Fragments - Flash Anthology

Eight

Hi there, Spoopy. How are you today?

It seems to notice me, like always. I don't think it hears me when I talk out loud. But, I always feel like it can hear my thoughts and I feel like I can hear it think thoughts back to me.

"Hi there, friend!" I imagine it replying.

Did you sleep well, Spoopy?

It probably wouldn't know what "sleep" means. Or maybe it remembers being alive. Or, maybe, Spoopy sleeps just like I do. I am worried to ask, maybe it's embarrassing.

"Of course I did! Did you?" I bet it would say.

Oh, I tried. But I had a bad dream.

"What kind of dream?"

Well, I was sleeping here in my bed. But then...

"I'm sorry, it was a nightmare, wasn't it? It's okay, you don't have to tell me any more."

Thank you, Spoopy. You're so nice to me. You're my bestest friend ever!

"Better than Jake down the street?"

Of course, duh! I can't tell him about my secrets, like you.

Maybe Spoopy would tell me with a grin, "I'll go haunt him! Then, he will believe you if you told him about me!"

No, no. That's not very nice. You'll just scare him away. And it'll be my fault! He'll hate me. And probably forever, too.

"Oh, fine. I won't haunt him. I don't want him to hate you."

There was a distant bang of metal. The old red-brown pickup truck's doors were always loud. It was him.

"Can I go haunt the man? Maybe I can scare him away for good!"

No, it's okay. I'll protect you from him, Spoopy. I don't want him to hurt you, too.