Innocence

“No fair! You started early! I want a rematch!” You demand while climbing off of your sled. Zari agrees eagerly and you work together to pull the sleds back up the snow covered hill. Knowing Mom will be calling you in soon, you urge her to move faster. When you both finally reach the top you make sure to hold onto her sled so she can’t start early again. You yell, “On your marks. Get ready. Get set,” exaggerating each pause you hope to gain the advantage. You take a deep breath and make eye contact with Zari, daring her to start early. You shout a drawn out, “GOOO!” Zari squeals in delight as you shriek with laughter; both racing down the hill with abandon. “Ha! I knew it,” you say breathless and full of glee. “I win!”

“Best 2 out of 3,” she says, also out of breath from laughter and excitement.

“Elias! Time to come in! Supper’s almost ready!” Hearing Mom’s call you groan in despair.

“Ooh, just 5 more minutes Mom! We’re tied and need a winner!” you hope you can reason some more time out of her.

“Race to the house then; loser does the dishes!” You pause looking at Zari, waiting to see if she’ll make the first move. You start a mere second after her, your shrieks joining hers as you run desperately towards the house, not wanting to wash dishes later.

“I win!” you both say at the same time.

“Nuh-uh! I won, you have to do dishes!” Zari insists.

“Mom, tell Zari I won, and she has to do dishes,” you plead, sure Mom will take your side.

Mom looks at you with a sigh, “Sorry kiddo, she beat you by the hair on her chiny-chin-chin.” You giggle at that as you see Zari touch her chin, “Looks like you’re doing dishes tonight.” She says betraying your hopes. You groan in exasperation as you drop your head back, ready to complain, “Why don’t you both wash and rinse, and I’ll dry and put away? We’ll have some dessert after.”

---

Mom’s offer has your head snapping up in excitement. “Okay!” you both yell together, grins splitting your faces with excitement.
​
“Good, now go wash up and change out of those wet clothes. Make sure you hang up your coat and do not track snow all over the house!” You hear Mom yelling the last part as you and Zari are already running through the porch and into the house.

After you strip off your coat and scarf you throw them on the ground as you kick off your boots. You’re about to run off when Zari stops you, “Your mom said to hang up your coat and stuff.”

You look back at the melting pile of winter garb, “Oh yeah! I forgot! Good thing you reminded me. Mom would have been mad.”  

“Yeah, she might have said no to dessert after the dishes are done!” Zari says.

“Would you have had dessert without me?” you ask, curious about her answer.

“Naah, friends don’t hog desserts!” she says, waving her hand.

“Ha! You’re the best! Let’s go get changed, I’ll meet you back down here. Last one’s a rotten egg!” You yell as you run off.

“No fair you’re cheating!” She takes off after you.

When you’re done cleaning up and changing into a warm sweater and jeans, you put on a thick pair of socks to keep the cold floor off your feet. Back down in the dining room you find your seat then find Zari standing in the doorway.

“Your mom forgot my seat again,” she says as you look at the place settings. You scramble back out of your chair and into the kitchen.

“Mom!” you shout as you run through the door.

Mom jumps from the sudden intrusion and, looking back at you, says, “Rules!” with a firm set of her face.

Recognizing her Mom-face you stop in your tracks to recall what rule you broke. When you realize you’ve crossed into the kitchen while she’s cooking you quickly backup and out of the kitchen. Standing at the doorway you shift from foot to foot before beginning your apology, “Sorry Mom, I forgot.”

You wait silently for Mom’s response, hoping you haven’t lost dessert later. “It’s alright, no harm done this time,” you sigh with relief, “you’ll do better to remember next time.”

“Right,” you want this part done already so you can get to more important matters, “Mom, you forgot Zari’s place setting.”

“Oh, is your little friend eating with us again today?” 

You roll your eyes in exasperation, “Mom, she eats with us everyday!”

