Books I will never write

Imagination

"You are a kids imaginary friend. She's growing up and you are starting to fade away"

I sit there, slowly fading. I can feel her not believing anymore. It's like a blow to the stomach. I watch her walk away, not noticing that i'm even here. But as I watch her walk away, I feel like i've seen this before. It's happened with all the children i've been assigned to. As they grow up, I fade away. The child usually remembers me when they're older, but most of the time, im pushed to the back of the mind for the rest of their life. Even after the countless kids i've been assigned to, each one hurts more than the last. One after the other, I get more and more attached to them. 

I'm usually assigned to a kid when they're about 2, depending on how developed they are. If they're a child prodigy, then maybe 1. But most kids is usually 2-3.  The first boy I was assigned to was a little boy named Thomas. He was my favourite. He was this little ball of energy. Thomas was obsessed with steam trains, so of course that's what he imagined me to be. He couldn't speak much until he was about two and a half. Even then, it was words strung together to form a basic sentence. But no matter what he was doing, he'd make you laugh. I went with him everywhere and it was amazing. But as time went on, he grew up, he got real friends, hung out with them more, and slowly forgot about me. I remember I was so confused, and it hurt so much. Because the more you care, the more it hurts. And I can't help myself from caring. I see them as my own kids. But, as they say, all good things must come to an end. And this ended too soon. Sometimes I can feel him think about me. It a good feeling. Its kind've like i'm their guardian angel. But i'm not. I'm just the imaginary friend.