“Sir, what do you need me for?” Dallas asked, closing the door to Lucas’ office behind him. His boss looked up from his desk. “Do you need me for an assignment?”

“No, I’m here to tell you to take some time off.” Lucas said. “I want you to go and make some friends. You spend too much time alone with those cats doing nothing.”

“Sir, I don’t think my personal life is of your concern.” Dallas said defensively.

“It is when you’re bringing down the mood of the office.” Lucas sighed, looking Dallas in the eyes. “You won’t go to therapy without me, and I can’t be there all the time, so I need you to go make some more friends. Go find a kid your age or something.”

“No.” Dallas growled. “Nobody’s going to make me happy like you think.”

“Fine then.” Lucas said with a smile. 

With a twirl of his fingers, Dallas’s shadow on the wall blinked a white eye and looked around. The shadow walked around the room’s walls, not able to step onto a 3D plane. Lucas’ shadow held out its hand and Dallas’ shadow took it and shook it happily.

“If I can’t get you a friend, then your shadow will watch you for me.”

“Is this how low it goes?” Dallas asked between gritted teeth.

“If you only talk to yourself, might as well let it respond.” Lucas shrugged. “That and I don’t have to pay shadows.” The shadow slumped in disappointment.

“You and me both.” Dallas grumbled to his shadow-self.

*   *   *   *   *

Dallas laid on the floor, not willing to get up. His cats were walking over his body and he couldn’t care less about anything at that moment. His shadow pointed to the calendar on the wall, which had today marked as “Therapy Day” by Lucas, and then pointed to his wrist. Dallas didn’t really need to be reminded that he was going to miss therapy at this rate though. That was the point.

His shadow darted along the floor and grabbed his ankle, dragging him out the door at a quick speed. Dallas tried to kick it, but there was nothing to come into contact with. It was just his shadow; nothing to hit.

It dragged Dallas across the ground, banging and thumping his head across the dirt and foliage along the way. That was a pleasure walk compared to being dragged up a set of stairs though. His shadow dragged him into a building, through a waiting room, and into a chair before slamming the door shut.

Dallas, half of his face covered in dirt and various kinds of greenery, sat slumped in his chair facing his therapist who was looking at a clock on the wall.

“Look who’s on time today!” his therapist said with glee. “Well how’s this ray of sunshine’s day been?”

“It was going better before I got here.” Dallas grumbled.