Play With Me

Oracle Stories

It is written by Violet Lively

Sophie skipped along the fence, singing a song, her innocent voice filling the late afternoon air. When the back door of her neighbor's house opened, Sophie stopped.

"Come on, Emma, play with me." She laughed and took off to the old swings in the back.

"Wait!" Emma hugged her stuffed bunny tightly as she ran to catch up. "Mom said I shouldn't play here alone."

Sophie chuckled. "You're not alone, silly. I'm here."

Emma glanced back towards her home, but then took the swing next to Sophie.

"How was school?" Sophie asked, a coy smile playing on her lips.

"I was bored without you. Why don't you come over and have a tea party?" Emma looked over. "It's cold outside."

"I'd love that!" Sophie jumped from the swing and darted towards Emma's house.

Her blue dress flew around her as the chilly November wind caught in it, but she wasn't bothered by the cold. An invitation from her best friend was all she needed.

By the time Emma made it into her room, Sophie was already setting up the small table with the dolls.

"They're on a train, heading to…" Sophie paused, then grinned. "Tahiti. And the tea is the most delicious ever."

"Tastes like candy," Emma said.

Sophie chuckled. "And they only eat cakes, and chocolate, and gummies."

They both laughed and played until the sun went down. Sophie was having the best time ever, and she knew, she could feel it that Emma was the one. Her best friend forever. There was something different about her. A deeper trust, a magical connection. But Sophie was running out of time, as Emma's fifth birthday was around the corner. Something changed in them when they turned five.

"Emma." Her mother entered the room. "It's time to go to bed."

"But we're playing." Emma pouted. "Can I play with Sophie a little longer?"

"Five more minutes. But then Sophie has to go to sleep too."

Sophie narrowed her eyes at the woman. Adults were such evil creatures. But there would be a time she could sleep over, and then Emma would truly become her best friend. Forever.

When Emma's mom returned, Sophie skipped down the stairs and went home. They could play the next day. And the day after that.

This friendship, unlike the others, was truly meant to be.

Back in her own room, Sophie set up a tea party of her own, adding the so popular beauty treatments to the play. She went through different scenarios so the next afternoon, she could lead the perfect game with Emma.

She was combing her doll's hair when the front door opened. Was it some kids wanting a scare or a new tenant? She ran to the stair to investigate. It was rare she had visitors.

It was just a man, wandering around the empty rooms like he owned the place. She giggled. Maybe he'd buy the house and move in with his wife and daughter. Then she could have another best friend. Forever.

She silently followed the man. Scaring him away wouldn't do any good.

When he turned, Sophie could swear he looked right at her before his gaze traveled to the stairs. His eyes were strange: one brown, the other blue that glowed like firebugs.

"Do you have a daughter?" she asked.

The man didn't answer, just went upstairs, the old wood creaking painfully under his weight.

"That's my room." When the man walked past it, she sighed. "I thought you wanted to play with me."

He didn't answer. Maybe she was wrong, and he didn't see her. Well, it was for the best. Adults were trouble anyway. Besides, adults never saw her.

But something bugged her about this one. The way he seemed to know more than he should. And that eye…

When the man left, she watched him from the window.

"No! No! No!" She screamed as he walked up to Emma's house. "You won't ruin this! She's mine!"

Sophie darted out of the house, and through the back door, she ran up to Emma's room.

"Emma, wake up," she whispered. "I need to show you something."

"Mrs. Green." It was the man's voice. "I'm Shiva Flint. May I have a word with you? It's about your daughter."

Sophie growled and shook Emma's shoulder again. "Wake up!"

"I believe she's in danger, Mrs. Green. Does she talk about someone named Sophia?"

No! This man wouldn't ruin her friendship.

"That's the name of her imaginary friend." Mom's voice was hesitant.

"Emma!" Sophie whispered.

"Sophie?" Emma rubbed her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"Come, hurry." She pulled at her hand. "I want to show you something."

The man's voice came from downstairs again. "I'm investigating a series of child deaths from the past hundred years, Mrs. Green. And I know it sounds strange, but Sophia Walter's ghost is the link between them."

Sophie growled again. They had to hurry.

"Ghosts aren't real," Mom said downstairs, panic filling every syllable.

Steps echoed downstairs and Sophie pulled the blanket from Emma.

"But mom doesn't like it when I wake up at night."

"Let's climb out. She'll never know." Sophie opened the window. "Come. It's magic!"

Sophie had done this climb a million times, and she encouraged Emma to do it too.

"Come on!" She stomped on the ground. "We have to hurry. It will go away. It's a real fairy! I trapped it under a glass in my room."

"I'm coming."

The annoyance in Emma's voice wasn't good, but Sophie didn't have time. She needed her best friend to last forever.

"I'm cold," Emma said as they made it to Sophie's house. "Where are all the furnitures?"

"I'll help you warm up." Sophie ran upstairs. "Come, it's still here."

Instead of her room, she went to the bathroom and opened the tap. That man wanted to take Emma from her.

"What are you doing?" Emma looked scared, and she didn't enter. "Where are your parents?"

So many questions. A sure sign of Emma's upcoming birthday. She was thinking more and more like them every day. There was no time to waste.

Ignoring the question, Sophie said, "My mom told me fairies like water. Come, look! She's swimming."

Emma's curiosity won, and she walked closer. Sophie grinned, anticipation rising in her with every step Emma took and she bounced. Waiting for the right moment.

When Emma reached the bathtub, Sophie pushed her inside and sat on her chest.

"Don't fight so hard." She pushed Emma's head under the water. "It will be over soon and you'll be my friend forever. Don't you want to be my friend?"

Emma kept kicking and hitting at her, but her arms didn't make contact. People couldn't without Sophie allowing it.

Sophie watched the bubbles in the water and the terror in Emma's eyes. Why did it take so long?

Finally, Emma's moves slowed, and Sophie grinned. It was almost over. Just a few more seconds.

"Let her go!" The man shouted from the door and Mom screamed.

"NO! She's mine!" She smirked. "You can't stop me."

Mom tried to lift Emma, but Sophie held her down. No one would stop her.

Then the man's arms wrapped around her and lifted her out of the water.

It wasn't possible. No one could touch her. She was kicking and screaming, trying to get free, but the man held her tight.

"Nooooo!" she screamed. "Let me go!"

She wanted to get out and as she focused on the thought, her body flashed, and she was standing on the tiles.

Mom lifted Emma out of the tub, but it was too late. She wasn't breathing.

"She's mine."

"No, she isn't." The man started pressing on Emma's chest and his hands glowed with mysterious golden light.

Sophie smirked, but her confidence wavered. With every press, with every shimmer of glow, fear crept under her skin. And she was cold for the first time in many years.

When Emma coughed, Sophie stomped. This couldn't happen. This man couldn't take her perfect friend away.

She screamed with frustration and agony until the windows shattered and the man's ears started to bleed. Mom hugged Emma to her chest, covering her ears and rocking her gently. Mom's ears bled too.

Emma was hers. Only hers and these adults wouldn't stop her.

"She's mine!"

"Sophia Warren, I cast you out." The glow increased in the man's hands and her organs flopped. "I cast you out of this plain into the abyss."

"NOOOOO!"

"I cast you out!"

A glowing circle opened in front of the man and it pulled her in, ripping her apart as she spiraled into darkness.