The Lurking Shadow Behind Me

By Bella, Stage 5

Art Write Light 2021 is a  creative writing project curated by Story Factory, in collaboration with visual artist Blak Douglas. During the program, students from Bonnyrigg High School and St Clair High School were introduced to the work of Blak Douglas, and created written and audio pieces responding to his artwork.

The Lurking Shadow Behind Me

Crunch! Footsteps lurked behind me as I looked from the corner of my eye, but only noticed the blank sky. Nothing…until I saw it. 

Monologue

The sunlight beamed through the window. The Sun was glaring at me, laughing at me and mocking me. It had been months since the first person disappeared in the sunlight. What was once a house filled with a family was now just me. Alone. I look like myself but I’m somebody else now. Changed after they were taken. Taken from me.

Life was so boring without them and all I had left of them was my brother’s toy truck. I could only travel at night which doesn’t concern me all. It just means I don’t have to  talk to anyone about them. I’d rather just sit in my room alone than go on with my life with other people.

I’m worthless, useless. I can’t do anything. The light took my family. We used to run to the light as kids. I want to be with my family yet I’m too scared to go into the light. Who knows what’s on the other side of the light. It could be anything. But my family are there waiting for me to reach them. I have to at least try.

Hour by hour I watch the shades of colour of the black sky change in a sunset. I felt nauseous but my conscience would hold me captive if I didn’t attempt to save them. Even my own shadow leaves me in my house so I have to leave. The sun is up. The arches of wood on my front door tower over me. The chains rattle as I unlock each lock one by one. Of course I feel powerless, I’m about to be eaten by sunlight. With each step out of the front door I feel more and more brave, as the first one to throw myself into the pathway of light. I put one foot into the light and like that I was gone.

Much is Rife, Blak Douglas, 2021

Art Write Light is generously supported by the Balnaves Foundation.