Are best friends forever?

It is happiness that has kept me alive, all these hours, days, years? You see, I have been lost, or as my bestest best friend would say, the reigning champion of hide and seek. Don’t get me wrong I love being the champion. But now… I just want to go home.

I remember my first Christmas so clearly. Like it was just yesterday, toys being stacked and prepped ready to be taken to new homes.  The store clerks whistling as they took extra time, making sure to shine up our packages, fluff our fur and dust all the shelves. Sitting high upon the shelves was me!  A purple dragon destined for great adventures.

As soon as the store opened, I stood proudly watching, waiting for the right owner to come along. A woman enters my area, scanning every row until she spies me.  Her eyes widened, surprised, I am sure, to see such an exquisite creature.  She grabs me, pulling me to her chest giving me a hug and whispering. “You are exactly what I was looking for.”  I knew then that I was going home.  

The store clerk smiled proudly, carefully tucking me into a box, before wrapping. With the sounds of tape ripping and considering how many times my box was twisted and turned, I knew the wrapping was worthy of a fierce purple dragon.

The days spent under the Christmas tree filled my senses and imagination. From the voices, I knew that I would be spending all my adventures with a little girl. She often sat under the tree, dreaming aloud of what fun we would have on Christmas morning. Today gleefully, she announced that tomorrow was the day! I could barely contain my excitement. This is what every toy wishes for; a loving home with a child and many adventures of course.

Paper tearing and shredding, along with giggles, let me know that Christmas morning has arrived.  “Try it on, darling.” A man’s voice beamed. “Oh papa, it is the most beautiful armor I have ever seen.” Her voice trailing off as she ran to change. While she was away, I felt my box being lifted. “Here mama, time to give her your gift.”  The man’s voice cracked with emotion.  Soon the little girl's voice was getting louder as she returned. “I LOVE IT!” The patter of her feet a sure tell that she was spinning in a circle. “Indeed, it is armor fit for the finest of Dragon riders.” I heard the little girl give a sad sigh as I was handed over. “Here darling, open this one next.”

The moment I have been waiting for was finally here. But instead of the careless ripping, the other presents received. She is being gentle and making sure to unwrap me just as I had been wrapped. Just when I thought I would vanquish from anticipation, there she was. Staring at me with giant brown tear-filled eyes. “You found me the perfect companion. She is everything I asked for and more.” With me, in tow, she ran and hugged her parents. Smooshed between them all; was me, the happiest most fierce dragon.

That morning after breakfast, began the first of many adventures. My best friend Kallie did not lack in imagination. We stopped knights from slaying dragons, assisted princesses with problems. Never saving because princesses don’t need redeeming in our world.  When the weather was pleasant, we played out in the Dragon’s den, better known as the forest. But here we spent countless hours searching for treasure and playing our favorite game of hide and seek. I am not sure if there was a happier toy ever in the universe.

The last day we played was the most epic, we were soaring through the sky together. Kallie had just tamed the wild dragon in time to burn the wagons of those set to destroy her village.  We were almost to the villain’s lair when the guards had spotted me, releasing large arrows. I turned and twisted in the sky, dodging the bolts, but they were getting better at aiming, so I needed to take cover. First I set my rider down in safety, then off I went. Camouflaged,  I watched as she snuck around the lair. I beamed with pride at her courage and bravery.

A rustle in the trees breaks the fantasy, as her father walks into the clearing. He often comes out to play, with a big smile on his face, but on this day, his face was grim. “Come here darling, papa needs to talk with you.” From my position in the trees, I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I could see the tears streaming down my best friend’s face, as he embraces her.  Together they ran to the house.  Something terrible must have happened. It was not like her to leave me behind, but I was not worried then about being lost. I believed she would come back. That’s what friends do.  Right? Bestest best friends most surely come back.

I am surely not the same fierce dragon, my scales are now a faded purple. Will she even know me if she comes? Will she still be my bestest best friend? These are the questions I ponder, laying here in my hiding spot waiting.  I try not to dwell on this, instead I recall our adventures. Yet sometimes, I can’t help question. Will she come? Perhaps not in person, but always in my dreams. 

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