Solitude and Emptiness
I scuttle into the room, full of fear. In fear of the room painted black, and the shadows that lurk there. I silently say goodbye to the light from outside as the doors slide shut behind me. I don't know when I will get out of here, it's always so long… I hide in the corner, hoping the whispering won't reach me. It does, of course, as it does every time I'm here. "You're worthless, Rat. No one loves you. No one could ever love you. That's why you need me." the shadows whisper. "If it weren't for me, you would wither away until not even one little grey hair from your head remains." It's always like this. It's always horrible whisperings of words that render me useless. I try to keep my head down, scrunch myself further in the corner, hoping I could just disappear. "Do not worry, Rat. I do love you. You'll be safe from harm if you stay here with me." the shadow continues, wrapping its darkness around me, making me only feel colder.
"No." I say quietly. "If I stay here, I'll die."
"If you leave," the shadow replies venomously. "You will still die. They will all forget you. You are but an ugly, miserable, dirty rat." I can't delay it any longer. Tears pour down from my dark eyes, pathetic sobs briefly break the silence. "Light is not for you. You're a rat! Rats ought to live in darkness like this, with nothing but shadows for company. That's all you need." I think of the happiness light has brought me. Though I may be useless, striving for light has given me a ray of hope, a purpose. I always long for the day the doors open, and a small ray of light streams in. Light causes shadows, it's true, but light dispels darkness.
"Light gets rid of darkness like you." I whisper finally, knowing full well what is to come. I tense up, worried, as I wait for the shadow's response. The silence kills me.
"If I am such darkness, Rat, then surely you are as well!" the shadow replies. The shadow is everything I hate about being a rat. It is hateful, and venomous, and takes away light. It takes away happiness. "You are as dark as I am. A creature of shadow. You know the light will kill you, as it kills me."
"Shut up!" I cry. "You don't know! You can't ever know light! All you are is darkness!" A weight is lifted from my shoulders as the doors fly open from a sudden breeze. Light floods the black room, and the shadow disappears.