[ WP ] You have had an imaginary friend . One day you find that your friend is no longer invisible to everyone , but you are .

`` Come out come out wherever you are'', Gina screams, and I shiver from behind the curtains. `` Here I go.'' 
 
 Through the thin layer of white fabric, I follow her blurry shadow; going through the living room, searching, looking. 
 Under the couch and behind the stairs and by the bed, she searches. She ca n't see me. 
 
 No one can see me, here where I hide. 
 
 `` Jack'', she begins. `` Is that you?'' And pulls open the closet door. 
 
 No one. 
 
 From behind the curtain, I giggle. She'll never find me. 
 
 Jack's behind the fridge. That's where she's heading. 
 
 She finds Linda on the way, first, hiding in the bathroom. 
 
 `` Got you!'' She screams, and they go by dangerously close to the curtains, where I am. 
 
 No one can see me, here where I hide. 
 
 And now Linda, she lost, she's in the couch, she's waiting for the game to end. Linda's it. 
 
 And Gina heads for the fridge. Gina heads for Jack. Gina peeks around. Slow like a turning weather for the worst, Gina puts her 
 head around the fridge and -- I ca n't see it clear, through the fog of the curtain -- but she smiles. Yes she does. 
 
 `` Found you, Jack!'' 
 
 And Jack comes out, and he smiles, and he's happy Gina sees him. 
 
 He's happy people see him. 
 
 `` All right, who's it now?'' Jack asks, and throws a look my way. 
 
 He sees me. 
 
 From behind the curtain, I giggle. No one will find me, here where I hide. 
 
 But he sees me. 
 
 He stops mid-smile. We lock eyes. 
 
 I put my index finger over my lips and tell him to be quiet, and I smile. 
 
 I giggle. 
 
 I laugh, and I step away from the curtain towards them. 
 
 `` Jack'', I say. `` Greg'', he says. `` Go away, please'', he says. 
 
 He does n't like me very much. 
 
 The girls say nothing, and go on like they did n't see me. 
 
 Because they did n't. 
 
 No one can see me, here where I hide. No one but Jack. 
 
 Sometimes no one can see Jack. Sometimes I'm it. Sometimes they look behind the curtains, and I'm the one they find, and Jack just waits in silence. 
 
 But today? Today Jack's in charge, and I'm invisible. 
 
 I go around them, all the while turning my head to hold onto the stare at his scared, nervous eyes. 
 
 `` There will come a day'' I say, heading for the door. `` When it will be harder to hide me'', I say. `` Your father told you 
 that.'' 
 
 And I turn the front door's knob, and who I cross with on my way out is mom. His mom. Our mom. 
 
 `` Hello, Mrs. Durden'', the girls say, in unison. 
 
 `` Hi Marla'', I whisper, eyes still locked on Jack. She does n't hear me, sure, but Jack's all ears and tears, terrified. 
 
 Boy, he really hates me. 
 
 `` Jack, you father is -- what's going on?'' Marla asks, noticing her child's red, teary eyes. 
 
 I'm right behind her. He runs to his mommy, hugging her close, sniff and snorting back tears of fear. 
 
 `` Greg's back, mom.'' 
 
 From behind his mother, I smile. 
 
 No one can see me, here where I hide. 
 
 For now. 
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 *Thanks for reading! If, by any chance, you are following my ongoing sci-fi novel Angel District, Chapter 4 ( Part II ) is already up on the blog. [ Check it out ] ( https: //alpacareports.wordpress.com/angel-district/ ). * 
 

