The Shadow: Become Who You're Afraid To Be
Summary
TLDRBertrand, an introverted man with a troubled past, moves to a secluded cottage in the Scottish Lowlands seeking peace. However, he is haunted by a mysterious monster in his basement. After fruitless attempts to fight it with various weapons and an elixir for pain, he follows the advice of a wise shopkeeper to communicate with the creature, leading to an unexpected invitation for dialogue.
Takeaways
- š” Bertrand moves to a secluded cottage in the Scottish Lowlands seeking solitude and an escape from his troubled past.
- š¦ Bertrand's childhood was marked by rambunctious behavior and a strict, abusive upbringing that instilled a deep-seated aversion to people.
- š As an adult, Bertrand's life in the city was filled with exploitation at work and isolation in his personal life, leading to a growing desire for change.
- š His new home in the countryside offered the peace and quiet he craved, but it was not without its own mysterious disturbances.
- š Bertrand's first night in the cottage was interrupted by unexplained thudding sounds, sparking fear and curiosity.
- š¦ Upon investigating, Bertrand discovers a hidden hatch in the basement, which unleashes a monstrous entity and shatters his newfound peace.
- š” In response to the apparition, Bertrand repeatedly attempts to confront and defeat the monster using various weapons, all to no avail.
- š He also resorts to a 'Numbing Elixir' to cope with the pain and fear, which only leads to further dependency and disarray in his life.
- š¤ The shopkeeper suggests that Bertrand consider the monster's wants and needs, proposing dialogue as a potential solution.
- š£ļø Bertrand finally decides to communicate with the monster, inviting it upstairs for a conversation, signifying a shift from conflict to understanding.
- š¤ The story concludes with the possibility of coexistence and mutual respect between Bertrand and the monster, emphasizing the power of empathy and communication.
Q & A
Why did Bertrand move to the countryside cottage?
-Bertrand moved to the countryside cottage because he didn't like people and often felt exhausted by them. He sought seclusion and peace away from the city and its noise.
What was Bertrand's childhood like?
-Bertrand's childhood was marked by rambunctious behavior, curiosity, and a tendency to challenge local boys to fights. He was often in trouble due to his strict and abusive father and a passively complicit mother.
What was Bertrand's experience like at school and church?
-Bertrand's experience at school and church was not much better than his home life. He felt that figures like his father were present everywhere, and people were mostly reminders that he needed to conform to others' expectations.
How did Bertrand's life change after secondary school?
-After secondary school, Bertrand enrolled in a shipbuilding program and later worked for a major ship manufacturer in the city. However, he faced an awful boss and coworkers who took advantage of him.
Why did Bertrand feel trapped in his neighborhood and city?
-Bertrand felt trapped due to the noise and activity of the city, which constantly bothered him. The sounds of the world seemed to bang against his small one-bedroom home, making him feel confined and restless.
What was Bertrand's initial reaction to the mysterious thud he heard in his new home?
-Bertrand initially felt a wave of fear and anxiety, which caused him to frantically search his house for the source of the sound. When he found nothing, he attributed the noise to his imagination.
What did Bertrand discover in the basement that led to the appearance of the monster?
-Bertrand discovered a small wooden hatch on the ground in the basement. When he opened it, a plume of black smoke and fragments of light emerged, followed by the appearance of the monster.
How did Bertrand attempt to deal with the monster initially?
-Bertrand initially attempted to fight the monster using various weapons he purchased from the general store. However, none of his attempts were successful, and the monster seemed unaffected.
What was the effect of the Numbing Elixir on Bertrand?
-The Numbing Elixir made Bertrand feel numb, warm, calm, and blissful, disconnecting him from his body and the terror of the monster. However, it also impaired his balance, focus, and aim, making his attempts to fight the monster even less effective.
What advice did the shopkeeper give Bertrand regarding the monster?
-The shopkeeper suggested that Bertrand try talking to the monster, empathizing with it, and finding common ground. He advised Bertrand to accept the monster's presence and consider compromising with it.
What was the outcome of Bertrand's decision to communicate with the monster?
-When Bertrand decided to communicate with the monster, he invited it upstairs to talk. The monster agreed, indicating a potential shift from conflict to understanding and coexistence.
Outlines
š” Bertrand's Escape to Solitude
Bertrand, an introverted individual with a troubled past, moves to a secluded cottage in the Scottish Lowlands to escape the pressures of society. Having grown up in a strict and abusive household, and later enduring an exploitative work environment, Bertrand seeks peace and the freedom to pursue his passion for shipbuilding. His new home is a simple, mid-sized cottage, far from the nearest town and any signs of human presence, offering him the isolation he craves.