“Oh of course she does. She doesn’t want to eat at home today?” 
 
You slam your head into your palm, trying to understand Mom’s logic, “Mom! How is she supposed to help me with dishes, and have dessert with us, if she goes home for supper?” This reminds you of that time last week when Mom tried to say you could pretend to give Zari food. You were horrified at the idea and refused to eat until they gave Zari actual food.

“You’re right that wouldn’t make sense, silly me,” Mom chuckles as she gives you another Mom-look you haven’t figured out yet. “Give me a minute and I’ll get you a place setting for her.”

“Okay, thanks Mom!” You wait patiently until she passes you the dishes, then you carefully set a place for Zari to the right of your own.

Once everyone is sitting at the table, Mom says grace while you close your eyes and bow your head. Then all the good food is passed around the table as Mom helps serve both you and Zari.

“I see Zari’s eating with us again today,” Dad says, as he scoops some corn onto his plate, “Elias, you’re getting a bit old for this aren’t you?” Dad says just before grunting and looking at Mom. You want to ask what he means but don’t have a chance. “What?  He’s 8 years old, it’s about time we...”

“Love. Kitchen. Now.” Mom isn’t happy. Looks like she and Dad will have an adult conversation.

You take advantage of their absence and pass Zari the corn on your plate, while she passes over her cut up brisket. Once you’ve finished your trade, you begin stuffing food in your mouth to hide the evidence. When Mom and Dad walk in, Mom looks at the two plates, raises an eyebrow at them and smirks. It’s another Mom-look you’re not too sure about.

“I’m glad to see you like the brisket Elias.” Mom says as you do your best to look innocent over your still heaping serving of brisket.

“It’s delicious Mom, even Zari said so!” you lie, hoping to turn their attention elsewhere.

“Did she now, well that was very nice of her.” Mom says, still smiling to herself.

“At least he ate the corn this time.” Dad mumbles as he sits back in his seat.

Zari giggles covering her mouth to hide her chipmunk cheeks. She really likes corn.

“Zari said you make the best corn Mom,” well she didn’t say it, but if she didn’t have a mouthful of the stuff, you figure, she absolutely would have.

After dinner Mom set up a couple of chairs in front of the kitchen sink so you and Zari can wash and rinse the dishes; you wash and she rinses. Mom and Dad were having another of their adult conversations in the dining room while you both work quickly and carefully. You see Dad head towards the living room moments before Mom comes in to dry and put away dishes.

“Oh wow!  You’re almost done already?” She walks up to the drippy dishes and begins pulling them out of the rack, one by one. You watch her look them over as she dries them with a towel.

When you and Zari are done you sit and wait on the chairs with big smiles on both your faces. You know a delicious dessert is in your future. “We worked fast didn’t we Mom! And careful, we were suuuper careful,” you add as you know Mom is more concerned with the dishes than dessert. You both watch Mom move around the kitchen, carefully placing dishes and pots in their rightful places.

“You two did a really good job, thank you!” Mom says, as she places the last of the silverware and knives in their proper places. “Who’s ready for dessert?”

“I am! I am!” You and Zari sing and dance in your seats raising your hands excitedly.

“How do brownies and ice cream sound?” Mom asks.

You look at Zari. You know she doesn’t really like brownies or ice cream, “Mom do we have any strawberries left?” You ask as Zari instantly brightens.

“Yes. You don’t want brownies?” Mom asks you, confused.

“Oh no, I definitely want brownies and ice cream. Zari likes strawberries better though.”

Mom smiles at that, “I see, I can cut up some strawberries for Zari then. Do you want me to warm up your brownie?”

“Yes please! Yes please!” You say beginning your wiggling dance all over as Zari laughs with excitement.

