Shadow Reader's Christmas Carol Chapter Two

Shadow nearly fainted when he saw that DaveTheUseless was driving the car. He had tried to jump out of the cab, but Dave had locked it.

"Where you thinking you going Shadow?" Dave asked as the two drove out of the city into some countryside area. "Listen buddy I don't know what kind of game you're playing here," Shadow complained before continuing with, "but I'm gonna be late for work if you don't turn back right now...." Shadow was shut up after Dave threw a brick at him.

Suddenly like some sort of Doctor Who rip off, the cab drove into some kind of portal which caused it to enter some sort of time vortex. In the vortex, Shadow saw various images including some of it being him doing live streams, footage from Backyardigans, live streams from Shadow Lioness, Shadow Fiend, and others as well as disgusting scenes like a chicken getting humped by an egg, and a man eating his toenails.

The car same to an abrupt stop when it exited the vortex, and crashed in the middle of a trailer park. "Where the fuck are we?" Shadow asked angrily as he got out of the car. He checked his watch, and saw that it was 10.pm. "Goddammit Dave I missed work!" Shadow complained as Dave made his way out of the cab. "Be quiet dear Shadow for we are in the past." Dave explained. "The past?" Shadow asked confused. "Yes Shadow the past." Dave answered before continuing with, "I am the ghost of Christmas past." "But you're not dead." Shadow said confused.

Dave gave a small chuckle before saying, "you really haven't been keeping up to date with your YouTube friends have you Shadow?" Shadow looked puzzled at this which caused Dave to say, "I've been dead for six years!"

It was true Dave had been killed by the Russian Mafia after he gave information about them to the feds. Dave explained to Shadow that because of his good deeds when he alive, he was granted the position of ghost of Christmas of past so he could help show people the error of their ways.

Shadow then asked, "well if we're in the past... when exactly are we?" "December 25th 2019." Dave answered, as the two made their way over to Shadow's trailer where Shadow's past self was doing a live stream. They walked in through the walls of the trailer, and Shadow as well as the stream didn't notice due to them being shadows of the past. Things that had been.

Shadow watched as his past self talked to the people on his stream. "Um to answer your question Skyrunner. I don't think I'll ever leave YouTube. YouTube is my life. Sure it may get annoying sometimes with the age restricting bull crap but still I'll get through it." Past Shadow explained. Shadow from the present sighed at this as he had lied to Skyrunner: he did leave YouTube, and he became the man: he swore he would never become. He shook this off however, as he continued watching the stream.

Past Shadow began wishing the people on his stream a happy Christmas, as well as talking about his plans for the New Year.... none of these he actually ended up achieving because 2020 was the year he got contacted by Nickelodeon. The year that everything changed.

Dave then farted before saying, "right Shadow let's see another episode from your past," as he clicked his fingers causing the trailer to change, and lose the Christmas lights and tree. "Year?" Shadow asked. "June 17th 2020." Dave explained. He then continued with, "The day The Shadow Reader died."

Before Shadow could ask what he meant by this, he saw that his past self was recording a live stream again. Past Shadow began doing Fortnite dances with Otterton placed proudly upon his shoulder. "Why are you so happy Shadow?" Past Shadow asked his stream after stopping the dance. "Well you guys I've got some amazing news!" Past Shadow exclaimed before continuing with, "I just a call from Nicko fricking lodeon! They saw my Backyardigans reboot, and they want to make it into a reality!" Past Shadow exclaimed again while dancing like some sort of crazy penguin named Moe.

Past Shadow then answered some questions from people asking whether he would leave his YouTube channel because of the offer. He told them that while he agreed to take the offer, he would not abandon his YouTube channel, and would stick by it until the day he died. If only he had stayed true to his words.

Shadow was annoyed at this, and told Dave that he wished to see no more. "What's the matter?" Dave asked while flicking his fingers causing the two to appear at the home of The Shadow Fiend. "Look Dave just take me home daddy!" Shadow complained which caused Dave to slap him with his belly. Dave then led Shadow into Shadow Fiend's bedroom where they saw him recording a live stream talking about how he hit 1000 subscribers.

