Swing

Ghosts

"Where is it Macy?" I screamed looking through the box worriedly. "I can't find the next letter." I lay on the floor reaching out searching for it under her bed.

"You won't find it." Macy tells me amused looking down on me from the bed. "When you do something kind for a stranger you can have it." She rolls on her back and smiles at standing up.

"How exactly is that going to work?" I ask frustrated.

She wiggles her finger telling me to lean in, "wait and see." She whispers fading away, "Keep them in order Casey. Don't dissapoint me."

"I'm not sure what I'm suppose to do, why can't you just tell me?" I sigh knowing the answer. She never would tell me the answer.

"If you were given a million dollars what would you do with it?" She asked me as we walked home from school.

"I don't know whatever you would want me to do with it." My twelve year-old self answered honestly.

She laughed and ruffled my hair, "I won't always be around to tell you what you should do, silly. It should be what you would want to do with it."

"Then I'd use it to make sure you'll always be with me to tell me what to do." I answered happy with my answer.

"That's not how it works, we can't decide what life gives us. We can only decide how to handle what we're given." She lectures me.

"Then I'd buy a puppy!" I giggled at the thought, "I've always wanted one, but Mommy says we're not responsible enough." I frown dissapointed.

"Prove that you're ready and maybe she'll let you get one." Macy shrugs, "It can't hurt to try and prove her wrong. It's already a no so at worse it'll stay no."

"How can I show her I'm responsible enough?"

She taps on my head, "Use this and you'll find your answer. I can't tell you what you should do when you need to make a decision. It's your choices and when you're older I won't always be there to help you."

I hug her and hold her hand tightly, "Promise if you can be there you'll try to be."

She squeezes my hand, "Pinky promise," we interlock pinkies, "now let's seal it." We seal our promise with our thumbs. "I'll try to never leave you alone and scared."

"You could've helped it Macey, but you broke it. Though I guess I can't hate you for leaving me." I drift asleep in a dreamless rest.

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Ps on the side is Lacy