“Okay, you two wait in the dining room, I’ll bring out your desserts.” Mom laughs as you both clamour out of the kitchen to the dining room to wait. When you reach the table you find paper and crayons waiting for both of you so you can draw and color while waiting. You draw pictures of the farm, the barn, a cow, some chickens. Zari draws pictures of big trees and rivers and oceans with boats. After finishing each picture you sign it, like Mom showed you when you were little. Mom loves to display them. She definitely likes Zari’s pictures more because she always talks about how creative Zari’s are, how imaginative they are. That’s okay though; because, you know Zari is really good at drawing and making things.

After a while, Mom brings in the desserts and, as she sets them down, she exclaims over the pictures you’ve both drawn.  
“Oh how beautiful! You even signed some of them. Elias, your writing is getting better! Oh and this! Did Zari do this one? Is it the ocean? Why it’s gorgeous, the sunset! You’d think she’d actually seen such a sight!” Mom whisks the pictures away from anything that could stain or ruin them. “Honey!  Look at these pictures!” She yells as she takes them into the living room for Dad to see. You and Zari dig into your desserts devouring them completely before Mom returns.

“Good grief you ate fast!” Mom says seeing the empty plates before you. “ You need to slow down when you eat or you’ll make yourself sick sweetie!”

“Zari ate just as fast!” you complain. Zari never gets in trouble for anything.

Mom looks at you with a raised brow, then at the two empty plates again, before sighing, “You both need to slow down when you eat.”

You stick your tongue out at Zari as she giggles.

“Alright, go get cleaned up. Bath, brush your teeth, get your stuff together for school tomorrow. You know the drill and try not to leave sticky prints everywhere.” Mom says as she collects the dishes from the table.

“Alright Mom!” you say absently, paying more attention to your newest picture.

“Be quick or no story before bed,” you drop the crayon and rush off for the stairs. “Brush your teeth right or no more desserts before bed!” Mom calls after you. With promises of no stories or future desserts, you make sure to be quick but thorough in getting ready for bed.

Since Zari doesn’t go to school, you let her take a bath first, so you can get your school bag packed and clothes picked out.  She then  plays with your toys while you take your bath and brush your teeth. By the time Mom comes up you’re tucked in bed, school stuff ready, toys put away, and have minty-fresh breath, ready for the sniff-test. After passing inspection, Mom reads Treasure Island to you and, as usual, you fall asleep before she finishes the page.

During recess the next day your Uncle Allen comes, unexpectedly, to pick you up. He seems upset as you drive, and you notice you aren’t headed home.

“Uncle Allen, where are we going?” you ask from the back seat.

“Elias, there was an accident, your Dad’s been hurt. He’s in the hospital, they’re treating him now so he can get better,” he says as he waits at a light to make a left turn.

“He’s hurt?  Will he get better?” you're worried, but you know that doctors can fix a lot of things.

“I hope so buddy. He was hurt pretty bad.” This makes you a little worried and you feel your chin quiver, “ You want to know what you can do to help?” Uncle Allen asks, looking at you in the rearview mirror.

“Yes!” you say, hoping for something, though, you're not sure what.

“You can be a big boy; behave yourself and help your mom while your dad gets better.  Do you understand?”

You look at Uncle Allen wide eyed, and nod. You can be a big boy, you can behave, and you can help Mom.

“Good. We’re going to the hospital now; so, be on your best behavior, so your mom can focus on the doctors, okay?”

“Okay,” you say before falling silent for the rest of the trip.  

You arrive at the hospital with Uncle Allen, and Mom is sitting in a big open room. She must be worried, because she is crying.  “Mom it’ll be okay,” you say, wanting to show her you're a big boy, “the doctors will make Dad all better. And when they're done I’ll kiss his booboos. I'll help make them all better, like you do with mine.”

Mom smiles as she pulls you in and kisses your head. “You're a good boy Elias, we’ll definitely make Dad’s booboos all better.”

