[Finish the Tale contest] Shadows World

I started writing a new story for the Finish the Tale contest.

Here is how the story starts:

The town celebrated its annual festival as usual, except this year the shadows refused to follow their owners.

Everyone was frightened - except for the residents of the village where the festival was taking place. They had been waiting for this festival with great anticipation, especially the villagers themselves. Although it was an annual event, this year was different. This was the final festival. And this year, the villagers' fate would be decided.

Everything began as usual. Hundreds of people from different parts of the city and even from across the country came here. Joy and celebration filled the air. Street musicians performed in some places, others showed magic tricks, and elsewhere you could watch short theatrical performances. There was plenty of entertainment. Anyone, regardless of age or gender, could find something to enjoy.

The day was turning into night, yet the festivities showed no sign of ending. Lanterns were lit. People continued celebrating. Many had brought tents to stay overnight. Interestingly, every year on the day of the festival, the weather was unusually warm. But no one found that strange. No one except the villagers. Because they knew more than everyone else gathered there.

At some point, the music fell silent. Everyone stopped. The air suddenly felt strange. No one seemed to move, yet it felt as though something was happening. Suddenly, a small boy cried out,* “Oh! That boy looks just like me! And that woman over there looks like you, Mom!”* His mother turned around and gasped. Their shadows, which had just been behind them, had stepped forward.

The boy’s mother blinked several times. She thought she was imagining things. But no. The image remained the same.

Panic erupted. Those who had drunk too much alcohol treated it as entertainment and didn’t fully understand what was happening. Many children thought it was a game. Some people rushed to their cars or simply ran away.

But no one noticed that their shadows were no longer following them. Their shadows were now independent. And the farther people moved away from their shadows, the worse they began to feel. Yet no one could leave the village.

To be continued…

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