He sat in front of his bedroom wall, staring unblinking at the dark shape before him. The creature, brought to life by the monkey night light plugged into the opposite wall, remained unheard. In its silence, it watched him, mimicking every little movement perfectly. Its presence, though somewhat expected, was fearful in the mind of a lonesome child. Tonight, his dreams had abandoned him, despite several attempts to call them forth. So he sat facing the shape, and carefully fashioned his fingers in various designs and characters in the darkness, bringing them to life on the wall. Several minutes passed, or perhaps hours, but his fingers grew weary. Bored of the play which had amused for so long, he sighed and stared once again at the wall.

He rose to his feet and placed his hands flat against the wall, connecting himself to his silent friend. The wall was cold to the touch, but he remained undeterred in his quest. A single finger traced the creature's outline, being as careful as he could so he did not cause his friend pain. Once the outline was complete, he moved his hands in various directions against the wall, watching his friend mimic each movement.

Suddenly he jumped back and leapt into the air, striking a pose. For each stance he chose, his friend did the same, if not one better. Yet, after more time had passed, he grew bored once again. He stood still and stared at the dark shape with half-lidded blue eyes. His dreams were calling at last, beckoning him to the warmth of the sheets. With a smile, he turned his back to the shape and crawled beneath the covers. He knew his friend would never say a word, but he swore he saw it smile a moment ago.

His dark and silent companion.