You wait in that room forever. You know Dad is hurt and everyone is worried, but they all keep saying he’ll be fine, and you are bored. Fortunately, Zari came to play, so you sit at one of the tables and color for a while, but that gets boring too. Everyone is busy talking and sitting around Mom. Aunt Emily is asleep on one of the chairs and Uncle Allen went to the cafeteria for snacks. Zari asks if you can play in the garden that’s nearby. You think about going to ask Mom, but you told Uncle Allen you were going to be a big boy.You decide to go play with Zari in the garden. Big boys don’t have to ask permission.

The two of you are playing pirates when Aunt Emily finds you, “Elias Prescott Addams! What were you thinking running off like that?” She says on the verge of tears. She grabs your hand and begins pulling you into the building. She is talking to someone on the phone, saying that she found you.

You’re busy trying to find Zari. “Wait. Wait, Zari’s still in the garden!”

“Zari? Who on earth is Zari?” she asks as she looks back in the garden, “You weren’t playing with strangers were you?”

Uncle Allen rushes up, “Where did you find him?” he asks as he grasps your shoulders and looks you over, concern painted on his face, “What were you thinking Elias? We’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

“He was in the garden playing with some other kid, I think,” says Aunt Emily.

“Another kid?” Uncle Allen looks in the garden, then at you sternly, “Elias, you’re old enough to know better. You should never just leave without asking permission. And you left with a stranger, that’s-”

You don’t let him finish, “Zari isn’t a stranger!”

Uncle Allen pauses before realizing who you are talking about. “You were playing with Zari?” he asks.

“Yes, we didn’t go far, and we were being good! I didn’t ask because everyone was busy, and big boys don’t have to ask to go play nearby!” You stress the nearby part as you plead your case. You hope that, since it was Zari, and you didn’t go far, that it will be okay.

Uncle Allen sighs as he closes his eyes. “Listen Elias, you're a big boy. You're old enough to know what is real, and what isn’t. You’re too old to have an imaginary friend.”

“Imaginary friend! What does he know, I’m as real as anyone!” Zari is beside you fuming at what Uncle Allen is saying.

“Uncle Allen, that's not nice, you hurt Zari’s feelings. You should apologize,” you tell him.

“Zari isn’t real Elias. Nobody except you can see her!” Uncle Allen says sternly.

You can feel something bubbling in your chest as your eyes burn. Zari is beside you crying, “Don’t believe him! Please, you’re my only friend!” she says, holding your hand desperately.

Tears escape as you hurt for your friend. “Take it back!” you say. You’re trying to be good, but Uncle Allen is being so mean.  When he says nothing you look to Aunt Emily, “Tell him Aunt Emily! Tell him he’s wrong, and he has to apologize!”

She kneels down beside you, “Oh sweetie, I know it’s hard to understand, but Zari isn’t real. I can’t see her.”

“Stop it!” yells Zari and you feel the panic in her voice.

“Lies, it’s all lies. It’s not nice. Stop hurting Zari’s feelings! You're making her cry!” You yell and cry at them and try to get out of Uncle Allen’s grasp when you hear Mom.

“Elias!” She sounds upset and relieved. Uncle Allen finally lets you go and you run to Mom.

“Mom! Their being mean!” you cry as she holds you.

“What? What happened? Where were you?”  Mom draws you away and looks you in the eye, “Never run off like that again! I was so worried. Do you understand young man,” she has the stern Mom-look that means she’s good and mad.

“Yes Mom, I understand,” you hang your head and wipe your tears before looking up at her, “Mom, you see Zari don’t you?”  Zari is beside you again holding your hand.

“Oh sweetie,” Mom looks up at Uncle Allen and Aunt Emily, and you see the anger in her eyes, “I wish I could see her, but I can’t.”

You look over at Zari, worried, as more tears pour from her eyes.

“But sweetie, that’s okay. I don’t have to see her to know she’s your friend,” you look up at her as you feel a pulse of hope radiate off Zari. “Sweetie you don’t need to grow up so fast. You and Zari can be friends as long as you like.”

