Two or three Halloweens ago, I can’t remember anymore, I met this little girl. My old friend. 

I was trick or treating with my parents dressed as Batman, my favorite hero. Then we accidentally bumped into each other, I saw her and then I got so happy, she was Catwoman. I hadn’t known her at all, but I knew she would be my bestest friend. After that we trick or treated together the whole time! 

I miss my old friend. 

Now it’s always so boring. In the plain white room without my old friend. I miss her silky black hair and big brown eyes. The way she laughed at my impression of Batman, and screamed, in the haunted mazes.  I miss my old friend.

I remember, a halloween after we met, we decided to match again. She was Gwen and I was Spiderman. I’ll always remember this day, it was the day they told me she was moving away. I got mad, but we trick or treated that whole night. Buckets filled to the tippy top. We went back to her home,  since her family has a Halloween cake. Her mom went upstairs to sleep, leaving us to giggle and play all night. 

I miss my old friend. 

Now it’s always so boring. In the plain white room without my old friend. My arms are cramped tight around me with an uncomfy weird material. The doctors always like to talk with me though. So it helps since I can never see my old friend. 

Especially on today, Halloween. They always ask the same things about that Halloween night. When my old friend went away. 

How old are you? They’d ask. Seven I think, I respond. 

What is today’s date? They keep asking. Halloween, I respond.

Where is your old friend? I get sad whenever they ask this. Far away, she moved, I always say.

Then, that’s where the doctor’s start writing things down, they write a lot when they come to visit. Then they keep asking for my “other friends.” But I keep telling them I can’t remember,  I never had any other friends! Then they write even more stuff down and leave.

Though today was different. The doctor’s didn’t leave. They kept asking, and asking, and asking. God I wish they’d stop. It is so annoying. How can I have any other friends when I am stuck here all the time? Mommy stopped coming when Daddy went on a trip. My old friend left me on our favorite day. How can I have any other friends!

I struggle. My arms are so cramped, it hurts too much. I think I yell at the doctors. But I don’t mean to! They’re just not stopping. 

Please be quiet.

Be quiet. 

Be quiet! I yelled at the doctors.

They stopped, wrote stuff down, then left. It’s quiet now. 

I think it’s raining again. Rain is weird here. I can never see it, I only feel it on my face. The rain is saltwater too, I think I’m allergic to it since it’s always hard to breathe when it rains. I see a doctor come in, a new one. She’s a middle aged looking lady. She has long silky black hair and big brown eyes. I think there’s a scar by her neck, but I didn’t see much since her hands slowly rose to my face. I hiccup, the rain slowing down. They feel familiar, but I can’t remember. They’re soft and gentle. She pulls me in a tight hug. I feel warmth again, as I hear her heart beat. I close my eyes and feel the rain stop.

Do you remember me? The kind doctor asked.

I shook my head, I can’t remember.

It’s okay, I’ll help. She took out a folded piece of paper. Unraveling it to show a photo. It was of a little boy and a little girl on Halloween. The boy was Batman, and the girl was Catwomen. I look at it, then back at her. She is looking at me with the prettiest smile, but it looks so sad. 

I looked at the photo some more and then I got so happy! My old friend! Look, look Ms. Kind Doctor Lady! It’s my old friend! I laughed and it rained again, I miss my old friend. 

She smiled and then giggled, it sounded familiar, but I couldn’t remember. Do you?, she says with a small voice crack. I happily nod, and laugh a bit more. 

Then the kind Doctor Lady cleared her throat and proceeded to ask, Do you remember me now?