The Society of Imaginary Friends

Azra and Cyrus led Valerie through the forest. It was like no woods that Valerie had ever seen, except in storybooks. Leaves of every shade of green imaginable were on the trees, and on some of them, the bark glinted as if it had been brushed with gold paint.

As they walked, Valerie occasionally caught a glimpse of something moving in the woods, but she couldn’t make out what it was. She started to worry that they were being surrounded, but Azra’s words softly entered her mind, reassuring her. It’s the people of the woods. Humans used to call them elves. They don’t like to be bothered often, but they won’t hurt us. Valerie let out a breath that she didn’t know she’d been holding. We’re nearly there, Azra added.

“Where exactly are we, anyway? On the planet, I mean.”

The Globe is split into different countries, much like Earth. Right now we’re in the country of Arden. It’s mainly made up of forests, lakes, and waterfalls, and its capital is Silva.

“That’s where you guys live?”

Yes. And I think you’ll like it here very much. In Arden, there are many wonderful teachers who will help you to explore your powers. Here, there are no rules like those on Earth to suppress the magic inside you. You can be the person you really are, fulfill your true potential.

“I hope I fit in.”

“You will!” Cyrus exclaimed. “After all, you’re friends with me, so everyone will know you’re cool. But you can’t tell everyone that you’re from Earth. People would ask a lot of questions. Plus, we don’t want that Sanguina lady finding out where you are.”

“Did you ever figure out who she is and what she wants from me?”

Azra’s eyes were clouded when she answered. I have a strong suspicion of who Sanguina is. I must make sure before I accuse her. Rest assured, when I know for certain, I will tell you.

Valerie nodded. “But won’t it be obvious that I’m not from the Globe? I mean, I’ve never been around magic before.”

Cyrus smiled. “No problem. We’ll tell everyone that you’re from Messina. It’s an island in the middle of the ocean. The people there have forbidden the practice of any magic. And they almost never leave their island, so you’re not likely to run into anyone who will ask you hard questions. Also, Messina is where I’m from, so it will make sense that we know each other so well.”

“You grew up without magic?” Valerie asked, surprised.

Cyrus shifted uncomfortably, not meeting her eyes. “It’s a long story. But yeah, I grew up without any magic, until my parents let me come to Silva for school when I was eight. I’ve lived here ever since.”

“You must miss them so much,” Valerie said, trying to imagine why anyone would want to leave their family if they were lucky enough to have one.

“I do, but I visit all the time. It’s just—I don’t fit in there. I love magic too much. It’s so hard to suppress my powers when I’m home for the holidays. But I’ll take you to meet my parents and my sister sometime.”

“I’d like that.”

“Anyway, Messina is the perfect alibi for you,” Cyrus said, changing the subject. “Speaking of fitting in, that reminds me, I brought you a charm so you can speak and understand any language. Everyone uses it on the Globe so that we can all communicate with each other. It saves everyone a lot of frustration and confusion.”

Valerie caught Cyrus’s change of subject and decided to drop her questions about him and his family for now. She had enough to absorb. She grinned widely as Cyrus described the charm. “No way! Magic can do that? It’s such a brilliant idea.”

Azra laughed and flicked her tail. Valerie’s breath caught at the beauty of the sound in her mind, like remembering church bells. Sometimes I take magic for granted after all these years. It’s so refreshing to watch you experience it for the first time.

Cyrus gave Valerie a candy wrapped in gold foil. “Go ahead and eat it—don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt at all.”

Valerie popped the candy in her mouth. It was sweet, and it made her mouth and throat pleasantly warm and tingly. “Well? Is it working?” she asked.

Azra nodded. Yes, you’re speaking in the universal language. It will seem to you like everyone you meet is speaking English. In fact, everyone speaks and hears in the universal language—but they don’t realize it.

“So the original language fades away? I mean, if I have children, they’ll never hear English spoken?” Something about that seemed sad to Valerie, like one more thing from Earth that she couldn’t hold on to.

The Language Guild ensures that no language is ever forgotten. They pride themselves on speaking to everyone in their own original language. If you ever hear them speak English, you’ll be able to tell the difference.

Valerie was about to ask what a guild was when they stepped out of the woods. Her heart almost stopped beating at the dazzling sight below her. Nestled in a deep, wide valley, Silva glittered.

The city was wildly different from the towns she had seen on Earth. The biggest buildings were white, laid out roughly in the shape of a giant horseshoe. The path in front of the buildings was constructed of flagstones in many colors. Creatures of all shapes and sizes walked on the path, and the stones lit up when they were stepped on. Inside the horseshoe was a large grassy area where children played games. A tree-lined path went straight through the middle, leading to the biggest of the buildings at the top of the horseshoe.

