Imagine

Dreams

I hear his shrieks of delight, the hearty laughs of his father even from here. I follow my friend everywhere. But it is strange no one can see or hear me but him, I am nothing but a whisper of a child's imagination.

"Come on " You giggle between laughing spurts
"Bed time"
I follow beside you, silvery whisps trail behind me. I lay down beside you, no other words are uttered and they don't have to be. A wave of utter peacefulness overwhelms me and I fall into a dreamless slumber.

Days turn into months and those months to years, I am spoken to less and less. I am fading fast, forgotten and alone. Can you truly measure the price of a child's happiness? I cannot imagine my life without you. Imaginary or not I am forever by your side. As you continue to grow changes happen. You bring other people, I am left by myself to sit and wait for the time that you will once again be by my side.
I still feel alone, I no longer sleep near my friend. I am all alone, asleep in the closet.

I feel a deep aching pain in my chest, like my heart is breaking in two. I glance down at my silvery fingers. Transparent, opaque, you can begin to see through my bones and skin. I let loose the tears that have built up, my eyes burning with the emotions you cannot see. The pain that has built up from being left alone attacks every fibre of my being, it hurts to wake up, to hear the calls of the birds, to see you slowly forget me. I see you from outside the dusty windows, calling and laughing with your friends, why can I never talk to you anymore? The door closes as you race through it, you dump your bag on the floor and race for the kitchen. Your father stalks in. I hear a lot of yelling, your mother, your father and then there is you. You sit. You watch them scream and cry out in pain and in anger. Your father leaves, the ignition to his car starts and he speeds away.
You stay and comfort you mother, you then walk softly upstairs and you lay down onto you bed, face in the pillows. Your chest heaves with the sorrow that has overwhelmed your conscious the burning sting of your father's betrayal. I place a fading hand on your back and you look up, a smile graces your face.
"Thank you" you say.

I smile the pain in my chest gone. I know then that my time with you is gone, it is time that I left to help another. You have grown up. And I am just a part of a dream, a faded whisper.

A part of your imagination.