The Childhood Friend

By Lavanya Singh

One day on his way home from school, Aiden glanced at the cemetery on the nearby street. His mind flashed back to the conversation he had with his friend earlier at school. “Do you believe ghosts exist?” Aiden sighed as he closed his eyes “For the 100th, no 1000th time, Jay. No, I don't.”

His friend closed his eyes rested his head on the back of the bench they'd been sitting on after the history class had been cancelled. “I know you do. You're just too scared to admit.” Aiden rolled his eyes at his friend. “But do you know that ghosts do come back to haunt or repay their kindness.” An overly excited Jay told his friend who was drinking water. “Oh yeah, of course they do.” Aiden commented sarcastically on his companion’s statement. Aiden’s mind snapped back to reality when Mochi - his cat rubbed his head on Aiden’s legs. He didn't even realize he had reached home. “Hey Mochi”, he said grabbing the cat's head. “Mom I'm home.” He shouted across the room. His mother who was working in the kitchen responded with a “welcome home, honey.”

That evening he felt weird as if someone was watching him. He looked out the room’s window but found that nothing except a crow. He turned his back and tried to focus again on his work, but he still couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched. This time he closed the curtains, shut and locked the door. He sat back down only to feel a chill down his spine. He was starting to get really annoyed with this. He suddenly remembers Jays words “ghosts come back to haunt or repay their kindness to people.” He remembered. How could he forget? Today May 7th is her birthday. Not his mother's or sister’s but hers of course. Now he understood why if he felt weird things, “Oh Yuki”, he said.

She was his first friend when he and his parents moved to the US from Japan. The two had quickly become friends from their shared culture and their love for mochi, not the cat - the food. She had been the one to name him that. He smiled fondly the picture propped on his study table next to his computer. He got ready and ran out the house to see her (after telling his mom of course). He bought her favourite flowers-white coloured tulips along the way. When he got there. It was just as quiet as ever.

“Hey!” his voice rang through an open space. “Sorry I forgot your birthday Yuki.” He bent down and perched the flowers on the cold stone platform. He smiled sadly as he remembered what happened to her. Yuki was eight years old when she first began to vomit uncontrollably after eating. The child got so terrified that she had bawled her eyes out for about two hours. He remembered that day like it was yesterday. After a few days she threw up again. Only this time there was blood in it. Her parents showed her to multiple doctors with no results. Her condition was getting worse day by day. A doctor said that he had not seen or heard of such weird symptoms. Headaches, vomiting with blood, nosebleeds, weakness and body aches. He means all these symptoms all at once. Yuki unable to get help from any of the doctors eventually succumbed to her mysterious disease when she was nine. Now in high school Aiden still missed her, but as was unable to do anything, except talk to a stone with her name and picture on it. After having a small conversation. He left the cemetery not feeling like he was being watched anymore, but he felt something else- like a small child hugging him. He smiled and walked home.

By Lavanya Singh