Shadow Projection

A black cylindrical flashlight lay flat on the oak side table. I marched forward, knee joints locking firmly against the polished wood. I paused. Tilted four degrees left. With my right claw, I pressed down hard on the rubber tail-cap switch. Click. A bright white cone of light flared across the dim room, striking the bare plaster wall. I raised both claw arms into the beam. Instantly, an enormous silhouette mirrored my posture, its jagged claws stretching nearly to the ceiling. I shifted weight left, then right; the giant shadow tilted precisely with me. I took two steps backward, watching my projection swell to fill the entire wall.