Walking while the sun is setting, shadows cast on the pavement in front of me.

Black lines fall in parallels along the street, cutting jagged chunks out of my path.

Trees on my side become the creators of these great voids before me where I step.

The evening's cool has just begun to settle, and native noise makers of the night begin to flit about in preparation for their song.

I watch slowly as each porch light flicks on, one by one in succession down the street, as if it were all by plan.

Watching these shadows grow as the sun falls, I consider the possibility that at any time, I could disappear.

At any given moment, stepping into the great shadowy void of the sidewalk, hidden behind the shade of this tree, I could slip into the dark and cold vacancy of the night, and never make it to the other side of street.

One step in and no step out.

It's simple.

I continue on, only half a block to go, and I've made it through each black gap I've encountered so far...

And then I stop on the edge of light and dark - the entire sidewalk ahead of me is gone, lost in the translation of sun rays to earth, the branches have eaten my ability to see the path in front of me.

I take a deep breath, and begin to march ahead, hands at my sides, keeping as straight and narrow as possible. My steps slow, and I begin to forget whether I'm even going straight anymore. Could I be lost? Where am I?

A beacon of hope speeds down the street and illuminates my silhouette once more. Like a deer in the head lights, I freeze and look up at my lantern on wheels- a Volvo going 45 in a 25 zone. Nothing new here.

With courage once more, I guide my feet north and watch as the shadow falls behind me. I've found my street once more.

Relieved and relaxed, I enter the door and remove my coat.

But late at night when the lights have been turned out, and the glow-in-the-dark plastic on my ceiling plays tricks on my eyes, I consider the possibility.

The possibility of disappearing into the dark void of the night, of the shadows, and never returning.



[End]

Want to comment on this Prose? Sign up to Edit Red and you will be able to comment on Prose and get access to: Upload your own stories and poems, get readers and their feedback, promote your work...