"I'm not crazy," I whined to my friend, Mason. Keegan also threw me a weird look.
My shoulders hunched as we walked through the school halls to our next class.
"We're in seventh grade, Millie," Keegan told me with lowered eyebrows. "We're too old to believe in monsters or imaginary friends."
"But I'm not making this up!"
"I..." Mason glued his eyes to floor, not sure how to respond. "I want to believe you, but I just can't when it's something like that. A monster? In your silo?"
"A shadow person... and he has a name: Henry." I flicked them on their foreheads and they quickly clamped over the spot.
"Ow!" They winced in unison, but still laughed.
"My mom says shadow people are dangerous, and can steal away your breath. Though, Henry doesn't seem to be like that."
"Your mom believes in this too?" Keegan looked at me with shocked eyes. "Now I know where you get your crazy from. You're both mad."
"Hey!" I gave him a slap on the arm that time. "Don't you dare bring my mother into this like that."
Keegan rubbed his arm before letting it fall around my shoulders in a friendly way. "Millie, you're my friend, and I'm sorry... but I can't believe this."
───────
"I'm going outside!" I called to my mother as I reached for the door handle.
"No, you're not," she told me. My mom appeared from around the corner. Her arms crossed over her chest as my hand fell from the door. "It's cold out there."
"I have a jacket."
"You're going to go back to the silo, aren't you?"
There was a stern look in her eyes. I messed with the zipper of my jacket, feeling uncomfortable.
"No," I quietly lied. "I'm scared of the silo. Ever since you told me about the dangers of shadow people, I've been staying away from that area."
Suspicion was written on her face. My father poked his head to where we were, glancing between the both of us. "Honey," he directed towards my mother, "can I talk to you?"
The two disappeared behind a closed door that led into their bedroom. My feet cautiously crept to the door and I leaned my ear closer.
"Why didn't you kill that thing when it was first caught?" my dad shouted the question at my mother.
"I didn't know how to! I still don't!"
My hand found its way to my chest, resting right above my pacing heart.
"What if it hurts Millie? The thing is dangerous!"
He has a name... and Henry isn't just a thing. I pushed myself away as I began to run outside and towards the silo.
