Ethan was scrolling through his phone late one night when the notification popped up: New Friend Request. He tapped it absentmindedly—then froze.
It was from Josh.
Josh, his best friend in high school. Josh, who had died in a car accident more than fifteen years ago.
Ethan’s first thought was that someone was playing a cruel prank. But when he opened the profile, his stomach flipped. The account had only one profile picture: the two of them together at their senior prom, arms around each other, grinning. It was a photo Ethan didn’t remember anyone else ever having.
Hesitant, he accepted the request. Moments later, a message appeared.
“Remember the treehouse?”
Ethan’s pulse quickened. No one knew about that place except the two of them. It had been their secret hideout behind Josh’s old house, long since torn down.
He typed back with shaking fingers: “Who is this?”
Another reply came instantly: “It’s me. I still owe you something. Check the old oak.”
Ethan couldn’t sleep. At dawn, he drove out to the overgrown lot where Josh’s house once stood. The land was empty now, except for the giant oak tree still standing tall at the edge.
At the base, half-buried in roots and soil, he found a rusted tin box. His hands trembled as he pried it open. Inside were scraps of paper—scribbled notes from their teenage years, secret jokes, and one envelope addressed to Ethan.
The letter inside was in Josh’s unmistakable handwriting:
“If you’re reading this, then I didn’t make it. I left this here so you’d know you were the best friend I ever had. Live your life fully, for both of us.”
Ethan sank to his knees, tears streaming. He hadn’t thought about the accident in years, but now it all rushed back. Somehow, Josh had reached across time to remind him of their bond.
When he returned home, Ethan checked his phone. The account was gone. No messages. No profile. Nothing.
Only the letter in his pocket proved it had ever happened.
