Author's Note:
ghostess - Hey this is getting good. I like how you kept in suspense. Keep going!
Thank you, ghostess, for your comment. And as always, comments are appreciated.
All rights reserved to Craig McCraken and Cartoon Network. I do not own Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends or any of the characters. Willis is my only creation within this story. Now Chapter 2.
Lifetime Friendship: The Past
Chapter 2-Meet Willis
No monsters or ghost visited Frankie in her dreams that night, and no fear was seen in the little girl's face as she smiled within her dreams. Morning came, it was around 8:00 on a Saturday morning when she woke up, her eyes still drowsy from waking up to last night's storm. She gave a once glance look over her room to see if anything was missing. Well, the pony was back in place on the nightstand, just as she left it. She must have been dreaming when she didn't see it. She jumped out of her bed in excitement, waiting to visit her grandmother for a long time. She was about to leave her room when she realized something different. The smell of pine straw was still lingering. This wasn't her imagination, because she was wide away, and knowing the smell of pine straw quite well. Following her nose, she picked up the scent was near the closet. Frankie slowly reached for the handle, her hand trembled slightly at the though of confronting a monster inside. Whoosh! She flings the door open, her eyes wide in shock.
"AAAAHHHHHHHH!" She shrieked, finding a six foot tall scarecrow staring right back at her.
"AAAUUUUUUHHHHH!" The scarecrow screamed back and pulled the door shut behind him.
Frankie stood there, befuddled and confused at what just happened. Why did this scarecrow seemed just as scared as she was. She opened the door again, the scarecrow still standing there. "Um, Mr. Scawecwow...?"
"Please, Frankie, you don't have to be formal with me, just Willis." She jumped back in confusion, not quite sure about the sudden change in attitude. "And by the way, I'm not a scarecrow. I'm a scareghost."
"Sowwy," Frankie replied looking down, then back up in wonder. "A scaweghost?"
"Yes, a scareghost, remember? You said you wanted a friend that could scare away ghost and monsters for you. You can say I'm your Imaginary friend."
Frankie's eyes widen with joy. "Imaginary fwiend? You mean I created you?"
"That's right, kid. And could you excuse me. I've got unfinished business." Willis closed the door back, then suddenly loud noises of a rumble burst from the closet, as if someone was in there fighting Willis. "Take that! And That! This will teach you to scare my little friend! HA!" A final crash and then silence. Frankie was just as confused until Willis emerged from the closet, dusting himself off. "Well little lady. Seems the that old Shnetzermutten won't be scaring you anymore."
"Schnetzerwhatta?"
"A Schnetzermutten, you know that monster in the closet your mother told you about so you would fall asleep. Not really a good thing to do, I'd say."
She now had a good view of him and realized he wasn't much like a scarecrow after all. He had the look of one, but much more. His outer skin was a thin tan color, like a browned apple, patches of pine needles could be seen jutting out from torn patches. His clothing was not out of the ordinary, though not piticular for a scarecrow. He wore a light plaid button-up shirt with brown pants under a dark green coat that hung below his knees. His hand's are covered with leather glove, or maybe they are his hands. On the top of his straw dirty blond head rest a dark indigo straw brim hat, the point bent over to the side. But what drawn her to his was his eyes, deep and brown, almost human.
"Um, Willis? Why did you scream when you saw me?"
"I only screamed 'cause you screamed."
"But why?"
"I don't know. But you were doing it and I didn't want to feel left out."
Frankie giggled. This imaginary friend makes her very happy, like in her dreams, did he actually come from there? Wait a minute, Granny always talked to her about her childhood friend Mr. Herriman. She even saw him once, a big bunny dressed like a gentle man. So Willis was just like Mr. Herriman. Frankie cringed a little. I hope not she thought.
"Oh, I almost forgot! I'm supposed to get ready, 'cause I'm going to visit Granny today at her big mansion."
Willis paused and scratched under his chin. "Mansion?"
"A big house, bigger than this one," she explained stretching her arms out wide.
"Ah," Willis answered inspired, then confused again. "I don't get it."
Frankie sighed in defeat and shook her head. "You'll see my Granny soon. Come on!" She grabs him by the arm and pulls him out of the closet, or at least a part of him. His arm ripped at the seem and hung limp in Frankie's hand.
"Er, I think Mommy can fix that."