Sarah from fantasmagorical inspired me to write a short story in the form of letters, and here it is, dedicated to everyone in fantasmagorical. (hi guys!) I really enjoyed writing this, please review and tell me what you think. I'm experimenting with using paragraphs instead of line breaks; I don't know if I like it or not just yet. If I do, I'll start using them.

Dear Dad,

I haven't written to you for a while because Mom made us move again, really far this time. We had to leave because she said that the spiders in the walls were trying to get me--one night, I got out of bed to get some water, and I saw her making holes in the kitchen wall with a hammer. Then when I got home from school the next day, the landlord, Mr. Schreevy, was in the apartment and he was asking her why there were holes in the wall. She told him that a burglar had broken in and she'd had to fight him off. Please don't be mad at me. I was going to tell Mr. Schreevy that she was lying, honest, but he's a scary old man with crooked teeth and scary eyes and I was too afraid to talk to him. So I just ran and hid in my room with the door open just a little, so I could still hear. Mr. Schreevy believed her about the burglar because the apartment was a big mess and he said that it looked like there'd been a struggle. But you know that it's not true, right Dad? You see, there was a big play coming up at school, so between rehearsals and homework, I didn't have time to clean up, and if I don't do it, it doesn't get done. You know how Mom is. Anyway, now we're in a different city, and my new school doesn't have a drama program, so it's pretty boring.

Please write back this time.

Love,
Connor

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Dear Dad,

I met a girl at school the other day. Her name is Antoinette, but everybody calls her Eddie. I don't know why yet. Anyway, we have the same teacher, so we walk to class together a lot and she sits next to me. She says she's hanging out with me so she can cheat off my papers, but I think she's just joking.

Well, I have to go study for a math test. Mom says that if I don't pass all my tests, then "they" are gonna come and take me away, and Dad, it scared me when she said that. I don't know who "they" are. I don't know a lot of things. I wish I did. Maybe if I knew who "they" are, I could talk to them, and make them promise not to take me away. Mom gets upset when people want to take me away.

Love,
Connor

P.S. Do you know who "they" are?

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Dear Dad,

We got our math tests passed back today, and I got a really good grade. Eddie failed it, so I guess that means she didn't really cheat off me after all. She gave me her phone number yesterday, but I can't call her, because Mom would probably get mad at me for using the phone. I guess it doesn't really matter, since Mom stopped going to work again. That usually means that we're going to leave soon. Which is okay, I guess. Maybe my next school will have a drama program. I'm getting tired of reading plays by myself in my room, it's not as much fun as doing plays for real.

Even though I really want you to write me back, you should probably wait until you get my next letter. Mom's yelling at the bathroom mirror. I don't think we'll stay here much longer.

Love,
Connor

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Dear Dad,

Mom forgot to register me at the school here, so I'm stuck at home all day. I guess it's not so bad, we're renting a house instead of an apartment, and I don't get lonely. There's a guy next door who's my age, his name is George, and he invites me over to his house to play video games every day after he gets home from school. He always lets me pick which game we play, which is really nice of him, since they're his games in the first place. I try to pick the games he likes, so that he won't be bored or annoyed. At first, I didn't know how to play any of the games, because Mom has never let me have video games; but George taught me and now I can play all of his games. He says that I'm the best at fighting games, since my fingers are so strong and I can push lots of buttons really fast. You should come visit us here, Dad, so I can teach you how to play. I bet I can beat you, that's how good I am. Mom is being pretty good, she's going to work every day and she even went on a date last week.

I asked George if I should tell you that Mom went on a date, and he said that you wouldn't mind because you probably date too. He says that you probably even have a girlfriend or a fiancée. Do you? Because if you do, you can bring her if you want. I promise to behave and I'll be extra nice to her, even if she isn't nice to me. I miss you, Dad.

Love,
Connor

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Dear Dad,

I don't think I like Mom's new boyfriend. He looks like King Kong, all giant and covered in bushy black hair, and he roars when he talks. I don't like when he kisses Mom, because he looks like he might crush her. She's lost a lot of weight since the last time you saw her, Dad, and she's really tiny now; I think she weighs less than me, and I'm pretty skinny.

George has an older brother named Max who's visiting them from another state. He's okay, but since he's staying in the den at George's house, George and I can't play video games. So now I'm giving George acting lessons in his backyard. I told him about how much I miss going to school, and he said that he felt bad for me, so he brings home all of his school stuff and teaches me all the things he learns at his school. It's even better than the video games, I think.

I have to stop writing now. King Kong is here and Mom wants me to answer the door because she isn't finished getting ready for their date yet.

