Alone:
There I sat alone and afraid. The walls were closing in, and darkness was near to greet me.
"Hello", I cried out.
There was no answer. Nervously I bit my fingers and reached for the apple inside my pouch. Was anybody there? Could they hear me? I was about to take a bite of my apple when suddenly I heard it.
"Noo," Don't eat me."
"Who's there? Who said that?"
"It's me, Apple. Can I be your friend?"
"Show yourself. I was born with no friends. They all left me when they realized how scared I was."
"I won't scare you. I just want to be your friend," Apple said.
Be strong:
"Friend? I like those words. Where should we go first, Apple?"
"Before we can go anywhere, you need to get over your fears."
"Boo!! Ha! Ha! Ha! Haaa!!"
"Aaagh, ghosts!! I hate ghosts."
"Do not be afraid. Just like they can scare you, you can scare them."
"How?"
"Just say what they say. Use their power against them. B is for 'boo'. Try it."
"Booooo!!"
"Booo!!"
"It's working!! They're leaving, but why?"
"Remember, whenever someone is trying to scare you, don't be afraid of them. Once they find out that you are not afraid to push back, then they will flee, just like the ghosts did."
CARING:
"Wait, why is that ghost over there crying?"
"Maybe he wasn't booing."
"He was scaring me, though."
"We might have misunderstood. Try saying hi to him instead."
"Hi? My dad said that ghosts scare, and when you encounter one, you need to get rid of them fast."
"He said that? Sometimes when people say hi, it sounds like they're trying to scare you, but not in their tongue. That's where C, 'Caring' comes in. If we want to know someone better, we should figure out how they communicate in their own tongue. Trust me. Go over there and introduce yourself."
Distinguished:
"Hello. My…uhh…my name's Darius. What's yours?"
*phupth!!* "My name's Ruby."
"I saw you crying and came to see if you're ok."
"I'm okay. It's just that 'booing' is how we say hi."
"Why boo?"
"We've found that people like 'funny'. That's why we boo. Sadly, people misinterpret our boo as us wanting them to leave. When you booed, did you want me to leave?"
"I just wanted to show you I wasn't afraid."
"I understand. Nobody wants me around."
"Don't say that!! Now that I know why you booed, I think you are a great girl that I would love to be friends with."
Encouraging:
"Friends? You really mean that? How could a ghost and a boy become friends? When people think of me, their thought is, 'run'."
"Ruby, other people may think of you as scary, but what do you think of yourself?"
"I try my hardest to be a kind, caring, ghost. I am a bit clumsy though, so when I clean up someone's house, I knock over pots and pans, and that's what scares them."
"Just keep being you. Stop being the person that others see you as and show them the person you want them to see."
"Thanks for the encouragement."
FEARLESS:
"Darius, time to wake up!! Come on down for breakfast."
"But dad!! Me and Ruby aren't done talking yet. Can I stay up here one more minute, pleasseeee!!"
"Another one of his imaginary friends, Hun?"
"I'm afraid so. You know, I wish instead of making up imaginary friends who tell him how to be a good friend, I wish they could just physically come here and be a good friend."
"At least he's trying. It takes time to reconnect especially after someone you love has died. It's only been a year since his brother's death, remember."
"I know. It's just that...."
*ding dong*
GENUINE:
"Who is it?"
"It's Ruby!! I'm a friend of Darius'."
"Darius!!! We told you that you have to ask us first if you can bring a friend over before you can just bring one."
"I didn't ask anyone over, I promise. Who's at the door?"
"She says her name is Ruby. Is she an 'imaginary friend' of yours?"
"I'LL BE RIGHT DOWN!!"
"What do you think that was all…woo!! Hey there son. Don't plow me over."
"Sorry!!
Ruby, I can't believe it's you. How..uh…how'd you get here?"
"You're squishing me too tight."
"Opps, sorry."
"You summoned me here, Darius!!"
HEARTFELT:
"Darius, what is she talking about?"
"There is a difference between an imaginary friend and an 'imaginary friend."
"Huh?"
"The gap is small but whenever a kid dreams of someone, then they are alive. But if they truly believe that not only is there a voice behind the character but also a physical being, then that person takes form and appears in the real world. The thing is, I'm only alive by his believing, but now that you guys can see me then that means it's thanks to all of you believing Darius' friends being real that I can live."
INTIMACY:
"Well, I'm glad that we believed so strongly or else you would have stayed imaginary."
"As I recall, a certain someone wished for Darius' friends to be real. Thanks for wishing, Mr. Heartchild."
"BOYS, and RUBY; come inside. The food's piping hot.
"COMING MOTHER!!!"
"Please, sit. Before we eat, let's give thanks by holding hands."
"Dear Heavenly Father. We thank you for this food and we thank you for this day. We thank you for our friend, Ruby and for blessing us with her presence. Bless this food we are about to eat and all the wonders we'll receive. Amen."
Joyful:
"So, Ruby. How did you two meet?"
"We um…scared each other."
"My son scared you? Did you scare him first?"
"I was only trying to say hi, but he took it as me scaring, so when he 'booed' back, I knew it was not a friendly hi greeting."
"She ran away and started crying, then Apple told me I should go say…wait..wait…where's Apple?"
"He's in my pocket.
He brought us together. Once I found out how distinguished your son was, I knew we would be close friends. He wasn't scared of me like most are when they see a ghost."
KIND:
"You're a ghost?"
"Yes. Please don't be frightened. If you have any questions, then feel free to ask."
"What…uh…what…"
"Do ghost girls like to eat on a day-to-day basis?"
"We don't eat. We sustain our energy on the psychic of others' emotions whether by scaring them, scaring them or by making them think we exist."
"I think what my wife meant to say was what do you consume through your mouth?"
"Ohhh, ohh!! I see. In that case, I can eat anything I want once I have been transplanted into a human soul. By the way, thanks for the hospitality.
Loving:
"Then please, eat up."
"Mom, after we're done eating, can I go out and play with Ruby?"
"Of course you can, Darius. Go out and enjoy yourselves."
"Thanks. We'll be home before eleven."
"Hey!! Eat everything on your plate. I shouldn't have to keep reminding you."
"Sorry. We'll need all the strength where we're going."
"Wait, where are you…"
"Bye!!!!"
"Hun, they're just kids. Remember the last time we saw a smile on his face?"
"It's...been awhile."
"Then let him enjoy this time with Ruby."
"They better not be gone too long because I might stop believing they're even real.