The White Tree

Chapter 2

"What the heck?"

Emily was the first one to speak, which snapped us out of our shocked state

"Jilly really wasn't joking," I said softly, and Jun's head snapped towards me.

"Are you talking about the magical tree? I dunno, this looks cool, but I don't think it's magical... I mean, it's magically awesome, but that's all the magic that is here, if there is any after all."

"No, I'm talking about the tree with white leaves she told me about," I corrected. "I thought she was joking, but she was really telling the truth."

"You see, I really wasn't joking."

We all turned towards the direction of the voice to see a hooded figure. They angled their face towards the light, and I wasn't too shocked when it was Jilly.

"So this is what you meant by 'I'll be there too,' huh?" I said, smiling despite her sudden appearance. "Of course, you make a mysterious entrance."

Emily and Jun were shocked for some reason, and I had a feeling it wasn't just because of her quiet presence. "What is it, guys?"

Jun pointed a shaky hand towards Jilly. "J-Jilly..."

I looked at Jilly, wondering what was wrong. "I don't see anything-" My breath hitched as I saw Jilly's existence shimmer, like a glitch in a video game. It was impossible! Maybe our eyesight was just failing us, because of the atmosphere near the tree...

"Oh, yes... I was waiting for you guys to come here so I could tell you a very personal... secret." Jilly smiled ruefully, putting her hood down so her whole face was visible. "You see, I'm not actually a human being. I am... how do I phrase it? I am what you humans may call a 'phantom.' You see, this is why I asked you that question in math class, Avaline."

We were all silent before Jun started shaking her head wildly. "No, no, this is just a prank! Something, maybe in the air, makes you look all weird and like a bad connection on TV! Yeah, maybe there are chemicals that... drugged us or something!"

"Jun, I think she's telling the truth..." I said quietly.

She held her head in her hands and groaned. "I don't know, this is just too much for me to take in... How can Jilly, our best friend for 2 years, be a freaking phantom?!"

Jilly shifted awkwardly, definitely feeling self-conscious at the situation. I mentally face palmed; Jun shouldn't be so ignorant of how Jilly was feeling as she vented about her being a phantom!

"Jun," I said, but Jun didn't heed my call.

"Jun!" She kept on blabbering about how unbelievable it is.

"JUN!" I yelled. I could feel my irritation building slowly.

She stopped and, looking at me in surprise, asked, "What?"

"Can't you see how uncomfortable you're making Jilly?" I asked, directed a steely gaze at her. "Calm down and you can vent later, but for now, let her explain."

A light pink tinted her cheeks. "S-sorry," she mumbled.

Jilly took a deep breath. "So... first of all, I was born in 1923, the year the first portable radio was developed, and when I was 15, my mom and dad died of starvation, because they were too old and weak to hunt for food, leaving me to live alone in a house. Guess what? It was also located in the middle of nowhere! I had to take two poorly-made knives, a bow, and few arrows- for those were the best weapons in the house- and leave to survive in the wilderness surrounding my house. I used those weapons to kill animals for food.