Leo's Shadow

Leo stared at the dark sky as he walked along the lake. Darkness was everywhere- shadows spread across the floor, snaking into each corner, forcing its way into the world. He didn't mind the darkness. Not anymore.

What was the point of light? It hurt his eyes. Leo had no reason to read anymore. There weren't any reasons for him to do anything.

Elliot stared into the darkness around him. It was always dark, always empty. But there was something different this time. Elliot floated toward it excitedly- it was only a different shade of darkness, but it was SOMETHING. Something, someone, it didn't matter. He would do anything he could to see Leo again, and if this was the key to it he would force his way through the darkness and fight whatever battles he had to. He could feel adrenaline coursing through his veins, and stared down at his newly appeared body. His clothes weren't blood stained- in fact, they were pristine. Elliot smirked- only the best for the dead. He flexed his muscles and ran to the opening. He slammed straight into the grey shield boundary.

Boundaries? Here? Elliot stared at the grey plate, and then his eyes widened suddenly in recognition.

Leo continued his stroll, insanely bored with the world. The same land, the same grass. They were all different, but they were all the same. It disgusted him. It all disgusted him.

Leo stared at the grass- so similar, so repetitive, so innocent.

Suddenly, there was a flash behind him- or more accurately, on the floor. He turned around and stared down at his shadow. Flickering, but there, was Elliot.

Elliot couldn't believe it. He really, really couldn't. For thousands and thousands of years, he had wasted away in the land of nothingness but Leo hadn't changed at all. Elliot stared at Leo's eyes- he was wrong. Something did change.

Leo looked broken.

Leo fell down on top of his shadow, trying to reach through the impenetrable barrier between them. Leo screamed out Elliot's name through his sobs and arched his back against the barrier. Elliot pounded against the boundary, but no sound reached Leo. Elliot didn't hear Leo's screams either. Elliot stopped banging his hand and rested it against the barrier, stroking the screen with a sad comfort that could never be able to touch Leo.

Leo's tears pressed against the shield and he banged and banged against it, unwilling to let go. He couldn't let go of Elliot, of the thoughts and memories they shared. He would never forget.

He stared at Elliot's hand through the barrier. He reached out his own hand, the ying to his yang, and then the shield stopped flickering.

There was no shield at all, only a shadow.

But Leo could swear he still felt Elliot's fingertips on his own, even if they were dimensions away.