My Dead Best Friend

Stacey's life gets turned upside down with a near death experience.

The man in the Fadora hat was angry. He was very angry. He didn't like it when I had friends over. His name was Frankie, and he wanted me all to himself.

 

I met Frankie when I was 5 years old. I was outside playing with my barbies in the pool. The mean boy next door named Jacob always teased me about my barbies. Our parents were friends so I always had to put up with him.

 

That day, Jacob thought it would be funny to put my head under water. While our moms had their back turned, he forced me under water. I tried bobbing up, but i couldn't. He had my arms pinned so I couldn't push myself up. I started getting light headed, and then suddenly, everything was black.

 

I saw a nice man in a white robe. I tried following him, but he told me to stay.

 

"It's not your time yet child." He said, and fly away back to the sky.

 

When I did wake up, I was in a hospital bed. My mother and father were in the chairs next to me crying. I was okay. That night, I met Frankie.

 

He was a short man, with a Fadora hat. He always carried a gun and a flask that he would take sips out of periodically. He always had a cigar hanging out of his mouth. The first time I saw him, I mentioned that.

 

"My mommy says smoking's bad for you." I said promptly.

 

"I don't give a f**k what ya mommy says kid." Frankie said, cackling.

 

"That's not a nice word. Mommy also says cussing is for bad people."

 

"Look kid, Im not here to listen to your mommy's word of wisdom."

 

"Then why are you here?"

 

He just stared at me. I eventually fell aslee and the rest was history. Jacob wasn't pentalized for almost drowning me, even though he should have been. Frankie had been in my life ever since. Kind of like a guardian angel I guess, but he was mean.

 

He never hurt me, but he was extremely pessimistic. My mother got upset with me for telling her about Frankie. She thought he was my imaginary friend, and that someday I would grow out of it. But I never did. Now here I am, 16, and still talking to Frankie.

 

When I was 13, I was institutionalized. They diagnosed me Paranoid Schizophrenia, and I was put on anti-psychotics. It didn't help, but I learned to keep my mouth shut. I never talked about Frankie anymore, and eventually I tried to ignore him.

 

But it was hard to ignore an overweight mobster with a gun. Seriously. Who could ignore that? Now im not saying that im sane. But im definately not imagining him. He's there. Mostly, he complains about how hard his life was.

 

He gets angry when I have friends over. One time, Lisa Plumbly came to my house. A pretty little girl with long blonde hair. Well Frankie didn't like her, because I wouldn't pay attention to him. So he chopped off all her hair in the middle of the night.

 

I got blamed for that. Back then, I didn't really mind. But soon after that, nobody invited me to birthday parties or sleepovers. I became a walking plague. I still go to the same school system.

 

My parents said I can't run away from my problems. Yeah right. Not with Frankie around I can't.

 

"Hey kid, I think it's time we talked." Frankie said, lighting up his cigar.

 

"About what?"

 

"About us. Your getting older, growing up. Your starting to look like a beautiful young lady. Maybe it's time we took our friendship to the next level, tootz."

 

"F**k off."

 

"Don't talk to me like that." Frankie said, grabbing his gun.

 

"What are you going to do? Shoot me? Your a ghost you twat. You can't kill me with a gunshot wound."

 

"Your right, but I will find a way." Frankie said.

 

Then he did the most peculiar thing ever. He left.

 

It's been about 2 months, and there has been no sign of Frankie. It's probably been the most peaceful 8 weeks since I was 5.

 

School even became easier. I found some friends. Even though they weren't really the best crowd to hang out with, they accepted me. They didn't call me a freak, or tell call me schizo stacey. My name is Stacey, by the way.

 

I have also been really big into art, and they always complimented it. Saying I should help Tim Burton with one his animated films. All my work was a little disturbing.

 

Then I started having nightmares. In my nightmares, Frankie killed me everytime. One time, he pushed me off my parents apartment building. The other, he cut my throat with a nail file.

 

I just ignored them. I went on with my life, and then I met Andrew. I fell in love almost instantly. He was the new kid, so he avoided all the rumors about me. He even asked me on a date. Which is where I am now, getting ready for my date.

 

I've come so far. The door is ringing downstairs. Mom calls up that he's here.

 

When I open the door, there's Andrew. He flips his black hair to the side and smiles. He shakes hands with my mom and dad, and off we go. Andrew has his own vehicle. He owns an old car. It kind of looks like a hearse. Creepy. Just my style.

 

"So, what do you want to do?" Andrew says smiling.

 

"We could go have a walk around the park." Central Park in New York was one of the most romantic places to go.

 

He held my hand as I walked, and I thought for just a moment that maybe Frankie never did exist. Maybe I made him up because I was lonely and weird. Well, not anymore.

 

"So, I have to say Stacey. I really like you." He said, stopping. He sstared into my eyes, and I felt weak at the knees.

 

"I like you too Andrew." I said. Just then he pulls down for a kiss. The kiss starts to grow more passionate.

 

Soon, I feel little Andrew against my leg. This was going to far. If I pull away though, he may not like me. He may think im weird, and then ill be all alone again. So I keep letting him touch me, and soon, I forget all about my morals.

 

Then he whispers in my ear.

 

"I've been waiting for this for such a long time." His breath hot against my neak. I faintly smell cigar smoke.

 

"What do you mean? We just met."

 

I pulled away, and his face took the form of Frankie. I was too shocked to move.

 

"Miss me tootz?" He pulled out his .45

 

"NO!" I yelled, pulling away.

 

I yanked me back in place. I realized that our little walk through the park had landed me in the woods. F**k.

 

"I told you id find a way. I hope you didn't miss me too much. Don't worry, this way we will be togetha forever." His New Jersey slang turning forever into foreva.

 

I heard a loud bam, and looked down to see my heart was bleeding. I fell down to the ground, and then suddenly, everthing was black. A few minutes later, I looked up to see that I was floating over my body.

 

Frankie was laughing. Suddenly, I was back to the ground, facing Frankie. Oh now what shall I do?

Author's Note

Please comment. I really want to know what you all think.

Reviews

[Ceos]

Original. Slightly disturbing with a stephen king kind of air. Quite a good story. Definitely begs a sequel.