通影 - [ Tsuukou Kage : Passing Shadows ]
1127 words oneshot.
通影 - [ Tsuukou Kage : Passing Shadows ]
even the strongest shadow needs the sun
I am nothing.
“All right, class; you can go for your recess.”
The students, usually dead while the lessons were conducted, suddenly sprang to life, bursting with energy as they kept their books and after a quick greeting (and a thankful shout of ‘thank you!’) to their teacher, quickly hurried out of the class and headed to the canteen for a well-deserved (in their opinion) break. As the students exited the class, there continued to sit one lone student at the back of the classroom, not even bothering to glance at the emptying room as she focused her attention onto the exercise book before her, scribbling furiously as if there was no tomorrow. Lone, dark eyes were unblinking as the silent girl slowed down her writing to steady strokes after a while as everyone passed by her without a single glance, not even the teacher who passed by the window on the corridor besides the class.
I am like the specter of a tragic past that needs to be forgotten, like the distant breeze that whistles in the trees and the bushes. I come and go just as quickly, and I always remain forgotten, unnoticed.
I am nothing.
The final bell rang, signaling the end of lessons for the day. The students quickly packed up the last of their books, zipped up their pencil cases and clapped on their files. As soon as the teacher gave the cue for the end of the school day (with a rather exaggerated weakened wave of his hand), every pupil sprang out from their seats-a huge difference from the lazy atmosphere that was hanging around them just moments ago-and quickly rushed out of the classroom, eager to leave the school and hang out with each other to enjoy the rest of the day.
While they left, they all passed by the lone girl sitting at the back of the class, never turning to see her, even as she packed her file and clasped her bag shut. Her dark, medium tanned skin was hidden by the dark shadows of the unlighted room, and her black eyes obscured by the shades of the place. Even though she was tall-the tallest girl in class-she continued to remain unnoticed. She left the classroom, slipping out from the back door just before the door was locked shut for the day by the cleaners.
I am like the passing shadow of a sparrow, small and insignificant; like the drifting scent of a flower that drifts around the corner of the streets. Like the midday moon, I am transparent and invisible, slowly dissolving-swallowed by the blinding light of the sun that gives light to the world.
I am nothing.
The girl walked down the concrete pavement by the street, with cars flashing by upon the tarmac, whooshing by with a gust of wind that caused her hair to whip back all but a moment and the bangs over her forehead to be blown back to show dark eyes that didn’t glitter despite the strong afternoon sun. A group of students walked by her, and one of them knocked her on the shoulder and she stumbled to the ground in a painful heap. But yet the group didn’t even turn back, didn’t even bother to look at her; instead continuing to chatter merrily amongst themselves as if nothing had happened at all-just laughing and chuckling and smiling like they always were.
There was a quiet grunt from the girl as she picked herself up from the floor, gritting her teeth as she looked at her crazed palm. Her hair was in a mess-her ponytail now rumpled and unruly from the fall and her dusty grey uniform slightly stained with blood from the wound from her hand. But still, nobody gave any attention to her; they only passed by, leaving her alone and unnoticed. A flock of pigeons flew above her, their flickering shadows covering her now pained expression as she hissed at the pain from the flesh wound. The girl looked up to see the group of strangers who had pushed her so, but they had already walked around the corner and vanished, leaving her injured there, with nobody to help. Cars continued to whiz by and a gentle breeze picked up, the world never seeing the young girl that went noticed.
I am like the firefly that only glows at its last moments, like the flower that blooms at its brightest before it wilts and dies by the hand of a jealous picker. Like the dashing squirrel, like the passing breeze-I am the dying star that only goes noticed when I shine at the brightest before I explode and lose my shine, turning into a black hole that sucks everything in, destroying everything I know.
As the girl straightened herself, she heard a frightened scream, followed by a shout of great fear. Her dark eyes looked around and her head turned to see a child upon the streets, knees grazed and bleeding and a car dashing towards the child. Not thinking of anything else, the girl put down her bag and dashed to the streets, pushing away the immobilized child with a rough shove as the speeding car dashed towards her with frightening speed, unaware of the danger before it. The girl’s eyes shone unnaturally as her dark eyes reflected upon the windscreen of the car that came nearer and nearer.
I am like the distant breeze that whistles in the trees and bushes.
I am like the scent of the flower that drifts by and dissipates in the street corner.
I am like the midday moon that dissolves in the afternoon sky.
I am like the shadow that passes by as quickly as it comes.
I am like the dying star that only becomes noticed before I die.
I come and go, moving unnoticed and alone. Only when do I shine my brightest then do I get noticed. But after my brightest shine, my greatest glow… I die like the falling star. In the end…
I am nothing.
A loud bang resounded in the area, the deafening noise sending the birds scattering away in fright as they cried and squawked and flew away in a cumulative thunderous rustle of wings. The frightened cry of a child rang into the sky as shocked eyes and a mass of trembling limbs turned to the corpse beside. A pool of fresh blood stained the streets with a dark rusty maroon as the now dead girl lay unmoving upon the tarmac. But even though she was dead, the photos of her in the newspapers seemed to show a mysterious sparkle in those dark black eyes, shining with the radiance of a dying star.
- oneshot written for commemoration for the 8th of Febuary.