By Richelle Szypulski and Kendra Suarez

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Two curious kids, Isabella and Imogene, each find a fantastical journal hidden beneath a tree at their local park and unknowingly unlock a correspondence with each other that transcends time, space, and perhaps even reality.

Day 1
ISABELLA
       This book looks really cool. It shimmers! It looks kinda old, but new though? It was just lying on the ground in the park, by all the big trees. 
       If Mom knew I took it she would say, “Don’t touch. It’s not yours.” But I don’t want to just leave it. I still can’t take it with—ahh.      
       I’m going to tuck it in a corner of the tree trunk for the next time we come to the park. It seems to be a safe spot to store it—dry and hidden. Hopefully we will be back next week!

Day 2
IMOGENE                                                                                  
       Whoa! This is super cool! My mom would say the exact same thing, especially because you’ve already written in here… but it seems like you just found it, too? Whoever you are.
       I come to sit and draw beneath these trees pretty often, though; it’s kind of my spot. I’ve never seen anything other than dog poop bags hiding in their twisty old roots, so I couldn’t help it! If you don’t want me here, just say the word and I swear I’ll leave the book alone.
       But maybe we can share?

Day 15
ISABELLA
       Poop bags? Dang, how have I not noticed? 
       Let’s continue chatting here! I don’t talk to many people outside of my siblings and my best friend, but we really only see each other during school. Mom’s weird about things, like what I mentioned before. I dont really understand it.
       What do you draw? 
       I like to sing sometimes and 

Day 24
IMOGENE
       Wow, it was so rainy yesterday and I was worried the journal would be ruined, but it’s perfectly dry! 
       I’ve never had a pen pal before so this is exciting! Does it count as pen-palling if we don’t mail anything? Maybe we should call it something else, like super-secret-tree-palling? I don’t know… maybe that’s silly. What would you call it?
       Anyway, I kind of draw whatever I feel like. I’m not very good. I just like pretending I am. Sometimes I draw fake maps and make up new places. 
       I wish I could sing! Were you gonna say something else at the end there? I hope your mom lets you come back soon.

Day 25
ISABELLA
       Dang, did I not notice the weather at all lately? It’s been a while since I’ve been back to the park. 
       I like rainy weather sometimes. I like sunny weather the most though! Is there anything you do on rainy days? I just stay in.
       I’m excited too… also nervous? I don’t really know what to say most of the time. I’m not that social so I’m excited that we are pen-palling? Nature connecting? Being book buddies? Those don’t really make sense. :/
       We’ll figure it out eventually!
       Ooo can you tell me about one of the places you have drawn?

Day 33
IMOGENE
       BOOK BUDDIES! I love that! 🙂 It sounds like a secret club and I’ve always wanted to be part of one of those.
       I definitely stay in on rainy days too, but I try to find some kind of craft project to do or my mom will make me spend the whole day cleaning my room. And I know I’m not supposed to, but I kind of like my mess the way it is.
       Do you ever feel that way? Like you know you’re supposed to follow a rule but the rule seems made-up and maybe even dumb?
       I have to go, but one place I mapped is an island only for cats called Felinia! Maybe I’ll draw it for you next time…
       BBF (Book Buddies Forever)! Bye!

***

Day 1,099
ISABELLA
       Wow, I can’t believe it’s been three years already. It felt weird at first, but we know so much about each other now! I feel so grateful to have you as my friend! 
       My best friend is weird—I feel left out sometimes or that we are not actually as close as best friends should be. 
       Regents or PBAT week during sophomore year is nerve-racking. Everything is a new experience and my peers are okay—still getting to know them.
       It’s weird; I feel like I know you so much but still don’t at the same time. Do you feel like that too? I would love to get together one of these days, let’s meet! 
       I’ll be at the park this Saturday, June 20th around 10 a.m. Can you be here?

Day 1,102
IMOGENE
       Wait, what’s Regents and PBAT? My school doesn’t do that, but it sounds stressful. I can totally be here on Saturday. Oh my gosh, I can’t believe we took this long to try to meet up! I’ll see you then!

Day 1,111
IMOGENE
       Hey, I hope you’re okay. I’ve been waiting here for like twenty minutes and I don’t know what you look like, but no one has come to the 

ISABELLA
       I’m here! WAIT—Imogene is that you writing???

IMOGENE
       WHAT IS HAPPENING?! HOW ARE

ISABELLA
       I DON’T KNOW—THIS IS CRAZY!

Process

We knew we wanted to try out a collaborative fiction piece, so came up with the idea to write to each other as our characters, Isabella and Imogene, who are loosely inspired by our inner child selves. We created profiles for them both, coming up with their favorite hobbies, likes, dislikes, and personal details. Then we started messaging back and forth as our characters in a Slack thread and let the story emerge from there.