š¹ Encounter with the Unseen
On his first night in the cottage, Bertrand is startled by a mysterious thud, which he initially dismisses as a figment of his imagination. However, the sound persists, leading him to investigate his home, including the basement. There, he discovers a hidden hatch, and upon opening it, is confronted by a burst of black smoke and light, revealing a monstrous entity. Shocked and terrified, Bertrand flees his home, only to return the next day armed with a weapon, determined to confront the creature.
š” Bertrand's Fruitless Fights
Bertrand's attempts to fight the monster prove futile, as it effortlessly evades his attacks with various weapons, including a sword and a flail. Each morning, he is found by a shopkeeper, to whom he returns seeking more powerful weapons. Bertrand's life becomes a cycle of fighting, fleeing, and seeking new means to combat the creature. His home becomes cluttered with weapons and elixirs, and his life is consumed by his obsession with defeating the monster.
š¬ The Path to Communication
After numerous failed attempts and a growing sense of defeat, Bertrand consults the shopkeeper, who suggests that he try talking to the monster instead of fighting it. The old man's advice prompts Bertrand to reconsider his approach. He returns home, opens the hatch without any weapons or elixirs, and invites the monster to come upstairs for a conversation. This marks a significant shift in Bertrand's strategy, moving from confrontation to communication.
Mindmap
Keywords
š”Isolation
š”Abuse
š”Self-Reliance
š”Fear
š”Monster
š”Weapon
š”Elixir
š”Communication
š”Empathy
š”Compromise
Highlights
Bertrand's move to the Scottish Lowlands for solitude and a new life in shipbuilding.
Bertrand's childhood characterized by rambunctious behavior and strict parental discipline.
Bertrand's struggle with societal expectations and the desire to be someone else.
Bertrand's challenging experiences at work with an exploitative boss and coworkers.
Bertrand's feelings of isolation and anger in his old neighborhood.
Bertrand's initial encounter with the mysterious thudding sounds in his new cottage.
Discovery of the hidden hatch in the basement and the emergence of the monster.
Bertrand's flight from his home after the monster's appearance.
Bertrand's attempt to find a weapon to confront the monster.
The ineffectiveness of Bertrand's weapons against the monster and his repeated retreats.
Introduction of the Numbing Elixir and its impact on Bertrand's perception of pain.
Bertrand's life consumed by the struggle with the monster and the elixir's influence.
The shopkeeper's wisdom on understanding the monster's wants and needs.
Bertrand's decision to communicate with the monster instead of fighting.
The monster's acceptance of Bertrand's invitation to talk upstairs.
Transcripts
It was Bertrandās first night in his newĀ cottage in the countryside of the ScottishĀ Ā
Lowlands. He had just moved from Stockbridge,Ā a neighborhood that was once a reasonably smallĀ Ā
village but had become absorbed by ScotlandāsĀ capital city of Edinburgh as the New Town hadĀ Ā
grown and encroached on the neighboring villages. Bertrand didnāt really like people. He often foundĀ Ā
himself feeling exhausted by themāat best. He feltĀ this way as long as he could remember. As a child,Ā Ā
he was very rambunctiousāat least thatāsĀ what people called him. He was insistent,Ā Ā
curious, and active. He often challengedĀ local boys to fights. He refused to sitĀ Ā
still in primary school. He liked finding highĀ places to climb and then throwing rocks off theĀ Ā
edge to see them explode into pieces. BeingĀ of a strict, traditional, religious family,Ā Ā
Bertrand frequently found himself in troubleĀ and subject to the discipline of his father.Ā Ā
His father was especially strict and harsh, andĀ his discipline often teetered into the realmĀ Ā
of abuse. He would sometimes hit BertrandĀ or deprive him of things like food or hisĀ Ā
bed. Bertrandās motherās disciplinaryĀ style was far more passiveābut beingĀ Ā
passively complicit in abuse is its ownĀ form of abuse. Outside of his homelife,Ā Ā
Bertrandās experience at school and church wasnātĀ much better. A figure like his father seemed toĀ Ā