Zari drops your hand and runs off as Mom’s words play in your mind. You aren’t so young that you don’t understand. She also thinks Zari is your imaginary friend, that she isn’t real. You don’t say anything. You don’t know how to say what you are feeling. All you know is that it hurts, so you cry. You cry as Mom holds you. You cry while she carries you to that big room where everybody is waiting. You cry until your eyes dry up. And then you sleep.

When you wake up, you find yourself curled up on a chair in a different room. Mom is next to you, asleep and holding your hand. The beeping beside you draws your attention and when you look you see someone in a bed. The machines all around are lit up with numbers and lines and colors.

“Dad?” you aren’t sure because they have him wrapped up like a mummy on Halloween, but it seems like the most likely choice. You don’t want to wake up either of them so you whisper, “Zari? Are you here?” She always is and this time is no different.

She stands up from the floor on the other side of Dad’s bed, “I’m sorry I got you in trouble earlier,” she whispers.

“I’m sorry everyone was so mean to you,” you whisper back.

“It’s okay, it happens all the time,” she shrugs it off, but you know how hurt she was by their words.

“How come no one else can see you?” you ask.

“I’m a land spirit. Only those who believe can see me,” she replies.

“Really!” you say, louder than you meant to, then you whisper, “That’s cool, how come you didn’t tell me?”

“How come you didn’t tell me you’re human?” she asks back.

“I thought you knew,” you pause thinking about the situation then realize, “Oh you thought I knew.”

She giggles, “This is why I like playing with you, you’re very smart.”

The machine behind Zari begins to make a shrill noise. It wakes up Mom and, suddenly, people are rushing in the room. Mom holds onto you as nurses usher both of you out of the room and Zari disappears.

It’s almost a week after your Dad’s funeral before you see Zari again.

“Hey!  Wanna play?” she asks as you walk through the woods behind the house.

You walk by her without saying a word.

“Elias?” she says, confusion thick in her tone.

She begins following you as she continues to call your name.

Without warning she is directly in front of you so you have to come to a stumbling stop. You glare at her in annoyance.
“You can’t ignore me forever,” she sings, then asks “Are you mad at me?”

You continue to walk and refuse to talk to her.

“I’m sorry about your dad,” Zari follows you anyway and continues talking to you, “I saw you at the funeral, but I figured you’d want time with your mom.”  When you still say nothing she grabs your arm, “Elias, will you talk to me!” her voice is thunderous, or seems that way as actual thunder rolls across the sky.

“No!” you yell as you pull your arm out of her grasp.

“Why?” She asks as she blocks your path.

“Because! It’s your fault! It’s your fault he died,” you don’t mean it. You know it was all your fault, “If I’d been grown up. If I did like Uncle Allen said and stopped talking to you. Dad wouldn’t have died!” you choke on tears as you say, out loud, what you’d been thinking since that night.

“That’s not true and you know it!” Zari says; lightning flashes in the sky as her chin quivers.

“I don’t want to see you ever again,” you yell.

“You don’t mean it!” she yells back.

“I don’t believe anymore,” you say quietly and put every ounce of conviction you have in those words. “I’m too old for an imaginary friend.”

She stands there crying as the rain drenches you both.  “Take it back,” she begs in a whisper.

You walk by her refusing to acknowledge her presence anymore.  After several steps, panic floods through you at the thought of never seeing your friend again.  When you turn around she is walking away in the rain and you never see her again.

~*~*~*~

“Alright Elias,” the doctor’s voice floated into his mind as images swirled into a pleasant nothingness, “I’m going to count backwards from five. When I get to one, you’re going to be awake, refreshed, and remember everything. Five-” Dr. Smith counted backwards slowly and Elias woke up refreshed, and able to remember everything, just as he had been instructed.

“Zari seems like an important person to you,” said Dr. Smith after Elias was sitting up and fully out of hypnosis.

