z

Young Writers Society



Imaginary Friend

by LilPWilly


I love my imaginary friend. He’s always there for me. He gives me advice, he is nice when I am feeling down, and when I am feeling guilty, or hurt, or sad, I ask him to hold my pain for me.

I never take it back. He holds hundreds of injuries in his hands, and those hands are beginning to look a little beat up.

Some people say I am too old to have an imaginary friend.

I tell them, I am 17! I’m still a child, and I’m supposed to give up my fantasies? Nonsense.

Besides, giving him up would mean I would have to take back all the damage I’ve done him over the years, and I don’t think I could bear that.

They’re probably concerned because I talk to him. So now I just do it when I’m alone.

“I screwed up that guy’s order cause I was nervous. Please, do me a favor and take my nerves.”

And then it works.

I wonder sometimes if he’s real, if the calm I feel when taking orders at the drive through is more than just placebo coursing through my veins.

And his advice, how it pays out big time, it’s almost spooky.

And the way I feel sometimes, I feel so wanted and understood.

Is he just a complex? What I need most manifesting in an invisible form, a Freudian ghost?

I don’t know. I just know that I love talking to him and I wish I could be closer to him, to see his face.

I’m reading a book with him. It’s about everything from the creation of the world to the death of Peter. He seems to like it when I read, it feels like I’ve got a fluffy blanket on bare skin, but just on my heart. And I know it’s him because that’s how I feel when we chat sometimes.

Sometimes we offend each other. We don’t mean to, it just happens. But nothing is like when we’re together, so we always make up.

Weelll actually I’m beginning to fall for a girl, and it’s that that feels like nothing else. He approves. In fact, he practically sang Hey Jude for me, the 3-minute version of course. In reality, I think it’s a three way thing, his spirit and hers pouring the sweet nectar of true love into mine, and that’s part of why I think she’s so amazing.

I hope she gets the chance to meet him. It would be a shame if she didn’t like him, or if she thinks I am crazy.

No matter what, he will always be my best friend. 


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Fri Mar 26, 2021 4:00 pm
KateHardy wrote a review...



Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening/Night(whichever one it is in your part of the world),

Hi! I'm here to leave a quick review!!

First Impression: Okayyy...so this was quite a lot of fun to read...I really love the very simple concept and its just turned into a really sweet little story and I am all for that. Let's get into a bit more detail then.

Anyway let's get right to it,

I love my imaginary friend. He’s always there for me. He gives me advice, he is nice when I am feeling down, and when I am feeling guilty, or hurt, or sad, I ask him to hold my pain for me.


Okayy...pretty normal start for this story...I don't think its the most attention grabby of opening paragraphs but it is pretty interesting and does set up the rest of the story pretty nicely so I think that make for quite a neat opening.

I never take it back. He holds hundreds of injuries in his hands, and those hands are beginning to look a little beat up.

Some people say I am too old to have an imaginary friend.


Well...I think this is where we go from the normal stuff to the part where why this imaginary friend is unique here...I think...anyway...pretty nice transition there at any rate.

I tell them, I am 17! I’m still a child, and I’m supposed to give up my fantasies? Nonsense.

Besides, giving him up would mean I would have to take back all the damage I’ve done him over the years, and I don’t think I could bear that.


Oooh that's definitely a bit unique there. This should be quite interesting going forward.

They’re probably concerned because I talk to him. So now I just do it when I’m alone.

“I screwed up that guy’s order cause I was nervous. Please, do me a favor and take my nerves.”

And then it works.


Well...that seems both sad and also nice at the same time. Very interesting couple of paragraphs that you've got there.

I wonder sometimes if he’s real, if the calm I feel when taking orders at the drive through is more than just placebo coursing through my veins.

And his advice, how it pays out big time, it’s almost spooky.


Oooh spooky indeed, I'm loving this new direction its going in...looks like there's two ways this could end from here and I think I'd love both of those so I have high hopes for the end of this story.

And the way I feel sometimes, I feel so wanted and understood.

