Knowledge (XXG)

Imaginary Friends (short story)

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his dog barking at something and goes into the forest to investigate, despite having been told by his parents not to go into the forest. When he approaches the dog, he sees that he is barking at a tiny, strangely dressed creature. The creature says he is a wood elf named Pick. Jack chases the dog off and frees Pick from the brush he had become entangled in. Pick then shrinks Jack down to his size and they go for a ride on Pick's owl, Daniel. Jack sees the entire forest from above, and Pick points out a troll under the bridge. He also shows Jack a tree where a dragon named Desperado is being imprisoned. They land and Jack hears his mom call him, he turns to look and when he turns back Pick is gone. Later he searches for the tree where Desperado is imprisoned, and the troll, but finds nothing. He tells his mother about it, but she says that it is normal for kids his age to have imaginary friends, and that he should keep them to himself.
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bumping his head again. He then runs into the forest and finds Pick locked in a cage hanging from the troll bridge, but the troll is gone. Pick tells Jack that the troll has gone to release Desperado from his prison and that he must stop him. Jack runs to the tree and picks up a trash can lid and branch that magically become a shield and sword. The troll is lying on the ground, burnt. The dragon is huge and is made up of all Jack's doubt, fears and sickness. He runs from him, but the dragon is everywhere he turns. Finally he resolves to fight the dragon and beats it back into its prison. He then awakes in the hospital, where his parents tell him they found him lying outside unconscious. During his stay, more tests are run and they find that all traces of the cancer are gone. Waddy tells Jack he knew he would beat it, but Jack knows that it was defeating the dragon that destroyed the sickness.
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Jack is a normal 13-year-old boy living with his parents in a house near a park forest. The story begins with Jack being diagnosed with a blood disorder, like leukemia. A flashback reveals that when he was 6 years old he stumbled and fell while playing in his sand box, hitting his head. He then sees
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writes "both traditional fairy tales and many modern children’s stories are designed to teach lessons to children, lessons about greed, or not trusting strangers, or how to face the trials of growing up. They can also provide tools to help children face those trials, and that is clearly what Brooks
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Later, after his medical diagnosis, he tells his friend Waddy that he has been given 6 months to live, but Waddy tells him that he’ll probably beat the cancer. That night, unable to sleep, Jack hears someone calling for him outside. He runs outside, but trips over the dog and falls off the porch,
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which is a collection of fantasy short stories that Brooks contributed to, the proceeds of which went to his friend and editor of the book, Shawn Speakman's "considerable medical bills."
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a 13-year-old boy, recently diagnosed with cancer and given 6 months to live
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Brooks, Terry (2013). "Imaginary Friends". In Shawn Speakman (ed.).
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a dragon trapped by magic in a tree in the park forest