be present everywhere. At an early age, forĀ Bertrand, people were mostly just remindersĀ Ā
that he needed to be someone elseāsomeoneĀ who others expected and wanted him to be.Ā
As Bertrand got older, he fell more and more inĀ line. He learned how to accept and adhere to theĀ Ā
rules, demands, and structure of his home, hisĀ church, his school programs, and society. AfterĀ Ā
secondary school, he enrolled in a ship buildingĀ program and then went on to work for a major shipĀ Ā
manufacturer in the city. His boss was awful,Ā often taking advantage of Bertrand, forcingĀ Ā
him to work jobs without pay or fulfill tasksĀ completely unrelated to his responsibilities.Ā Ā
His coworkers sometimes took advantage of him asĀ well, especially the older ones. Outside of work,Ā Ā
he was mostly alone, as he struggled toĀ maintain many friendships and relationships.Ā
Bertrand was often angryāat work and at home. HeĀ felt trapped in the neighborhood and city. He wasĀ Ā
regularly bothered by the noise and activity.Ā The sounds of the world seemed to constantlyĀ Ā
bang against his homeāa small one-bedroomĀ stone-faced construction sandwiched betweenĀ Ā
others just like it. Sounds smacked against hisĀ windows, his floorboards, his walls, his head.Ā
At thirty-two years old, Bertrand had someĀ money, some skills, and some autonomy. And now,Ā Ā
he wanted out. When the first opportunityĀ came for him to leave the neighborhoodĀ Ā
and surrounding city, he took it. Now, in his new cottage home, deep inĀ Ā
the countryside, he was secluded from everyone. ItĀ was a perfect, mid-sized, simple home with plentyĀ Ā
of land where he could now build handcraftedĀ ships directly for individuals on his own.Ā
The cottage was over two miles away fromĀ any towns. It was accessible only by oneĀ Ā
single road that would rarely see much ofĀ any traffic. From every angle of his house,Ā Ā
you couldnāt see anyoneāyou couldnāt even seeĀ any signs of anyone. It was just Bertrand now.Ā
It was late, and Bertrand was tired. He lay inĀ bed, thinking back and forth to himself for aĀ Ā
while. Soon, he closed his eyes and breathedĀ in deeply. The hallucinogenic state of sleepĀ Ā
began to take over his waking mind. Typical toĀ this phase of the night, he experienced weird,Ā Ā
disconnected thoughtsācontemplations,Ā visualizations, and desires that BertrandĀ Ā
didnāt recognize and that he wasnāt quite sureĀ of where they came from. Suddenly, his eyes shotĀ Ā
open. A wave of fear and anxiety crashed over him,Ā knocking him back onto the shores of wakefulness.Ā Ā
He could have sworn he heard what sounded like aĀ loud thud. He frantically looked around the room,Ā Ā
trying to locate it. Not finding anything,Ā he quickly got up out and went over to one ofĀ Ā
his bedroom windows. He looked out across theĀ sprawling grass-covered hills scattered withĀ Ā
trees, the landscape dimly lit by only starsĀ and the waxing crescent moon. He looked downĀ Ā
at his front yard, then his front door. Then, heĀ looked to both sides of the cottage, pushing theĀ Ā
sides of his head against the window to get asĀ much perspective he could. There was nothing.Ā
āHmm,ā he said out loud to himself, confused.Ā Must have been in my head, he thought to himself.Ā
Bertrand went back to bed. Again, he closed hisĀ eyes and breathed in deeply. This breath wasĀ Ā
quite a bit louder and shook a bit as he exhaled.Ā He struggled to fall back asleep. His heart wasĀ Ā
beating a tune the opposite of a lullaby. AfterĀ enough time had passed, however, the crests ofĀ Ā
brainwaves began to spread out again, and BertrandĀ began to fall back into the early stages of sleep.Ā Ā
Thud, thud, thud. His eyes shot open again. TryingĀ to be as quiet as he could, he clumsily rolled outĀ Ā
of his bed and scurried to his closet. He pulledĀ out a long piece of wood that looked like an oldĀ Ā
piece of floorboard. Slowly, he slid on his feetĀ over to his bedroom door and opened it. His faceĀ Ā
clenched as it creaked. Hesitantly, Bertrand madeĀ his way around the house, holding the piece ofĀ Ā
wood over his shoulders. Starting on the secondĀ floor, he checked every hall and every room. HeĀ Ā
checked behind the curtains; he checked in theĀ closets and hidden pockets of rooms; he checkedĀ Ā
