I live with my best friend. PHAN

I live with my best friend.

"Name."

"P-Phil."

"I need your full name."

"Phillip Michael Lester."

"Age."

"25."

"Why are you here?"

"I'm depressed."

"That's not the reason they put you here."

"They killed him."

*************
Phil was browsing the web with his headphones on. Something caught his eye, a slight movement on the wall. He sighed and got up to see what the problem was. When he saw the giant spider crawling up as if it was being glued slowly to the wall, he shrieked and grabbed a glass to put it on the spider, he called his best friend's name.
"Dan, come and help me!"

A tall, brown haired boy, seeming younger than Phil, came in the room.
"What's up?"
"Please hold the glass in place while I go and get some paper from the printer. I need to take this spider out."
Dan held the glass in place for Phil, but when he returned, the glass was smashed on the floor and Dan was trying to pick the little pieces of it up.
"Sorry, my hand slipped. The spider crawled up there."

Phil sighed and let the spider crawl on his hand. "It will be way easier, considering that you already broke the glass."
"Sorry."
"It's okay. Everyone has those moments from time to time."

Phil turned towards Dan when he had closed the window and the spider had crawled out.
"Want some tea?"
Dan smiled as he picked up another piece of glass.
"Sure, as long as you make it for me."

As Phil was making the tea, his phone started to ring. Trying to pick it up, he burned his finger a little, caused by him brushing it against the kettle.
"Shit," he said, blowing on his finger.

"Excuse me?" he heard a voice through the phone.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't realize I picked up. Hey, who's this?"
"It's..me, your mum. Didn't you read the ID?"
"I forgot to read it, I guess I just picked up."
"Phil, we need to talk."
"About what?"
"You don't call anymore. You seem too oblivious of everything. When was the last time you ate?"
"I just made tea."
"We are just worried about you, Phil. Want us to come and visit?"
"I'm fine, mum. I am not alone, anyway. I have Dan." He looked over and saw Dan smile at these words.
"Who's Dan, sweetie?"
"My flatmate. He's amazing." I placed Dan's cup on the kitchen counter and mouthed for him to get it.
"Well, can we visit?"
Phil bit his lip. He really didn't want to, but his mouth spoke before his mind did.
"Sure, mum. Bye."

Phil hung up and went to lay on the sofa with Dan. They often cuddled, it wasn't a big deal for any of them. "Your tea, Dan." he said.

They were interrupted by a knock at the door. Phil sighed and walked towards the door just to be greeted by a police officer.

"Phillip Lester?" he asked.
"Yes, that's me. What do you need?"
"Your neighbours called, they're worried about your health condition."
Phil laughed. "What do you mean, I'm fine."
"We have paramedics here too, if you need. Have you noticed any changes in your behavior lately?"
"I haven't, myself. Hey Dan," he shouted to the sofa, "Am I being strange lately?"
"Who are you talking to?"
"Oh, just my flatmate."
"Your neighbours told us you live alone."
"Well, they are lying. I live with my best friend. His name is Dan."
"Can we check up on your flat?" the officer saw Phil's self- defending posture and added, "just to make sure you are okay."
Phil thought for a few seconds. "Okay, but make it quick."

Two officers walked inside. "Where is Dan?"
Phil widened his eyes. "He's on the sofa."
The officers looked at each other. "Call the paramedics in."

*******************
"What do you mean, they killed him?"

"They searched through the flat. They killed him and then they brought me here. They told me he wasn't real, but they are lying to me."

"Phillip, he was not real. You have schizophrenia. When the police and paramedics arrived, you hadn't washed for days, your kitchen was full of spoiled food, there were dust everywhere. You claimed to see, interact and live together with your imaginary friend, but you were endangering other people, living in the house."

"He is not real anymore because they killed him."

"How did they kill him?"

"They took me away from him and he once said that if I was taken away, he would die. I feel emptiness in my chest that I never felt when Dan was alive."

Phil started crying hysterically and was put into his padded cell. Suddenly, he felt a cold hand on his shoulder. He nearly jumped. He was very jumpy lately. He gasped as he saw Dan standing beside him.

"Wait, but they killed you."
Dan smiled.
"Phil, they can't kill someone who was never real."