Enveloping Shadow

Prancing along aimlessly, I seek to influence those whose minds are weakest. With a spring in my step, arrogance on my breath, and devious intent, I catch a glimpse of my next victim. She sits on the park bench nearly every day during her lunch break. She is unique yet faceless and nameless among many. Vulnerable out in the open and away from warmth, she is prime for targeting. It's the face, though. That's what catches my attention as I can see behind her blank stare the unhappiness, the insecurity, the coldness. She takes another long drag of her cigarette.

Quickly now, I must creep up her spine; give her that shivering sensation of “revelation” so many others have felt. It's okay now for her to be a bit more reckless, less responsible, less ambitious. Right now, she thinks what I've just influenced will suffice perfectly. And another is prepared to contribute to further degeneration.

Hippity-hop, I'm no Easter Bunny, bringing malaise and discontent. Perhaps you are confused and are wondering why it is I am doing what I am doing and what my purpose is. I've had great success today so I'll stop for a moment to explain. I am the embodiment of all that is hopeless, all that is lazy, all that is irresponsible, and all that seeks to dumb down the smart, smarten up the dumb, take from those with much, give little back to those with few, and all the while fain a smile through my blackened teeth for which you see as angelically white. I'm a twister of words, a manipulator of emotions, a rhetorical wizard, and the mother of all parasites.

My style of influence is to begin at the small of your back. Like thick, hot breath invisible to the naked eye, I tingle my way up your spine through your neck and into your mind. Inside, I tickle your emotional fancy working my fingers to separate the part of your brain that reminds you of reality so my gospel can have the greatest impact. It's really quite simple and once I've got my hold on you, I let your own mental momentum finish the job. While you snowball into mislead ideology, I've slipped away undetected to slither from shadow to shadow to find my next host.

I suppose you can call me a substitute. It's essentially my job to remove certain norms of life and free existence that have worked and existed for centuries to inject a plague of seemingly new ideas wrapped up sweetly and labeled progression. Of course, there are some too strong willed to be bothered or penetrated. And with my growing success and years of experience, I can usually spot them without hesitation.


So please, continue to be a sheep among the flocks of sheep. Continue to seek ways to avoid responsibility, to get out of trouble, to not have to work too hard, and to appear blameless while aspects of life shatter around you. Hearing the sounds of chaos only serve to direct my kind more quickly. The emptier and less meaningful existence can be for someone, the brighter they shine in my dark eyes. And when that tingle creeps up your spine and into your mind, you won't know it's me but I'll know it's you. For the menace I bring will have found another new home and comfortable it shall be.

Oh look, the lady from the park bench has gotten up and flicked her cigarette onto the ground. Ahead of her, the world bends and shadow envelopes the forming tunnel ahead. Lucky for me, she's only staring down at her two feet as her pace quickens.

CMW