Afterlife

 

Once upon a time there was a kid who was 8 years old. One day, he was playing with another kid in a park, his mother asked him who he was playing with, and he answered her that he was playing with his new friend called Matt. His mother was confused because there was no one there, but she decided to ignore that weird situation.  Days later, her kid was laughing like he was talking with someone.  His mother went to his room and there was no one there. She asked him one more time who he was playing with, he answered her with his friend that he met at the park, so one more time she was confused, and right after, she left the room even more confused. 

They decided to take him to the psychologist, after noticing some strange behavior. The psychologist, after several sessions, assured them that nothing was wrong; perhaps, he was just indulging in his imagination. Relieved but still concerned, the parents tried to dismiss their worries.

Days turned into a frantic search when their son disappeared without a trace. They combed through every nook and cranny, fearing the worst. Then, out of nowhere, the boy reappeared, causing a flood of relief and joy. But his explanation left them puzzled; he had been searching for his friend, the one he hadn't seen in days.

Their confusion deepened when the friend suddenly materialized, as if from thin air. They played together, but there was an underlying tension, a feeling that something wasn't quite right.

It was during one of these playdates that things took a sinister turn. Matt, the friend, whispered urgently to the boy, pleading for help to escape his unseen prison. Trembling with fear, the boy followed Matt to a forbidden area, where they stumbled upon a chilling discovery of a body identical to Matt's.

The shock of the revelation sent the boy into a frenzy of screams, drawing the attention of nearby police officers. As they investigated, they uncovered the truth the body belonged to a missing child, the very one the boy had been searching for.

Amidst the chaos, the boy's parents arrived, their relief at finding their son tempered by the horror of the situation. The boy's tears flowed freely as he grappled with the realization that his friend's spirit had sought him out for a final, desperate plea for release.

As the days passed, the boy's unease grew, his dreams haunted by fleeting glimpses of shadows and whispers in the dark. Each night, he found himself drawn to the window, gazing out into the silent darkness, searching for something he couldn't name.

When Matt’s finally reappeared, his spectral form flickering in and out of existence, the boy's heart clenched with a mixture of fear and longing. Matt's urgent plea for freedom echoed in his mind, driving him to take action, despite the gnawing dread in his gut.

Now, as he stood before the lifeless body that mirrored his friend, he realized the true extent of Matt's torment and the depth of his own grief. With tear-stained cheeks, he whispered a promise to set his friend's spirit free, to ensure that Matt could finally find peace in the afterlife.

Sofía Gutiérrez Pertuz, Step 9