“She was just an imaginary friend,” Elias said, still processing his first hypnosis and memory retrieval.

“Elias, you’ve been coming here for a year because you’re worried you suffer from depression. In that time, I’d begun to suspect that you had experienced some form of childhood trauma. This trauma is the root of your feelings of depression,” explained Dr. Smith as Elias listened intently.

“The loss of my father,” he said, nodding in understanding.

“No,” Dr. Smith met Elias’ surprised look, with one of sympathy, “While that is a piece of the whole, it’s actually the loss of your friend Zari that I’m referring to. She represents your inner child, your innocence. Your father’s death, 20 years ago right?” Dr. Smith paused to await Elias’ confirmation, once it was provided, he continued, “Your father’s death was tragic. There is no denying that but think about the memory you just recovered.”

“The memory about my father’s death?” Elias said with a touch of sarcasm. It was times like these that he was sure the doc was a little nutty himself.

“And yet you barely mentioned it. You mostly spoke of Zari,” Dr. Smith paused to let Elias think about what he was saying. “I asked you to pull up the most difficult memory you have from childhood. You recalled a memory of your friend, whom you lost. Imaginary or not, that’s difficult to process at such a young age, and at the same time you lost your father. Tell you what, before our next session, this is what I want you to do. Talk to Zari.”

“What?” Elias asked, not sure he heard the doc right.  

“Talk to Zari,” Dr. Smith emphasized each of his words. “It doesn’t have to be here, we don’t have time today anyway. But, before our next session, try it. See what happens, and we’ll discuss it when we meet again.”

“Aren’t therapists supposed to tell you not to talk to the people in your head?” he asked, sure the doc was being more eccentric than usual. He’d agreed to hypnotherapy on a whim, had he known it would lead to this he might not have done it. Dr. Smith chuckled, “You are very grounded in reality Elias. This is an exercise of the imagination, meant to get you back in touch with your inner child.”

“Are you sure you’re a licensed psychologist?” Elias asked laughingly. He liked goading the doc, as strange as he might be, he was good at his job.

The doctor continued to chuckle. “Alright that’s all we have time for today,” Dr. Smith checked his calendar for Elias’ next appointment, “I have you scheduled for Monday the 20th at the same time as today.”

“That’s what I have,” Elias confirmed it on his phone before standing up and offering doc his hand. “Thanks doc, see you in two weeks. Sooner if I lose my marbles while talking to myself.”

“Call me anytime,” he said, and walked Elias out of the office.

Elias climbed into his car and headed home through the city traffic. He was thinking over what Dr. Smith said; about talking to Zari. He wondered if he just had to say her name like when he was a kid. Then again he’d said her name plenty of times while in therapy yet she hadn’t shown herself.

“It’s been a while Elias,” the woman’s voice appeared as abruptly as the woman herself.

Fortunately, he was stopped at a light or he would have driven off the road from the shock. He just stared at her unable to speak, unable to think.

“What, no ‘Hello Zari, long time no see’?” she asked, teasing him like an old friend.

“Zari?” Was all his brain could muster, as he continued to stare.

“Yeah. Let me guess, you were expecting me to still be a little girl. You’re not the only one that grows up you know,” she said smiling widely. Elias could see it then, the resemblance to his childhood friend, this was his Zari.

“How?” He really couldn’t manage more than one word at a time and he couldn’t be mad because his old friend was sitting next to him.

“The light’s green,” Zari said as a horn sounded behind him.

Elias looked ahead, seeing all the cars had already moved and hearing the impatient honks behind him was enough to jump start his brain. The familiarity of driving seemed to help clear his mind enough that it started forming more than single-syllable words. “Zari, how are you here? Am I imagining you?”

Zari punched him in the arm, hard. “What do you think?” she asked as he rubbed the pain out of his arm. “You know what I am and you know why you can see me.”

