Chapter 5: The Shadow
"Thank you Miciah." Raam bows before driving away on his motorcycle. Unlike on the way here he was taking it slow constantly taking in his surroundings. With it being insanely late at night he almost never had his gaze on the road his mind being completely elsewhere.
"I'm running from myself, aren't I?" He questions after pulling off the road and parking in a wide open plain. Laying down on the ground Raam stares up at the full moon with its white lights unhindered by the surroundings.
"Hey, God on the moon, I know ancient history was wrong and you aren't there but can you pretend to listen?
Maybe in some way, this world and life have been predestined. Is it because I say so many lies I have to never make them true?
I state I have dated a lot of girls but I haven't even kissed one before.
I state I have people who text me but I have gone days without my phone buzzing.
I state I'm busy but I'm really lying in bed doing nothing.
I state I don't fear death but I'm only here because of my fear.
I've always been told you're listening so at this moment are you laughing at my version of a confused college student?"
Reaching his arm straight up Raam tries to grasp the rays of moonlight in his hands. His face one of melancholy contrary to the monologue he previously gave.
"Hello, sir? Are you lost?" The voice was young and full of life. Turning himself to the left and towards the voice, he sees a young boy likely not yet age ten. Forcing a smile Raam gives a light laugh while sitting up.
"I'm fine, boy. Raam's the name by the way. I think the one who should be questioned here is you though. What is someone your age doing out at near midnight?" Raam joked.
Without hesitation, the boy sat down next to Raam with a bright smile. His voice filled with happiness and eyes not leaving the moon, "I'm looking for inspiration. I'm having a hard time with a writing assignment. I need to write a poem on a breath-taking view."
Hearing those words made Raam see the kid in a different light as he followed the boy's gaze onto the moon, "Isn't the world breath-taking? Or is it only the people in it? How does this sound you help me and I'll help you?"
Hearing this the boy jumped up almost tackling Raam in a hug from his excitement, "Really! Thank you!"
"I'm happy to help! You bring a paper and pencil with you?"
The boy nodded his head rapidly before pulling a small notepad and pencil his pockets and handing it over Raam.
"Kid what's your favorite thing in life?"
"Illusions, they bring a sense of impossibility to life something school can never give."
"Illusions huh? I think we can work with that."
'The breath-taking views of the world have lost their beauty,
For when the world was first imagined there was believed to be a god on the moon,
There was believed to be a god holding the world,
A god who pulled the sun and moon,
The breath-taking moments in life were these moments of myth,
I can praise the sun for the endless warmth,
I can praise the moon for the endless comfort,
I can praise sports, games, nature, life, learning,
The most breath-taking views are those we can't see,
The stories of myth and legend,
Of war and epics,
Of trials and reincarnation,
The most breath-taking moments are when illusions are seen as illusions,
And myth is seen as myth,
Legends as legends,
For when we don't search for the answers but accept its natural beauty,
For that is the most breath-taking view.'
"Your teacher may not be happy that I wrote that for you but tell her the name Raam Malum and she'll give you an A," Raam stated while handing the notepad back to the child. Following the interaction, he stood up and made his way to his motorcycle.
"Raam! Didn't you want something in return?" The Boy shouted.
Pausing mid-stride Raam thinks for a moment before he turned his head to face the boy, "You already did kid. If the teacher asks what the poem means, tell them it is anger an anger at truth. Or if they don't believe that Raam Malum wrote it, tell them the greatest view is nothing and the great moment is that of the end for there has to be a beginning and a middle for there to be an end."
"The name is Umbra!"
Having now driven away Raam comments to himself, "Not one of my best works but should still be good enough for an A for an elementary schooler. Sadly, there is no deeper meaning or any meaning at all in the work. A better one would have a dual meaning to its words but I couldn't think of anything. The most breath-taking view? Wouldn't the correct answer be nothing, for the greatest stories are started on a blank page?"
Pulling up to his house Raam checks his phone and finds two unread texts one from Lilith and another from Miciah.
Lilith: 'I'm home and well, thanks for sending someone for me! - Lilith's boyfriend'
Miciah: 'Hope you're feeling alright. You've been out of it since you got home from Italy. Everything go okay while there?'
"The greatest story is the one you live. If such were true I wouldn't be so conflicted right now. I like mine more, 'The greatest stories start on blank pages.'"
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