The Forgotten Girl

by India Hill Brown

  “And what might that be?”

  “You don’t need Iris as a forever friend, when I know who your true best friend is! Her name is Emma Mae!”

  Avery contorted her face in a snarl. She froze, still and cold as ice.

  Iris looked at Daniel, her face covered in shock.

  “Emma Mae, your best friend when you were alive!” Daniel yelled. “She’s my grandmother and she thinks about you every single day!”

  Had he said too much? What if Avery tried to drown Suga? Hopefully she’d guide herself beyond before that happened.

  “Prove it!” Avery shrieked against the wind. “Prove it to me now!”

  Iris was sputtering, coughing, crawling toward them. Avery whipped around, looking as if she was ready to drop her back in the pond.

  “Not until you leave Iris alone!” Daniel glanced back and forth from the ghost to his friend, making sure that Iris was okay and that Avery wasn’t trying anything new.

  Iris rolled over on her back, her chest heaving.

  She took a big breath and looked at Daniel, her teeth chattering so hard she could barely speak.

  “L-l-light,” Iris said. “She doesn’t … l-like … l-light …”

  Daniel quickly reached into the pocket of his jacket, pulled out the tiny flashlight on his keychain, and pointed it at Avery. She shrieked and floated backward.

  “Bring me my friend, or else.” Her voice was deeper than any he’d ever heard.

  She was gone.

  Just then, the wind increased, blowing so hard Daniel could barely stay on his feet. It whipped wildly around them, sending snow flurries into their faces and branches flying down from trees. Daniel had a feeling that it wasn’t the storm picking up, but Avery conjuring up a wind to keep them from leaving.

  “We have to get out of here,” he said, helping his friend to her feet. She was still shaking.

  He had no idea where Avery was, or if she was coming back, but he wanted to get Iris home before the storm got any worse. He had no intention of giving Suga to Avery. He had no idea what she’d try to do to her, where she’d try to take her, if she’d try to hurt her. If she tried to drown his grandmother and she survived, she would never leave her house again, snow or shine. And if she didn’t …

  He shook the thought out of his head. Avery wouldn’t even get the chance. He wouldn’t let her.

  Together they pushed against the wind, walking slowly, silently, concentrating on each step. They bundled up as best as they could in their jackets, which were getting damp from the snow. The wind whistled louder and louder around them. “Argh!” Daniel screamed. He couldn’t see a thing.

  “Daniel!” Iris screamed, her voice faint and far away. They held each other tighter.

  He felt like they were in a snow globe. He couldn’t tell if he was walking toward or away from the pond. He could barely tell if they were right side up. “Keep holding my hand!” Daniel said. “We have to stay together!”

  Daniel was shivering and so was Iris. He was so worried; she’d already been out here for a while, already been in the pond … it was too much cold for her. Avery was slowly trying to freeze her. They put their hands out, and soon they were touching trees. They were in the woods. He hoped they’d reach the clearing soon, but he wasn’t even sure if they were going in the right direction. He wondered if this was where and how Avery died.

  Daniel silently prayed, thought about his father. Thought about Suga. His mother.

  Iris’s hand was icy cold. He did his best to hold on, to not lose her in this snow.

  “Please, please get us out of here,” he whispered. He had no idea where they were.

  Daniel saw a light. He let himself become relieved. He was starting to see houses!

  But the light started blinking, a bouncing ball in front of them, illuminating their path.

  “Come on!” Daniel said, walking toward it.

  “No!” Iris screamed hoarsely. “What if it’s a trap from Avery?”

  Daniel couldn’t explain it, but he didn’t think so. He didn’t feel afraid. This light felt like basketball and comic books and tying ties and haircuts. It felt like Sunday Night Football and weekend trips to the bookstore and sports documentaries.

  “It’s not,” Daniel said confidently. “Let’s go!”

  They walked, following the bouncing ball. It led them through the intense windstorm around them. Daniel could see the woods, see the clearing, see the street they lived on.