He took a moment to analyze the very real pain in his arm. “So I’m to believe you’re a land spirit and I suddenly believe in you again, so I can see you?”

“No. You never stopped believing in me,” she replied looking at him with a soft expression.

“What makes you think I never stopped believing in you?” Elias asked stubbornly.

“I was always able to come visit you. I got to see you graduate from high school and college. Congratulations, by the way!” she looked over at Elias giving another, gentler punch in the shoulder, “Top of your class! That’s impressive. I’ve always known how smart you are,” she said with a smug look.

“Why did you stay?  Why not go somewhere else?  Find a new friend?” he asked, guilt wrapping around him layer by layer.

“Land spirit,” she said pointing at herself. “Where am I supposed to go? I’m attached to the land.”

Elias thought about this as he continued to  navigate out of the city, “So what about finding another friend?”

She looked out the passenger window sighing, “It’s hard these days. People just don’t believe, even kids don’t believe.  Without that belief they can’t see me,” she looked at Elias, “That’s why you're so special. You’ve always believed, even when you said you wouldn’t.”

“So what, if I stopped believing, you wouldn’t exist? That makes no sense,” shaking his head, frustrated by the mere thought.

“That’s because it’s nonsense. I’ll always exist as long as the land does. If you stopped believing, you wouldn’t be able to see me, and I wouldn’t be able to leave the land,” Zari said.

“When you say the land,” Elias paused, not sure what he wanted to ask.

“The land the farm is on,” she answered knowing what was on his mind. She then proceeded to answer all the usual questions, “It’s been blessed since ancient times. I evolve with the land since the power there is strong. And no, not all lands have a spirit, not all spirits survive the changing of the land, and some land spirits are newer.”

“This is insane,” he shook his head, then focused on the road again. He was nearing the edge of the city and hoped traffic would be lighter soon. Heavy traffic and the mystical unknown, did not mix. 

“What’s insane,” she started, as she leaned toward Elias to emphasize her point, “is you still denying what you so obviously believe,” Zari rolled her eyes, showing her frustration with his stubbornness.

“Can you prove it?” Elias looked directly at her, catching her eyes widening in surprise, before he looked back at the road.  “That you’re a land spirit and not a figment of my imagination?”

“No.”  She clipped off the word as she crossed her arms and tossed herself back in the seat.

“Yes you could,” he said, knowing the truth, since he knew her.

“I won’t,” she replied, looking at him coldly.

“Why?”

“Why should I?”  Zari asked, throwing the words at him, “I’m not a performing monkey!”

“That’s not it,” she shot Elias another glare, “You forget I know you.  You love showing off what you can do!”

She was silent a while, looking out the window at the passing scenery. “There are rules that cannot be broken,” she answered simply.

This was an unexpected answer and caused Eilias to pause, “There are rules to being a land spirit?” he asked, incredulous and amused at her answer.

“The only one that concerns you is that I can only be seen,” Zari gestured towards Elias, “by those who believe.”

Elias could sense her increasing distress so he decided to change the subject, “I’m sorry.” She turned her head to Elias, caught off guard by the apology, “I’m sorry for being a bad friend, for leaving you alone. For taking my grief and anger out on you. I’m sorry.” He watched her for as long as he dared while driving and could see the moisture building in her eyes.

Zari sniffed back the tears and smiled, “No worries friend, I know you thought of me. Why else did you always leave out my favorite foods.”

Elias nearly choked on a cough recalling all the times he had left his plate of food unattended, only to come back and see things missing. He always blamed his dog. Poor Gomez.

When Elias’ world exploded in light and pain all he could hear, aside from a persistent ringing, was Zari calling his name.

“Elias!”  She called him repeatedly, as she gently shook his arm, “There you go, look at me! Good! Hey, we need to get you out of the car,” she said. Elias realized she was by the driver’s side door, instead of in the passenger seat, or at least where the door should be.

“What,” his head exploded in more pain and lights as he spoke, “What happened?”

