Cast No Shadow

Jude and Ricky scale the cliff toward a cavern they believe harbors a troll. An argument erupts into a physical fight, and Jude pushes Ricky off the edge, causing a severe leg injury. The fall fractures their friendship and sets a troubled course for Jude's life.

Ricky's father Angus collects Ricky and coldly shuns Jude, severing any sense of kinship. The resentment from the incident lingers as Jude becomes the boy without a protector. The atmosphere at home grows tenser, molding Jude’s options for escape or rebellion.

That night, Jude roams the woods and sees an old woman being picked up by his father Angus. The eerie encounter hints at secrets behind the family’s hard life. The woods become a source of mystery and foreboding for Jude.

On a delivery run with Angus, they drop off illegal goods at several houses, but the drop is mishandled. Jude is chastised by his father for the mistake, reinforcing the harsh discipline that governs their world. The episode exposes the criminal background surrounding Jude’s life.

Upon returning home, Jude learns that it is his birthday and discovers Angus is a widower. The double blow adds to the sense of abandonment and complicates his sense of family. The moment deepens Jude’s longing for stability.

That night, Jude sneaks into the basement while Angus sleeps and uncovers a stash of stolen items spray-painted gold. A chest full of trinkets sits among shelves, and books line the walls. The hidden collection reveals Jude’s concealed life and foreshadows the lies behind their world.

The next day, Jude attends a court hearing about his father with Nancy present and later makes amends with Ricky. He rests against a tree, still processing the day’s events, and is startled by the old woman—who is named Alfreda Jackson. The sequence links the courtroom, the woods, and the new figure entering Jude’s life.

Jude's life shifts as he begins living with Alfreda while Angus faces legal trouble. With Alfreda, he starts to learn about his past, including his mother’s death during pregnancy. Alfreda reveals that she delivered him, deepening their bond and reshaping Jude’s sense of family.

Angus’s ongoing troubles force Jude to lean more on Alfreda. The past begins to feel like a history he must confront, as Alfreda’s stories provide fragments of his origins. Jude’s identity starts to form through these revelations.

Back at school, Jude discovers the drugs meant for him have been stolen by classmates. Fearful for his safety, he runs away from home. Angus tracks him to Alfreda’s place, intensifying the looming confrontation.

A violent clash unfolds when Angus confronts Jude and Alfreda at Alfreda’s house. The fight ends with Alfreda stabbing and killing Angus, eliminating the threat to Jude but sealing a traumatic change in his life. The event catalyzes Jude’s next steps.

Terrified, Jude runs to the cavern he and Ricky first explored and finally enters it. The cave’s walls reflect his altered outlook, shaped by the day’s revelations. The ending suggests a lasting transformation in how he sees the world.