[ WP ] A man suddenly gains the ability to talk to his shadow . As they converse , it becomes apparent the shadow is real and the man is what the shadow casts .

Frank was wiping the rest of the shaving cream off his face when he saw it move on the wall behind him. 
 
 “ -the fuck? ” He turned around, only to see his shadow hadn ’ t moved as he turned. Confused, Frank glanced up at the window, half expecting to see a flaming asteroid streaking across the sky. 
 
 “ The light… the light makes me cast…it falls… “ Frank mumbled his thoughts out loud, hoping to make sense of what he saw. The thoughts came too fast to be verbalized, it was all so nonsensical, until the voice cut him off. 
 
 “ No, the light gives you color. ” The blurry shape on the wall moved again. Frank was sure of it this time. Then, to his surprise, it sat down on the toilet, Frank even heard the thud. What Frank didn ’ t notice was the wet washcloth as he dropped it in front of his feet. 
 
 “ Excuse me? ” Frank said as he turned to face his shadow. 
 
 “ You ’ re excused. ” The shadow said and turned away from him, facing the shower curtain. 
 
 Frank took a step toward the toilet, but slipped on the dropped washcloth. He saw stars and when he opened his eyes again, the blur was inches away from his face. 
 
 “ Are you ok, man? That was quite a knock! ” The blur wiggled a little bit as it spoke. Frank instinctively reached toward it. “ Whoa! Easy there, Frank, don ’ t go breaking up my shape. ” 
 
 “ You can talk? ” Frank managed to groan out and he slowly sat up. 
 
 “ Yeah, well, we ’ re not really supposed to. But, you saw me moving there… And they say all reflections have ‘ The Great Realization ’ one day. You seem like a cool dude and I didn ’ t want to leave you hanging. ” The blur sank back against the wall and slumped to the floor, sitting across the bathroom floor from Frank. 
 
 “ Uh, hi, I guess. ” Frank stuck his hand out and the blur laughed. “ Oh sorry, ” said Frank, “ it ’ s just that I ’ m used to- “ 
 
 “ Other reflections? ” The blur asked. 
 
 “ Well, people. ” Frank said.'' 
 
 “ Yeah, you guys call yourselves ‘ people. ’ But, to us, you ’ re just reflections. You are the expression of my mind. ” The blur reached for Frank ’ s jeans, laying on the bath tub and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. 
 
 “ Uh, but I have a mind, ” Frank said as he rubbed the back of his head. 
 
 “ Yeah, you do and it sure does take a beating. All the bright light and falling down that reflections do. It ’ s a wonder you and I are still linked at all. ” The blur sparked up a cigarette and threw the pack at Frank. “ I ’ m Knarf, by the way. ” 
 
 “ Knarf? ” Frank asked. “ Like that noise Pinky used to make on Pinky and the Brain? ” 
 
 “ Not sure what that is, ” Knarf said as he exhaled. “ We don ’ t do television in the real world. We created television for reflections. It ’ s an easy way to help us process ideas without having you reflections act on them. We just stick you guys in front of the TV. Before TV… ” Knarf took a long drag and laughed. “ Well, it was difficult to stop you guys acting on every single thought we have! ” 
 
 “ But, I act on my own thoughts. ” Frank stammered. “ And, right now, my thoughts say ‘ Have a smoke! ’ ” 
 
 Knarf laughed. “ You want a smoke because I ’ m smoking one. We ’ re connected, but that whack you took must added a bit of delay to our transmissions. But, go ahead, it ’ s not like we can get cancer twice! ” 

