[ WP ] People often tell stories about how reflective surfaces like mirrors or pools of water are portals to other worlds . What people do n't tell stories about is how the same is true of shadows .

Lucia was always afraid of the dark. 
 
 She hated how it seemed so expansive and enveloping. She hated how it concealed. She knew she was more scared of what might be in the dark rather than the dark itself... but that did n't make it any less scary. 
 
 This naturally made her suspicious of shadows and their perpetual presence on sunny days. It was as if we all needed reminders that even on the brightest days the darkness still exists. They were even worse in the low light, barely a shade darker than everything else. Lurking, hiding, waiting. They seemed so predatory, reminding Lucia of angler fish writhing in the inky black oceans, just waiting to consume. 
 
 It did n't help that she read and watched a lot of fantasy and science fiction. After the Doctor Who episode about the vashta nerada, carnivorous shadows, was it any wonder she hated them? 
 
 All of this flashed through her mind while she sat on the park bench, shivering. She promised him she'd wait for him here, no matter how long it took. She nervously glanced at the greying sky; it was winter and it was quickly approaching twilight. What was taking him so long? 
 
 She glanced down at her shadow, just a shade darker than the dying light. She shuddered. The sooner she got out of here, the better. 
 
 _Help us_ 
 
 She whipped her head around. What was that? 
 
 _Save us_ 
 
 A twig cracked behind her. She whirled around, but no one was behind her. She pulled out her phone, ready to give him hell for making her wait around in this creepy park. 
 
 _Look at the shadows! _ 
 
 Cautiously, she looked down. She jumped, barely repressing a shriek. Her shadow... was n't it lighter before? And smaller? Now it was deeper, wider. The muscles in her neck and shoulders burned to turn away, but something kept her gaze locked there. The shadow seemed to grow larger with every second she stared. She began to reach out her hand. Touching it would convince her it was just a normal shadow, she told herself. Her finger tips brushed the frosty grass beneath her. 
 
 Falling. 
 
 A bottomless abyss with silent echoes. 
 
 The end of a well with only a pin-prick of light high, high above her. 
 
 Her mouth was contorted into an endless scream. Her eyes could not decide if they were opened or closed, but it did n't matter anyways. The night threatened to swallow her whole. 
 
 Falling, still. Her arms outstretched, ready to embrace anything solid. When she finally struck the bottom, she could hardly believe it. Was it really over? She found that her eyes were closed. Ever so slowly, she opened them, stood up. 
 
 Rows and rows of graves stood before her, slihouetted by the moonlight. She could barely make out the inscriptions. When her eyes adjusted, she looked at the tombstone in front of her and let out a loud shriek. 
 
 Imprinted on the stone was her name. 

