Kailee Silver was walking home from school. She glanced over at her neighbor’s house; the old, creepy house that had stood there since 1934. She always glanced at that house when she walked by. Kailee didn’t like to take chances.

Today, a giggling little girl was playing in the yard, holding a tea party complete with china cups and a lace tablecloth. But she had no stuffed toys around her; the table was set only for two. One for her. And one for the empty chair opposite her. That was odd. It was almost as if she was waiting for someone. Someone who would never come.

Entering her kitchen, Kailee hung up her backpack and grabbed a granola bar from the pantry. Munching on chocolate chips and oats, she ventured into the living room, where her parents were watching the news.

“... And so young, too,” her mother was saying in a mournful voice.

“What happened?” Kailee asked through a mouthful of her granola bar.

Her parents turned to her with sad faces.

“Didn’t you hear? The neighbors were killed in a car crash,” said her father.

Kailee stopped.

“Their daughter too?”

Her mother looked puzzled. “She was picked up by foster care a few hours ago, honey.”

“We saw it,” her father said.

“Then who…” Kailee gazed out the window. The child was gone, the tea party long forgotten by a crying child and her invisible friend.

Kailee was walking to school the next morning when she heard a child talking. Taking a deep breath, she turned around and saw the girl in her neighbor’s yard animatedly talking to the air beside her. Taking a cautious step closer, Kailee heard her talking about someone named “Ann”.

“She’s always pulling my hair in class,” the girl was saying. “And at recess she―” the girl stopped when she saw Kailee. Eyes narrowed, the girl stood up and walked towards her.

Though she couldn’t have been more than eight years old, her glittering zaffre eyes brimmed with an aura of power and self-confidence. Her spotless cotton dress was mint-green with a pattern of violets. Her socks were crisp and clean under her black satin mary-janes. Her skin was like marble; her bob was as sharp and shiny as black glass. A red velvet bow was nestled neatly on the top of her head. Kailee took a step backward.

“My name is Leona,” said the girl. “Who are you?”

“My name is Kailee,” Kailee replied carefully. “Um- weren’t you in foster care?”

Leona shook her head. “Benny told me not to go.” she patted the air beside her.

Kailee breathed a sigh of relief. An imaginary friend. She could deal with this.

“Are―are you all alone in the house, Leona?”

Leona shook her head again. “Benny too.”

“But no parents.”

Leona sniffled. “No.”

Starting to panic, Kailee stepped coser. “Can you let me in, Leona?”

Leona nodded and opened the gate. Kailee stepped through and immediately felt as though she had stepped into winter.

“No, Benny!” Leona cried. “She’s good!”

The chill passed.

Leona led her through the yard and gave her a tour of the house. After she finished, Kailee turned to the little girl.

“Leona, you really should go into foster care,” she began. “It would do you so much good―”

Leona shook her head violently. “But Benny says I shouldn’t go!”

Kailee sighed. “I’m sorry, Leona. But Benny can go too.”

Leona glanced at the air beside her. “Alright. I’ll go.”

Kailee smiled, relieved. She took out her cell phone to call the foster care place, but she dropped it. She picked it up to try again, but it just fell from her hand again. Leona looked terrified.

“He doesn’t want me to go,” she whispered. “He doesn’t want me to do what I should.”

“Leona, what’s happe―”

Kailee screamed as she was lifted up by some unseen force and slammed back onto the ground.

“Benny, stop!” Leona cried―

She too was lifted up, up, up, and slammed onto the ground, unconscious.

Kailee groaned and swiped at the air around her. The invisible thing stopped and she fell. Fumbling for her phone, she dialed the foster care number and shouted the address. They came in fifteen minutes and picked up Leona, who had regained consciousness.

Sometimes, when the air was cool and the leaves blew, Kailee still heard whispers around the house, as if Benny was talking to his own imaginary friend, far, far away.