The Imaginary Friend

Every night at the same time, I would get up to go get something to drink from the kitchen. It started when I was a child with no explanation, but I always got a craving for something without fail. When I went to the kitchen, I always felt like there was someone there with me, like a presence of some sort, but whenever I looked around, there was no one there. I started getting used to the strange presence, but after so many years, I still get that strange feeling. When I’m in the kitchen, regardless if it’s night or day, I can feel a presence that’s neither scary nor comforting. The only time it feels the strongest is when I open the refrigerator. It’s as if the energy in the kitchen is pooling out of the fridge.

My grandmother used to tell me it’s because I’ve made a friend with someone on the other side, but I don’t believe her. She’s always trying to tell me that my imaginary friend I had when I was younger was a spirit, but I don’t believe her. However, the events in my apartment are starting to get stranger. Now, alongside a feeling of a presence, I’m starting to see things out of the corner of my eye. I couldn’t tell you if I was seeing a person or if it was just my imagination, but I knew I was seeing something.

A friend of mine, Dustin, came over to discuss our plans for a vacation in the upcoming month. We had been planning this vacation for a year now, and we could sit down and discuss the travel points of our trip. As we were in the middle of discussing one of the mini-trips, I looked up and noticed him looking past me as if he saw something behind me. I asked him what was wrong, but he just cleared his throat and said it was nothing.

“I thought I saw something.”

We got back to what we were discussing, but after he said that, I did feel like there was someone, or something, standing behind me, but I didn’t dare turn around. As we continued talking into the late evening, I started to feel tired, so I headed into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. I asked Dustin if he wanted some, and he agreed to a cup. Taking a step into the dark kitchen, I switched on the light and that’s when I saw him.

A tall, slender figure standing in the kitchen in the corner, his back facing me with no movement. I froze, unsure of what to do. I couldn’t scream, I couldn’t move, and my breath felt frozen in my throat. All I could do was stare. Dustin must have noticed my long absence and came to investigate. He came up behind me and placed his hand on my shoulder. “You all right, mate?”

I forced my head towards him, my eyes watering from keeping them open for so long. Forcing a small response out of my throat, I turned back to the spot the figure was standing, but there was nothing there. I asked him if he saw anything strange when he approached me. He shook his head.

“I swear a man was standing in that corner. Just… standing. Not doing anything.”

“There’s nothing there, man. Although, to be honest, it looks like the light doesn’t reach well into that corner. That might be what’s making you see things. Are you sure you’re good? Do you need me to chill here for the night to ease your worries?”

“Thanks, honestly, if it’s not too much trouble…”

“Nah, it’s all good. I can crash on the couch. Hey, if you’re worried about somethin’ hauntin’ ya, I got a buddy you can meet that might be able to help. I’ll give you his number,” Dustin gave me his friend’s number, and we continued the night normally.

The next morning, I called Dustin’s friend, and we arranged to meet at a cafe later that day. When I met him, he wasn’t really what I was expecting. A simple man wearing all black and a plain baseball hat. I explained to him my situation, from the strange figure I saw last night to the recurring feelings I’ve had since I was a child. He was writing down every word I said as if I was dictating a secret language.

“This does sound like it’s some type of severe haunting, but I’m not sure what it truly is, though. Would you be okay if I came over and did a pre-session to figure out what we’re dealing with?”

“Yeah, that’s okay. Honestly, the sooner the better to know what’s been following me around for so long.”

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That night, he came over to inspect my house. He brought a few technological items, none of which I understood what they did or what their purpose was. He set up his equipment in the kitchen, placing a device on the fridge as well as near it. We both brought chairs in and sat across from each other, both on either side of the fridge. He opened up his laptop and started typing away. Fiddling with my thumbs, I glanced around at all the equipment in my kitchen. Would any of it show something?

We engaged in small talk throughout the night. There seemed to be some readings here and there, but nothing that the guy thought was substantial for a haunting. He asked if I was getting enough sleep, and that might be the reason I’m seeing things that aren’t there, since he couldn’t find any factual proof of something residing in my kitchen. I knew trying to argue with him would just make me seem like a crazy person, trying to prove that I had a ghost in the house, so I politely agreed and saw him off. After I shut the door, I heard something creaking in the kitchen. Hesitant to look, I took my time walking back there. The lights had turned off by themselves and the fridge door was wide open. There was a heavy presence lingering past the doorway of the kitchen. It felt like it was suffocating me. I felt like someone was controlling my body, pushing me towards the fridge. I wanted to close it, to just tape it shut, so I’d never have to feel this way again, but I couldn’t even approach it without feeling sick. I started feeling like this was more of a nightmare than a reality.

The fridge seemed to call my name, and I found myself standing in front of it, staring into the small light in the back of it. I felt cold fingers work their way up my shoulders and near my neck. My body froze. I wanted to scream, to run, but there was no communication between my mind and my body. The cold fingers of an unknown figure wrapped their fingers around my throat, their fingers reaching up to my eyes and I can could feel pressure behind my eyes. As my vision faded and the pain increased, I heard a distorted, low voice behind me.

“You’re mine now, friend.”