The imaginary friend- Chapter 8
Sandy sent a text message just before one. She told Claudia that she was getting off work early and she would pick up the boys from school. Claudia sighed with relief. At least she knew David was safe. She texted back and thanked Sandy and added that she was going to the apartment to fetch more clothes for herself and David.
Claudia was just about to leave when Sylvia came past like a whirlwind.
"Come on Claudia, I'm hungry, I want to grab something to eat on my way to your apartment. We can have lunch there."
Claudia grabbed her handbag and followed Sylvia out the door. She had to rush to keep up, but eventually caught up at the elevator.
"Let's get some pasta down at Luigi's then we can have a quick lunch to get to know each other. My treat."
"That would be lovely..." Claudia said and followed Sylvia around the corner. She waited outside in the sun while Sylvia went in to the place their order. She came out a few minutes later with two drinks and two containers of food. She handed the drinks to Claudia.
"Come on, let's go and invade your haunted mansion."
They quickly crossed the road and two minutes later they were standing in front of the block of apartments. The whole place suddenly looked scary and dark. Claudia was literally trembling when they walked up the two flights of stairs. Her hand was shaking when she put the key in the lock and she had that eerie feeling again.
"What's wrong Claudia? Come on,hurry up the food is getting cold."
Claudia quickly unlocked the door and Sylvia literally pushed past her to get inside. Everything seemed peaceful inside and Claudia sighed with relief. Sylvia went straight through to the kitchen and took out some plates from the cupboard as if she lived there.
"Sorry for taking over...I'm starving!" Sylvia started eating and Claudia excused herself and went through to her bedroom to pack some more clothes for herself.
She felt nervous going into David's bedroom, but she had no choice. She had to get his clothes and she was super cautious when she opened the door. It was dead silent and everything looked in order. She quickly grabbed some clothes and put it in a backpack.
"Where are you? Your food is getting cold!"
Sylvia shouted and Claudia closed the bedroom door behind her before entering the kitchen.
"I was just getting a few things. I'm sleeping over at a friend's house tonight and I needed my laptop."
Claudia took a seat at the table and took a few quick bites. She didn't realize how hungry she was and smiled when Sylvia asked about David's dad.
She quickly told her the short version and Sylvia just shook her head.
"Men...can't live with them, and can't live without them...but it looks like you're doing a fine job without a husband."
"Thanks, we better get going. We have to get back to the office."
Claudia suddenly just wanted to get out of there. She could feel someone watching her again and she didn't like that feeling.
"Mind if I use your bathroom?"
Sylvia asked and Claudia sighed softly.
"Not at all."
All she wanted to do was to get out of there but she couldn't tell Sylvia. Sylvia would think she was crazy. She kept her pose, and pointed towards the bathroom. She stood in the living room waiting, and then suddenly she heard that familiar bouncing ball again.
Bounce, bounce.....
It felt like ages for Sylvia to finally come out of the bathroom and she quickly locked the door behind them as if she could keep the evil inside.
"Oh damn, we forgot the files." Sylvia said.
Claudia trembled when she unlocked the door again. She left her things outside and quickly went back to fetch the files on the kitchen table. She couldn't shake the feeling of being watched and she could have sworn she heard the door of David's bedroom open.
She slowly turned around, and in the doorway of David's bedroom she saw the dark shape of a little boy standing in the shadow. She couldn't get out fast enough. She quickly locked the door behind her again and then turned towards Sylvia.
"Will you help me find a new apartment? I can't stand this place..."
"Why would you want to move? It's close to work and it's actually quite a spacious apartment. I would move here in a jiffy."
"Something just doesn't feel normal."
"Oh don't tell me you are getting cold feet after I told you about the stories about the place being haunted?"
"That is the point. I don't think they are stories. I really think this place is haunted."
Sylvia laughed.
"You're just being silly Claudia... it all looks quite safe to me."
- To be continued -
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I love your story as an imaginary friend @giantbear, when I was a kid I used to play an imaginary friend. Those times of childhood. God bless you and always take care of you. Congratulations for all the work and effort you make in sharing these stories. You have a great imagination and talent.
This is the eighth chapter of your story. You can easily put them together to make a book out of them. Let's wait to see what will happen since Claudia now believes it is really haunted for your next chapter to come!
Ha ha...I've went up to chapter 25 before....
Tha great story I really I like it