  “What is that?” Iris said as they approached the little ball. Iris stayed back, hesitant to touch it, but Daniel walked toward it, holding it in between his hands, giving it a bounce.

  A familiar, warm comfort washed over him. He felt the excitement he used to feel from holding a basketball. He felt his dad telling him that it would be all right, that he was proud of him. That he was at peace.

  “I miss you,” Daniel whispered. “I love you.”

  The ball grew brighter, warmer, and Daniel knew the feeling was reciprocated. Then it dimmed, flowing slowly up to the sky until they could no longer see it.

  Without the light, it was almost pitch-black. But they were in the clearing, facing their houses.

  “Was that—” Iris gasped, her body shaking.

  A tear fell from Daniel’s cheek. “I think so.”

  Iris squeezed Daniel’s hand. He squeezed it back, realizing again how cold she was.

  “Iris?” Daniel asked softly. “Are you okay?” It was a silly question, he thought immediately afterward. Of course she wasn’t okay. She was almost killed by an evil ghost.

  “I’m …”

  “What?” he asked, getting worried again. They were almost out of the clearing. The promise of a warm house and dry clothes led the way.

  “I hate to admit it, but … I feel … afraid. What if you hadn’t come in time?”

  Daniel didn’t want to think of that, of what could’ve happened.

  Iris Rose, afraid. Daniel never thought he’d hear the words. As much as he wished he wasn’t, he’d always been the afraid friend. Iris was the brave one.

  “It’s okay to be afraid sometimes,” Daniel told Iris. “You’re still a kid. It’s okay.” He paused. “I think you can be afraid of something and still be brave,” Daniel said, thinking about his own experiences today. “I mean, I was afraid of looking for you today and breaking the rules, and—”

  “And you still came looking for me. Even after our argument.” Iris smiled a little, shivering less. “Thank you, Daniel, and I’m sorry. You aren’t a scared baby.”

  “I think being afraid is okay as long as it doesn’t stop you from saving your best friend from an angry ghost.” He laughed, almost giddy with the thought that they were finally okay. “That’s what best friends are for, right? Finding each other when we get lost? You don’t have to be brave by yourself all the time.”

  And with a start, he realized this was true. That they were really there for each other.

  With that, Daniel’s anger at Avery came back. His friend could’ve frozen to death in this snow, all because of Avery and her evil games.

  They reached the end of the clearing and hurried through the neighbor’s yard. Turned the knob to Iris’s house.

  It was pitch-black and silent.

  “Vashti?” Iris whimpered.

  She ran upstairs, calling her name. Daniel ran into the kitchen, back to the living room, looked in the foyer.

  Vashti was gone.

  Iris ran from room to room upstairs while Daniel looked around downstairs, both of them screaming Vashti’s name. Her heart dropped as she realized her sister wasn’t there.

  She wouldn’t have left the house by herself, would she? Where would she go in this storm? There had to be some explanation—

  “Sissy!” Iris heard Vashti’s voice echoing through the house.

  “Vashti?” Iris ran downstairs, but didn’t see her. “’Ti? Where are you?”

  She heard her little sister’s voice amplified.

  �
��Avery is taking me to her home to play in the snow! Just like she took you, Sissy!”

  Iris’s heart dropped. Avery?

  “She just wants to be like her big sister,” her mom was always telling her.

  Iris wanted to pull her hair out.

  Daniel ran from the foyer, back to the living room where Iris stood.

  “She knows who Avery is, Iris,” Daniel said quickly. “She—she’s the one who told me you were with her.”

  “Where is she, ’Ti?” Iris cried. “Avery, show yourself and stop being a coward!”

  “Oh, Iris Rose.” She heard Avery’s voice. “Vashti and I are working on our friendship. She wants to have fun, with someone who actually takes the time to play with her.”

  “Leave my sister alone,” Iris growled. “Bring her back!” Iris felt dizzy, a snow globe shaken up too many times.

  “Once I realized little Vashti Rose was here, waiting for the both of you to return, I suggested we play together. I do not like to be forgotten, Iris Rose.”

