In a very special city, where the sun always shone brightly and the streets were full of vibrant colors, something curious happened: the shadows came to life during the day. These were not ordinary shadows, like the ones that only move when someone walks. These shadows danced, played, and even helped people with small tasks. You could see a shadow holding an umbrella for someone or pushing a shopping cart while its owner picked out fruits at the market.
But Martina, a nine-year-old girl with long braids and a backpack full of colored pencils, was not happy with her shadow. As far back as she could remember, her shadow had always been there, following her without rest. “Why can’t you leave me alone?” Martina would say, frowning every time she saw her dark figure projected on the ground. Her shadow tried to make her laugh, moving in funny ways or imitating her dance steps, but Martina just ignored it.
One day, something strange happened. Martina left the house in the morning and noticed that her shadow wasn’t there. At first, she thought it was a relief. “Finally, I’ll have some peace!” she said, smiling as she walked toward the park. But soon, she began to feel strange. Without her shadow, it felt like something was missing. Plus, when she arrived at the park, she saw something surprising: all the shadows in the city had disappeared. The children ran around without their dark figures trailing behind, dogs trotted without accompanying shadows, and even the trees seemed lonelier without their reflections on the ground.
Martina decided to investigate. She found her friend Tomás, who also looked worried. “Where are the shadows?” Martina asked. Tomás shrugged. “I heard they left because no one appreciated them. They said we always ignored them.”
Martina felt a knot in her stomach. She remembered all the times she had treated her shadow poorly, as if it were an annoying thing that didn’t deserve attention. “Maybe I’m part of the problem,” she thought.
That night, while everyone was asleep, Martina had a strange dream. She found herself in a dark place, but it wasn’t scary. It was like a forest filled with dim lights floating in the air. Suddenly, her shadow appeared in front of her. It was no longer flat and black as always; now it had shape and glow, as if it were made of stars.
“Why did you leave?” Martina asked, slowly approaching.
“We left because we felt invisible,” her shadow replied in a soft voice. “We don’t ask for much, just a little love and recognition. We want to be useful, not a nuisance.”
Martina lowered her gaze, feeling ashamed. “I’m sorry. I never thought about how you felt. I always thought you just followed me because you had to.”
Her shadow gave a faint smile. “We follow you because we want to be with you. We’re a part of you, Martina. But we have feelings too.”
Martina nodded, determined. “I want you to come back. And I want to help bring all the other shadows back. What can I do?”
Her shadow pointed to a path illuminated by small lights. “You must go to the Valley of Reflections. There, you’ll find the other shadows. But remember, for them to return, you must show that you truly value them.”
When she woke up, Martina knew what she had to do. She ran to the Valley of Reflections, a mysterious place outside the city. When she arrived, she saw hundreds of shadows gathered, some playing with each other, others simply resting under the trees. All of them seemed sad, as if they missed their owners.
Martina stood in the middle of the valley and raised her hands. “Shadows! I’m sorry for ignoring you! I’m sorry that all of us have treated you badly! You’re not just our companions; you’re a part of us. You help us, protect us, and make everything more fun. I promise I’ll never forget about you again.”
The shadows stayed quiet for a moment, as if thinking about what Martina had just said. Then, a small shadow timidly approached. It was the shadow of a boy she had met at the park. Slowly, the others began to move, coming closer to Martina.
Finally, her own shadow appeared in front of her. “Thank you, Martina,” it said, smiling. “I think we can go back, but only if you promise to always remember that we’re here.”
Martina nodded firmly. “I promise.”
When Martina returned to the city with the shadows, everything went back to normal. The shadows resumed their activities, but this time, people treated them differently. Children played with their shadows, making them jump and dance. Adults thanked them for small gestures, like holding their bags or protecting them from the sun. Martina, for her part, learned to enjoy her shadow. Together, they invented new games and explored the city as if they were two inseparable friends.
From then on, the city became known as “The City of Happy Shadows.” Everyone understood that even the things that accompany us in silence have great value. And Martina, every time she saw her shadow reflected on the ground, smiled at it, knowing she would never again take something so special for granted.
The literary works exhibited in Fanshie are registered under Intellectual Property.