“A car accident,” she replied as she started helping him out of his seatbelt. He looked out of the window of his car and saw several more cars and a semi-truck in various degrees of wreckage. As Zari helped Elias extricate himself from the car he heard a woman calling for help. Once he was out of the car, and a quick once over told him he wasn’t badly injured, he looked for the source of the woman’s voice. Finding it he started towards her vehicle, not far from his own.

“Ma’am,” he called to get her attention. She looked over at him and he could see a mixture of tears and blood smeared on her face.

“My brother!  Help my brother!”  She cried, as Elias moved closer and saw that she didn’t seem too badly injured.  

He looked in the car for her brother but no one else was there; that’s when he noticed the windshield was gone. Elias found her brother from where he was standing, and knew there was nothing he could do to help him.

“I’ll go see to your brother miss, Elias will stay with you. You mustn’t move until the paramedics get here.” Zari touched the woman’s shoulder reassuringly.

“Thank you,” the woman’s strength seemed to break at Zari’s words and comfort, as she crumbled into tears.

Elias watched the exchange, pushing the confusion and questions back, so he could focus on the woman in the car.
“Elias,” Zari called pausing on her way to the brother’s body, “It was good to see you again. To talk to you again,” she said, smiling softly. She turned and walked the rest of the way to the body.

Elias watched her only for a moment before returning his attention to the woman. “How are you feeling? Can you tell me your name?”

It was a moment before she responded. “Maya, my name is Maya,” she said, stopping every couple of words to take a quivering breath.

“Maya, my name is Elias and my friend over there is Zari.”
 
7 Years Later
 
“Aleta time to come in!”  Elias called out.

“Aww! Daddy! Five more minutes! Please,” Aleta called back, exaggerating every sentence.

“Supper is almost ready and we need to get you cleaned up and dry before that,” he said, smiling at the all too familiar scene.  “Grandma’s coming so you need a bath before supper. If not she can’t read you a story at bedtime.” He knew this would win her immediate cooperation.

Aleta stopped what she was doing and spoke to the empty space beside her, before bolting to the house. “Slow down before you,” she fell face first into a pile of snow, “fall down,” Elias finished weakly as he made his way to her. Looking at her startled face, he knew she was more frightened than hurt. “Alright, let’s have a look,” he said calmly as he scooped her up. Elias carried her in as he watched the tears slowly build, before breaking through. Setting her on the bench inside the entryway, he began to peel off her winter wear. Maya came in to see what the fuss was about and, after being told what happened, brought the first aid kit. Elias looked for any scrapes or cuts while he soothed Aleta with an exaggerated commentary of his inspection.

“Zari says you’re supposed to kiss my booboos Daddy!” said Aleta through her tears.
“Did she now!” hearing his friend’s name always gave him pause, “Well she’s right. Where are the booboos? I’ll kiss them all better.” She showed him far more booboos than she could have gotten from a little tumble, but he dutifully kissed each one better making her giggle by the end.

While Aleta went to get clean clothes, Elias filled the tub. As the water spilled in from the faucet, he thought about his old friend Zari. It was two years after the accident before he understood why she wouldn’t talk to him anymore. Zari had said, “some rules can’t be broken.” Seeing someone else talk to her, not to mention the video recording that showed her, plain as day, kneeling next to Maya’s deceased brother, Elias no longer believed that she existed. He knew that she existed, it was fact. It’s not that she wasn’t coming to see him, he was no longer able to see her.

The day his daughter told Maya and Elias about her new friend Zari, they cried. Maya was the only other person that knew of Zari, all about her. Knowing that she now played with their daughter was a relief, Elias liked knowing that she had a new friend and that that friend was his daughter. Now the three of them always made sure to set a place for Zari at the table and leave some of her favorite foods out for snacks. This also ensured she wasn’t taking food from someone’s plate when they weren’t looking, most of the time.