No matter how much you try to move past it, it never really goes away. But what makes you feel that way?
The shadow twisted, as if the very mention of guilt hurt it.
— You're afraid of the consequences of your mistakes. Guilt is pain, yes — but it's also a sign that you care.
— It might sound easy to say — Samuel murmured, compassion in his voice — but holding on to that feeling only makes the pain worse.
— Recognizing guilt is the first step to not letting it consume you. Why not try, just once, to let go of it and move forward? It doesn't cost anything to try.
Samuel extended his hand toward the shadow. The gesture, simple yet full of meaning, hovered in the air between them. The shadow hesitated, fear clear in its ethereal form. But after a few moments that felt like an eternity, it finally reached out and took his hand.
In that instant, the shadow began to glow — a gentle light bursting from within, dissolving the darkness around them.
— Boy... thank you — the shadow said, its voice now filled with gratitude. — I had forgotten what it felt like to live in the light… to be free from resentment.
— You brought the light back to me — it continued, its form glowing brighter. — I'll never forget your kindness. We'll meet again out there, boy.
The light scattered into shining fragments, floating in the air like tiny falling stars. One fragment slowly drifted down in front of him, and when Samuel caught it, it vanished in a brilliant flash.
But Samuel felt weak, as if all his energy had been drained from his body. He collapsed to his knees, tears of pain and frustration streaming down his face. Blood still trickled from his wounds, and his vision began to blur. He tried to stand, but the darkness around him closed in, everything becoming hazy. He saw a figure approaching in the distance, but couldn't tell who it was. Within seconds, the darkness swallowed him whole, and he fainted — lost in a sea of shadows.
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