“…how did you…die?”

“Well, that’s a long answer. I guess I’d better start before the rain starts pouring.”

I took a deep breath, hoping that I might be able to get across to her that she should probably just go inside and forget that she met me. I didn’t want her to know me. Although she may have been one of the nicest frequents around here. It just didn’t feel right to me that she could somehow see me.

When, she leaned forward expectantly, stopping her swing from moving beneath her, I took it as a ‘I’m listening.’ I started.

“I was a kid. Just a kid. Life was a nightmare. I was out of control. Nobody remembers me, even now. My sister and I used to come to this park every Tuesday for her playdates with her friends. I was there to watch over her, take care of her if anything went wrong.
When my sister decided to play sandcastle, I would help her. When she began to scream in pain when she scraped her knee, I would put a bandaid on the cut. She looked up to me. In all senses. Until one day, I looked away for just a minute.

When I noticed that I couldn’t see her, I got nervous. I was going to get in trouble if she didn’t come back. I began to look for her. I looked up, down, everywhere. I looked under the little forts, in the slides. Nothing. I had to find her, though.

So I kept looking. I would do anything to find her at this point. I had to find her. What if she was hurt? What if she was taken? So, I looked until I was at the highest point on the playground. I didn’t know that the playground was too thin right there. I fell.

When I woke up, I was see through. My sister never showed up. I thought for sure that I had really lost her. And I couldn’t find her. I couldn’t leave the playground. I didn’t try until a few months ago. And here we are. You are talking to me, and probably looking crazy to anyone who drives by the park right about now.”

She sighed, “I know your sister, I think. I could bring her over here, you know. Would you want that?”

I nodded, “Please.”

To be continued…