text: I will always think upon that summer home my parents were renovating as a joyful one. The old cobblestone path that guided my small feet home to the porch of that tall, four story wood cabin. My mother was truly a gifted painter. She touched the wood with a cedar finish that shined brighter during the rain and glowed in the night. My father restructured the home and repaired the old, mold covered wood. His hands alone made it sturdy and strong, while moms made it warm and inviting. I recall playing out under the old white willow tree that stood hundreds of years old and as tall as my young eyes could see. A goliath of nature, there to protect me. It was under that tree I first saw it. When it came to me it was nothing more than a blur behind a bright light. Beckoning me over, I followed it into the woods. It showed me so much. It showed me the pond where frogs hopped, snakes slithered and where crickets sang loudest. The days went by and it showed me so much more. It showed me life being brought into the world, doe giving birth to baby fawn, and it showed me frogs that had died due to a sudden change in weather. As time went on I asked my parents to bring my imaginary friend inside, and they both smiled and laughed and told me "Yes.". They told me my friend wasn't real but they wanted me to enjoy my friend before the summer would end, as we would be back in the city. My friend did not like that. We met under the willow tree late in the night. Its bright, deluded appearance, shrouded in light had less of a glow. I could start to make out small features. My friend had fur and made grunts, I don't think friend was human, but I loved friend so. My friend did not want me to go, instead, offered to keep me here. I told it my parents and I would go back to the city where my friends were, it became so upset. It asked me to follow him into the woods before I left. I did. It took my hand and I his and we made our way into the woods. Friend told me if I followed it into a cave in the hillside, I could stay here with it. I became scared of my friend. My friend grabbed my hand so tight it hurt, when I pulled away from my friend, it dragged me closer to the cave. "You will stay!" it demanded. That's when father came running into the woods. "Get inside!" he cried out in anger. I was so happy to see father. Even despite being upset with me, he could see how scared I was. I told him my friend made me! It dragged me! It betrayed me! My father never said anything, only held me and carried me inside. My Father insisted we finish the home soon, my mother reluctantly agreed. For weeks my former friend never showed. Dad slept during the day but stayed up at night, watching outside. I slept in bed with mother. It was the night of the move, a storm gathered outside, fierce and without scrutiny it shoved trees along and crashed against our summer home. I looked out the window one last time before I would go to bed. I looked over at the old willow tree. It was on fire, burning bright, ashes collecting in the gust torn skies and pieces of my fond memories flying, scattered in the wind. Father ran out to put out the fire, how fast he ran! That's when I saw my friend, and the hate that had grown within. It had hooves covered in black tar and fur full of mange. It stood up right like us, and a face of a goat with horns that curled and bent with menace. It had the torso of a man and the hands of one too, yet its fingers were long and covered with hair, it beckoned me over with haunting pale eyes. I screamed "No!" and slammed the window shut, my mother came running and looked outside in horror. She covered my eyes and pulled me into the closet. She told me to wait here and never make a sound. I stood still and silent, I refused to be found. I could hear its hooves click and then step inside our summer home. It called for me, its voice growling lower with each haunting repeat of my name. I covered my mouth and begged in my mind, praying for it to leave. It re-assured me it was still my friend, it wanted me to come with it out behind the old willow tree. I closed my eyes, refusing its calls, that's when I heard it stomping through the hallway and now in my room. It must have known where I was, it broke through the door with its horrid horns. It punched and kicked, hissed and swore. Why was it so violent? I thought we were friends! "Stay away from our son!" The voice of my mother. "You came once before, now you will leave!" cried out my father. It hissed and stomped, trotted and swore. "I was only a boy when you took me from home. I fought like my son and freed myself of you. So come after me as a man, I promise you'll fail." my mother spoke up, "You'll die a thousand times if you harm a hair on his head!" The creature hissed and snarled, banged and wailed profanities I would not speak. It returned to its cave, back deep beyond the willow tree. My parents have since told me to stay wary of imaginary friends. My father had met it, once my age. He told me how mean the creature was when he refused its hand. He begged me steer clear, never go there. He had not suspected the beast had travelled since last he had seen it. We live in a new cottage now, far from the noises of the city. It doesn't have that willow tree I played under. It's forest is not as vast and the animals outside are so few. But my parents are here, and I feel safest.