It was a hot and humid mid-August night when my demons woke me up.
See, they've been plaguing me for awhile now and I've seen to ignore them! But they were especially persistent that night.
I was 10 when Percy told me that he ain't hear the voices too.
I thought they all heard em!
It wasn't till mama told me I was too old for imaginary friends and Paw told me it wasnt cute anymore, that I stopped insisting the voices was real. They wouldn't believe me anyway.
I was a lonely child.
All the other kids thought me strange.
I wasn't  much good with the books either.
Or sports. Or anything really.
All I had was the voices.
They whispered to me, that they were all I needed. They consoled me with their soothing words and kept me sane.
So, I sat on the swing set and swung; Back and Forth, Back and Forth. Cause the motions were soothing.
Like the voices.
One day, I heard a new voice. And the voices started to get quiet.
His name was Jamie.
I didn't think that was much of a boys name. And I told him such.
He pushed me and the voices roared. Oh how they roared.
I screamed in pain. And him thinking it was him. Apologized and promised to be my friend. The voices fell to a murmur.
I said yes. And the voices went silent.

They were some great years.
Me and Jamie had a grand ol time.
We played tag and we played hide and seek and we played... Well you get the idea!
We had a grand ol time.
Then on a day, kinda like this one, Jamie took me to the swings and said that we would always be together. Even if he left, if I closed my eyes and listens hard enough, I'd hear his voice.
We fell asleep. A time later, jamie nudged me awake and walked me home.
That was the last I saw of him for about 9 years.

The voices had come back.

This time, they weren't as sweet. They seemed angry that I had left them.
Oh, how they punished me for the first few weeks.
Screamin and shoutin. Making all kinds of racket!
They didn't stop until I had accident my splashed some hot water on my sister.
Then they just muttered approval.
It was then I realized, they liked pain.
So, you see.
I had to get the voices to stop.
I, I, couldn't get them to stop otherwise.
So I started small.
It wasn't until the school year started; that the towns population decreased. While families kept disappearing into the night. My parents were commenting on how strange that was. I told them the voices didn't think it was strange. Percy told me to stop foolin around. And I stopped Insisting, they didn't believe me anyway.
Later into the school year. Jamie came back.
The voices were so furious! Fussin and cussin; I had quite the headache until Jamie said hello.
The voices murmured.
I said hi back.
The voices fell silent.
Me and Jamie picked up right were we left off! Except, since we were older it was more talks and less tag.
I was just happy to have my friend back.
Until it seemed like I would lose him again.
Jamie started looking at other girls.
And I just wanted him to pay attention to me.
That's all I wanted!

See. Originally no one was supposed to get hurt.
But he had kissed her and I was all alone and suddenly! suddenly, the voices were back. And I just couldn't help myself. See I, I, I just couldn't.

I never told yall how hot and humid the night was. It was also sticky and moist as well. The night was the kind of night that made your blood run and your heart swell in fear. It was the kind of night that made you feel as if you could see for the first time. It was the kind of night that you felt truly awake.

Thats when I headed to the swings and swung. Back and Forth. Back and Forth.
I heard sirens coming towards me.
I was all alone, just the voices shoutin at me.
Suddenly I was sad.
But then I remembered Jamie's words. I closed my eyes as tight as I could and I could have sworn; I heard Jamie whispering to me.

He told me he forgave me and that we could be together. He asked me could we be together.

I said yes.

And the voices fell silent.