wondering how a shadow could exist without a body.”
It, or he, went forward, leaving the tree and appearing again on the ground.
“Yes that is what somebody would think having never lost their body. But I did not lose it; it was taken from me with an evil curse. And I need you to help me get it back.”
“Can’t you do it yourself?” I asked.
“I can’t touch anything, not really.”
“Well I’m actually going through something right now so perhaps you can find somebody else.”
The shadow reappeared on the tree. Its head turned from left to right. “Do you see anybody else here? You are the first person I’ve seen for a long time.”
“But I really must be going.”
I started again, trying to put distance between me and the shadow. It didn’t work. The shadow sped up and was always right ahead of me. I could see it out of the corner of my eye going from tree, to the ground, back up to the next tree.
“Sure, don’t help the helpless shadow. Just walk away like I’m not actually here. I know where you are going and my body is there.”
“You’re wrong because I have no idea where I’m going.” I said, refusing to look at it.
“Up about five miles is a great castle of a size you have never seen. It was there that my body was taken from me. All you have to do is move my body into a light in the castle. The mean curser that took my body put it only a few feet from the light. It was maddening to be so close and not be able to move it the few feet necessary.”
I didn’t believe him one bit. If there was a huge castle only five miles away I think I should have seen it already. But there was nothing ahead of us but more trees.
“I don’t believe you.”
The shadow appeared on the ground in front of me. It grew to a great length.
“I would kill you right now for calling me a liar. If only I could.”
“I think you have more problems than just losing your body.”
I walked on top of it. It could do nothing but wave its arms around.
It returned to a tree next to me. “If you help me I will tell you where you are and how to get to where you are going.”
I stopped, thinking over what he said. “You know where we are? I mean really know?”
“Of course, I’ve been here my whole life.”
I started again, still thinking. If he could help then maybe I could be back at home before the sun set. Though looking up at it I don’t think it ever moved.
“I’ll take you to the castle, but I want to know where I am now.”
“I promise I will tell you when we get there.”
“I’ll trust you for now. But if anything happens in that castle I will take your body as far away from this light source as I can.”
I could see him smile eerily in profile. “I’m very trustworthy.”
And so I took a detour from my undefined path to help a shadow get back his body in exchange for information. While he didn’t seem like the most trustworthy character he was the only thing I had seen in those woods that could do as much as promise to help. As we walked I thought of things to ask him. He wasn’t always helpful but at least he made an effort to answer.
“Do you know of a swamp at the bottom of a vast body of water?” I asked on our way to the castle.
“I can’t say that I do.”
“How about a clockmaker in a little house?”
“Don’t know that either.”
“How about a large cliff?”
“A cliff?” He sounded interested in this.
“Yes, a high cliff overlooking an endless expanse of water.”
“Now that does sound familiar. Did you happen to look back behind you?”
“No,” I said shamefully, “I never did.”
“Well if it is the same cliff I know then you would have been overjoyed to see the majesty of my father’s kingdom. His castle stands near this cliff and is forty times larger than my own that we are currently travelling to. You might have even seen my mother tending the garden near the cliff. If only you had turned around.”
“I don’t remember seeing a castle or a garden. The first thing in my recollections is the cliff and that is all.”
He appeared once more on the ground before me. “That is because the castle is of such astounding architectural quality and taste that all memory of the past is wiped clean on your first glance of it. This happens to many of the merchants who come. They leave having no idea where they came from or who they are.”
“And they eventually remember?” I asked hopefully.
“I suppose. Though we never see them again so there is a chance that they wander off and die.”
“Oh.” I said, becoming scared.
“But that won’t happen to you. You have me to make sure you don’t wander off.”
That didn’t make me feel any better. Was there some slight possibility that he was truthful and I had seen his father’s magnificent castle and that’s why I had no memories? It was a stretch, but so was following a shadow that was cursed out of his body.
We walked in silence after that. I could think of nothing else to ask and waited until we got to the castle. We had to be getting close but still there was no sign of any sort of building. I had nowhere else to be and so didn’t think of all the other things I could have been doing. In reality there was nothing else to do but follow the shadow.
After hours with the sun refusing to do its job and move towards the horizon, it began to grow dark. I looked up to see that the sun was still not moving, but growing dim. Minutes passed and it grew darker until it was no longer visible. There was still enough light to see by, though once again I could not find the source. There was no moon or lamp. I was beginning to see that there was no use in overanalyzing my current predicament. If I started that then I would never stop.
“I feel that we are almost there.” The shadow said.
I strained my eyes to see him. With the sun gone I had to listen for him. He made no sounds other than speech. In the dim conditions I began to question my decision to help. All the doubt my mind could muster up told me to ditch my partner and get out before something bad happened. But I made a promise and was not about to go against it just because the sun left.
I continued walking while thinking about all the terrible things that could go wrong. It was easier to think while walking, making me think that I was good at both. The gap in my memories seemed to grow with each step. Something happened between working at that department store and appearing on the cliff, but what? There was the possibility that I saw a majestic castle and it wiped my mind clean. But I couldn’t believe that without a memory backing it up. Everything else that happened since seemed bizarre, but at least I remembered it happening.
“Hold up!” The shadow shouted.
I froze mid step. I looked down to see my right foot hovering over a chasm. I quickly brought it back to solid ground. The dry Earth ended, being replaced by an enormous hole. It must have been over one thousand feet deep. In the hole was a huge castle. It really was of a size I had never seen. Lights blazed from all the windows. Turrets rose up to the edge of the hole, but not above. There was no sign of life other than the lights.
“This is it.” The shadow said.
“How do we get down?”
“Jump.”
“I’ll be killed.”
“Will you?”
I thought back to when I jumped off the cliff. I never even felt hitting the water. Without thinking for fear of coming to my senses I jumped into the hole. I hit the side and tumbled the full one thousand feet to the bottom. I picked myself up, dusted myself off, and continued without so much as a scratch.
“That is strange.” I said to myself.
“You did great. Now let’s find my body.”
3. The Castle and the Wizard
The shadow and I made our way around the stone walls looking for a way i
n. The ground was moist down there, possibly from an earlier rain. The only flat surface was under the castle. I had a hard time keeping myself upright. A large metal door stood out among the stone on the far side. I pulled it open and we entered.
A long carpeted hall led us to a very large room with a marble staircase and a very large crystal chandelier that rained light down. It was a beautiful room with plush chairs and large paintings of royal looking people on the walls. The shadow led me behind the staircase where a set of wood doors took us to a small parlor. An intricately carved wooden desk sat at the end of the room. This must have been where the royals had company with their subjects. A fire crackled quietly from a fireplace in the wall.
“Who keeps this place running?” I inquired. I hadn’t heard the slightest movement coming from anywhere.
“The wizard.” The shadow growled.
I assumed the wizard was the one who put the curse on him. Despite his dislike I wanted to meet this wizard. Perhaps he knew where I was and how I could get home.
The shadow slid across the carpet and appeared at the desk. “I would give anything to be able to sit here again and do my duty.”
“Where is this body of yours?”
“On the top floor.”
“Show me the way.” I said.
The castle had four main floors, along with a basement and the towers. Wary of the wizard, the shadow led me carefully through rooms and up hidden staircases he didn’t think the wizard knew about. Every room was expertly furnished with the best of everything. The bedrooms, there were quite a few, all had large beds with quilts and fluffy pillows. The bathrooms were equipped with solid gold tubs and the softest