Shadows of Life

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Okay, this is my first story in first-person. It's also my first drama. Well, enjoy.

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Shadows of Darkness

DARKNESS. Darkness. That was all I could see. Darkness surrounding me, overtaking me, enveloping me. Who was I? I looked down at my own hand, but all I could see was darkness. Suddenly, a sound. A voice. Now more than one voice. But all I could hear was whispering murmurs, veiled by the darkness.

"Amazing…"

"Incredible…"

"How did you create this, Gerald?"

"What is it?"

            I wish I knew. Who was I? I didn't know anything. All I knew was the darkness. Suddenly, a light. A voice. Was it speaking to me, or was it a trick of the darkness?

"Wake up… Shadow…Wake up… Can you hear me…?"

"Yes."

"I am Gerald Robotnik, your creator. You are on the space colony ARK."

"But… who am I?"

"You are Shadow the Hedgehog, the world's ultimate life form. Wake up. Look at the light."

            I stirred. I opened my eyes. A blinding light. Human shapes loomed over me. I looked down at my hand again. It was darkness. My whole body was darkness. This Robotnik said I was Shadow. But the Shadow of what? A Shadow cannot exist without a source. I knew what I was, but who was I?

            "Welcome to life, Shadow."

            But what was my life? What was my purpose? I wanted answers.

            "Why am I here?"

            "You were created as a weapon. Your purpose is to destroy."

            I sagged down. So I was a killer… So with my new life, I was to take others? It didn't make sense. Why create a new life, if it is just to destroy others? What was the difference? I wanted to know. I wanted to understand. I slammed my fist down angrily. It shook the floor. I heard the murmurings again…

"The power…"

"Incredible…"

"Magnificent…"

I was angry at these voices. Why did they taunt me? I didn't want to be an amazing killer. Why did I have to be? Why did this Gerald bring me into this world, if he was only going to curse me as a murderer? I was mad. Why me? Why didn't they create some other person to be the 'ultimate life form'?

            "Why," I demanded.

            "Why what?"

            "Why must I be a killer."

            "Because that is your purpose."

            "But why is it my purpose!"

            "Because we needed a weapon to destroy. You are that weapon."

            "I do not want to be."

            "You have no choice."

            "Why would you create a new life, just to lose other lives?"

            "Such is the way of life."

            "No it is not! Yours is a way of death! Why must I be a part of it!"

            "Because that is why we created you, and it is your destiny."

            "What if I do not wish this as my destiny?"

            "One does not decide their own destiny!"

            This ended the argument. I was enveloped in darkness again: not in vision, but in thought. So I couldn't choose my destiny? If I was to be a killer, why not kill this evil man now? That way I would have killed, and could pursue something better; and I would have ridded humanity of one of its scars.

            Questions. I was full of questions. But who could answer them? This man was cold and unfeeling. I needed someone to talk to, someone to share my troubles with. I needed… a friend.

            But what if I was just a mindless weapon? Did I have feelings? Or were they just illusions of the way I wish to be?

            I sighed. Would there ever be anyone to talk to? Would I live my life away from companionship, from society, from compassion? Must I be doomed by an empty life, in the midst of death? I didn't know what the feelings I felt were. I seemed angry, sad, jealous, even scared all at the same time. I was overcome by sorrow. The darkness came over me again.

            "Shadow, come, you must begin your training. You are not yet strong enough."

            Blast. If but I had been stronger, I would have killed him on the spot. But now I must go through training. I sighed again.

            "Then it appears I have no choice but to follow you," I said.

            With a heavy heart, I went with Robotnik, again enshrouded by darkness.