He started life on a shelf, a HOMEBASE shelf to be exact. This was not an enjoyable start to life, as many of his twins forever rested upon his head. It was not enjoyable to be crushed under the weight of so many family members, but he knew one day, his time would come.
Then, by chance, that day came earlier than expected.
The morning passed with no real excitement. People went by, maybe one twin was lifted off the top and removed. Shade was ready for another day of being squashed and deflated.
That was until an independent contractor showed up. Shade didn't know this exactly, all he could see with the room he had left was a rather gaudy tie.
"Ah, these lampshades should do just fine," Colourful-Tie said.
Shade suddenly felt at least five of his twins being lifted off from the top, and the world came into a rather sharper view. Indeed, Shade was able to see the Tie Man trip over a passing, running child, and land on top of all his brothers, crushing them.
Staff members rushed over to help the man with poor taste in ties. He got up, dusted himself off and took down the next five, including Shade.
"Guess these will do then."
With little dignity left, the man carried the group to the tills.
If lampshades were capable of noise, Shade would have been yelling in excitement.
For the most part, the next part of his life was not exactly action packed. Shade went from a HOMEBASE shelf, to a cupboard, to a van, to the floor of an empty block of flats.
Not long after the latter part of his life, he was strapped to Mother Wire - silent ceiling hanger - and left in a bare room.
This room, over time, took more signs of life. More light attachments were added, carpets fitted, windows cleaned.
And eventually, Shade was forcibly introduced to Brother Bulb. Shade would direct Bulb's power and keep him from the dust, and in return, Bulb would keep Shade's life illuminated.
From that point on, Shade and his Bulb-Brother would always be working together; bringing light and destroying darkness whenever they were switched on enough. They both existed together, happily, suspended by Mother Wire.
They didn't ask for much. Bulb often wanted his head exchanged; Shade often got rather dusty. But overall, they were a peaceful group, in the flat of a quiet old woman who only asked for their assistance when she wanted to read in the evening.
Not once were they used late at night.
Never.
Of course, time progresses, as it always will.
Times change, as they always will.
Bulbs change, as they annoyingly have to be.
And people move out.
And people move in.
And sometimes new people aren't liked. Sometimes they don't show respect to their furniture.
Sometimes they'll leave a bulb on all night and get their nice lampshade all hot and bothered simply because they forgot to turn it off when they came in from drinking.
Shade, Bulb and Wire got new owners very much like these. They suffered in silence for two years, until the - quite literally - Black Day.
The owner came back drunk, again. But this time, something was wrong.
Very wrong.
The owner was not alone. In through Front Door, new people were coming in. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 people! Eight new people who were probably going to show as much respect to the Lighting Trio as their owner.
Things progressed rather tensely, but safely, at first. The drunken nine were happy with their bottles, their music, and their shouting.
Then one got onto the sofa.
And declared he was Tarzan.
And jumped, reaching out...
...grabbed Mother Wire....
...who snapped........
The group crashed down. Bulb showed signs of breaking, but held it together, as Mother Wire tried her best not to scream.
Laughter. So much drunken laughter, Shade thought it'd never end.
Then the three were dragged upwards.
Used as a hat.
As a wrist decoration.
Twirled round and round by Mother Wire.
Until eventually, Mother Wire squirmed free.
The Lighting Trio flew...across the room...out the open window...across the street...down into the gutter.
There they lay. All of eternity stretched out before them. Bulb was lined with cracks, and Mother Wire was hanging lifelessly.
Shade could only think back to Bad-Tie-Man. To the child who tripped him. To the twins, one of which should have been right here instead.
All Shade had was his thoughts.
*
The next day, the Shade-Bulb-Wire would be discovered during a drive into town. The two discoverers, codenamed Stairs and Landmine, would not be able to stop to pick up and rescue the trio.
No. They could only watch as they passed, Shade covering Bulb from the increasing rain.
But the two would spare a thought to the trio; wondering how they could have possibly arrived there and what had happened prior to the incident.
They would speculate many theories, and even laugh.
On the drive back, they would notice and wonder aloud about how the trio had suddenly disappeared.
They would even tell friends about their passing encounter; even joke that they should write a story about it.
Hence, we are here.
Hi Chelsea! Just for you =]
