It was a typical day when I shared a photograph with my husband, depicting me alongside our neighbor’s horse. I did not give it much thought at the time.
Having volunteered at the stables for some time, I had developed a fondness for a large black horse named Thunder, who, despite his imposing stature, was remarkably gentle.
However, upon viewing the image, my husband’s reaction changed everything. He examined the picture closely, scrutinizing it repeatedly, and then sent a text that was both chilling and unforeseen.
I wish to initiate divorce proceedings.
Initially, I believed it to be a jest. However, he subsequently called. The fury in his tone was unmistakable.
“How long has this been occurring?” he insisted.
“Excuse me? What are you referring to?” I responded, bewildered.
“The shadow,” he retorted. “The shadow on your back, do not deceive me.”
Only at that moment did I comprehend what he had observed.
The shadow created by Thunder’s head and neck had projected a lengthy, dark shape onto my back—one that eerily resembled the outline of a man positioned behind me, with hands encircling my waist.
In that instant, I grasped his perception. To him, it appeared as though I was not by myself.
Regardless of my efforts to clarify that it was merely the shadow of the horse, he remained unconvinced. His decision was resolute, and no level of logical argumentation could alter his perspective. The visual had executed a deceptive maneuver, warping reality sufficiently to instill doubt in his mind. It was not solely the image; it was his confidence that had been irrevocably compromised in that brief instance of deception. Subsequently, he began to scrutinize the distinction between reality and illusion, and nothing I articulated could repair the harm that had already occurred.
