The Shadow of a Story

Author’s Note: 

In the following narrative, I have tried writing satire using the pretended ignorance of a character called ‘this humble author’ while experimenting with the second person. I know this narrative won’t comply with the usual dimensions of a story. But barring that, I hope this piece of writing doesn’t let you down as a reader.

This humble author believes that you opened this story because you got a link. Or because you were intrigued by the first lines. Perhaps, it’s your habit to read through all the stories submitted for a particular competition, a feat this humble author finds extremely formidable. Perhaps you saw the high or low number of comments underneath and decided to inspect the reason of such an occurrence. Or someone recommended this to you. Or else, you were familiar with the tender years of this humble author and wanted to check on this author’s work. Or was it the cover of the story that was the magnet? A matter of chance, perhaps? 

All the same, your curiosity has been piqued by the strange language this humble author uses. Or perhaps, you’ve already closed this article out of disinterest or disgust or perhaps, there is a lack of time. Or you are irritated by the tremendous amount of subjection to the word ‘perhaps’. Whichever be the case, I don’t blame you and you won’t read it even if I did.

You might also think that this is very similar to Italo Calvino’s ‘If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler’. Else, you have just arrived fresh from searching for the aforementioned Italo Calvino’s book on Google and putting it in your already gigantic ‘To Read’ list. Or you have finally discarded the rambling of this humble author (who knows little about the world) as a piece of randomness rather than the promised story.

Now, you are thinking that this humble author (who knows absolutely nothing about reverse psychology) is next going to chatter on about how this author won’t blame you if you closed the website this instant. 

And in the case you are still reading this, it must be told how grateful this author feels that you have stuck with this author (who sure doesn’t seem to know what the readers want and who needs to be enlightened about the same in the comments section) for this long. You now know the author’s cards better than this author (who anyway knows nothing).

Now, let me tell you, it is you who have helped the story, you who are the heart of this story. 

This author (who is possibly defying all rules of short story writing as adhered to by the fellow writers of Penmancy) is obliged to you for lending yourself to this humble adventure of a literal experiment. You have plodded through this narrative and discovered nothing but yourself. And yet, you never could say you discovered yourself while reading another short story, keeping aside the possibility that this author is miserably mistaken. This author pays regards to you. To you, who has been the protagonist of this shadow of a story. Thank you.

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Yashvi Dhaddha

Yashvi Dhaddha is a 15-year-old writer who loves reading books very much. She finds it much easier to express her feelings through writing and thus, maintains a personal diary. Writing becomes her refuge when she wants a break from her studies.

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