Broken

 “You and I are not very different,” the shadowless human said. He was waiting outside the eatery where Jason worked, as if he was a friend Jason walked home with. Jason had become wary of him since he set his eyes on him the first time. He was the only one who could see him. The locals believed that it was only spirits who moved about without shadows. Stories had been told about shadowless creatures and haunted houses. He suspected that he was running mad and had to avoid this new acquaintance at every cost. He ignored the creature and kept walking, hoping that in ignoring him, he would leave him alone.

“One of the men you made to choke the other day has died at the hospital. Guess which people are accused of killing him with witchcraft,” the man said again and Jason’s heart skipped a bit.

“What are you saying?” he asked, turning to the man.

 “Nothing, bro,” Grant said, walking past Jason, then turning to look at him funny. Jason’s eyes were fixed on somewhere else and not him. He did not know what to make of it, so he continued walking. The latter had not seen him walk past.

“Your siblings are in danger. You are in danger. The people you choked are in the hospital; their friends and family are not. Why are you still in your uncle’s house, you stubborn boy? What do you think it will take to kill you in God’s name, stupid weakling?”

“Do not call me that!” Jason warned, wondering where he found the strength to warn something the sun could not catch, something only he could see. Nevertheless, he quickened his pace and hurried towards home.

“I can help you, you dumbo. All you have to do is to kill these people after your lives.”

“I don’t kill people,” Jason said, surprised that he felt so much about this, even though he had wished very much for his uncle’s death.

“You want your uncle dead, yet you cannot kill him? Coward!”

“Shut up!” Jason screamed and passers-by watched him curiously. He stared at them all awkwardly, muttered an excuse and continued hurrying to his house.

He was at the house now and the only thing that filled his heads were thoughts of escaping from this place. Where to, he did not know. As usual, the twins were by themselves in the house, but Duke was nowhere to be found.

“Where is Duke?” he asked, out of breath.

“He is out playing soccer at the field.”

The field! Anything could happen at the field. Before the police would come, it would be too late. Jason wanted to go to the city. He was tired of the countryside with its stupid superstitions and poverty.

“Quickly, pick these things, we are leaving this place.”

Jack and Tim moved fast. They were upbeat about leaving the house. Soon as they were done, they hurried towards the field to drag Duke along with him.

They were met with the most shocking of sights; Duke being dragged along the field, screaming out his lungs. Most of the people dragging him were his supposed playmates, the others merely did not want to miss out on the fun, whatever that was. Bullies!

“Leave him alone!” Jason screamed, rushing towards the mob.

Duke, seeing his chance as the mob paused for a while, took it, running across the road at the same time a truck swept down it.

“Duke!” Jason screamed.

But it was too late. Duke dashed headlong into the road, intent on escaping his bullies. The truck, moving faster than it was supposed to, slammed into him, lifting him high up into the sky where he completed one full rotation before his body came smacking down on the asphalt.

The noise died down. People were gradually getting back to their senses. Jason ran to the middle of the road as the truck thundered down it and out of sight.

Duke looked very badly beaten. There was blood trickling from his forehead, his eyes were swollen. His nose locked the red liquid as well and his eyes were shut. His head was splattered open, allowing Jason see the broken skull.

“No,” Jason muttered. “No, no, no. This cannot be.”

But it was. Little Duke lay lifeless on the ground. A hush had fallen over the bullies. It was then that Jasonsniffed. His smaller siblings and the ascian standing between them, holding them by the shoulder while they sniffed.

“No!” Jason screamed. There was a rumble in the sky as if his voice was the thunder. The first gust of wind scratched through the atmosphere, carrying dust along its path. The sky became gloomy all of a sudden and lightning struck too close to home.

The mob froze. This was new and unexpected. The hate they saw in Jason’s eyes was one with the weather. No doubt a million frightening thoughts of being roasted by the lightning while they were out here started to cross their minds.

“I hate you all!” the boy screamed from the ground. As if to bring home his declaration, lightning struck again, this time it almost hit one of them. They saw it strike the ground close to their feet.

The spell broke. The mob scattered, running in different directions as if their lives depended on it. There were only three people apart from Jason syi on the playground after the crowd had dispersed. The twins came to him and Duke.

“Duke,” Jason called. He had difficulty standing, so he fell to the ground beside his brother. “Duke.” His voice was getting frantic.

Duke was not moving; his eyes were shut and his skin glistened with the first drops of rain that had come with the rumbling sky.

“Duke!” Tim screamed. He had felt the panic in Jason’s voice and young as he was, he understood what that meant.

Jack stood by the side, tears glimmering in his eyes. It seemed the boy had already given up on life before it started.

“He is dead, is he not?” he asked.

Jason had no answer. He looked towards the edge of the field for an answer and found the ascian. In the impending darkness of the night and the overhanging gloom of the clouds, he was no longer one without a shadow; he was his own shadow and that was the only thing he was.

That was his answer.