By:Yunive A.
“Mommy, who is that over there?”
Annie pointed her finger towards a dry, crooked tree, where no one stood. No one to be seen, her
mother looked at her incredulously, and decided to ignore it, but Annie kept glaring at the empty
space where emptiness stood, and went on to play.
That night, a cruel storm approached their small cottage house. Annie's mother prayed that the
storm would go away so Annie would no longer be frightened, and for their fragile house so it
would not fall apart. Annie's mother did not sleep well that night, or even slept at all for worry
wandered around her head. Who was that person who Annie had seen? She tried to comfort
herself by thinking that it was just an imaginary friend, and that it would soon be gone.
The next day, Annie claimed that she had spoken with a friend, which has strange regarding that
Annie did not have any friends who lived nearby. However, Annie's mother ignored this thinking it was just an imaginary friend, and that it would soon be gone.
Annie did not stop talking about her new friend, and how he took her places, and played “funny”
games. So, Sally found this odd, no imaginary friend would be so complex.
“Annie”, her mother said, “So who is this friend, you talk so much about?”
Annie did not respond, but smiled, and ran to her room, and returned with a key.
“I can show you if you want, mommy.”
Her mother, did not know how to respond but followed her through the hall, where they reached
a locked chest, which belonged to Annie's father. Annie opened the chest with the key, and
opened a box with all her father's belongings. They had all been hidden away a long time ago, and
the key was thrown to the pond ten years ago. Annie picked up a picture from when her father
was younger, and she held it up.
“Meet my best friend, mommy.”
Annie's mother was speechless, she did not what to say. It was unbelievable, her husband had
died in war, and he was never found, but rather sank in the sea, like the key.