The Pyle Inside

The white door squeaked open, tiny hands wrapped around the edge,

“I’M HOME” Ellis screamed as she bounced into her pink princess bedroom. She tossed her backpack into a pile of stuffed animals.

“Where are you?” she squealed, as she looked around the empty room. She ran over to her bed and ducked down to check underneath. “There you are!” She giggled at the empty space. “Come out guys!”

“Ha, you got us!” I said as I climbed out from under the bed. Mr. Invisible Man and Stinky followed after me. I walked over to the other side of the room and sat down at the tea table.

“How was school?” asked Stinky, she sat next to me as the others sat down as well.

“It was okay,” mumbled Ellis as she began to pour some imaginary tea. I noticed her smile grew faint as she sat down and began to sip the empty cup.

“This is delicious like candy,” said Mr. Invisible Man, in his dopey voice, as he loudly slurped his tea.

“Slurping is impolite,” said Stinky sternly.  

“To make this tea, I added lots of sugar!” Said Ellis excitedly

“What should we do today?” I said happily, trying to lighten the mood, “We should go to the park!”

“We can’t Toby, it’s raining today,” sighed Ellis. So we decided to play with dolls. We played for hours. Soon it was dinner time and Ellis left with her mom. Once she came back, and once her Mom tucked her into bed and left the room, she waved us over.

“Listen I want to tell you something,” she said softly as we gathered around the bed.

“Ok Ellis,” said Stinky.

“I have to grow up,” she said. The whole world went quiet as she said that. “I can’t have imaginary friends anymore.” Silence.

“What? You don’t have to grow up yet,” pleaded Mr. Invisible Man.

“Yes I do, I’m eight now and nobody else at school has imaginary friends.” Ellis said sternly.

“It’s not time yet, we haven’t finished playing.” said Stinky.

“Ellis, what about us, where will we go.” I asked. I was in shock. I didn’t think this would happen for a long time. She’s not ready to go off on her own and she’ll be lonely. Then she’ll be so forlorn.

“I don’t know, I hope somewhere good. Because I can’t give you tea there.”

“Why now though, why not later?” asked Stinky

“Because, because I have to because people don’t like you guys.” Said Ellis.

“But do you like us Ellis?” Asked Stinky.

“Yeah I like you a lot. I like how you smell as bad as like hotdog water. And how Mr. Invisible Man says he has rainbow hair. And I like you Toby, because you always make me smile. But I have to say goodbye.”

“You have to say goodbye?” said Mr. Invisible Man, “Right now?’
“Yeah, because tomorrow I’m all grown up.” She sat up from bed and turned to face Stinky.

“Stinky, you smell so bad. But it’s ok because I know I have to take a bath or I’ll smell like you,” Stinky giggled. Ellis blinked her big green eyes and Stinky began to fade.

“Bye Ellis,” She said, her blurred voice filling the air, the smell of hot dog left the room. Ellis sighed as she turned to Mr. Invisible Man,

“Mr. Invisible Man, Someday, I’m going to have rainbows hair” She blinked once again and Mr. Invisible Man began to fade away. It was dusky, and the cicadas buzzed loudly on the tree outside the window. I moved so that I sat across from Ellis on the fairy decorated bed. She wrapped her arms around me and gave me a big hug. Smiling, she let go and looked me in the eyes. For the last time she blinked her big green eyes and laid down on her bed. I tried to say bye but I sounded like I was underwater. My vision was hazy and my eyes grew heavy as I felt myself disappearing. I let them close. She could grow up now. I feared she would be lonely.  Later on, I had a dream, about Ellis. She was playing outside with another girl from school. Above all she was as happy as a little kid on their birthday.  I knew everything was going to be alright. And the rest, I’ll leave up to your imagination.