The toy room was scaring White… it had an essence of which she couldn't describe… it was odd…
Looking around, the presence of a young boy bothered her. His eyes were filled with tears from being neglected. His skin was filled with bruises from being almost beaten to death just because he wanted to play. His cheeks were swollen from being hit multiple times just because he was young and wanted to get the cookies from the cookie jar, succeeding. His shirt was creased in the middle near the head opening from being hauled up in the air just because he was innocent and not forceful. His voice was trembling from being restricted and unable to talk properly without being struck down. His hands were cut up and almost bleeding just because he broke one of his toys and was punished. His facial expression was almost permanently built into a sad look just because he had spilled something and cried until his tears matched the spilled liquid. His heart was filled with sadness because he had no one to turn to.
White walked over to him. Shock filled his eyes.
"Don't come closer!" He yelled. White stopped in her tracks, not wanting to scare the poor boy anymore then he was. White's eyes were stinging from watching this boy's sadness which was quickly spreading.
A silence went through both of them, stopping his tears and making her heart break more. She felt so horrible for this boy. White didn't know him but knew what he went through as if it was a story she had written in her spare time.
"Who are you...?" He broke the silence and awkwardly asked. The tone of his voice made it obvious he was parched and longing for some water. White pulled a fresh water bottle out of her bag and gently handed it to him.
"My name is White. I won't hurt you." She said, still holding out the water. He hesitantly looked at it and back at White. "You can trust me." She added. The boy slowly started to take the bottle, but stopped.
"I can't... You'll get hurt..." The boy said as if he already trusted White and worried for her. She inched closer.
"Don't worry about me, I can fend for myself." She tried reassuring him to take the cold liquid. He needed it. Another attempt came out until he weakly grasped the bottle and started chugging it down. His tears had dried up by this point and his suffering state was wearing off for the time being. When he stopped drinking, the bottle was empty.
"Would you like some more?" White asked, still a bit off. He shook his head.
"No… but thank you, Miss." The boy said, now smiling. His smile was weak but it warmed her heart. It was almost as if this was his first smile... "But what are you doing here?" He asked. Whites eyes calmed.
"I don't know..." She admitted. He chuckled from her response.
"That's silly. Shouldn't you know that if you're here?" He asked. White shook her head.
"I just closed my eyes and I was here." She explained.
"Like a dream?"
"Yeah, I guess..." She said. The boy thought for a moment.
"But I'm real, not imaginary." He stated, confused. White laughed a bit and patted him on the head. A tear rolled down her cheek for him.
"And I don't doubt that." She said as he smiled. It seemed her touch brought a warm feeling to this boy just like his smile did to her. A bright look came in his eyes before he asked her something.
"Would you like to play with me, Miss White?"
Playing a game with the boy would probably cheer him up. He deserved some well-earned attention. White nodded.
"What would you like to do?" She asked calmly. The boy thought for a moment. He then pulled her over to a train set. He sat down at the moving train and waited for White to sit down. She went to but someone made her jump.
"What are you doing?!" The man yelled at the entrance. The young boy was startled.
"Father..." He hesitantly said. His father? They did seem to resemble each other... The boy stood up and started to walk backwards.
"What are you doing?" The man asked forcefully.
"I'm playing with White..." The boy lowered his head. The man picked him up and slapped his face. White gasped.
"Who's White?!" He yelled. The boy started crying.
"She's my friend!" The boy yelled back. He was slapped again. White stood up and went to grab the man's shoulder.
"Hey, don't-" White stopped talking. Her hand went right through his body. What on earth was going on? The boy looked at her with pleading eyes as if trying to tell her to stay away.
"Is she here now?" The man asked more questions. The boy nodded slowly and was slapped again. White felt hopeless. "There is no one here, stupid!"
"Stop!" The boy cried, being dropped.
"You will stay in here until you learn that imaginary friends are ridiculous and have no meaning!" The man yelled. He stormed out of the room and locked them in. The boy pounded on the door as if he was going to be killed if he wasn't let out.
"Father!" He yelled, trying to call him back. Almost five minutes passed of him trying to become free. He then fell to the ground, tears in his eyes.
"It's hopeless..." He said to himself, rubbing away his tears. White walked over and gave him a hug.
"I'm sorry..." She said quietly, praying for his happiness. "I'm so sorry that I couldn't do anything..." She added, herself crying now. The boy hugged her back, yearning for affection. "I'm sorry... I should have done something." White said again. "I didn't try... I let him hurt you..." The boy snuggled into Whites arms.
"It's not Miss White's fault... Father is always like that..." He said, trying to hold back his tears for her. She patted his head. "Let's play some other time, okay? Promise?" He asked, holding out his pinkie finger childishly. White intertwined her own with his and smiled.
"It's a promise to keep." What's your name though?" White made sure to ask before anything else happened.
"N." The boy said.
"N…" White breathed, nodding.