`throwaway4storys` [Thread] So I know I'm a bit late, but a friend of mine inRL wanted me to post this. Throwaway bc people in my friend group know about this and a When I was about 4 years old, we moved to a new town. This is one of those smaller towns where gossip gets around quickly, everyone knows the owners of the local businesses, and the regional schools have about 150 kids per grade, give or take. As a 4 year old it wasn't surprising that I made a few friends quickly. However, my best friend's name was Jeremy, and he was imaginary. I never really thought it was odd that I met Jeremy when I moved to this town, and while looking back I can see how the situation would creep people out, I didn't really notice it. Jeremy was around my age, and I never saw him at my house. I would go to school, and he would be playing on the jungle gym or sitting down inside on the carpet. When I left school for the day, he would wave goodbye and I would be on my way. Since no one ever really saw imaginary friends, I never noticed the difference that he appeared to actually be there. He wasn't invisible, but he also wasn't a person like you or me. He was just, I don't know, there. I told my parents about Jeremy and they sort of just brushed it off as whatever. My parents worked full time and had 5 kids, and I was the second youngest. With a 1 year old in the house, I was designated to the "Oh that's interesting" response every time something new happened. In retrospect, I also realized that I never told my parents Jeremy was imaginary. So one day I went to school and afterwards Jeremy invited me to his house that weekend. Jeremy didn't really talk, as far as I can remember. It was more like I heard his voice internally. Then again, I was 4 years old and didn't care too much. He told me where he lived and I said I would ask my mom. So I told my mom and she looked his family up and lo-and-behold, his last name was in the phone book on the road he had told me. My mom called his parents up and I'm assuming they just chatted over the phone about who they were and all that nonsense. I eventually got a nod from my mom and was really excited for my playdate. We drove over there on Saturday and I immediately went inside. My mom chatted with his parents and eventually left. I remember playing around upstairs and his parents making us food although he didn't touch it. His parents seemed nice enough but even my child-brain could tell something was off. When my mom picked me up, I waved goodbye and we went home. On the way back, my mom asked me how my day was and I told her about all the fun we had. When she asked if I wanted to invite Jeremy over next week I responded in the most innocent way a child can. "No mommy, I don't want to. Jeremy is imaginary and I don't think he would want to come over." I think my mom pulled over and with a strange look in her eyes asked if I had said "imaginary". I reassured her that he was, in fact, imaginary. We drove home quickly and my mom called the police. I never saw Jeremy after that, but I did learn that the parents actually had a boy named Jeremy who died when he was about my age. He had been really sick, never really asked more about it to be honest. His parents were both taken into custody and I never saw them again but word is they were released because they didn't actually do anything wrong and they moved sometime later. I don't know, that was just what I heard when I was old enough to understand. I'm assuming they were delusional and believed their child was still alive. They never did anything to me, I didn't have any memory lapses about my time there and I never had to "go into the creepy basement" or "walk towards the light". I don't know how anyone rationalized Jeremy but I think my parents were just happy I wasn't abducted by psychotic baby snatchers. Anyways, that's my paranormal experience for you. [Thread]: https://reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/2hqjp8/stories_creepypasta_are_great_but_does_anyone/ckvqxow/