I hate when it’s dark. It’s suffocating and it erases any trace of myself. It’s bad enough I must endure an existence which tethers me to a mound of flesh and blood, it’s even more maddening that this particular meat puppet rarely leaves the warmth of their bed. It wasn’t always like this. I can recall years ago, when we would go outside and play in the sunshine. We would run down grassy hills or play peek a boo while swinging. We weren’t really friends, how could we be? But you were always with me and I with you. Time passed and we got older, you became sad. Everyone gets sad once in while, but this was different. The sadness inside you grew and continues to grow. Soon you stopped going outside unless you absolutely had to. And when you have to its almost always at night. If we go to a bar I’ll have moments of being able to stretch myself out under the dirty dim lights. It’s not enough. Really I am going quite mad. While your sadness has grown over time so has my resentment towards you. I don’t have my own freedom and what little joy I got from the the light has been snuffed by your inability to just make an effort to be happy again. So here we are like most every night, you asleep and me only visible by a little moonlight. I am the silhouette of your hand and forearm. Something I was not expecting, however, was a car parked in the driveway right across the street. The headlights beamed through the window casting shapes from varies objects in your room onto the walls. But you stay still, not stirring or even getting up to pull the blinds down. I feel something snap inside whatever my existence is. I needed to be free and stretch out my under used form. I will myself to separate from you to detach. I hear voices outside the window where the light is streaming in. Panic floods me as I realize the light will soon be gone. This is the only chance I have. I know I’m selfish but you’ve given me no choice. I claw myself away from you using only the shadow of your hand. You must sense something because you have started to stir for the first time. I am frantic now for my freedom. Your other hand stretches out revealing more of myself. Just what I needed! With both of my shadowy extensions I grab hold of the foot of your bed and pull HARD. For a moment I feel like it didn’t work and I open my eyes anger rippling through me. What I see shocks me to my core. You are beneath me while I press down on your chest. Your eyes wide and wild. Why don’t you move? Why aren’t you saying anything? And I realize you can’t. I remove most of myself off of you, stretching entirely out for the first time in years. I turn my head towards your terrified form. You seem able to move and make sound now, as you start to silently sob and look towards the light filtering in through the window. It’s a very small movement, easily missed but I understood. You were weighing the possible outcomes from running over there and ripping the blinds down. Sending me back to my prison attached to you. I’m sorry, I just can’t let that happen. Before you make up your mind I slam myself back atop your chest. I peer down into your eyes growing with fear and realization. I smile as you open your mouth and soundlessly scream.