#PoetryFriday. The Shadow Runner.

Before he met her,
He spent his time in the shadows,
running away from scary things.
Streetlights and sunshine
were the enemy.
If he ventured into them,
he would be burned.
When someone followed him
into the dark,
their light flickered,
and their spark retreated
with him,
into dark places.
He became adept
at running in the shadows,
never risking sunburn
or discovery,
always keeping safely
under the radar
of the invisible light.
When she appeared
outside the line
between darkness and light,
he was dazzled by her brilliance.
He knew that she would never follow him
into a place without light
or sunshine.
His pale skin,
made paler by years of hiding,
would have to risk sunburn,
if he were to go with her.
His eyes would require
a period of time
to get used to the glare,
and he would have to understand
the new life
as a new reader reads a book.
He stepped into the light,
felt the warmth of it,
and knew that he would never
live in the shadows again.