Amanda, you finally decided to answer the phone,” her mom exclaimed after picking up at the first ring. “Where’ve you been, what’ve you been up to?”“Mom, do you remember when I was a kid, I had a friend, he was a Personification of the Sydney Tar Ponds, sort of my imaginary friend?” Mandy asked.“No, what in the name of god are you on about?” her mom sighed in exasperation.”Remember? Only I could see him, but he was real, and he was my best friend when I was eighteen?” Mandy insisted.“No, I don't remember Alec to Sydney Steele at all,” said her mom all too quickly.

Shadowed Skies: The Third Smog City Novel