Chicago, Illinois. 2:13 AM. Fritz’s apartment.
Fritz hated being scared.
He was good at being surprised. Bad at being scared.
Noah was asleep on the couch. Bat posters on the wall.
Fritz’s book piece was vibrating on the desk.
Like a phone. Like a heartbeat.
His phone buzzed.
Photo: The table. 4 chairs.
Seat 4: Shadow-Fritz. Hoodie. Energy drink. Grinning.
Caption: You forgot why you were surprised.
Fritz frowned. "I’m surprised all the time. That’s my whole thing."
From his bedroom: click
A chair.
Fritz walked in. Slow.
Seat 4. His desk chair.
And in it: Shadow-Fritz.
Same hoodie. Same messy hair. Same dead eyes.
But this one was holding a camera.
"Hey," Shadow-Fritz said. Sounded like Fritz but flat. "You forgot why you take pictures of bats."
Fritz crossed his arms. "Because they’re cool."
"No," the shadow said. _"Because when you were 9, your mom left and the only thing that didn’t leave was a bat in your window.
You forgot that. I ate it. It was crunchy."_
Fritz felt cold. "Shut up."
The shadow held up the camera. Clicked.
The photo came out.
It was Fritz. Age 9. Watching a bat.
Then the photo faded. Blank.
"You keep forgetting little things," Shadow-Fritz said. _"So you don’t feel big things.
It’s lazy. I like it. Lazy tastes like energy drinks and nothing."_
The book flew open:
_Author 4: Fritz. Status: Being remembered.
3/4 bitten._
Noah woke up. "Fritz?"
Fritz didn’t look away from the shadow. "Stay there, No. I got this."
He walked to the wall. All his bat photos.
"Yeah, I forgot," Fritz said. "I forget stuff so I don’t cry.
But I remember this: Bats don’t trap themselves.
And I’m not gonna trap myself either."
He grabbed his camera. Took a photo. Of the shadow.
The flash was blinding.
The shadow screamed. Covered its face.
"You’re not supposed to do that!"
"Surprise," Fritz said. Grinned. Real grin.
He took another photo. And another.
Each flash made the shadow smaller.
"Stop! We’re not done with you!"
"Yeah we are," Fritz said. "Because I remember now.
I’m surprised because the world is still weird.
And weird is better than empty."
The shadow shattered. Like glass.
The plate on the desk cracked.
Noah ran over. "Did you... did you win?"
Fritz breathed out. "I think so? 10/10 would not recommend."
The book:
3/4 bitten. 1 to go.
His phone buzzed.
Umi: Status?
Fritz: Beat my shadow with a camera flash. NBD.
Miri: PROUD OF YOU
Alex: ...guys. It’s at my door.