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It was published as part of 957:An Unfortunate Influx of Filipians 224:from the original on 25 March 2024 14: 581:The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara 876:Walker and The Shade of Allanon 272:from the original on 2024-03-30 1: 300:Terry Brooks Official Website 258:Barrett, Sylas (2013-05-13). 909:Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold! 814:(2016–17 television series) 659:The Dark Legacy of Shannara 1049: 860:The Weapon Master's Choice 455:Bearers of the Black Staff 992:Sometimes the Magic Works 697:The Defenders of Shannara 568:The Talismans of Shannara 560:The Elf Queen of Shannara 513:The Elfstones of Shannara 495:Original Shannara Trilogy 24: 521:The Wishsong of Shannara 463:The Measure of the Magic 1000:Why I Write About Elves 811:The Shannara Chronicles 772:Dark Wraith of Shannara 717:The Sorcerer's Daughter 406:The Genesis of Shannara 949:A Princess of Landover 705:The High Druid's Blade 620:High Druid of Shannara 544:The Scions of Shannara 482:First King of Shannara 377:Running with the Demon 798:(2001 companion book) 795:The World of Shannara 552:The Druid of Shannara 505:The Sword of Shannara 416:Armageddon's Children 775:(2008 graphic novel) 728:The Fall of Shannara 534:Heritage of Shannara 385:A Knight of the Word 187:Sylas K. Barrett of 1033:High fantasy novels 987:(1999 novelization) 979:(1991 novelization) 748:The Stiehl Assassin 445:Legends of Shannara 424:The Elves of Cintra 112:"Imaginary Friends" 21: 742:The Skaar Invasion 736:The Black Elfstone 711:The Darkling Child 220:. 22 August 2012. 166:Jack’s best friend 114:is a 1991 fantasy 20:Imaginary Friends 1010: 1009: 917:The Black Unicorn 836:Imaginary Friends 821: 820: 782: 781: 109: 108: 86:Publication place 33:Imaginary Friends 16:1991 fantasy book 1040: 362: 355: 329: 322: 315: 306: 281: 280: 278: 277: 255: 249: 248: 240: 234: 233: 231: 229: 208: 81:October 11, 2011 77:Publication date 29: 22: 1048: 1047: 1043: 1042: 1041: 1039: 1038: 1037: 1023:Shannara novels 1013: 1012: 1011: 1006: 963: 925:Wizard at Large 898: 890: 852:Allanon's Quest 827: 817: 778: 759: 722: 691: 677:Bloodfire Quest 669:Wards of Faerie 652: 613: 574: 527: 488: 469: 438: 432:The Gypsy Morph 399: 393:Angel Fire East 367:Word & Void 342: 333: 290: 285: 284: 275: 273: 257: 256: 252: 242: 241: 237: 227: 225: 210: 209: 205: 200: 185: 172:a tiny wood elf 154: 141: 94:Media type 78: 35: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1046: 1044: 1036: 1035: 1030: 1025: 1015: 1014: 1008: 1007: 1005: 1004: 996: 988: 980: 971: 969: 965: 964: 962: 961: 953: 945: 937: 933:The Tangle Box 929: 921: 913: 904: 902: 892: 891: 889: 888: 880: 872: 868:The Black Irix 864: 856: 848: 840: 831: 829: 823: 822: 819: 818: 816: 815: 807: 799: 790: 788: 784: 783: 780: 779: 777: 776: 767: 765: 761: 760: 758: 757: 754:The Last Druid 751: 745: 739: 732: 730: 724: 723: 721: 720: 714: 708: 701: 699: 693: 692: 690: 689: 681: 673: 664: 662: 654: 653: 651: 650: 642: 634: 625: 623: 615: 614: 612: 611: 603: 595: 586: 584: 576: 575: 573: 572: 564: 556: 548: 539: 537: 529: 528: 526: 525: 517: 509: 500: 498: 490: 489: 487: 486: 477: 475: 471: 470: 468: 467: 459: 450: 448: 440: 439: 437: 436: 428: 420: 411: 409: 401: 400: 398: 397: 389: 381: 372: 370: 359: 352: 344: 343: 334: 332: 331: 324: 317: 309: 303: 302: 297: 289: 288:External links 286: 283: 282: 250: 235: 202: 201: 199: 196: 184: 181: 180: 179: 173: 167: 161: 153: 150: 140: 137: 107: 106: 103: 99: 98: 95: 91: 90: 87: 83: 82: 79: 76: 73: 72: 67: 63: 62: 59: 55: 54: 51: 47: 46: 41: 37: 36: 30: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1045: 1034: 1031: 1029: 1026: 1024: 1021: 1020: 1018: 1002: 1001: 997: 994: 993: 989: 986: 985: 981: 978: 977: 973: 972: 970: 966: 959: 958: 954: 951: 950: 946: 943: 942: 941:Witches' Brew 938: 935: 934: 930: 927: 926: 922: 919: 918: 914: 911: 910: 906: 905: 903: 