The Man Who Collected Shadows

Length16m

Summary

Elias, a lonely wanderer, carries a lantern filled with the shadows of strangers, each one holding memories of sorrow, love, and loss. At first, he believes he is preserving forgotten pieces of humanity, but as the lantern grows heavier, so does his burden. The shadows begin to haunt his steps, pulling him deeper into despair. Drawn to a mountain ridge, Elias realizes he must release what was never his. Opening the lantern, he frees the souls into the night sky, each memory shimmering before vanishing. Though the act nearly consumes him, Elias finds his own shadow returned, whole for the first time in years. With nothing left but the shards of the lantern and the whispers of those he freed, he walks into dawn, carrying the quiet strength of redemption.