Writer's Notebook

I'm currently working on a bigger piece involving some rivalry between this character and a good friend, but also rival (the shadow of this piece. So this prompt just fitted in nicely with what I was doing. Hope you all like it.

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Approaching the final corner on his journey home Phil could see nothing. But that did nothing to stop his foreboding. He sensed the shadow was there, there shadow that had met him at this self-same corner ever since he had got the news that his attempt to get into England's most prestigious university had foundered. Ever since that first day, he had known it would be there, waiting for him and then pursuing him, a perpetual reminder of his insufficiency. All he had done to shake it off had failed. The shadow stuck doggedly to him, not once letting off the hook however hard he might try to shake it off. Yet today was different. Today, he could not see the shadow in wait. Phil's mind went back to his meeting with his tutor that morning. He had warmly congratulated him on an excellent piece of work, and went on to praise him in front of the whole class for his achievement. If any day, then today! With a start Phil realised he was only two steps away from the corner and the shadow was nowhere to be seen. He had at last broken its power, no longer would he... as turning the corner the familiar form appeared gradually out of the darkness.

His eyes wide open Phil stared into the darkness. It was time to get up. He'd not looked at the time. He didn't need to. Once again the dream had done its job, more faithful than and as regular as an alarm clock. He swung his legs down onto the floor and straightened himself up, preparing to face a new day.