‘The house is definitely haunted!’ said Daniel to himself. It was a huge house with two floors and several rooms upstairs and a big living room plus four rooms including the kitchen downstairs. At least, that was what Daniel had heard from others. Daniel found the house very interesting. He would pass by it every day, while going and coming back from school, and would stop each time to look at it. ‘I will definitely go and look inside one day,’ he said to himself, ‘and I will not listen to what mom or dad has to say.’ Daniel’s parents thought that it was dangerous to go there but Daniel was convinced that they were worried about nothing. “Your shadows get stolen,” they warned him. But it was hard for Daniel to understand how the shadow could be stolen! One day, Mrs Michael, the principal, was not present at school and the children were allowed to leave early. Daniel had two hours before he was supposed to get back home. He decided to go and see the house.
Daniel knocked softly at the front door and waited. Getting no response, he tiptoed inside. Apart from one light in the kitchen, the rest of the house was dark. Daniel moved towards the light. The first thing that he noticed on entering the lighted kitchen was that his shadow left him and walked away. It was the scariest thing that Daniel had ever seen! He and his shadow had been inseparable till now. But it was not any more! Immediately, he felt lonely and sad. Running behind it, Daniel tried to catch it, but it disappeared. Taking a deep breath, Daniel thought deeply. There was something not right here. Coming back to the kitchen, he stood listening intently. Just then, he thought he heard a faint grunt behind him! Spinning around, he came face to face with a four-footed elf, who stood glaring at him! “Why are you here?” Asking angrily, the elf charged towards Daniel. Immediately, Daniel ducked and kicked him hard. The two fought kicking and hitting each other. But Daniel was taller and soon the elf was tired. He quickly ran outside and away in the nearby jungle. As soon as he left, Daniel was surprised to see his shadow walking back towards him. It gave him a hug and quietly came and stood in its place on the floor. Daniel was glad that the shadow-stealer elf was gone, and his shadow was back with him again.
