Imaginary Friends

A random thought came into my head: why didn’t I have an imaginary friend as a kid? It amazes me how kids can invent a character and give them life. I wonder what it would’ve been like to speak to a tree with human limbs or play with a bear who can fly.

Having an imaginary being to talk to would’ve helped me express all the emotions I had growing up. There’s something strange yet fascinating about them. I started writing stories in a tiny notebook that I kept hidden in my room when I was nine. I invented characters and gave them personalities. I knew they were fiction and never saw them as part of my world.

What kind of imaginary friend would the younger me have? I decided to draw it. I’ve always been fond of sharks and read a lot of books about them. The kid me would’ve been ecstatic to have a shark-person as a friend. Of course, with a mustache, so it’s cooler than the other sharks.