Shirley

When he was seven, they fled the cramped city and moved to the spaciousness of his gramma's place. From the big old crab-apple tree, he could see the path winding away into the deep woods, over the little creek, and further away to the secret old junkyard where he met Shirley.

Who needed family when he had such a neat best friend?

She was the voice in his mind, showing him things, guarding him. While he was a child, they played together in the junkyard. By the time he was fourteen, it was time to see her true form.

But did Shirley really have his best interests at heart?