Is he just a complex? What I need most manifesting in an invisible form, a Freudian ghost?


Ghosts can definitely be helpful...trust me on that one.

I don’t know. I just know that I love talking to him and I wish I could be closer to him, to see his face.

I’m reading a book with him. It’s about everything from the creation of the world to the death of Peter. He seems to like it when I read, it feels like I’ve got a fluffy blanket on bare skin, but just on my heart. And I know it’s him because that’s how I feel when we chat sometimes.


This continues to get more and more intriguing with each paragraph.

Sometimes we offend each other. We don’t mean to, it just happens. But nothing is like when we’re together, so we always make up.

Weelll actually I’m beginning to fall for a girl, and it’s that that feels like nothing else. He approves. In fact, he practically sang Hey Jude for me, the 3-minute version of course. In reality, I think it’s a three way thing, his spirit and hers pouring the sweet nectar of true love into mine, and that’s part of why I think she’s so amazing.


Oooh...interesting touch to add there...I like it...

I hope she gets the chance to meet him. It would be a shame if she didn’t like him, or if she thinks I am crazy.

No matter what, he will always be my best friend.


Well that was not one of the ending I predicted this would have...interesting...but much like I hoped I do love this ending, maybe more than I would have liked the other two I was thinking so overall I think this is a really nice place to end it here.

Aaaaand that's it for this one.

Overall: Overall I think this makes for a really fun story and I really enjoyed reading it. You've done a really good job here with it. Aaand that's all I've gotta say here.

As always remember to take what you think was helpful and forget the rest.

Stay Safe
Harry




LilPWilly says...


Thanks! I like that, even though no one knows the double meaning, everyone still seems to like it.



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Fri Mar 12, 2021 8:33 pm
MailicedeNamedy wrote a review...



Hi LilPWilly,

Mailice here with a short review! :D

A very interesting story about an imaginary friend. I think what I liked most was how you tried to portray it from this perspective. It seemed like a real inner monologue in places, but also partly like an internal conflict about the big question of whether it's right or wrong to have an imaginary friend. Psychologically speaking, it is very important for children to build up friends (even ones that don't exist) so that they learn, among other things, to see the difference between reality and fantasy as they grow up. Otherwise, personality disorders can develop.

But enough about the subject matter. xD

As already mentioned above, you describe things in a simple way, like a child, naive and flighty, and I think that makes the story very fascinating.

Some people say I am too old to have an imaginary friend.
I tell them, I am 17! I'm still a child, and I'm supposed to give up my fantasies? Nonsense.


I think this paragraph in particular is very well, because it shows the conflict with the outside world.

Besides, giving him up would mean I would have to take back all the damage I've done him over the years, and I don't think I could bear that.


A very strong point describing how the narrator deals with feelings of guilt and how he is also afraid of getting back the pain that his fantasy friend has taken on.


Especially at the end, you describe well once again how the narrator sees the imaginary friend. You formulate it in such a way that it seems almost extreme at times and the narrator experiences a loss of reality. The end seems very dramatic and like the beginning of a neuronal disorder. But I don't think that was your intention, and if it was, well done! :D

I can't comment much on the writing style, except for the many "I "s, which is of course normal from this perspective. At most, you could change the sentence structure to minimise the number of "I" at the beginning of the sentences. But this would also make the narrator's style seem a bit fake. I really enjoyed reading it.

Mailice.




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Thu Mar 11, 2021 1:56 pm
stygianmoon17 wrote a review...



Heyyy, stingy here for a review :D

Hmm I read some of the comments, and you commented on a lot of place that there's a hidden meaning.. I love hidden meanings !! I need to warn you that when looking for second meanings of stories, I pour a lot of weird ideas lol, but it helps get to the point.

Alrighty, on to the review

Iiiiiiiignoring the second meaning, I'm gonna first review this as I see it- a short story.

