As the title says, my daughter, Lily, finally made a new friend. She’s been struggling with making friends since her mother’s death.
I was ecstatic for her, like anyone would be when someone dear to them made their first friend in almost a year. The day I picked her up. she was smiling for once instead of having a sour expression.
“Dad,” she said. “I made a friend!” Lily was so happy, it melted my heart.
“Really? What’s their name?” I asked her, smiling at I started driving down the road.
“His name’s Oscar!” I froze as she said that. It must’ve be a coincidence, there’s no other way it couldn’t have been one. “Can he come over tomorrow?” she asked me, in such a hopeful voice I couldn’t say no.
“…Sure. I’ll pick you both up after school.” I answered, pulling into the driveway. Lily smiled, hopping out of the car.
“Thanks, dad! You’re the best!” She shouted to me, as I left the car. This put a wide smile on my face. It was one of the very few times she was happy, Lily usually just spent all day waiting for mom to get home.
The next day, as I picked her up, I meet Oscar. “Dad, this is Oscar! Oscar, dad.” She introduced us. Lily was only eight, and never introduced people like that. Always said it was too formal. I shrugged it off, though.
I didn’t get a peek at Oscar, not till we got home, anyway. When he got out, I knew it wasn’t just a coincidence. He had brown hair, cut the same way, the same shade of green eyes, the same sweater and pants, the same shoes, the same backpack, and even the same bear.
The bear I had gotten him years before. Oscar smiled at me. It wasn’t a sweet, innocent smile like an eight year old’s, it was one a grown man wore when he knew he was superior to everyone.
“Hi, Oscar.” I greeted, trying to ignore his horrifying face. He smiled even wider now, clutching the hand made bear in his fists tightly.
“Hello.” he said. Lily’s voice got both our attention.
“Daddy, Oscar, you coming?” I looked at her, over the car. She was looking at us, a slight smile rested on her lips.
“Yes, dear, don’t worry!” I said. Oscar and I made our way to the front door. I unlocked it, and held it for everyone to get inside.
“Oscar. let’s go play in my room!” Oscar nodded for an answer.
“One second. I need to speak to your dad.” he said. Fear plucked at every fiber in my body.
“What is it, Oscar?” I asked, just as Lily was getting out of earshot.
Before I could speak, he turned into the corpse I had once seen. He was standing, this time, not lying down. I had the knife I used in hand, shaking. Lily never knew she had a brother, I killed him before she could remember.\