Short Stories

"This is the past?" I asked in disbelief. "Why is it so dark?" "Yes, the past can be quiet dark, indeed." The faint shadow replied over my shoulder. "But it is what we make with it, that determines whether we stay in the dark." I only took in the shadow's words. Processing the hidden meaning behind it. That was something I learned from the strange shadow. He spoke with many hidden meanings, that not everyone understood. Sometimes even I wasn't able to understand he's words, but that didn't mean he's words were any less right. "Where are we?" I asked, turning my head around to take in my surroundings, for any hint where we were. We were in a bus, riding it to the unknown. No one else was around besides us and a quiet old lady near the front. There was no bus driver either. Which somehow didn't seem odd at all, as if accepting the fact that the bus drove itself, as if it was an understandable day to day scenario. "That is up to you." The shadow replied, as I turned my head out the window. The dark streets still in view, as we took a left turn down another lonely street. "How?" I asked, more in curiosity then disbelief. Which kinda surprised myself, but I ignored it. Awaiting for the shadows reply. "The mind is very mysterious." Is all he said, as I felt he's presence move away from my shoulder. I turned my head up towards the roof, as I saw he's faint appearance look down at me. "That doesn't answer my question." I replied sternly, which earned a wide grin from the strange shadow, as amusement sparkled in he's faint eyes. "You are what you believe, and until you believe. You are what you see, and until you are not blind. You act on what you feel is right, and it's been that way for as long as humans existed." He replied as he vanished from up top of my head, now sitting a row in front of me. "I don't understand." The shadow only looked amused by my reply, as he turned around to face me. Lifting he's hands up, a bright light formed out of them. The light morphed into a object, which looked like a micro baby. "Babies have the purest minds." He replied, as the small baby in he's palm started to laugh. I smiled at the innocents played out before me, even if it was just a little game for the shadow. "They act on what they feel, until their minds are corrupt by what others think." Then a group of adults were now in the scene, and their behaviour and loud words morphed into an aura, as it started to attack the baby. The baby's once bright light, was now turned to a faint blue. Making the baby look sad, as if a bit of he's joy was replaced by what it's experienced. "What happened?" I asked curiously. "He was fed another man's opinion." Was all the shadow replied, as the small skit kept playing out in he's palm. The blue baby was now growing into a young child, as it started to play outside carelessly. Enjoying he's day. All of a sudden, other children started to appear. As they surrounded the now, blue child. "He hesitates what he feels now, so he takes what he sees." The shadow spoke up, as the children started to act violent and carelessly around the first child. The blue child was changing colour, as it morphed into the colour of red. "He has now took in the perspective, and changed to the colour red. For he accepts what he's been taught unintentionally." The shadow explained sadly, as if disappointed in the child. "But how can he accept someone's words after seeing such actions, though?" I asked confused and a bit frustrated that the first child could act so stupidly. "That's the thing. Actions are mere content with no context, unless that person explains to your understanding. But then again most explaining is done by the perspective of an innocent man, instead of raw honesty." The shadow explained as he kept he's hand held out. As the scene still played out in he's palm. The now red child has grown to be a young man, as he walks alone down a pathway. "What's going to happened to him now?" I asked, confused that the young man hasn't come across anyone else yet. "Every soul walks alone, especially when their purpose is not yet been discovered by them." He then turned he's wrist to the side, as the young man was now in a room. Sitting alone, looking quiet sad. "Ones presence is determined by the information they have been given, but then again some information is not well explained for people's souls to understand individually. But explained to agree on another man's belief, instead." He then closed he's hand, balling it into a fist as a bright light shined out of it. The shadow then re-opened he's palm, only to reveal an old man who is the colour of gold. Shining as he walks past the other people in the scene. "What happened to the red man?" I asked confused. "The red man died from lack of guidance, while this man grew to be old and wise." "How come he was able to nourish into wisdom, while the other man past away?" I asked curious for the answer, as I observed the old man closely. "This man has taken the chance of being wrong, to see if he is right. Through it all, he took in everyone's perspective. But not once did he let it define he's own. Instead he let it help him understand others, instead of trying to use the information to understand himself." The shadow replied as he the brought he's hands to he's lips, blowing gently in he's palm. Making everything vanish like the wind, as the scene in he's palm blew away. The bell to the bus rung loudly, as the bus came to a stop. "It is time for you to go, little one." The shadow explained, as he turned. Now vanishing as I looked around for he's appearance. Confused and curious. I stood up and walked to the exit of the bus, but as soon as my feet touch the ground, the bus doors closed and drove away in a hurry. "Hmm." I hummed to myself as I turned around and started to walk down the dark, lonely streets. But somehow every step I took changed the scenery, in away that it looked like it was developing into something brighter. I then felt a cold chill run down my spine, as I felt someone's eyes on me. "I'll be waiting for your return, my dear friend." And those words were the last I heard before I felt a pull from my chest. As I awoke in sweat, taking in a deep breath. Sitting up, as I looked around me. "Come on, it's time for school. You don't want to be late, sweetheart." My mom's voice spoke up, as she opened my door. Giving me a questioning look. "You okay, sweetie?" My mom asked, as I stayed seated up in my bed. Trying to comprehend everything that just happened. "I had a weird dream." I replied, as my eyes still spaced out, while my mind was going over board with numerous thoughts and ideas to understand what just happened. "Dreams don't mean anything, just ignore it, sweetheart.  And go get ready for school, and I can't be late for work today. And I need you to babysit your little brother tonight." "Okay, mom."