The House Of J (Jack Frost and Wind story)

You're never too old for invisible friends

Jamie was waiting for the kettle to whistle and in the meantime looked over the many papers scattered on the kitchen table. He was burned out. His new job was rather boring. Who would have thought it possible for boredom to be exhausting?

He moved into this house right after he finished college and enjoyed the bachelor life but some days, he longed for some company.

A knock on the window snapped him out of his thoughts. He smiled immediately because he knew of only one person who it could be and it was the perfect person to fix the mood he was in.

"Come on in, Jack," he invited the spirit waiting outside the living room window.

"I hope I'm not intruding,"

"Of course not. Get in."

Jack came in through the window but then put his hand outside in a strange gesture and said, "Come."

Then, he closed the window and beamed at Jamie.

"Jamie, I'd like you to meet Wind. Wind, this is my friend Jamie," and he looked to an empty space to his right.

Jamie narrowed his eyes, not understanding what was going on.

"Ah, you can't see her, huh?" Jack's smile faltered.

Jamie blinked. All right. Apparently, there was someone invisible in his living room. He shook his head to confirm.

"Well, this is Wind," Jack continued. "She's a spirit, like me." He grinned broadly. "Maybe you just have to believe that she's real. Well, she is. She's standing right here." Then, he spoke to the invisible person on his right, "Wind, do something to show him you're here."

This was utterly bizarre but before Jamie could respond in any way, he felt a gust of wind in his hair as if someone had just combed it. He'd seen Wind do that to Jack's hair in the past and it was the strangest sensation to be on the receiving end of it.

Jamie looked again at the space next to Jack, trying to concentrate but it did nothing to help him see the invisible spirit. He's been able to see Jack since childhood and thought that simply believing in the existence of a spirit was enough to see him but maybe it was more than that.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I believe that she's there, I do. I really want to see her. Maybe if you describe what she looks like?"

"Yeah, sure." Jack grinned again. "She's got long hair, light brown. She's about my age. She's wearing a light-blue robe tied at the waist, and she's barefoot like me."

Jamie stared at the spot, willing himself to see this girl Jack was describing but still saw nothing. What he did notice was the way Jack was looking at her. No, he wasn't looking, he was gazing, mesmerized as if he forgot where he was and all he saw was her.

The kettle whistled and Jamie ran into the kitchen.

"Tea?" Jack shook his head and Jamie poured the water into the cup he prepared earlier. "Wait, did you say robe?"

"Well," Jack scratched the back of his neck, "she didn't like anything else."

Jamie decided to drop this for a moment and filed it away on the list of questions to ask later. "I'm sorry, Wind. I don't see you."

"That's a shame, I hoped you two could meet each other. Actually, there's also something else I wanted to ask. Would you mind if we used your couch tonight? Wind is really tired and I didn't know where else to go. We won't bother you. She'll just sleep there and I can sleep anywhere, even the floor, I don't care..."

"It's okay," Jamie interrupted. "You can stay, but forget the couch. There is a spare bed in the attic. That will be more comfortable. Actually, I've been meaning to tell you, feel free to come back every day or night if you're around here. You can have the attic for yourself, treat it like your room. I love your company. Beats sitting here alone."