[setsunaela]

Once upon a time, there was a seven year old little boy named Tommy. His parents were very busy people, who often forgot to come walk him home from school. One day, Tommy was sitting on a bench outside of the school, crying, when someone spoke to him.
"Why are you crying?" Tommy looked up to see a girl a few years older than him, wearing a plain brown dress, with long blonde curls down her back. She was leaning over, looking down at him crying. He rubbed his eyes and sniffled.
"My mommy and daddy aren't here to walk me home, and I'm not allowed to walk by myself." The girl frowned.
"That's not very nice of them. I'll walk you home, okay?"
"I'm not supposed to go with strangers, either" Tommy replied, wiping the tears from his cheeks with his palms.
"Okay, I'm Susan Wilson. What's your name?" She smiled brightly at him.
"I'm Tommy Jenkins." He replied, slightly confused. "Why?"
"Well, now we're not strangers! So, let's go. Lead the way and I'll walk you home!" Tommy, not sure what else to do, nodded and got down from the bench. He and Susan made small talk about the weather and his school work on his way home. After about ten minutes of walking, they approached his home.
"This is it, Susan. Thank you for walking me home." Tommy said, and turned to go in the door. Just as he was reaching for the handle, the door swung open, his mother standing in the doorway looking stressed. She was facing away from him, talking to his father.
"We forgot about Tommy! I'm going to get him!" She shouted, turning around. She was startled to see Tommy standing on the porch, and her face quickly shifted to anger. "Thomas Jenkins, what have I told you about walking home alone! It's dangerous!" She yelled.
"But Mom, I didn't walk alone. Susan walked me home!" He shouted back at her, gesturing behind him.
"Who is Susan?!" His mother demanded angrily.
"She's right.." Tommy turned around while speaking, to point at Susan, but no one was there. The sidewalks were all empty. Where had she gone in such a short time? Perhaps his mother had scared her and she ran away.. "She was right here! I met her at school. She told me she was Susan Wilson and that we weren't strangers and she would walk me home! Honest!" He insisted. His mother's expression turned to one of confusion and concern.
"Did you say Susan Wilson?" His mother asked him, sounding incredulous.
"Yeah, Mom. Susan Wilson." Tommy replied, confused himself.
"Okay honey, I believe you.. go inside." His mother sounded distracted, but Tommy took advantage of the sudden change and scuttled in the house and up to his room. Later that night, he was sneaking down the stairs to get a glass of water when he heard his mother talking.
"Honey, I don't know what to do. Tommy says Susan Wilson walked him home from school today."
"Susan Wilson?" His father replied, sounding shocked.
"Yes. He swears that's who walked him home. He even described her!" His mother sounded upset. Tommy didn't understand, but sat on the stairs to listen.
"But honey, wasn't little Susan Wilson hit by a car and killed on her way home from school the year before Tommy was born?"