901: 900: 897:Magic Kingdom 893: 886: 885: 881: 878: 877: 873: 870: 869: 865: 862: 861: 857: 854: 853: 849: 846: 845: 841: 838: 837: 833: 832: 830: 824: 813: 812: 808: 805: 804: 800: 797: 796: 792: 791: 789: 785: 774: 773: 769: 768: 766: 762: 755: 752: 749: 746: 743: 740: 737: 734: 733: 731: 729: 725: 718: 715: 712: 709: 706: 703: 702: 700: 698: 694: 687: 686: 682: 679: 678: 674: 671: 670: 666: 665: 663: 661: 660: 655: 648: 647: 643: 640: 639: 635: 632: 631: 627: 626: 624: 622: 621: 616: 609: 608: 604: 601: 600: 596: 593: 592: 588: 587: 585: 583: 582: 577: 570: 569: 565: 562: 561: 557: 554: 553: 549: 546: 545: 541: 540: 538: 536: 535: 530: 523: 522: 518: 515: 514: 510: 507: 506: 502: 501: 499: 497: 496: 491: 484: 483: 479: 478: 476: 472: 465: 464: 460: 457: 456: 452: 451: 449: 447: 446: 441: 434: 433: 429: 426: 425: 421: 418: 417: 413: 412: 410: 408: 407: 402: 395: 394: 390: 387: 386: 382: 379: 378: 374: 373: 371: 369: 368: 363: 360: 356: 353: 351: 350: 345: 341: 337: 330: 325: 323: 318: 316: 311: 310: 307: 301: 298: 295: 292: 291: 287: 271: 267: 266: 261: 254: 251: 246: 239: 236: 223: 219: 218: 213: 207: 204: 197: 195: 192: 191: 182: 177: 174: 171: 168: 165: 162: 159: 156: 155: 151: 149: 145: 138: 136: 134: 132: 127: 126: 121: 117: 113: 104: 100: 96: 92: 89:United States 88: 84: 80: 74: 71: 70:Del Rey Books 68: 64: 60: 56: 52: 48: 45: 42: 38: 34: 31:Cover art of 28: 23: 998: 990: 982: 974: 955: 947: 939: 931: 923: 915: 907: 895: 882: 874: 866: 858: 850: 842: 835: 834: 809: 806:(video game) 801: 793: 770: 753: 747: 741: 735: 727: 716: 710: 704: 696: 685:Witch Wraith 683: 675: 667: 657: 644: 636: 628: 618: 605: 597: 589: 579: 566: 558: 550: 542: 532: 519: 511: 503: 493: 480: 461: 453: 443: 430: 422: 414: 404: 391: 383: 375: 365: 347: 340:Terry Brooks 274:. 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Retrieved 215: 206: 189: 186: 175: 169: 163: 157: 146: 142: 139:Plot summary 129: 123: 120:Terry Brooks 111: 110: 44:Terry Brooks 32: 1028:2013 novels 968:Other works 899:of Landover 844:Indomitable 116:short story 1017:Categories 764:Standalone 630:Jarka Ruus 591:Ilse Witch 276:2024-03-30 198:References 176:Desperado: 152:Characters 131:Unfettered 183:Reception 66:Publisher 803:Shannara 638:Tanequil 349:Shannara 270:Archived 228:25 March 222:Archived 125:Shannara 50:Language 884:Warrior 828:stories 646:Straken 607:Morgawr 474:Prequel 265:Reactor 190:Reactor 61:Fantasy 53:English 1003:(2005) 995:(2003) 960:(2015) 952:(2009) 944:(1995) 936:(1994) 928:(1988) 920:(1987) 912:(1986) 887:(2018) 879:(2013) 871:(2013) 863:(2013) 855:(2012) 847:(2003) 839:(1991) 756:(2020) 750:(2019) 744:(2018) 738:(2017) 719:(2016) 713:(2015) 707:(2014) 688:(2013) 680:(2013) 672:(2012) 649:(2005) 641:(2004) 633:(2003) 610:(2002) 602:(2001) 599:Antrax 594:(2000) 571:(1993) 563:(1992) 555:(1991) 547:(1990) 524:(1985) 516:(1982) 508:(1977) 485:(1996) 466:(2011) 458:(2010) 435:(2008) 427:(2007) 419:(2006) 396:(1999) 388:(1998) 380:(1997) 358:Novels 164:Waddy: 40:Author 826:Short 787:Other 336:Works 217:Wired 170:Pick: 158:Jack: 105:27 pp 102:Pages 97:eBook 58:Genre 976:Hook 230:2024 338:by 118:by 1019:: 268:. 262:. 214:. 328:e 321:t 314:v 279:. 232:. 133:,

Index


Terry Brooks
Del Rey Books
short story
Terry Brooks
Shannara
Unfettered
Reactor
"Terry Brooks' Strange Tales Aren't Limited to the Realm of Shannara"
Wired
Archived
"Believing in Magic is Believing in Yourself: Terry Brooks' "Imaginary Friends" from Unfettered"
Reactor
Archived
Speakman Press |Imaginary Friends by Terry Brooks
Terry Brooks Official Website
v
t
e
Works
Terry Brooks
Shannara
Word & Void
Running with the Demon
A Knight of the Word
Angel Fire East
The Genesis of Shannara
Armageddon's Children
The Elves of Cintra
The Gypsy Morph

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