Love,
Connor

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Dear Dad,

When I was little, you told me that I'm not allowed to hate people. But right now I hate Mom's boyfriend. After I opened the door last night, he tried to come in, but I didn't want to let him because the living room was a mess and I was kind of embarrassed. He got mad, and he pushed me--really hard. I banged my arm on the wall, and now I have a really big bruise on my back, because when King Kong was walking past me, he accidentally kicked me with his stupid boot. At least, that's what he told Mom when I showed her. But it felt like he did it on purpose.

I hit my left arm, so it kind of hurts to write to you. I'll send another letter in a few days.

Love,
Connor

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Dear Dad,

King Kong pushed me again today. That made me mad, because he didn't even have a good reason; I wasn't doing anything. I was just walking into the kitchen to get a drink. He was standing in the doorway, and I asked him to move so I could get by--he really is huge, Dad--and he got mad. He moved out of the way, but then he pushed me into the kitchen so hard that I stumbled into the table. I was lucky enough to miss the corner, but I still got the edge of the table right in the stomach, and it knocked the breath out of me.

I don't want to be here anymore. Mom likes dumb old King Kong better than me, and George had to go to summer camp, so I don't have anyone to talk to. So I'm going to come live with you, okay?

Love,
Connor

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Dear George,

I'm sorry I couldn't wait to say goodbye to you in person, but I can't stay at home anymore because my mom's stupid boyfriend is a big jerk. I'm going to live with my Dad. I wrote the address on the other piece of paper in the envelope, so don't lose it. It's kind of far, so I'm taking the bus, and I'll probably be there in a few days. I didn't have any money for the bus, so I had to take some from my mom's purse. I feel kind of bad about not asking, but if I had, she would've said no. So could you tell her that I'll pay her back when I get to my Dad's house? Thanks.

Your friend,
Connor

P.S. Thanks for being my friend. I promise to come back and visit you sometime.

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Dear Dad,

I'll be seeing you soon, but I kind of like writing to you, and it helps to pass the time. It's been a long time since I've seen you, so I'm wondering what you look like. You know what I look like, since I send you school pictures every year, but you've never sent me a picture, so I just have an old one of you and me and Mom when I was two. Do you have a beard? Or a mustache? I guess I'll find out when I get to your house.

Love,
Connor

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Dear Dad,

I guess it's stupid to write to you now, since I found out you haven't even been getting my other letters. But it's kind of a habit, after all, I've been doing it for a really long time. Your old neighbor Mr. Sanchez told me that you moved away years ago, when I was only five. So I guess I'm all alone now. I can't go back with Mom.

Maybe I'll wait for the guy living in your old house to get back from vacation so I can ask him if he kept my letters, and I can keep them for a journal. I hope he didn't read them. They're private, for you and me only. If I can have the letters back, than maybe I can pretend I still have you, even though I don't know where you are.

Love,
Connor

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Dear Dad,

I spent the last two nights sleeping in your old backyard. I'm glad you built a treehouse out there back when we were still a family, because it was really cold and windy. It was very dark and kind of scary, but it was better than sleeping on the ground. And lucky for me, the guy living in your house doesn't have a dog.

He came back from vacation today, and when he found out I'd been staying in his backyard, he almost called the police. That scared me a lot, and I started crying and I told him that I had been looking for you. Then his face got all funny and he asked me for my name. When I told him, he frowned and made me go in the house.

It was nice inside, even if though it smelled a little like a hospital and there wasn't very much furniture. He gave me a glass of water and a sandwich--I was really hungry, and I guess it showed--and then he told me that his name is Jackson Bennett and I could call him Jackson. He said that he had been sending you my letters, but he left on a business trip and forgot to ask his neighbor to check the mail while he was gone. That means that you never got my letter about King Kong pushing me, because it was still in Jackson's mailbox.

Then Jackson got a phone book and looked up your number. He asked me if I wanted to talk to you, but I was afraid that I would cry when you answered the phone, or that you wouldn't want to talk to me. So he told you what happened and where I was. I don't know what you said, but I guess I can ask you when you get here. Jackson said that you're coming to take me home.

Love,
Connor

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Dear Mom,

I'm sorry you're sick. Dad says that's why you do the things you do, and that he should have come and taken care of you a long time ago, but he was too scared. He says he's sorry. When he came and got me today, he cried a lot and hugged me really tight, and said he wrote to me all the time, but that you probably didn't give them to me because you were afraid to let me see them and he thought that if he tried to come and get me, we'd either be gone or you’d get upset and send him away. He cried when he said that, too. I don't mind, because he's here now, and it's better to talk to him in person than to write letters anyway.

I wanted to come and get you, but Dad says that you probably wouldn't like that. Which is okay, I guess, but please don't go out with Charlie anymore. He's not very nice, and he might hurt you.

Well, the plane just landed, so I have to go. Dad lives in California now, and he says he has a really nice house. I can't wait to see it. He says I get my own room and everything. I love you, Mom, and I hope you get better soon.

Love,
Connor