Of Ghosts and More – Part 2

“Because I couldn’t. You did not believe in ghosts, so I did not exist to you. It was not until more and more doubts started to appear in your head, that I was able to interact with you in the way I did. Then, after completely accepting that ghosts had to be real, you came here and were finally able to actually see me.”

Toby’s mouth stood wide open, there was so much to process, and with every answered question, three more popped up in its place, “Did that mean other magical beings were real too? Witches and vampires and unicorns? Did ghosts grow up? Could they die?” He was about to ask Casimir these questions, when he noticed that the teenage ghost looked a little sad. Lost in what Toby could only assume were his thoughts, he was sitting up there on that wooden beam, staring into space. “Casimir are you okay?” Toby asked, but Casimir did not react. “Why did you call me here? It has to do with Henry, right?”

Hearing that name, the half-transparent boy broke out of his trance. “You see,” he raised his head and looked directly at Toby. “Even though we technically are ‘imaginary friends’, we are still real. We exist, we have thoughts and feelings just like humans, yet most of you are quick to forget about us these days.” Pain resonated in the ghost’s voice.

Toby’s eyes widened, “And what happens when a child does forget about their imaginary friend?”

Casimir took a while to respond. The conversation was clearly stirring up mixed emotions in him. “When our creator forgets about us, or stops believing in us, we are no longer able to communicate with them and simply cease to exist in their world. As a result, we are left to wander around, hoping that one day they will remember us…”

“And if they don’t?”

Casimir lowered his head again, before continuing to speak, “If they don’t, we simply continue to exist. Every imaginary friend is directly linked to the human that created them, which means as long as you live, we live; and when you die, we die. You’re our family.”

Silence hung over the room, like a gray cloud on a rainy day. Casimir was thinking about Henry, and Toby felt guilty for having stopped believing in his own imaginary friend, Eleanor. Had she suffered as much as Casimir? “What happened to Henry? Why do you need me to contact him instead of trying exactly what you tried with me?”

Casimir floated down to take place on the couch, next to Toby. He told Toby, how the night of the accident, Henry was picked up by Child Welfare Services and placed in temporary foster care. Casimir followed him, of course, but no matter what he tried, he was not able to get through to Henry. Three foster families, six months, and countless unsuccessful contact-attempts later, the then only thirteen-year-old ghost gave up. He returned to the only home he had ever known, and never left it again, for almost 20 years. Until today. “And Henry never came back?” Toby asked with a heavy heart. He felt for his new friend. Casimir shook his head. “I will help you find him Casimir, I promise. You’re not alone anymore.”