behind every door. Then, he did the same on theĀ first floor. There was nothing anywhere. Thud,Ā Ā
Bertrand heard again. This time, it was louder.Ā He was sure it was coming from inside. It soundedĀ Ā
like it was coming from beneath him. Thud,Ā thud. Bertrand hadnāt checked the basement yet.Ā
He slowly opened the basement door, his eyesĀ peering timidly around the edge of it. NotĀ Ā
seeing anything, he began down the stairs asĀ light as he could, carrying all his weightĀ Ā
on the fronts of his feet. As he descended, heĀ looked around the cold, dark barren space filledĀ Ā
with miscellaneous items that he was storing downĀ there. Otherwise, there was nothing. Thud, thud,Ā Ā
thud, he heard again. This instance was by farĀ the loudest. As Bertrand attempted to follow theĀ Ā
direction of the sound, his eyes caught somethingĀ he hadnāt previously noticed. It was a handle onĀ Ā
what appeared to be a small wooden hatch on theĀ ground in one of the corners of the basement.Ā Ā
Almost without thinking, Bertrand approached it.Ā He stared down at it. His heart was beating soĀ Ā
loudly, he couldnāt tell if the thudding soundĀ was coming from him now or beneath him. With aĀ Ā
shaky hand that struggled to follow the directionĀ of his mind, Bertrand reached down and opened theĀ Ā
door. In an instant, a plume of black smokeĀ and fragments of light exploded out of it,Ā Ā
knocking Bertrand back and off his feet andĀ shattering the piece of wood into shards.Ā
When he regained some semblance of awarenessĀ and control, Bertrand found in front of him whatĀ Ā
could only be described as some sort of monster.Ā Bertrand entered a state of shock. He couldnātĀ Ā
believe what he was seeing. He didnāt believeĀ it. I must be dreaming, he thought to himself.Ā Ā
But the pain felt undeniably real. The smoke andĀ light were still emanating out of the open hatch,Ā Ā
and Bertrand couldnāt get a clear view. WhatĀ he could see, though, appeared to be a large,Ā Ā
shadowy creature. It just stood there, staringĀ back at Bertrand through the clouds of smoke andĀ Ā
beams of light. It moved with a sort of unnaturalĀ naturalnessāa fluidity typically reserved only forĀ Ā
underwater creatures. It looked like it was almostĀ hovering. Before Bertrand could get a good view,Ā Ā
he got up and sprinted out of the basementāheĀ ran up the stairs, out the front door,Ā Ā
and down the road. He ran, and he ran, and he ran. The next morning, a shopkeeper for a general storeĀ Ā
in one of the nearest towns found BertrandĀ sleeping outside the storeās entrance. TheĀ Ā
shopkeeper was an older man in his sixtiesĀ or seventies. His hair was gray and thin,Ā Ā
mostly only left on the sides of his head,Ā filling in more and more down toward his chin,Ā Ā
forming into a full beard. He was shortĀ and hunched over a bit, but he walked withĀ Ā
complete confidence and indifference. He gaveĀ a Bertrand a friendly but forceful nudge withĀ Ā
his foot as he walked up to the storeās entrance.Ā Bertrand quickly jolted up, dusting himself off,Ā Ā
shaking his head, and scrunching his eyes. āHi,ā Bertrand said, frantic and disoriented.Ā
āHello,ā the old man said. The man continued past Bertrand,Ā Ā
unlocking the front door, and enteringĀ the store. Bertrand chased in after him.Ā
āI need a weapon,ā Bertrand shouted clumsily. āOkay,ā said the man in a calm, unaffectedĀ Ā
tone. āEverything we have is over there.āĀ The man pointed at a few shelves and casesĀ Ā
toward the back of the store. Bertrand rushed over to theĀ Ā
shelves and cases and began inspecting them. āAre you from around here?ā the old man asked.Ā
āYeah, I just moved a mile or twoĀ up the road,ā Bertrand responded.Ā
āWhy? Not much out here,ā said the old man. āThatās why,ā Bertrand answered. āSelf-reliance.Ā Ā
Self-actualization.ā āHmm,ā said the old man.Ā
Bertrand compared prices of weapons andĀ imagined battles inside his head in whichĀ Ā
he killed the monsterāin which he regainedĀ control over and peace inside his home.Ā
Eventually, he looked over to the man. āIāll takeĀ that one,ā he said, pointing at a large sword.Ā
āThatāll be six pounds,ā said the old man. Bertrand paid the shopkeeper, left the store,Ā Ā
and made his way back to home. When he arrived home, he spent some timeĀ Ā
