***
The power plant stood on the bank of a huge river. It took me a long time to get there, but I had nothing to do except travel. There was no good food left, so I didn't eat, and Monster never got hungry. We might have journeyed for days or weeks, but with it always being night, I didn't keep track of time.
The wheel spun endlessly, crackling with blue lightning. My hair raised as I approached it. The land was a big slope here, leading down to black water. Me and Monster were small compared to the shining towers and bloated tanks of the power plant. We were like leaves caught in a hurricane, as the wheel threatened to spin us away.
Monster handled it better than me, maybe because he understood the shadow and I didn't. I got as close as I dared, my hair now standing straight up. I could see the bones through my flesh and it made me smile. I'd forgotten how cool that was! I was glowing, and Monster too. Monster didn't have any bones, so he didn't look as cool as me.
The wheel of darkness spun faster because it didn't like me. Blue lightning speared me and made me tingle from head to toe. The sky was an angry whirlwind of smoke, blocking out the stars. I didn't like to see the stars shut out like that.
I lifted my jar of daylight, wondering if I should hurl it into the wheel. I pictured the strands of shadow burning all over the world, burning into daylight. I saw the sun break golden over the land. I smiled.
I opened my eyes--and saw darkness. A tentacle pushed against my back, and I whirled around. Was Monster trying to urge me forward?
I glared at him. Monster had been with me since the start of all this. Maybe he was the cause of it all. I imagined hurling the jar of daylight against him and setting him on fire--making everything right again.
Instead, I hugged the jar against me. The voices were singing louder than ever, and I could smell the sea again. "I want to go home, Monster," I said.
He nodded. It was the first time he'd ever communicated with me.
"Are you from the sea?" I asked. "Are you my guardian in this place?"
He stood stoically.
"I've had enough," I said. "Take me home."
For once, Monster led the way and I followed.
End.