The rest of Silva was sprawled behind the main buildings that made up the horseshoe. This part of the city seemed completely unplanned and crammed full of buildings of every shape and size. Even the streets were unusual, twisting and turning in ways that seemed to make no sense at this distance. It was nothing like the grid of north-south and east-west of streets in downtown Oakland where she had grown up. Logically, she thought this hodgepodge should look messy, but instead, the city had a unique charm, and all of the buildings seemed to somehow be in harmony with each other. Nervousness made her stomach churn as she tried to imagine navigating the labyrinthine paths.

As they walked closer to the city, she was relieved to see that her appearance wouldn’t stand out. Conjurors came in all colors, shapes, and sizes, and everyone wore different styles of clothing, from long robes to dresses made of leaves. Valerie noticed that Cyrus wore a T-shirt and jeans, like guys on Earth. She was relieved that her own jeans and sweater wouldn’t seem strange—other than being a little dirty from her trek through the tunnel beneath the pyramid. While many of the Conjurors could pass for human, she also noticed that animals, fairies, and a variety of other creatures all talked, walked, and played together. She would blend right in.

The trio reached the multi-colored path, and Valerie stepped on it, smiling as a red stone glowed under her foot. She couldn’t help jumping from stone to stone, watching all of the colors light up.

“I made this path light up, ya know. It used to be regular stones, but I charmed them to glow when they’re stepped on. I’m up for an award by the city building commission next month,” Cyrus said. He tried to sound casual, but she could tell it was a big deal.

“That’s unbelievable! How did you do it?”

“I’ll show you my power tomorrow. It’s pretty cool.”

They reached the first of the buildings that made up the horseshoe. Up close, Valerie could see that each of the buildings was unique in design, but they were all white and had flags with different pictures and symbols on them.

Valerie heard the soft clop of Azra’s hooves against the stones as she came to stand next to her. This area is called The Horseshoe... for obvious reasons. Azra gave Valerie a wink. These buildings house what we call guilds here on the Globe. Noticing Valerie’s confused expression, she added, Guilds are much like different professions. We have guilds for acting, writing, music, and language—to name a few.

“I’m a craftsman at the Society of Imaginary Friends. After I moved to Silva for school, I became an apprentice here. That’s when I became your imaginary friend,” Cyrus added. “And when you have a chance to get settled, I’ll take you around to see all the guilds so that you can decide if you want to apprentice somewhere, too.”

“Is that how people earn money here?”

In Arden, we trade services, but we don’t use money. Other countries on the Globe use money, though, like Elsinore, the country to our north. But you won’t have to worry about basic necessities, like food and clothing, as you did on Earth, Valerie. Here magic provides those things very easily, so we have more time to do what we truly love. I hope you’ll find something you’re passionate about here.

Valerie smiled. She already had a few ideas. “What about school?”

“Little kids go to school, but once you apprentice somewhere, you take all your classes at your guild,” Cyrus explained.

The idea reminded Valerie of going to college—something she hadn’t thought she would have to deal with for years. Her anxiety returned as she tried to imagine figuring everything out for herself, without having teachers and guidance counselors to tell her what to do.

She was distracted from her worries as she noticed that the sun was starting to sink in the sky. Her eyes drooped—it had been a long day. Then they flew open wide. “Hey! What’s the sun doing here? We don’t even revolve around a sun on the Globe, right?”

It’s an illusion. Really, the stars that are sucked into the black hole provide all of the light and energy we could ever need. But when the Globe was created, we decided to program the weather to be similar to Earth, with summer, fall, winter, and spring. We also decided to include a sun that gives us a twenty-four-hour day. It was hard enough to leave Earth, so we tried to make the Globe as much like home as we could. And I would like to help you feel at home here, too, Valerie.

Valerie was glad that the Globe wouldn’t be too different from Earth. She couldn’t imagine never seeing another sunrise.

I can see you’re tired. And who wouldn’t be, after such a trip! The dorm for the Society of Imaginary Friends, where you’ll be living, is around the corner. Dulcea, the dorm matron, will make sure that you have everything you need. She can be strict, but, as Cyrus will tell you, she has a soft heart. The two of you have much in common. You’re welcome to stay there as long as you like. If later you would like to move to the dorm of your chosen guild, we can arrange a transfer.

“Trust me, you won’t want to transfer. Everyone knows it’s the best dorm in Silva. Naturally, because it’s where I live,” Cyrus said with a grin. “And I’ll be just two floors up from you.”

I’ll leave you here in Cyrus’s capable hands. But never hesitate to call me if you need me. Think of me in your mind, and I will know how to find you. And please stop by to talk any time. I work in the building at the top of The Horseshoe, Azra said, nodding toward the biggest of the white buildings. It had tall white pillars and a domed roof, and reminded Valerie a little of the White House. She couldn’t imagine going inside without everyone wondering what she was doing there. Go to the front desk and ask for me—everyone knows where I am.

“Bye, Azra. And thank you.”

Remember, anything you ever need. Then Azra touched Valerie’s shoulder softly with her nose before she left. She smelled like lilies.