Short Stories

Almost Gone

   "This way Drum!"
   Drum began running pulling up his pants. He and Rick were playing "Aliens Attack." It was Rick's favorite game. They would be trying to find a shelter, usually the shed, where the weapons were. It was always fun to be with Rick. Considering he was the only one who could see Drum.
   Drum was Rick's imaginary. He had blue hair that he kept in a short ponytail. A white T-shirt. Green jeans. Suspenders. Cowboy boots and spurs. His eyes were a bright pink too.
   He remembered the first day he was created. Rick had been interested in a strange cartoon when he made Drum up. The drums had been Rick's favorite instrument, which is how he got the name.
   "I'm coming Rick!" He yelled chuckling. He was given a strange singing in unison voice. But it didn't bother Rick.
Drum loved being around Rick more than anything. He didn't care if Rick was blabbering about some random subject. Or if Rick was ill and just needed someone to sit with him. It never bothered Drum.

"Moooom! Stop mother henning me! I got my homework done!" Rick whined walking away from his fussing mother.
Drum chuckled in a corner. Rick had grown a little older and was almost always loaded down with homework. He would forget it fifty percent of the time.
As Rick was heading back to his room Drum walked beside him. "Did you really do your homework?" Drum asked with a sly grin. Rick ignored him. "Okay, I won't push... Do you want to play some board games?" Rick still didn't answer. Drum crossed his arms. "Helloooo?" Rick still didn't answer. "RICK?!"
Rick jumped and looked at Drum. "Don't scare me like that! I almost wet myself!" Rick had also become fairly louder.
"I've been trying to talk to you." Drum said glaring.
Rick screwed up his face. "You have? I didn't hear you."
Drum gaped, then closed his mouth. "Never mind, you're probably tired... So do you want to play some board games?" He asked again.
"Sure!" Rick said, a broad smile appearing on his face.

It had been four years. And Rick was having more and more problems seeing Drum. He would stand right in front of Rick, yet he would remain unnoticed. Rick and his mom were in the middle of an argument at the moment. And Drum was eaves dropping.
"Rick, you need to stop with this nonsense." His mother said. "You're twelve. Drum doesn't exist. You made him up. People are starting to look at us like we're crazies."
"So what if they do? Drum is my best friend."
"He is a figment of your imagination."
"He. Is. Real!" Rick yelled hitting the table.
"If I so much as hear you talk about him. I'm grounding you for a year."
"Go ahead! He's real! I know he is!"
Drum quickly ran and sat on the couch when he heard Rick scoot his chair back. He came stomping into the room with his mother yelling after him.
He ran out the front door. Slamming it behind him. Drum followed, keeping up quite well. Rick kept running until he came to his friend's house. He quickly knocked on the door.
When Gerald finally opened it Rick pushed him aside and leaned against the wall. Drum went with him, but stayed well out of sight. But not out of earshot.
"Rick, what's up? You look horrible." Gerald asked squatting down next to him.
"I can't stop seeing Drum and my mom is getting mad. I know he's in my head but he's so real."
"Why don't you ignore him? That might help."
"But I'd be ignoring my best friend." Rick said looking at Gerald, who had a hurt expression.
"If he's your best friend. We need to get you a therapist. Take my advice. Just ignore him. He'll eventually go away."
Rick nodded. "Okay. I'll give it a try."
"Do you want to stay for a few minutes?"
Rick nodded eagerly.
Drum felt a bitter cold tear run down his cheek.

And he did. He didn't pay one nick of attention to Drum. Even when he screamed, Rick pretended he wasn't there. It had been about two months since that had started happening, when Drum noticed something horrible.
"Rick!" He yelled in the poor boy's ear. "Rick this is important!" He thrusted out his shaking hands. "I'm fading Rick! I'm fading!"
Rick gave him a sidelong glance, as if, just noticing he was there. "Happens to the best of em." He said quietly.
Drum looked at him for a long moment. "Do you not care? I know I'm in your head. But this is death for me. I cannot be recreated! No matter how hard someone tries! I'm your imaginary friend. Not your mom's or dad's or the President's. Only yours."
Rick seemed to have not noticed him. Drum suddenly became dizzy, and sick. He noticed he was becoming less visible. "You really don't care, do you?"
"It was bound to happen one day." Rick said going back to the picture he was drawing.
It felt like there was a small pop in his chest. And poof. He was gone.
Rick took a shuddering breath. He put the finishing touch on his picture and tore it out. He opened up his "Comic Notebook" and tapped it on a page. He wished Drum would have looked at the pictures...
Because the main character was him. And it was called "Aliens Attack." Their old favorite game.