Ghostly

Chapter One

{Chapter One}

ONE WEEK LATER:

   "Sweetie, why don't you go outside and play?" Lily's mom, Virginia asked her in a gentle voice. Lily looked up from her Barbies.

   "But mommy! Barbie might get dirty!" she complained in her adorable five-year-old voice. Her mom laughed.

   "Don't worry, you can give her a bath later. She just better be careful not to get too dirty," her mom said, clasping Lily's hand. Lily nodded, accepting her mother's reply. She let go of her mom's hand and skipped ahead, reaching up to the door. After fiddling with the knob for a few moments, she opened the door and squinted in the sunlight.

   "Come on mommy, hurry up!" she called back, racing outside.

   "I'm coming, I'm coming!" Virginia answered, grabbing her handbag and followed her daughter. She locked the door behind her and held Lily's hand.

   "Alright, I'm ready, let's go!" she said, walking Lily down the sidewalk.

   "Finally!" Lily sighed exasperatedly. Virginia smiled. They made their way to the city park, which was buzzing with activity. Bright, colorful balls were thrown everywhere, and the air was filled with shrieks of laughter from all the kids. The autumn leaves tumbled down from the surrounding trees. It was a lovely sight- and the weather was beautiful.

   "You go ahead and play, I'll just sit over there, okay?" Virginia said, pointing to a bench. Lily nodded enthusiastically and let go of her hand. She raced off towards the slides. Virginia sat down on the bench and pulled out a magazine. Soon she was absorbed in the lives of famous celebrities.

   Lily went up and down the green and red slides a few times, but got bored after a while. She walked into the sandbox and started building a sand castle.

   "That looks nice," a voice said. Lily looked up and smiled. A cute, older boy stood above her. He had chesnut colored hair and bright hazel eyes. He looked a bit, well, different. Lily remembered her manners.

   "Thanks!" she replied. The boy smiled and sat down next to her.

   "Who are you?" she asked.

   "I'm Alec," he answered.

   "I'm Lily, and I'm five years old," she introduced herself, holding out her small, sand-covered hand.

   "I'm seven," said Alec, but he didn't shake her hand.

   "You're supposed to shake it," Lily encouraged, referring to her hand. Hesitation swirled in his pretty eyes, as if he was having an inner fight with himself.

   "I, um, I can't touch other people," he replied cautiously. Lily dropped her hand and tilted her head in confusion.

   "Why-?" she began to ask.

   "I, er, am... different," he finished vaguely. Kids began leaving the park, and soon Alec, Lily, and Virginia were the only people left.

   "Different how?" Lily asked curiously. Alec looked around nervously.

   "I, uh, I'm just different. Well, I got to go, I'll see you around!" he said quickly, then stood up, brushed off his sandy jeans and ran off.

   "Hey!" Lily called out, but Alec had disappeared.

   "Lily, honey, are you ready to go?" her mom called.

   "Yes mommy!" Lily ran over to her mom.

   "So did you have fun?" her mom asked.

   "Yep, I made a new friend! His name is Alec, he's seven years old, and he's really nice!" Lily blabbered. Virginia smiled and walked Lily back home.

   The next day, Lily was in her room on her bed, coloring in a picture. She felt the bed shift, so she looked up and saw Alec sitting next to her.

   "Alec! What are you doing here?" she exclaimed. He smiled.

   "I'm sitting here," he answered. She giggled.

   "You're silly!"

   "No, I'm just telling the truth," he replied.

   "Did mommy let you in? I didn't hear the doorbell," she said.

   "Um, I came in from the window?" he made it sound like a question. Lily's eyes widened.

   "Wow! Can you teach me? Actually, no, don't teach me, I'm scared of heights," she corrected herself, gazing at the second story window of her room.

   "Yeah..." he laughed nervously.

   "So, why ARE you here?" she asked again. He shrugged.

   "I wanted to visit a friend," he answered. Lily smiled.

   "Yay! I'm your friend too!"

   "Yeah, I guess so," he laughed. He had a nice laugh.

   "Lily! Want a grilled cheese sandwich?" Virginia called up the stairs.

   "Yes mommy! I'll ask Alec if he wants one!" Lily yelled back. She turned back to Alec, who was looking a bit pale.

   "Do you want a grilled cheese sandwich? They're really yummy!" Lily offered. Alec shook his head frantically.

   "Mommy! Alec doesn't want one so you don't have to make him one!" Lily called.

   "Honey, who's Alec?" Virginia asked.

   "My friend from the park, remember?"

   "Yes, I remember, but he's in your room?" Virginia was getting confused.

   "Yeah!"

   Virginia climbed the stairs quickly and opened Lily's bedroom door. Lily was sitting there, her coloring book in her hand. No one else was in the room. She sighed, Lily must have an imaginary friend.

   "Lily, ready for your sandwich?" she asked. Lily nodded eagerly and looked at her bed.

   "Want to come?" she asked. Then she paused, as if listening to someone.

   "Okay, bye Alec," she sighed, then left the bedroom. Virginia glanced at the door, then back at the bed, then at the door again. She shook her head to clear her mind. Lily has good acting skills.

   Lily did see Alec several times after the visit in her bedroom. They laughed, talked, and did whatever they felt like doing. They were the best of friends. Yet there was something off about Alec, something that Lily didn't understand or know about. She always had a weird feeling about him. He was so mysterious, had so many secrets, and kept Lily wondering why she felt this way. Questions swirled around in her head.

   Where does he live?

   What school does he go to?

   How does he just seem to disappear?

   Why can't anyone else see him?

   Whatever it was, Lily was determined to find out.