One day I got on the bus to go to school. When I stepped off at my stop, the sky was much darker than it should have been. I stood under the street lamp and looked around. A strange fear grew inside me, even though I didn’t know why.
When I reached school, it was raining hard on one side of the building… and a tornado was spinning on the other side! Inside the school it was warm and bright, but outside the sun appeared for a second, then vanished again. Everything felt so strange. Still, we had to do lots and lots of lessons.
During the third period the rain and the tornado suddenly stopped. Then thick snow began to fall even though it was not winter.
When school finished, I got on the bus to go home. Everything looked normal again. I walked down the same street. Under the same street lamp stood the same man, wearing the same clothes, watching me. The first time I saw him I didn’t think much of it and just walked past. But the second time I knew it was not a coincidec
The next morning I left for school very early. The sun had not risen yet and the sky was completely black. The man was there again standing under the street lamp in front of our house. Then I saw him again under the lamp near the school gate.
That’s when I understood: he was following me.
The bus had already left. The street was empty. The man looked straight at me and gave a scary smile. My heart started beating very fast. I was terrified and began to run.
Just then a bright light appeared in front of me. The school gate was open! And standing there with a flashlight was my teacher, Mr burak
“Come here quickly!” she whispered.
I ran to her. She pulled me inside and closed the gate. I was breathing so hard I could barely speak.
“What’s happening I asked, shaking.
Mr burak gave a small, sad smile.
“That man… he is not really a person,” she said quietly. “People call him the Shadow Watcher. Whenever the weather goes crazy rain one minute, tornado the next, sudden snow he appears. He feeds on fear. He chose you because you notice things. You’re curious and brave.”
I was shocked What do we do
“There’s only one way to make him leave he said. “We must not look into his eyes until the sun If you look into his eyes, he can pull you toward him. Come with me to the library. There’s an old book that tells how to send the Shadow Watcher away.”
We walked through the dark hallways. Outside, the black snow was still falling, and the snowflakes looked shiny and strange.
In the library Mr burak took a dusty old book from the highest shelf. She opened it and read a few lines. Then she looked at me.
“Now repeat after me,” he said. “Sun, please rise. Shadows, disappear. I am not afraid. I am full of light!”
We said the words together, louder and louder.
Suddenly the windows shook. A loud, angry wind howled outside, but it grew weaker… weaker… until it was gone.
Then the sky became lighter. The sun rose. The strange black snow stopped. The sky turned beautiful blue again. I looked out the window. The man under the street lamp was gone. There was only an empty street and a normal, peaceful morning.
After that day the weather became normal again. No more sudden tornados, no more black snow in September. But every morning when I walk to school, I still glance at the street lamps. Just in case.
Still, I’m not scared anymore. Because I learned something important: even the biggest, strangest fears become small when you are brave and when you have someone by your side who believes in you. The end.