Imaginary Friends

Chapter Three

"Jack you came!" Emily exasperated.
"Well of course I did. I didn't want you to be here all alone," I sighed
Emily's eyes twinkled in the darkness but her smile disappeared. "I'm never alone Jackie, nobody is."
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How in the whole wide world did Emily ever convince Jack, Jack the most introverted person in the entire world to come out of the safety of his room and venture outside at 1:00 in the morning.
"So where is Gretchen Em, I don't see her!" Jack said starting to get angry.
Oh no, oh please, I beg of you listen to her. Please just listen to her for once.
"Haven't you listened to anything I've been saying, you can't see her!" Emily was getting angry now too.
She didn't understand that I was a concept that only a child can wrap their heads around.
"Likely story!" Jack yelled back
"Shut up! Just shut up! You sound like Mom and Dad!" Emily was crying now. The wind picked up to a howl. I swarmed all around Emily. Trying to give her my best effort of a hug.
"Em?" He took a deep breath, "I want to believe you. I really do. I had a friend just like your Gretchen, but deep down I knew that my friend was fake, I was just doing it for attention. That is why my friend and yours are called imaginary friends and that is all they ever will be."
Those words felt like glass piercing through skin, but my winds grew warm.
"Please..." Emily sniffed, "please believe. Just once believe in me."
Jack looked defeated, "fine."
Emily took Jack to the middle of the backyard, and sat him down.
"Gretchen! You can do the magic now," Emily announced then looked at her brother, "Jack it's easier if you close your eyes."
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I heard the wind pick up around me, howling a sweet tune. Like a person singing a song. I kept my eyes closed until they were heavy with exhaustion. The howls turned into music and the music turned into words.
"Hush hush, you will feel no pain. Entering, exiting. Life is but a game."

I finally opened my eyes