The Best of Friends

Lizzie was so excited about moving to the new house. Mama said that daddy would be home more because he would be closer to work, she would be able to walk to school instead of taking a long bus ride, and the new house had a real yard to play in! The apartment they had been living in was so cramped, always noisy, and no place to play except the hallway or the sidewalk outside. Yea, Lizzie was sure she was going to like the new house!

They had been in the new house about 6 weeks and Lizzie was thrilled! She finally had her very own bedroom. It had 4 big windows with pretty white lace curtains. Daddy had made her some bookshelves and a new toy chest and mama had painted the walls a light pink. It was the prettiest room she had ever seen. Since starting school, Lizzie had even made a new best friend. Ashley was so pretty! She had long blonde curly hair, sparkly blue eyes, and always seemed to be running and laughing.

Ashley showed Lizzie around their neighborhood, the local park and even showed her a secret clubhouse that she had found made with old plywood. It was in the woods that divided their neighborhood from the freeway. Lizzie really liked the park, but she didn’t want to tell Ashley that the clubhouse was a bit creepy. It always felt so damp and cool there, and seemed a lot darker than the rest of their neighborhood, even on bright sunny days. But, since Ashley was her best friend, she’d go to the clubhouse anyway, where they would spend the afternoon just telling stories about past friends or things they had seen or done.

Oddly, even though they played together every day, they never went to each others house to play. They always played outside. Lizzie used to have a friend back in the city that was like that, but she knew it was because Tammy’s daddy was always drinking and Tammy was too ashamed. Lizzie figured it must be something like that with Ashley, so she never asked her about it. She’d just meet Ashley at the park every afternoon after school.

One afternoon when they were at the clubhouse, Ashley asked her if she could show her something, but that she’d have to promise not to get scared. Lizzie couldn’t think of anything that would really scare her, unless it was a snake or something really gross, so she promised. Ashley walked over to a pile of old wood and lifted up a piece of plywood. There, laying right on the dirt and covered with a raggedy old blanket, was a little girls shoe and sock stuck on the end of a bone! Lizzie was terrified, screamed and fell backwards. Lizzie just looked at Ashley and asked her why she would show her such a thing. Ashley told her it was because she was her best friend and she thought she should know. Best friends weren’t supposed to have secrets! Lizzie told her that she didn’t want to ever come back to the clubhouse. It was a creepy place before, and now it was just plain scary. Ashley yelled at her, “Well it may be creepy, but you don’t know what scary really is!” They left the woods quietly, not really talking. Lizzie did tell her that she’d meet her at the park the next afternoon. Ashley just nodded, then they parted and went their separate ways.

The next afternoon, Lizzie waited and waited at the park, but Ashley never showed up. She finally went home just before dark. Her mother asked her why she was so down, and Lizzie told her mother that Ashley never showed up at the park. Oh, Lizzie, maybe she’s sick today.” her mother offered. Lizzie admitted that she hadn’t seen her at school, or that afternoon walking home, but she wondered if it was because of what happened at the clubhouse yesterday. Ashley did seem a bit different when they parted, and Lizzie wondered if maybe Ashley was mad at her for acting like such a baby. Lizzie asked her mom if she could take a couple of the fresh baked cookies down to Ashley’s house to see if they would make her feel better. Her mother told her it that sounded like a fine idea. She also said it was about time to meet Ashley’s parents and that since it was dark, she’d walk with her. They wrapped up 4 cookies in pretty plastic wrap and headed out the door. Lizzie showed her mom which house Ashley lived in, and they stepped up onto the porch and rang the doorbell.

A woman came to the door and asked them “What can I do for you?” Lizzie stepped forward and said “My name is Lizzie and I’m Ashley’s best friend and Ashley didn’t meet me at the park today and I thought maybe she was sick so I brought her some cookies. Well, me and mama did anyway.” The woman at the door went suddenly pale and seemed to lean on the door, obviously very shaken. Lizzie’s mom asked her if she was alright? The woman told them to please come in. She offered them a seat on the couch and told them she would be right back.

Lizzie and her mom sat down, and Lizzie got scared. She imagined that something bad had happened or that Ashley was really, really sick and that maybe Ashley was in the hospital or something. Then Ashley’s parents both walked into the living room, introduced themselves and sat down. Ashley’s dad then asked Lizzie when had she seen Ashley last. Lizzie told them it was yesterday afternoon. She told them that she and Ashley were best friends, that they had been ever since she moved to the neighborhood and that they played together every afternoon. Today was the first time Ashley had not shown up and that she was worried that Ashley was sick. Lizzie’s mom was getting quite uncomfortable and asked them “Why the questions? What is going on? Is Ashley missing or something?”

“Yes”, they answered, “Ashley is missing. She has been for 6 years now.” Suddenly, Lizzie knew where Ashley was. She knew why Ashley had shown her what was under the big pile of wood. She knew why Ashley wanted to go there all the time. She had been best friends with a ghost! She knew! SHE KNEW! Lizzie passed out cold.

© Dorothy Taylor 2008