  Iris screamed in rage.

  “Give me my real forever friend, and you can have Vashti back. Fail to do so, and I will have Vashti, forever.”

  “No, wait!” Iris screamed, running around the living room. “Wait!”

  She heard nothing but her own ragged breathing. Avery was gone, and she’d taken her sister, the lights turning back on in their wake.

  It all made sense now.

  The shadows in Vashti’s room, all the times that she heard Vashti talking and laughing with someone.

  “Do you want to meet her?” Vashti had asked when Iris wanted to know about the “friend” her sister was laughing at.

  “She’s up there!” Vashti had cried when they were watching Missy Mysteries.

  It was all Avery, all along.

  The temper tantrum Vashti had after Iris was caught sleepwalking. She was so desperate to talk to Iris. She wanted to tell her something.

  Avery had been pulling Vashti into this mess from the beginning. And Iris had been too busy to notice.

  She was so upset about Daniel not believing her, but she had been doing the same thing to her little sister.

  “My sister!” she wailed. “We have to get her back! How can we stop this?”

  “Iris,” Daniel said urgently. “I think there’s a way to stop Avery, but …” He looked grim. “It’s not going to be easy. I’ll explain on the way.”

  She thought about what Daniel told Avery, about Suga. Remembered Avery’s request to “bring me my friend, or else.” She couldn’t believe it. Would they have to choose between Vashti and Suga?

  A violent chill rushed through Iris’s body. They’d be no use to Vashti or Suga if they froze to death first.

  Daniel studied her, shivering a little. “Are you okay? We need to ch-change out of these clothes.”

  Iris raced upstairs and grabbed both pairs of her Nelson’s Pond sweat suits, one to give to Daniel.

  Their parents. What if they couldn’t find Vashti before their parents got back? How would they begin to explain this to them?

  As she sprinted into the hallway, she felt a draft come from Vashti’s room.

  Her window was open.

  Screaming in frustration, Iris ran into her sister’s room and slammed the window shut.

  “Iris?” Daniel called from downstairs. “Are you okay up there?”

  Running downstairs, Iris nodded. She gave Daniel the sweat suit, then went into the bathroom to change before they bolted out of her front door.

  “Iris,” Daniel said as they hurried toward his house. “We have to convince Suga to come outside.”

  “No.”

  “Please,” Iris begged again, “we need you to come outside with us!”

  “Suga! We have to! I know it’s scary, but you have to listen! Vashti—” Daniel tried.

  “Daniel, I told you! I don’t go out in the snow!” She only called him Daniel when something was final.

  “Suga, I need you to listen to me, and don’t panic, okay? Avery Moore has Vashti!”

  She looked at the two of them.

  “What did you just say?”

  He grabbed Suga’s hand and they told her together how they started communicating with Avery, what happened with Iris in the clearing, in the pond, in the blizzard, and now with Vashti. How she needed to be remembered. They were talking fast, words spilling over each other, but they didn’t have any time to waste.

  “We know this sounds impossible, Suga, but please believe us! It could be too late, and Avery only agreed to leave Iris and Vashti alone if we showed Avery her real friend. Remember what you told me earlier? You’re the thing that she’s searching for. This could be the only thing to save Vashti and make her leave us alone for good!” he concluded.

  Suga sat, her eyes wide, her mouth open, looking back and forth at the two of them, probably trying to decide if it was a joke, or just a dream, or just their imaginations getting the best of them. Daniel knew it was a lot for her to take in at once, a lot to believe—he didn’t even believe it until he saw Avery with his own two eyes—but with every moment they waited, Vashti could be in more danger.

  But if anyone would believe them in a hurry about the supernatural, it was Suga.

  “Oh my goodness,” Suga said. Her face looked pale. “My goodness, my goodness …”

  “Suga,” Daniel said, squeezing his grandmother’s hand.

  “Suga … This is your chance to finally make peace with Avery! To tell her your side of the story and let her know that you’re here!” Iris pleaded.