in his front yard by himself. He practiced usingĀ the sword, trying different stances, and swipingĀ Ā
it in front of him. He struck and slashed atĀ nothing. After many hours passed and the sun beganĀ Ā
to submit to the night sky, and he felt he wasĀ ready, Bertrand went inside and into the basement.Ā
He found the basement empty and quiet. The hatchĀ was closed. He slowly approached it, holding theĀ Ā
sword out in front of him. His breath sped up.Ā His heartbeat echoed throughout his body. WithĀ Ā
the sword in his right hand, he opened the hatchĀ with his left and out shot the smoke and light,Ā Ā
nearly blinding him. Soon, the hazy outline ofĀ the monster emerged, and Bertrand began to swingĀ Ā
the sword back and forth in its direction.Ā He completely forgot all the motions he hadĀ Ā
planned. The monster seemed to almost morph intoĀ what looked like a disfigured person. BertrandĀ Ā
swung harder and harder. The monster appearedĀ completely unaffected. It effortlessly evadedĀ Ā
every swing. Bertrand, soon realizing hisĀ underpreparedness, retreated, franticallyĀ Ā
running back up the stairs, out his home, andĀ down the road. He ran, and he ran, and he ran.Ā
The next morning, again, the shopkeeper foundĀ Bertrand sleeping outside the storeās entrance.Ā Ā
He kicked Bertrand, and Bertrand jumped up. āHi ā¦ I ā¦ uhm ā¦ I need a different weapon.Ā Ā
That one didnāt work. I need somethingĀ more powerful. And easier to use.āĀ
āOkay,ā the old man responded. āCome on in.ā Bertrand followed the man in, going backĀ Ā
over to the shelves and cases ofĀ weapons. After much inspection,Ā Ā
he decided on a flailāa weapon with a spiked metalĀ ball attached to a wooden handle by a metal chain.Ā
āIāll take that one,ā BertrandĀ said, pointing at the flail.Ā
āThatāll be five pounds,ā the old man responded. Bertrand paid the man and began his way back home.Ā
Before going inside, he practiced with the flail.Ā Nighttime soon began to take its turn in the sky,Ā Ā
and after he felt ready, Bertrand made hisĀ way inside and down into the basement. Again,Ā Ā
he found the basement quiet; the hatchĀ was closed. Trembling, he opened it,Ā Ā
and out shot the smoke, and the light, and theĀ terror. Bertrand moved back and steadied himself,Ā Ā
waiting for a better view of the monster.Ā Then, he began to swing the flail recklessly,Ā Ā
his eyes were closed more than open. The monsterĀ effortlessly shoved Bertrand away, sending himĀ Ā
sliding on his back across the basement floor, andĀ slamming him into the wall. In immense pain now,Ā Ā
Bertrand scurried back onto his feet andĀ ran out of the basement, out of his home,Ā Ā
and down the road. He ran, and he ran, and he ran. The next morning, unsurprised at this point,Ā Ā
the shopkeeper found BertrandĀ waiting outside the store.Ā
He let him in, and Bertrand lookedĀ around at all the weapons again.Ā
After a few minutes passed, Bertrand lookedĀ over at the shopkeeper and said, āExcuse me.āĀ
The old man looked over. āYup?ā he said. āI need weapons, but I also need ā¦ somethingĀ Ā
else. An edge. Something that might helpĀ me in a fight mentally, or physically,Ā Ā
or both. Do you have anything like that?ā āYeah,ā the old man said nonchalantly. HeĀ Ā
walked to the other side of store, still behindĀ the counter, and then returned with a small,Ā Ā
reddish bottle. āI think this is what youāreĀ looking for,ā he said, handing the bottle toĀ Ā
Bertrand. The label on the bottle read, NumbingĀ Elixir: Feel Nothing. āDrink a few drops of that,Ā Ā
and, for several hours, you wonāt feel any pain.ā āThatās perfect!ā Bertrand said withĀ Ā
enthusiasm. āIāll take it.ā āOne pound,ā the man said.Ā
Bertrand paid the man and returned home. BeforeĀ going inside, he drank a few drops of the elixir.Ā Ā
He grabbed his flail that he had left outside andĀ swung it around a bit as he waited for the effectsĀ Ā
of the elixir to kick in. Soon, he began to feelĀ numbāhe felt a warmth, and calmness, and bliss;Ā Ā
a disconnection from his body, and a disconnectionĀ from the terror. It made him so numb, however,Ā Ā
that when he went down into the basementĀ and opened the hatch, he could barelyĀ Ā
stand up right. His balance was off. His focusĀ and aim were absent. He flailed even more wildlyĀ Ā
