My Shadow Ran Away

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Every word, start to finish. The pictures come next — painted around your child, from one photo.

1. For Maeve, who stood still.

   For Ezra, who stood still.

   For Sana, who stood still.

   Dedication

2. At noon, Maeve's shadow was the size of a saucer. It had been shrinking all morning, the way shadows do, and she had been standing on it, the way you do. By one o'clock it was not there at all. Not under her shoes. Not anywhere.

   At noon, Ezra's shadow was the size of a saucer. It had been shrinking all morning, the way shadows do, and he had been standing on it, the way you do. By one o'clock it was not there at all. Not under his shoes. Not anywhere.

   At noon, Sana's shadow was the size of a saucer. It had been shrinking all morning, the way shadows do, and she had been standing on it, the way you do. By one o'clock it was not there at all. Not under her shoes. Not anywhere.

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3. It was across the road, standing up with nothing to stand up against. It waved. She waved back, which felt wrong even while it was happening. Then it slid off along the fence, thin as paper, and everyone knows the rule without being told: a shadow loose at noon has until sunset.

   It was across the road, standing up with nothing to stand up against. It waved. He waved back, which felt wrong even while it was happening. Then it slid off along the fence, thin as paper, and everyone knows the rule without being told: a shadow loose at noon has until sunset.

   It was across the road, standing up with nothing to stand up against. It waved. She waved back, which felt wrong even while it was happening. Then it slid off along the fence, thin as paper, and everyone knows the rule without being told: a shadow loose at noon has until sunset.

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4. Maeve ran. Down the street, over the crosswalk, past the mailboxes, through two sprinklers without slowing down for either. Shadows, it turns out, do not get tired. They do not get a stitch. They do not have shoelaces. By the corner she had learned all three of these things the hard way.

   Ezra ran. Down the street, over the crosswalk, past the mailboxes, through two sprinklers without slowing down for either. Shadows, it turns out, do not get tired. They do not get a stitch. They do not have shoelaces. By the corner he had learned all three of these things the hard way.

   Sana ran. Down the street, over the crosswalk, past the mailboxes, through two sprinklers without slowing down for either. Shadows, it turns out, do not get tired. They do not get a stitch. They do not have shoelaces. By the corner she had learned all three of these things the hard way.

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5. It went under a parked car and came out the other side as a puddle, which is cheating. Maeve went around the car and came out the other side as herself, panting, which is the only way she knew. The puddle grinned. It is hard to say how a puddle grins, but this one managed.

   It went under a parked car and came out the other side as a puddle, which is cheating. Ezra went around the car and came out the other side as himself, panting, which is the only way he knew. The puddle grinned. It is hard to say how a puddle grins, but this one managed.

   It went under a parked car and came out the other side as a puddle, which is cheating. Sana went around the car and came out the other side as herself, panting, which is the only way she knew. The puddle grinned. It is hard to say how a puddle grins, but this one managed.

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6. Running had not worked. So Maeve thought about what a shadow wants, and the answer was light with an edge on it. A trap: one narrow alley, one bedsheet pegged corner to corner, and all the light in the world behind it. Anything that slipped through would print itself on the cotton. She held her breath and waited.

   Running had not worked. So Ezra thought about what a shadow wants, and the answer was light with an edge on it. A trap: one narrow alley, one bedsheet pegged corner to corner, and all the light in the world behind it. Anything that slipped through would print itself on the cotton. He held his breath and waited.

   Running had not worked. So Sana thought about what a shadow wants, and the answer was light with an edge on it. A trap: one narrow alley, one bedsheet pegged corner to corner, and all the light in the world behind it. Anything that slipped through would print itself on the cotton. She held her breath and waited.

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7. It hid inside the shadow of a tree. A whole tree's worth: a thousand leaf-shadows, branch-shadows, shadows of shadows, all of them moving. Maeve went through that dark like a drawer of odd socks. Twice something child-shaped slid under her hands and turned out to be a branch. The bedsheet stood empty behind her, looking sorry for itself.

   It hid inside the shadow of a tree. A whole tree's worth: a thousand leaf-shadows, branch-shadows, shadows of shadows, all of them moving. Ezra went through that dark like a drawer of odd socks. Twice something child-shaped slid under his hands and turned out to be a branch. The bedsheet stood empty behind him, looking sorry for itself.

   It hid inside the shadow of a tree. A whole tree's worth: a thousand leaf-shadows, branch-shadows, shadows of shadows, all of them moving. Sana went through that dark like a drawer of odd socks. Twice something child-shaped slid under her hands and turned out to be a branch. The bedsheet stood empty behind her, looking sorry for itself.

