"I'm dead," was all the boy said.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe5iL7HUaI8
"Oh. Well, how?" I naively asked.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxG8H2SsnGr
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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRSYlbxjkK
"Mae Lynn! Lunch time," she hollered.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpCaeF6UyRy
"I have to go eat now. Would you like to come with me?" I asked the boy next to me.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupHwaeAf4N
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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwmzBaGAzC
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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLe9DDBzbZi
"What's your name?" I asked the boy when he sat down.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxNvhn7zLp
"I...I don't remember," he replied.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNJLH8xngH
"Well, what do you remember then?" I questioned as I set up the pieces on the board.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8n8oZtHDQb
"I lived here. I don't know how long ago, though," he answered as he made his first move.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHv9TMJ59m2
After a few moments of silence, I finally asked, "Why are you dead then?"562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIix5mn1DQq
"There was...there was a fire...I...we...we were all in it. The whole house was on fire...that's all I remember..."562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyr5yAux8G
"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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJUeTA71Gy
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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpaRzmRal9F
"You said you don't know your name, right?" I asked after he settled down to sit.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWeLWLHSw4
The response I got was a curt nod of his head.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfhcD9OnP6
"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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfon5lLI5g
"It’s okay, Mae. I like it. Ash—it seems fitting," he said between chuckles.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3godS2kyr4
"Mae, let's go outside! The lake is so peaceful right now!" Ash exclaimed as he opened up my windows.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVeyXEfwhNc
"Okay Ash, just let me get my shoes!"562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ZTVFZDclR
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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaX5Bx87eXZ
"Oh hi Mae flower! Where are you going?" My mom asked.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7YkdjUE76
"We—well I'm going out to the lake to swing."562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1rtZBKir3
"Oh, okay, sweet heart."562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTgks7KzQ7O
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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfmTr8Wuwm
"Mae, do you have to go to school this year?" Ash questioned when I got close enough.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xc1izZ7Uq
"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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU8YKHnvgWv
"I'll be right there with you. I pinkie promise," Ash held out his pinkie to me as he swore.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXBH6BHKGg
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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGD2glijGx
"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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgXSBkkhC5
"Yeah, we'll go."562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eexmPTSJB
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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5LJCEOnlFW
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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpYCCHdTne6
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.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhnXdEfUDKo
"Good night, Ash."562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIC4eRbmLn4
"Night, Mae."562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYM8GB4qel
