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I arrived home feeling angry, impatient and irritated. After the pandemic, people were struggling financially and many were hesitant to make significant investments. This downturn was affecting the real estate business negatively. I had purchased forty acres of land and designed a layout for it, investing a considerable amount of money. However, not a single plot had been sold, and this was causing me immense stress.

Regardless of where I was during the day, I always made sure to be at home during the night. In our spacious house, it was just me, my wife and our only son.

As I made my way home, my son approached me with affectionate steps. Seeing him, my anger and frustration melted away, and I felt a sense of calm. I went into the room to take a bath without picking him up, but later I spent some quality time playing with him.

I couldn't sleep without thinking of the substantial financial investment I had made. My wife tried to console me, assuring me that all the problems would eventually be resolved. After a while, they both fell asleep, but I remained awake. I couldn't remember when I finally went to sleep, but I woke up in the middle of the night and sat in the hammock on the balcony. As I swayed and looked around, I suddenly felt an increasing sense of fear, panic, and palpitation. I scanned the surroundings, and the fear seemed to emanate from behind me. I rushed back into the room to overcome the fear and covered myself with a blanket.

The next morning, I couldn't get out of bed. She didn't wake me either. I eventually woke up around one o'clock in the afternoon, took a bath, and went downstairs, looking around anxiously.

She reassured me, "Don't worry, we can sell gold if needed." I hesitated to share my problem, unsure of how she would receive it. After lunch, I headed to the layout, constantly checking my surroundings, but found nothing.

I noticed the people around me, they all had it. Why not only me? Confused and anxious, I questioned my very existence. Was I still human? Am I even alive? Suspicion and anxiety gripped me, and I hurried home, feeling uneasy about staying outside too long.

She was surprised by my early return, and asked, "Why did you come back so soon?" I made up an excuse, saying that I hadn't slept well and needed some rest. I went into the room, and she followed me.

As the hours passed, my fever spiked, and she insisted on taking me to the hospital. However, I resisted, asking her to consult the doctor and bring the medicine instead. Eventually, I took the medicine, and my fever subsided, but I couldn't stop thinking about how to solve this bizarre problem.

She was concerned and asked gently, "What's wrong? Why are you behaving like this? If it's about the layout, you don't act this way."

I had no one else to confide in, so I asked her to stand in front of me.

"What's behind you?" I asked in a trembling voice.

She looked puzzled and surprised, glancing around me. "There's a shadow,” she said after observing for a while.

"Look behind me," I urged.

She took a few steps back with fear in her eyes and checked the area around me. But my shadow was nowhere to be found. She trembled, and I caught her as she fell to the ground.

"What happened to your shadow?" she asked, bewildered.

I had no answer. “Sitting on the balcony the previous night, I realized my shadow had disappeared, but I couldn't pinpoint when it had happened. What should we do?" I cried out in fear and despair.

My wife mentioned an astrologer she knew and took me to him, hoping he could help. He provided some advice and asked me to place lemons under my pillow, but my shadow didn't return.

We consulted various astrologers, exorcists, and monks, but none could restore my shadow. We visited countless shrines, praying to gods from different religions, but my shadow remained elusive. We had already spent a significant amount of money on this quest, with no results in sight.

I couldn't bring myself to leave the house. The layout work came to a standstill, and I spiralled into depression. Thinking only about my shadow I have not taken food for months which has damaged my health severely. I realized that I might not have much time left.

Desperate to see my family one last time, I called my mother, whom I hadn't spoken to in months. But there was no answer. I tried calling my brother and sister, but they didn't pick up either. It became clear that they were intentionally avoiding my calls. I asked my wife to prepare the car.
"Where are we going?" she asked, suspicious.
"I need to see my mother," I replied.

She refused to come along, so I left on my own.

My mother was emotional and my brother and sister alternated between laughter and tears, confused by my unexpected visit. My mother urged me to go to the hospital immediately.

"Forgive me for not realizing the importance of family and leaving you behind," I said tearfully. "I just wanted to see you one last time before I die."

I didn't have many words left in me. My mother helped me up from the sofa, insisting on taking me to the hospital.

"My shadow has returned!" I cried out.

My mother, brother and sister exchanged worried glances, unsure of what to make of my statement.