I feel like the beginning was strong emotional-wise, but that halfway there is a short lacking of it. You kinda just start skimming through it instead of hanging on to every word. and then it peaks around the end. The middle felt repetitive and nothing new was added really, so you could work on that if you're looking to polish your story.

the "Weelll actually" was kinda out of place too xD maybe like "wellll" or just "well" would be more appropriate lol

Now for the second meaning..
This is a heartwarming story about someone and his imaginary friend. As a lot of people mentioned about in the comments. But I'm sure there's more than that. I feel like this "imaginary friend" could be several things, but each time something proves it wrong

It could be drugs, or alcohol, or anything that helps someone disconnect from life. But drugs don't sing Hey Jude, and they sure as hell can't talk. So not that.

It could be mental illness, maybe he has a split personality, and one of them takes all the damage from past trauma. That's the most likely I think. But I don't think people can talk with their mental illnesses. But it would explain why people think he's "insane" and thus only talks with his "imaginary friend" alone.

Tbh, I think it's the latter. Please tell me if I'm right, and if not, then what the answer is <3




LilPWilly says...


Good guesses, but that%u2019s not what I intended! You%u2019re right about the well loll.





argh what is it then 0-0 I have no clue



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Mon Mar 08, 2021 5:53 pm
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RandomTalks wrote a review...



Hey. I really enjoyed your story and liked where you took it. It's true friends play an important role in our life whether imaginary or real and we can never really replace one with another.

" He gives me advice, he is nice when I am feeling down, and when I am feeling guilty, or hurt, or sad, I ask him to hold my pain for me."

" He holds hundreds of injuries in his hands, and those hands are beginning to look a little beat up."

These two paragraphs were excellently written and shows that although your story is simple, it is insightful.

Also, I am excited to read all the fun stuff you say you've got in your blog!




LilPWilly says...


Thanks! You%u2019re getting close to the hidden meaning, the second line you listed is a big clue...



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Sun Mar 07, 2021 6:18 pm
LilPWilly says...



Does anybody get the hidden meaning?




LilPWilly says...


The line about the book is a big clue..



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Fri Mar 05, 2021 8:20 pm
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I really quite enjoyed this. I would absolutely love to read a whole book about the adventures of these two! You're never too old to have a friend, whether it be "imaginary" or in some physical form. I really am looking forward to reading more from you!




LilPWilly says...


Thanks! You should check out my blog, I've got a lot of fun stuff in there.



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Fri Mar 05, 2021 7:08 pm
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MapleWay wrote a review...



Hey! MapleWay here with a quick review!

I liked this! It was very fun and had a lot of emotion poured into it! It honestly kind of reminded me of a poem I wrote, but this was a lot happier. I liked the part where it said,

Some people say I am too old to have an imaginary friend.

I tell them, I am 17! I’m still a child, and I’m supposed to give up my fantasies? Nonsense.


Very true! Just because you get older doesn't mean you have to give up all the fun stuff in life! Anyways spectacular story!




LilPWilly says...


Thanks! I%u2019m glad everybody likes it, but there%u2019s something else I wanted to come across as well...%uD83E%uDDD0



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Fri Mar 05, 2021 5:47 pm
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starbean wrote a review...



Hello LilPWilly! @hannah0528 here for a review. Hope it is helpful!

Grows:
"Weelll..."

Maybe you could do it like
"Welllll...." because that is how I normally see it. Sorry if this seems super nit-picky.

Glows:

This was really insightful!

"I love my imaginary friend. He’s always there for me. He gives me advice, he is nice when I am feeling down, and when I am feeling guilty, or hurt, or sad, I ask him to hold my pain for me.

I never take it back. He holds hundreds of injuries in his hands, and those hands are beginning to look a little beat up."


Good job on this paragraph.


I loved this!

"I tell them, I am 17! I’m still a child, and I’m supposed to give up my fantasies? Nonsense."

This is funny, yet serious. Great job!


I hope this review was helpful! Have a great day and keep writing!


Hannah




LilPWilly says...


Thanks! Yeah I should have changed the wellll loll




There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
— William Shakespeare