Blast From the Past: Imaginary Friends

It seems most kids' stories of imaginary friends are sweet and nostalgic, like the video for this beautiful song suggests.

My story is very different. It is dark and morbid. 

I was always jealous of Rae's imaginary friend. Clausha. She looked something like this, Rae said: 

I know, she's so weird! But I thought she was the coolest thing. Rae told us that Clausha was an alien. Clausha told stories about her planet and always had so much fun with Rae. 

I wished Clausha were my imaginary friend. 

Since I couldn't have her (Rae was adament we couldn't share), I made up my own. 

Elaine, with her golden ringlets and flouncy pale green dress, was so perfect. 

I felt sure Elaine was better than Clausha. My imaginary friend was real, not an alien. 

Elaine hid in the hallway linen closet so I could have her all to myself. 

Whenever I was alone, I snuck away to the closet, opened the cupboards, and talked with her. 

But pretty soon all I did was stare at her. 

She had such perfect hair. 

She even had green eyes to match her green dress.

I wanted that dress. 

I wanted her hair, too. 

As punishment for having what I wanted, I left her alone in the linen closet for a very long time.

When I finally visited her, weeks later, I told her she could leave. 

And she did. 

And then what did I do? I arranged secret meetings with Clausha.

What does that say about me??? Hahaha!