Swing.

“Katelyn, I know you’re there. Grandma doesn’t live here anymore so you don’t have

to worry.” I spoke into the sweet smelling air of my home. It was perfectly clear out 

but the pale pink curtains shuddered with fear as something zoomed by them. I smiled and casually poured out the green tea into a porcelain tea cup that matched the pastel floral tablecloth that had a few rips from over the years but it was still my favorite for these occasions. With a whisper in my ear and a swift movement of the chair across from me, I knew she was here. I giggled, pouring myself tea and said: “Just show yourself already.” A faint hand reached for her tea cup then raised to thin rosy red lips. I could see her now, she was different than how I remembered. Long platinum blond hair was strewn all over her shoulders, it was longer than last time.

“Have you been growing out your hair?” I asked. She nodded. “It’s pretty.” Katelyn was a selective mute but I always could tell what she wanted to say. I adjusted my hair, it was a bob cut with small bangs in the front. I had recently dyed it to a minty color because I wanted to try something new since I had always hated myself for being so plain. I don’t like my dirty blonde hair, I guess it just makes me look messy. Katelyn motioned towards my hair. 

“Oh, I styled it a bit different.” I giggled. She eyed me and then laughed out loud. The only time I hear her voice is when she laughs. I wish she talked but I can do without it. I know she can’t help it. Before I met her years ago, people had messed her up. She was different than all the other kids just for her looks, it made her just not want to talk anymore so one day, she just stopped. Katelyn knows sign language but she doesn’t care for it. Katelyn’s parents have told me it doesn’t bother them. I was drifting off in thought, only to be broken into reality by Katelyn quickly pulling a small sketchbook out from her skirt pockets. My eyes lit up and I started flipping through it. I love to see her art. She started young and is amazing now. I’ve tried drawing with her help of course but it never turns out the way I want it to. The first drawing was a small frog peeking out of a jean pocket done in sketchy color pencil.

“Aw..” I mumbled. Katelyn rested her head on her hand and blushed a bit. I flipped through some more until a rough sketch of a lolita-like outfit caught my eye. 

“Ooh.. Pretty.” I watched her eyebrows quiver as she strained to see what I was looking at. I slid it closer to her, almost immediately her hands were trying to cover the drawing. I pried her hands off of it.

“Come on, it’s so cute!” I whined. She shook her head, blushing. “Okay fine, don’t let me see it.” Katelyn smirked flipping to another page. The book was in front of me again, this time it was a portrait of a Victorian woman. 

“Oh my god.. That’s beautiful.” I proclaimed, stroking it a bit. “All done with color pencils too?” 

“Crayola..” She signed. My mouth dropped open.

“Goodness.” I mumbled. That was the last page so I handed it back to her smiling.

“You should.. Draw me next.” I hinted. She thought for a bit then nodded, putting the book back where she got it from. I started to study her even more. Her outfit was new but reminded me of the good days when we would run through forests without a care in the world. We don’t do that anymore. I would like to ask her again to come with me, but I’m scared. I don’t want to bring her back to what happened. I know she doesn’t really care that she died. But it haunts me, literally. I can still remember it all. Before I knew it, a tear slipped from my eye. I wiped it away just smiling again. With her head turned in confusion, she placed her translucent hand on mine. 

“I’m fine, just, remembering..” I mumbled. She rolled her eyes and stood up. It seemed like the wind had just opened the door and she was gone. 

“Hey, wait!” I yelled, gathering myself. She waited outside, playing with her narrow skirt that was as pink as a carnation in the spring. Holding my skirt up from the muddy pathway, I walked outside only to look right into her eyes. I got lost. They looked just like the view you’d see from your window on an airplane, blue and beautiful. She motioned for me to follow her into the forest. We were running, just like forever ago. The wind rushing against my face felt nice. Katelyn would look back at me to see if I was okay, I would reassure her with a big grin. The sky over us was turning a citrusy orange, I would almost remember the one time where we laid down in a pile of autumn leaves, throwing paper planes into the sky just hoping we wouldn’t be hit by one on it’s way down. Our mentalities were weird, but we loved it. Sure, I didn’t really know anyone else but it was fine. I didn’t need anyone else. 

A patch of red mushrooms caught my eye, I walked over towards them and called for Katelyn. She whipped around, her hair flying wildly in all directions. My finger extended towards the mushrooms and immediately her eyes said it all. I knew she was thinking of the same thing I was. 

“You still remember that time too?” I asked, she nodded. One day when we had first met, Katelyn had picked a strange mushroom growing in her backyard and being the weirdo she is, decided to taste test it. The mushroom wasn’t poisonous, but let's just say her stomach wasn’t having it for the next few days. She spent many hours just eating crackers and watered down drinks. Man, it was funny. I guess that's what really peaked our friendship as odd as it sounds. We were both dumb and did things on random.

As we ran, something hanging was off in the distance. I didn’t want it to be what I thought it was. Katelyn was slowing down. She stopped right in front of it. Her translucent feet carrying her over towards it.

“Katey..” I whispered. The rope with a tire hanging off the end. It was just like before. Everything was coming back. The swing, the fall, the sirens, everything. I could feel goosebumps going up my arms and legs as I watched her climb her way onto the tire. She swung, again. Except this time, she made it to the other side.

“Look, I did it.” That was the first time I heard her talk.