The hardest part is walking through the hallways all by myself. Since Amy left, my world has felt as if it’s been shut down. Without her I feel incomplete, like a puzzle abandoned half way through.

It was just about three weeks ago when Amy told me she was moving. I tried to make them the slowest and most special three weeks ever, but somehow time flew by.

After I knew it, I was waving goodbye to the best friend I ever had. The last thing I remember was her license plate which I was too depressed to focus on. Adults always say, “You’re too young to be depressed.” But when your best friend in the whole world since first grade has to move to New York while you’re stuck in Idaho, I strongly disagree with that statement.

I have other friends at school, but none compare to Amy, she’s my other half.
Instead of laughing to death in my classes with her, I actually get my work done, but it’s not the same.

Amy and I would always walk home together every day after school. We lived in a small town next to Driggs, Idaho. When walking home, we would always cross by the abandoned little house near the creek. The only way we could get to our houses was to walk by the creepy house or swim across the creek. After a while of consideration, we chose the first option.
The cabin had moss growing all over the sides and the weeping willows by the house always swayed to cover the mysterious front door. When the wind blew, the gate around the house shook and moaned. The creek ran through the front yard. Many animals lived by the creek but dare not to enter the house. Sometimes the frogs would croak in harmony like they had rehearsed earlier. It was strange, but at the same time quite wonderful.
I would always tell Amy that we should go in the house for one night. Just stay in the house and see how frightening it really was. But Amy, being the scaredy cat she was, always opposed the idea.
About a week after Amy left, I was bored and uninterested with everything in my life. I decided to do something to spice up my life and get me back to the Kylie I used to be. So after careful planning, I selected to spend one night in the creek house.
My parents were out of town so it was perfect. That night, I packed a sleeping bag, water, some bread, a flash light, and a hefty stick if any danger came my way. I set out to the house.
When I got there I was a little terrified. Every noise made my bones shake with fear, but I wasn’t going to back out. As I opened the front door, it creaked. Not just a little creak either, a big scary one. I poked my head in the door and cautiously crept into the house. To my surprise there was a light switch. Even though I knew it probably wouldn’t turn on, I gave the switch a try. It worked! I thought to myself, how could this be? How do the lights work, yet no one lives here? As I stared at the glowing lights for a while, my metacognition kicked in. I thought Oh my, some one does live here.
Then something hit me smack dab in the face. I dropped to the ground with a Thud! The next thing I remember I was looking into an innocent, caring face. A little woman stood in front of me with long, silky chesnut hair. She wore a petite dress that was made out of wool and her skin was like leather. Her eyes were bright green and her lips were a radiant red. She looked at me lying on the ground and stroked my hair with her long fingers.
After we both got over the initial shock of everything, I managed to sqeeze out a few words. “Hi, I’m Kylie.” The woman rubbed my head where the bruise laid and said, “Sorry bout’ that girl. Ya startl’d me.” Soon I found out that the woman’s name was Jolene Lazwrish. She said she was lonely and depressed. Her husband had died five years ago and he was her everything. After he died, her life caved in. Jolene was a well known member of the town a few years back, but after her husband’s death she closed up from the world. She said she stopped going outside and weeds took over her yard.
I stared at her in amazment. I asked with confusion, “If you don’t mind me asking, why are you in such good condition if you were so depressed?” Jolene smiled at me and said, “I can still feel his presence with me. I want to look my best for him so I take care of myself. The reason no one ever sees any lights on is cause’ I spend most of my days and nights in my backyard staring up at the sky talkin’ to my love.”
I told her about Amy moving away and how much she meant to me. Jolene said that I should be strong and find new friends. She said I should keep in contact with Amy so I wouldn’t be as lonely. And that I should look at her self for an example.
I realized what she meant. Jolene’s life crashed because she shut her self off from the world after she lost someone she loved dearly. Even though she never managed to recover with new friends, she still talked to her husband and slowly mended her depression.
I stayed the rest of the night with her. Instead of sleeping in the living room, we went outside and stared at the sky together. Jolene talked to her husband’s spirit as if he was right next to her. As she was talking to him, I wrote a letter to Amy. I told her how much I missed her and about Jolene Lazwrish.
Jolene and I had made new friends that night, but we’ll still never forget our old ones and how much we loved them. After that night, I would always stop by Jolene’s on the way home from school. We would talk about our day and she would make brownies, with extra chocolate. YUM! Then, we would go outside in her backyard and watch the clouds. As we ate our brownies, she would talk and I would write.