I remember the day we met. You were much smaller then. Standing in your backyard, beneath a ceiling of branches and leaves. There was a yellow plastic shovel in your hands and a shallow hole at your feet. Chunks of your backyard were strewn everywhere.

Your eyes were bright and blue. Your face was smudged with dirt and grape juice. There was a single leaf in your hair.

If you were surprised to see me, suddenly, standing at your side, you didn’t show it.

You grinned and said, “Hi!”

I smiled back. “Hello.”

You examined me for a second. “You look weird.”

Did I? I’d only existed for twelve seconds. I hadn’t even had a chance to check myself out yet.

I looked down. This is what I saw:

Fur.

Purple fur.

Lots and lots of purple fur.

I pieced the rest of my appearance together over time. You might describe me as a ball of purple fuzz. Except a whole lot bigger than any ball of fuzz you’d see drifting around the house. I have two arms and two legs, two eyes and one mouth.

I suppose I did look weird. But then again … you were the one who imagined me. So I guess that made you a little weird too.

You ran a hand across your cheek, adding another smudge to your face. “I’m Zach.”

“Nice to meet you, Zach. My name is … uh …”

My voice fell into silence. I was just beginning to realize something a bit awkward.

I didn’t have a name.

But you were about to change that. Your eyes dropped to the shovel in your hand. Your face lit up. “How ’bout we call you Shovel?”

“Shovel?”

You nodded.

“Like the thing you dig with?”

You nodded again.

“Okay, then.” I smiled. “My name’s Shovel.”

“Hey, I have an idea! You can help me and Ryan with our project!”

I tilted my head. “Ryan?”

A sound from the other end of the yard. A door opening and closing. I turned just in time to see a kid step out of the house next door. He looked about your age. A gangly boy with wild black hair that stood up in every direction.

“That’s Ryan,” you said. “He lives next door. And he’s also my best friend.”

Ryan came running across the yard, barreling right through a pile of leaves.

You called out to him. “Guess what! I made a new friend. He’s gonna help us with our project!”

I still didn’t know what this big project of yours was. And I don’t think I ever actually agreed to help. But if I seemed clueless, Ryan was even more confused.

He glanced around. “New friend?”

You pointed. “He’s right here. His name’s Shovel.”

Ryan looked in the direction you were pointing and saw—

Nothing.

Which wasn’t a surprise. To everyone but you, I’m invisible. I’m nothing at all.