The Shadow Encounter

Written by Peace Eneja

It was cold that night. The harmattan had gotten intense. If I wasn't in Nigeria, I would be expecting a snow fall. My ribs shaking ,the same movement as my lips. I was shivering at a corner, praying that I lay my hand on something, anything at all that I could use to keep myself warm. I was alone in the dark, in the middle of nowhere. I couldn't even tell what I was doing there. Then suddenly I saw a tree moving closer like a masquerade towards me. 

Oh! That's funny, because trees don't have legs, so why would they move...sorry walk?  For a moment, I thought it wasn't real, it shouldn't be. Then I closed my eyes so tight, hoping that it was just a dream, that it'll soon go away. Then I opened them again, it was still there, as real as day light, right in front of me. Then I started to run as fast as I could, throwing my legs away...sorry my shoes. But it was still chasing me, right here and there. I couldn't outrun it. "I am finished!" I shouted.  Just when I was about to jump, I heard a voice like a wind whispering into my ear. "Look, it's a shadow...your shadow", it said.

What? How could that be? Have I been running all for a shadow...my shadow? How then did it look like a tree, no...a walking tree. Then I looked closer again, this time shivering even more. Although I wasn't sure it was still the cold weather, I think I  was already scared. 

I'm I afraid of my own shadow? So I had to shun it! "Next time show your self, your real self and stop creeping me out with your drama! What in the world were you thinking? Pretending to be a tree walking like a masquerade. Please stop being a coward and grow up!"

This story is just an illustration of fear. Fear of being yourself, of facing your fears and your responsibilities. For those of us who hide under the shell, it's time  we faced our fears, it's time we stopped being cowards, it's time to ask the hard question, "if you met yourself, would you like to be your friend or be afraid?"