An unexpected trip to the desert
The first time I realized my loss was in an inhospitable place, surrounded by sand and sun. My phone had decided to give up, leaving me at the mercy of the dunes. I remembered reading that the shadow could be a good ally in extreme situations, but at that moment, my body seemed to have become a ghost, invisible and without references.
The survival strategy
In desperation, I stumbled upon the remains of a camel. With one of his shins, I drew a line in the sand, remembering that the shadow moves from south to north when the sun is at its highest. So, with intuition as my compass, I began to walk, letting the stars guide my way through the night, until the first lights of civilization appeared on the horizon.
A new reality when returning to the city
When I arrived in the city, just as the sun was starting to warm the atmosphere, I noticed that my shadow was still absent. The others, however, seemed to be surrounded by a dark aura that followed them every step of the way. I approached a man passing by, who informed me of the time with a curious look, while his dog examined my trousers, as if to confirm that I was not a specter.
The search for a solution
Determined to get my shade back, I headed to the local hardware store and purchased an LED spotlight. Once home, I positioned myself between the light and a bare wall, waiting to see my silhouette. I could only see the shadows of a table and a chair, while mine remained a mystery. My search for explanations on the Internet proved fruitless, and even the answers of an artificial intelligence seemed unsatisfying.
Accept the absence
After a night of thoughts and fatigue, I woke up with the feeling that maybe my shadow had decided to go on a journey of its own. Questions about her disappearance led me to consider whether I should seek help or simply accept the new reality. After deliberation, I chose to integrate this absence into my daily life. After all, most people don’t question their shadow, and maybe living without it wasn’t so terrible.
The unexpected return
Over time, I learned to live with this quirk. There were times when I even forgot that I was missing something. Today, however, in a twist of fate similar to my cat coming home after a long time, my shadow has decided to reappear. I noticed it when I opened the door, when the morning light cast it on the hall wall, as if it had never left.
