Fading Away

Chapter Two

 I apologize if this story seems a little fast paced, but I'm trying to avoid having it be a fifty chapter story x). Read, enjoy, and comment. Even better, vote. I dare you.

Another day in the playground. It's been a couple months since I've been bothered by another of my own kind.

"Harper!" The voice of a teacher catches her attention and distracts her from me.

She blinks at her teacher, a cheerful woman in her early thirties. Harper waves shyly.

"Why don't you play with your friends?" she suggests, gesturing at the other kids playing with the balls and jump ropes.

Harper frowns slightly, then shrugs.

Her teacher looks concerned. "OK. If you want me to introduce you to anyone to make a friend, come and find me." With a smile she leaves.

Harper resumes her game of pretend with me, but seems a little distracted.

I take a breath and send a whisper of a thought to go meet some other children. After all, she'll only see them while she's at school. We can play while we're at home. Harper loves playing outside with me. So she goes herself up to her friends. I can sense her anxiety as she nears them. I follow her. She looks around and sees me, and looks more relaxed.

Harper starts playing a game with kicking a ball with a large group of other kids, but she still feels pretty overwhelmed being around so many others. She looks out of place too. She's more shy than the others. After a while she moves away from them and scribbles on the sidewalk with chalk. I stay nearby, keeping an eye on her.

Near the end of recess a girl comes and joins Harper. They talk and make the lopsided drawings all children make. Then they're gone.

I sit under a tree and feel a sort of sadness. I've been around for such a long time and Harper hasn't seemed to need anyone else. I watch her mental health and its been fine.

"I can hardly believe it," a voice says from the treetops.

My head snaps up. "No way," I breathe.

An all too familiar figure drops down. He looks just as I remember him: the slightly overgrown dark brown hair, the dark brown eyes with that playful sparkle, and that smile.

"Oh, my gosh," I cry, grinning.

He steps forward and wraps his arms tight around me. My heart swells with happiness. "I've missed you, Dream. We all have. You have a way reading people. Is it true what they say? Wonders said you were staying and playing... imaginary friend? Why?"

I bite my lip. "Its hard to explain. It's this girl named Harper..."

His mouth forms a tight line.

"What?" I ask.

"Dream, I know how much you love children. And... I know how you feel about not having any. If that's what you want we can marry and-"

"That's not what this is about!" I cry indignantly, shocked at him making such an assumption and daring to speak it aloud. "I can't explain it... I just know I have to stick around."

He looks bothered. "She's fine. Just look at her. She made a friend and everything. You're needed-"

"No I'm not," I snarl. "You know that's not true."

His eyes spark with anger. "I need you, Dream."

Guilt washes over me, and words fail me.

He shakes his head. "I can't believe this. You have a responsibility!"

"And I'm not neglecting it!" I cry.

His jaw tightens. "But you won't come home."

My heart breaks a little. "Eternity... I can't. I'm sorry."

Without another word he vanishes.

I sit down hard on the ground. Tears come spilling out of my eyes. I can't believe that just happened. And now I can't help but wonder.

Was it worth it?

I miss him terribly. I miss all of them. To distract myself I give all of my attention to Harper, constantly. I was right. Sure, Harper made a friend, but she is still alone most of the time. I'm still her friend.

Time passes too slowly and too quickly at the same time. The school year comes to an end and Harper spends her summer days playing in the yard. Before I know it she's off to school once again. I am a part of her thoughts less and less often.

She brings friends to her house and plays with them instead of me. Still I linger. Still I watch her. And on the rare occasion I do enter her thoughts I am afraid to take the risk and make myself visible to her, for fear it would come across as suspicious to her.

I am nothing more than an invisible guardian to her. A little girl grows up and her imaginary friend is nothing more than a shadow in the back of her mind.

Still time continues to pass. Still I linger.

Three years. Harper is seven. I haven't entered her thoughts in over a year.

I feel dead inside.

"It's time to come home."

I don't move. Wonders stands near me.

"You've clung on to her long enough. It's time to accept that you were wrong and come home." His tone is stern. He's right and I hate it.

My throat is dry and it hurts when I swallow. "Would they take me back?" I ask, still not looking up at him.

"Of course," he says fiercely. "You are still one of us."

We are in Harper's yard. I watch her playing with another of her friends.

"Staying will do nothing but tear you apart further," he says gently.

I look up at him with tears gleaming in my eyes. His face is open and kind. I draw a deep breath. "I will come home."

He holds out a hand and helps me to my feet.