Resplendent (adjective): shining brightly

One plus one always equal two.

The little girl and her shadow made a pair. She never knew that her shadow had a mind and soul of its own, but they were still a package, an unbreakable duo.

From the hidden, darker parts of the world, her shadow often looked over her shoulder with cheer and support. It liked following her wherever she went.

The shadow’s favorite time with her was their treks under the luminescence of street lamps at night. Long. Short. Super long! Tiny. Accompanying the silly stretching shadow was always a chain of chime-like laughter.

However, some days were a different tale. The little girl, with droplets forming at her eyes, would lock herself and her heart in a room without lights. Swallowed by the rest of the darkness, the shadow couldn’t appear before her. Those times were lonely for both of them, even if they were always connected.

So many times, the shadow wanted to say something. It didn’t know the intricacies of human emotions; it barely knew the human language. It just wanted to let her know that it was by her side.

Now, the girl was no longer little: with each passing second, she became smarter, wiser, an adult.

Of course, the shadow never left her side. Her secret guardian angel continued following her, no matter if they were dancing under street lamps together, or holding each other’s invisible arms in the dark.