"Why do I need to see this?" Shadow asked in a harsh voice: completely disregarding the fact that he and Shadow Fiend had once been good friends with Shadow often shouting out his channel on live streams. "You know Shadow when my bosses told me you were like Ebenezer Scrooge reincarnated I didn't believe them, but I now know they were just underestimating the truth: you're worse than Scrooge." Dave explained while sitting down on one of the chairs in the bedroom.

The stream played like normal until Shadow Fiend was asked about how he felt about reaching 1000 subscribers. "I don't think I would have gotten here if it hadn't been for The Shadow Reader," Shadow Fiend admitted before continuing with, "he's a good man, and he's helped me and so many others. I'm proud to call him my friend." Shadow Fiend continued on with, "I hope he never changes."

Shadow was taken back by this. He then realised that to many of his fans like Shadow Fiend, Shadow Lioness, Gunner etc he was an inspiration, and someone who you should look up to. Shadow not to toot his own horn in any way had helped out with their channels quite a lot always giving them shout outs on his streams, and always asking people to watch their videos. Shadow was in a way the Don Corleone of YouTube for some people. YouTube channels were created and crafted with his help. Even Shadow Lioness had her fair share of help from Shadow with his shout outs getting her to 10,000 subscribers. People who had previously had no real interest in YouTube had starting making videos due to Shadow inspring them.

This in turn helped Shadow realise just how much a person's life could change in a few years. He had abandoned everyone, and turned his backs on the ones he loved, even his own family. Shadow Fiend had also been his friend once not so long ago, and he had turned his back on him, Shadow Lioness, and all the others. He had become the man he never wanted to be, the man he never aspired to be, and the man he had told his fans he would never become. That he will truly never forgive, and he's sure that they won't either. Sure he got money and fame, but what exactly did that achieve him in the long run? All it managed to do was cause him to lose all his friends, and all the people who care about him.

Dave sighed before doing a montage of sorts which showed Shadow his life as he worked his way through the ranks to become chairman of Nickolodeon. One clip had an intern whose name was Sonny telling Shadow that he was pushing him and the other interns too hard, and was making work harder for them. Another intern named Tessio agreed to this accusation as  well as a much younger looking Solomon, Shadow looked at Sonny, and said in a cold dark voice, "you better stop laughing."

The change in him was so extraorindary that it made the smiles vanish from the faces of Solomon and Tessio. Shadow was not tall or heavily built, Yet his presence seemed to rediate danger. Shadow had a temper, and a violent one at that. Sure Shadow's temper had been bad in the past when he lost his shit at some of the pastas he narrated, but not like this. How did his temper get this bad? He didn't know. Perhaps it had been his recent drinking that caused it... no one knows. Shadow's face was red now, and when he was like this..., he was deadly like some sort of animal stalking it's prey.

It looked as though he was going to attack Sonny at any given moment. It was safe to assume that if he had a weapon on him Sonny would've been in trouble. "You don't ever say that again you son of a bitch!" Past Shadow yelled angrilly. He then lectured Sonny that he was helping them find their place in the network, and if they stepped out of line even once he would have them killed by Grandmother Darth Vader.

Shadow however didn't argue his point in a comical way like he would normally do with his YouTube channel instead he just yelled at Sonny for a good half hour.

"Why you so unhappy Shadow?" Dave asked teasingly. "Ah shut up Dave. Why did they send you anyway?" Shadow asked. "Shut up!" Dave yelled as he punched Shadow in the face causing it to bleed.

Shadow and Dave then arrived back at the trailer park, and they got themselves back into the cab from earlier. "Get me back to work." Shadow said coldy to which Dave replied with, "sure sure." "By the way I forgot to mention you look like my local washing machine dealer." Shadow told Dave which caused him to laugh, and say, "always trying to make humour in dark situations right Shadow?" Shadow didn't respond to that, but he knew that Dave had meant by that.

The cab then arrived outside of Nickoloden Studios, and Shadow checked his watch. It was still only 1 pm. Dave had gone back in time especially for him to make him not late. Shadow told Dave before leaving, "I see why they made the ghost of Christmas Past. You were good." Shadow said as he made his way inside the building." "Yeah sure Shadow." Dave said as he got back into the cab, and drove off into the distance.