  “Daniel … are you sure this is really her and not some other … spirit?” Suga asked slowly. “The Avery I knew was kind and wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

  “I think she grew cold with years and years of feeling like she’d been forgotten,” Iris said quickly. “She doesn’t remember who she used to be. Now she’s trying anything she can to be heard.”

  Suga closed her eyes tightly, like she was having an internal battle. She sighed.

  “Okay.”

  Daniel and Iris helped bundle Suga in sweaters, a jacket, and scarves. There was no time to lose.

  “Don’t worry, Suga! We will not let her take you,” Daniel said forcefully.

  “I’m not worried about that,” Suga said. “If this is really Avery, she’d never hurt me.”

  Daniel wasn’t too sure.

  “Vashti said Avery was taking her home, I assume to her grave,” Iris said, her voice cracking.

  At least, she hoped so.

  The three of them ran as fast as they could, trying not to slip, leading Suga, who was transfixed by the snow around her. She looked at everything like it was new: the snow on the ground, the ice in the trees. Every time one of their boots crunched a little too loudly on the snow, her head would jerk in that direction.

  They approached the clearing and saw no one.

  “She’s not here!” Iris wailed. Avery must’ve suspected they’d come here first. If something happened to Vashti because of her, she’d never forgive herself. She pictured herself becoming like Suga, cursing the snow at every chance she got. She was scared and wanted her sister back more than anything.

  She thought back to the night that started everything. The night when they first came to the clearing and made the snow angels.

  That was it.

  “Suga,” she said. “Suga. I think you need to make a snow angel right there. That’s how I summoned her.”

  Suga stared at Iris like she was the ghost.

  “Right there? Why?”

  “Suga,” Daniel said, taking a deep breath. “Suga … this is where Avery’s body is buried.”

  Suga looked at Daniel and Iris. Her chin trembled.

  “It is?”

  Iris and Daniel nodded, then took each one of Suga’s arms, helping her kneel down to look at Avery’s grave.

  She wiped the snow from the grave marker and stared at it.

  “My goodness,” she said. “After all these years.”


  Suga closed her eyes, tears falling from her cheek.

  “It was right under my nose the entire time.”

  It seemed like there was so much that they missed that was right under their noses.

  After a moment, Daniel knelt down beside his grandmother and hugged her. “It’s okay, Suga.”

  Suga closed her eyes and started to lie on the snow. Daniel and Iris helped her.

  “Think, Suga,” Iris said. “Think of those moments that you have tried to forget. With Avery.”

  Suga’s chin trembled, but she closed her eyes again, and thought.

  Meanwhile, Iris closed her eyes and thought of Vashti. ’Ti, if you come back, I’ll play dolls with you every day during winter break. We can wear our matching nightgowns and have step shows and—

  “Keep thinking, Suga,” Daniel said.

  There was silence, for a second. Then, with a strong gust of wind, blowing snow everywhere, there were Avery and Vashti.

  Suga gasped loudly, crawling away. “Avery?” she asked. She looked at her, fear covering her face. Iris realized how strange it must be for Suga to see Avery as a ghost. Daniel helped her to her feet.

  Avery whipped around. “Who are you?”

  “Avery, it’s me,” Suga said, walking toward her slowly, still staring at her. “It’s Emma Mae. We were best friends. I remember you.”

  There was silence as Avery regarded Suga.

  Vashti ran to Iris and hugged her close. Iris hugged her back tightly, wrapping her inside her puffer coat. They shivered together, trying to warm each other up.

  Suga muttered something that looked like a prayer, then took a step toward Avery.

  “The Avery Moore I knew was kind and strong. She wouldn’t let anyone change that, no matter what she went through. She did great things. But what you’re doing, hurting children to be remembered … you’ve been so upset that you don’t even remember who you are anymore.”

  She took another step.

  “The last day you were alive, we argued at my house by the pond. You left, and our families were upset with each other because of it. Because of how you died. But, Avery, you’ve always been my best friend.”