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8. Maeve shouted its name, which took a moment, because a shadow's name turns out to be your own. Nothing answered. Shadows have no ears; she knew that, the way you know a thing and shout anyway. All down the street the other shadows were stretching long and thin, going home. The sun was low. An hour, maybe less.

   Ezra shouted its name, which took a moment, because a shadow's name turns out to be your own. Nothing answered. Shadows have no ears; he knew that, the way you know a thing and shout anyway. All down the street the other shadows were stretching long and thin, going home. The sun was low. An hour, maybe less.

   Sana shouted its name, which took a moment, because a shadow's name turns out to be your own. Nothing answered. Shadows have no ears; she knew that, the way you know a thing and shout anyway. All down the street the other shadows were stretching long and thin, going home. The sun was low. An hour, maybe less.

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9. And then, standing in the last of the light, Maeve understood she had been doing the one thing you must never do to a shy thing: chasing it. You cannot catch what is attached to you. You can only be somewhere worth attaching to. So she stopped running, planted both feet on the warm sidewalk, and stood completely still.

   And then, standing in the last of the light, Ezra understood he had been doing the one thing you must never do to a shy thing: chasing it. You cannot catch what is attached to you. You can only be somewhere worth attaching to. So he stopped running, planted both feet on the warm sidewalk, and stood completely still.

   And then, standing in the last of the light, Sana understood she had been doing the one thing you must never do to a shy thing: chasing it. You cannot catch what is attached to you. You can only be somewhere worth attaching to. So she stopped running, planted both feet on the warm sidewalk, and stood completely still.

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10. For a long time, nothing. A door shut somewhere. A bus went by full of ordinary people with ordinary shadows. Then, at the far end of the street, a small dark shape slipped down off a wall and started across the cobbles. It came back the way cats come back. Slowly. Pretending, the whole way, not to.

    For a long time, nothing. A door shut somewhere. A bus went by full of ordinary people with ordinary shadows. Then, at the far end of the street, a small dark shape slipped down off a wall and started across the cobbles. It came back the way cats come back. Slowly. Pretending, the whole way, not to.

    For a long time, nothing. A door shut somewhere. A bus went by full of ordinary people with ordinary shadows. Then, at the far end of the street, a small dark shape slipped down off a wall and started across the cobbles. It came back the way cats come back. Slowly. Pretending, the whole way, not to.

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11. It stopped an arm's length away and stood there, wavering slightly at the edges, like something deciding. Maeve did not reach for it. Reaching is chasing with your hand. She looked at the sunset instead, and let the shadow do the arithmetic about how much light was left.

    It stopped an arm's length away and stood there, wavering slightly at the edges, like something deciding. Ezra did not reach for it. Reaching is chasing with your hand. He looked at the sunset instead, and let the shadow do the arithmetic about how much light was left.

    It stopped an arm's length away and stood there, wavering slightly at the edges, like something deciding. Sana did not reach for it. Reaching is chasing with your hand. She looked at the sunset instead, and let the shadow do the arithmetic about how much light was left.

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12. It touched down at her heels like a boat coming in. But wrong. Shadows are supposed to fall away from the sun, and this one lay stretched out in front, the sunset at its back, exactly where a shadow cannot be. It had come back. It had not come back sorry. Maeve looked down at it, and let it stay.

    It touched down at his heels like a boat coming in. But wrong. Shadows are supposed to fall away from the sun, and this one lay stretched out in front, the sunset at its back, exactly where a shadow cannot be. It had come back. It had not come back sorry. Ezra looked down at it, and let it stay.

    It touched down at her heels like a boat coming in. But wrong. Shadows are supposed to fall away from the sun, and this one lay stretched out in front, the sunset at its back, exactly where a shadow cannot be. It had come back. It had not come back sorry. Sana looked down at it, and let it stay.

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13. They walked home under the streetlamps, and at every lamp the shadow swung to the front again, first, checking the way. It still does. Maeve follows her own shadow to school now, and back. Nobody else has noticed. At noon, when it shrinks to a saucer, she stands very still on the sidewalk, and waits for one o'clock.

    They walked home under the streetlamps, and at every lamp the shadow swung to the front again, first, checking the way. It still does. Ezra follows his own shadow to school now, and back. Nobody else has noticed. At noon, when it shrinks to a saucer, he stands very still on the sidewalk, and waits for one o'clock.

    They walked home under the streetlamps, and at every lamp the shadow swung to the front again, first, checking the way. It still does. Sana follows her own shadow to school now, and back. Nobody else has noticed. At noon, when it shrinks to a saucer, she stands very still on the sidewalk, and waits for one o'clock.

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