Shadow

Part I
Chapter 1: Back in 1930...

Edward Breaklight used to be the best. He was one of the top animators at the Warner Bros. Studio and had been thriving with a promising career. He was a born drawer. Since he first learned to use a pencil, he was always creating something on paper. Now at age 31, he was still just as proficient. A tall, good-looking man with fine-cut brown hair, he was in his prime. He had two kids, a son and a daughter. Though his wife had died long ago, he still found joy in both of his children and in his work. He loved his job, which was something few people could say with honesty. Everything was going smooth, his life was turning out just the way he wanted it to.

Until they came along.

He never hated Lon for it. It was an accident. No cartoon character should have ever been that crazy. But somehow, Lon's creations were different. They were a nuisance. They were zany and uncontrollable. They almost tore the studio apart.

They nearly drove him insane.

In the weeks that they had been there, he slowly deteriorated into a nervous-wreck. He never knew when they would appear and cause havoc, and ruin everything he'd worked so hard on. He had tried. Many of the others had left the lot, screaming, and never came back. He had tried to be one of the vigilant ones, had tried to hold his ground. But the stress that came with it was just too much. He couldn't take it. He started slacking in his productivity and eventually lost his job.

His already cracking nerves made it difficult to find work anywhere else. Edward found it increasingly harder and harder to concentrate. Though the terrible trio usually kept to the lot, they were known to spring up almost anywhere, anytime. Money was getting low, he had two kids to provide for. Plus, his health was no longer what it used to be. Anxiety and stress took him to the verge of mental collapse.

At a time when he believed things couldn't get any worse, it happened again.

There was that one night, when after another unsuccessful job hunt, Edward found himself walking home on the dark, empty streets, tired, but his senses alert for the slightest sound of movement. It had already been a long day. His hair was a mess and his clothes disheveled. He was silently grateful that his kids were currently staying with their aunt, and the house would be empty so he could fall in his favorite and just relax.

As he came to round a corner, he suddenly heard a yell and what sounded like trashcans and crates falling over. Before he knew it, he was bowled over by three little figures, landing on his back on the cold ground and practically scared out of his wits. He was about to let out a scream when everything within him seemed to freeze.

There it was, that all too familiar, terrible, toony face, staring right back at him. The face that belonged to the 'leader' of those…things was looking at him, confused and startled.

"Whoops! Sorry mister," the thing said before picking itself up. "Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?"

It was making fun of him, he just knew it. The thing hastily ran off, with the other two in tow, and Edward stared after them. A low, dangerous growl rose to his throat. "Y-Y-You…You ruined my life!"

What he remembered afterwards, when the next morning came, was pretty much a blur. He could recall shakily picking himself off the ground, and then running. Running with so much anger and frustration, he wondered if he had mowed anyone down in the process. He remembered getting home somehow, and he remembered stampeding his way to his desk. After that, all he knew was that he grabbed a sheet of paper and drew. He had no idea what compelled him to draw with such fury, drawing was always a pleasant experience for him. He figured he just needed to vent out his torn-up emotions. It wasn't until the drawing was completed that he finally calmed down enough to realize what he had done.

In shock, and in fear, he ran out of the office and stood motionless it he living room, staring blankly into space. His knees eventually failed him and he collapsed on the couch. That was where he remained until the sun rose the next day.

And now this is where he found himself. He cursed under his breath and placed his face in his hands. Why did that have to happen? Why had he drawn it? As he sat on the sofa thinking back on it, all he could guess was that he finally cracked. All the pent up stress had to come out. And it came out in the exact form that had caused it, and now he had….

Edward did not like where his mind was going. He had drawn…one of them. It didn't come to life, did it? From his place in the living room, he couldn't hear anything. He never heard a sound during the entire night he spent staring emotionlessly at the wall in shock. But he was an animator. He had brought life to things before.

Shakily, Edward stood up on wobbly legs. He had to know for sure. Warily, he walked back to the office, afraid of what he was going to see. Once at the doorway, he peeked in.

The desk lamp was still on, but he didn't detect any kind of movement. He cautiously stepped fully into the doorframe and examined the room. Most of it was dark, the only light coming from the small lamp. The large desk chair was swiveled around, its back facing toward him. In the dim light, he spotted a lone piece of paper on the floor. It must have flown off the desk when he rushed out.

He went forward to pick it up, expecting to see the drawing on the other side of it. As he reached down, he nearly lost his balance from a night of no sleep, and quickly grabbed the arm of the desk chair to catch himself. The chair spun around under the force of his weight and Edward, in absolute terror, fell to the floor anyway.

Curled up in the chair was his drawing, in full flesh, blood, and fur, staring back at him in bewilderment.

Edward screamed, and the creature in the chair flinched as the human fainted.