"I'm dead," was all the boy said.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLl2JabQhj5
"Oh. Well, how?" I naively asked.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18e5O3VLuv
The boy smiled at me before patting my hand and looking out at the lake. Inwardly, I pouted. I had hoped he would at least tell me his name. We sat by the lake for a while until my nanny yelled out from the back door.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDp6FbDRKT
"Mae Lynn! Lunch time," she hollered.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwmKVkITd9
"I have to go eat now. Would you like to come with me?" I asked the boy next to me.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyH8WQCZHmJ
He smiled at me before standing and offering me his hand. I readily took it and hauled him towards the door. I smiled at my nanny and proceeded to pull the boy to the kitchen table. I sat in my usual chair near the head of the table and dragged my new friend to the seat next to mine. My nanny had set a sandwich sliced diagonally in half in front of me. I offered the boy half of my sandwich, but all he did was smile and shake his head.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJGGeNpQto
After lunch I dragged my new friend up to my room to play. My nanny didn't even acknowledge him, which I thought was rude, but he didn't seem to mind. My room was nothing special. It had plain white walls and boxes, which I had yet to unpack, in the corner. I grabbed my Checkers board and sat down on my twin sized bed and patted the spot next to me.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ytItwrA3W
"What's your name?" I asked the boy when he sat down.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdqGW79poL
"I...I don't remember," he replied.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDZHj2UMvK
"Well, what do you remember then?" I questioned as I set up the pieces on the board.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSyblB0IsS9
"I lived here. I don't know how long ago, though," he answered as he made his first move.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zGthnuVKm
After a few moments of silence, I finally asked, "Why are you dead then?"576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85kke7Mzvd
"There was...there was a fire...I...we...we were all in it. The whole house was on fire...that's all I remember..."576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1mmg4lPss2
"I'm sorry."
After our heart to heart there was no more talking. We sat there in silence until my nanny yelled up to me for dinner. When I looked towards my new friend, he was gone. He had just disappeared with no trace that he had left at all.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcO2V4ZEZSx
It wasn't until later that night—after I had gotten into bed—that he had appeared again. My mom had to work a double shift that night, so my nanny had to stay until she got home. She didn't seem to mind by the sound of her snores. I had gotten into my pajamas and just gotten under the covers when he had appeared at the foot of my bed. He looked just the same as before; even his clothes were the same.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHj38YVenr
"You said you don't know your name, right?" I asked after he settled down to sit.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCb9UoF9VVz
The response I got was a curt nod of his head.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnh5ZTVEY4m
"Can I call you Ash? I mean, if you don't mind. I just figured that you'd like to have a name. Everyone likes to have a name. There's no reason you shouldn't have one, too. You don't have to say yes, it’s entirely up to you—" my ramblings were cut short by his chuckle.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0u31bAknAn
"It’s okay, Mae. I like it. Ash—it seems fitting," he said between chuckles.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKBI1lR3sS
"Mae, let's go outside! The lake is so peaceful right now!" Ash exclaimed as he opened up my windows.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpYrpGaNdQ
"Okay Ash, just let me get my shoes!"576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5RnVoct7C
I pushed away from the desk that had been added to my room in my absence. I slipped the sandals that were near the doorway on and left down the stairs towards the back door in the kitchen. My mom was washing dishes at the sink when she noticed my entrance.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfUX1KyFEh
"Oh hi Mae flower! Where are you going?" My mom asked.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5R9fHAZlPa
"We—well I'm going out to the lake to swing."576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcEanX1YwH
"Oh, okay, sweet heart."576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5L4gpN8Y1
I was lucky I had caught myself before I said we. My mother was put under the impression that I no longer saw or spoke to Ash. I hate keeping my best friend a secret, but it’s for the best. I exited through the backdoor and walked at a steady pace while Ash ran ahead to the swing. He could be such a child sometimes.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHN44wkBA0
"Mae, do you have to go to school this year?" Ash questioned when I got close enough.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBiPP1Lhl8
"Sadly, yes. Mom wants me to be able to be a regular teen and go to high school. I'm dreading it!" I over exaggerated.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6YlNW2vYk
"I'll be right there with you. I pinkie promise," Ash held out his pinkie to me as he swore.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1VCn8tgvp
I wrapped my pinkie around the offered pinkie to seal the deal. Ash has been doing pinkie promises with me since grade 5 when I was scared to go alone. I wasn't very good at making friends back then, and to tell the truth, I'm still not good at it. I hate the thought of being the new kid.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpKz1GOSkD
"Hey Mae, can we go to the library tomorrow? I wanna get a look at the archives and find out about the fire," Ash murmured after a few moments of silence.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JSpn0zF0c
"Yeah, we'll go."576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavdqrcgxNP
I patted his knee from my position on the ground near the swing. I had made a promise long ago when I was in the psych ward that I would help Ash find out who he was when we were let out. I intend to keep that promise. My best friend deserved to know who he is, who his parents are. That's what I'd love more than anything to be able to give Ash. He deserved it for being there for me all these years.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJQbxlL9cA
We stayed that way until the moon was high in the sky and all that could be heard was the sound of the crickets playing their sweet songs. Soon enough I could hear my mother calling for me to come inside. I stood and brushed off my back side and lead the way back to the house. Ash wasn't far behind me. He never was.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUIQT8QM8g
Entering in through the kitchen door, I said my good nights to mom before heading towards the stairs to go to my room. When I finally made it to my room, I plopped face down in my bed.576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4E4PLh2zT
"Good night, Ash."576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgM3Vp2Ow4m
"Night, Mae."576Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBmtMYU4nw
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