at the monster than he had the night prior. āGet out of my house!ā Bertrand yelled with aĀ Ā
slur in his voice. āYou donāt belongĀ here! This is mine! I live here!āĀ
The monster swerved around the basement, evadingĀ Bertrandās haphazard swings. It knocked and shovedĀ Ā
Bertrand around, but Bertrand didnāt feel any ofĀ it. Because of the elixir, he didnāt even barelyĀ Ā
care that he wasnāt accomplishing anything.Ā He didnāt care that the monster was there,Ā Ā
puppeteering him around his own home. Soon,Ā Bertrand became exhausted and just gave up.Ā Ā
He retreaded back upstairs, and this night,Ā he just slept in his roomāhe took a few moreĀ Ā
drops of the elixir before he went to bed. HeĀ figured if the monster was going to kill him,Ā Ā
he wouldāve already done so, and since heĀ couldnāt feel any pain, what was the risk?Ā
Over the following many days, Bertrand attemptedĀ to fight the monster nearly every night,Ā Ā
drinking increasing quantities of the elixir eachĀ time. He returned to the general store many timesĀ Ā
to buy more weapons. He bought double-sided axes,Ā stars, a bow and arrow, and so on. He bought moreĀ Ā
and more of the elixir as well. By this point, hisĀ home was a mess. He hadnāt cleaned it or finishedĀ Ā
organizing his stuff, and broken objects wereĀ scattered around his home from nights in whichĀ Ā
he took too much elixir. He hadnāt gotten muchĀ of any work done on the ship he was supposedĀ Ā
to be working on. He couldnāt focus, he couldnātĀ barely sleepāat least not without the elixir. HeĀ Ā
couldnāt live a normal life in his own home. HeĀ was angry all the time. His life became consumedĀ Ā
by fighting the monster, doing everything heĀ could to kill it, and, yet nothing worked.Ā
Desperate, Bertrand foundĀ himself at the store again.Ā
āI need something else. Something different,āĀ he said to the shopkeeper in a defeated toneĀ Ā
as he stared at the inventory of weaponsĀ and elixirs. āDo you have anything else?āĀ
āWhat exactly are you fighting?ā theĀ old man asked. āYouāve never even said.āĀ
Bertrand looked up and over at him. āIām notĀ sure. Itās some sort of monster. It livesĀ Ā
in the basement of my new home.ā āHmm,ā said the old man. āWell,Ā Ā
youāve tried nearly every weapon I have. EveryĀ elixir.ā The old man rubbed his beard for aĀ Ā
moment. āWhat does the monster want?ā āIām not sure,ā Bertrand responded,Ā Ā
confused. āItās a monster. IĀ donāt know if it wants anything.āĀ
āWell, everything wants something.Ā Have you tried talking to it?āĀ
Bertrand paused. āNo. Like I said, itās a monster.āĀ
āWell, maybe you should try. You know someĀ monsters donāt even mean to be monsters. AndĀ Ā
they donāt want to be. Theyāre born or createdĀ in a way that causes them to be one. Or theĀ Ā
world treats them like one and that causes themĀ to be one. Either way, they often just need whatĀ Ā
you or I or anyone else needs. To be talkedĀ to. To be respected. To be given the spaceĀ Ā
to be themselves. You want my recommendation? GoĀ home. No weapons. No elixirs. Go to the monster.Ā Ā
Ask it who it is and what it wants. Accept thatĀ it is there, in your house. Find common groundĀ Ā
with it. Compromise with it. Empathize withĀ it. Some things you canāt ignore or fight.Ā Ā
Some things you have to talk to directly.ā Bertrand stood in silence for a moment,Ā Ā
staring back at the man. He nodded and left. When Bertrand returned home, he went into theĀ Ā
basement. He left his weapons outside. He keptĀ himself sober. In the basement, as it always was,Ā Ā
the hatch was closed. He approached it,Ā breathed in deeply, and then reached downĀ Ā
and ripped it open. Smoke and light shot out.Ā The clouds and rays consumed him as he watchedĀ Ā
the vague outline of the monster appear. In front of him, it stood. Bertrand didĀ Ā
not approach it, but he did not back awayĀ either. He stood his ground, close enoughĀ Ā
to see and communicatee with it. The hazy outline morphed moreĀ Ā
and more into a defined human-like figure. Bertrand breathed in loudly through his nostrils.Ā
Then, in a shaky but bold voice, he said, āWouldĀ you like to come upstairs? We can talk there.āĀ
There was a long pause. āYes. Thank you,ā said the monster.
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