*lights up on a stage, Claire and Mother are found at a cemetery, crying upon a grave, as the Priest says a few words*

Priest: we gather here today to mourn the death of Ariana Jones, loved by her family and friends.

*Claire and Mother cry, as the priest mouths inaudible words*

*funeral ends, and only Claire and Mother are left on stage*

Claire: I miss her *sniffs*

Mother: I know sweetie, but she's gone now *hugs Claire tight* 

Claire: but what will I do? She's my twin sister!

Mother: we will cope. Come on, sweetie, time to go home.

FLASH FORWARD 3 MONTHS

*lights up in Claire's bedroom, where she sits on the floor reading a newspaper*

Claire: *flicks through pages* car ads...house sales...birth notices...hmm... wait, what's this? *stares at page for a moment, before looking up at the audience* A Wizard? Since when does this town have a Wizard?

*Pauses for a moment, before gasping with an idea*

Claire: what if this Wizard can bring Ari back!

*Gets up and runs to the side of the stage*

Claire: Mum! I'm going out!

Mother: *from offstage* Okay!

*Claire runs off the other side of the stage. A few moments later, she runs back on stage and a Wizard sits at a table, writing in a book*

Claire: *panting* hello? Are you the Wizard?

*Wizard looks up from book and stares at Claire*

Wizard: why yes I am. How is that you found me, girl?

Claire: I found an ad in the newspaper, it said you grant real wishes!

Wizard: I put out no such ad. But, as you have found me, I shall grant you one wish. However, you cannot wish for more wishes.

Claire: *pauses* I wish...I wish for my sister to come back.

Wizard: your wish is my command. *pulls out wand and waves it*

*nothing happens as Claire looks around, expecting her sister*

Claire: where is she?

Wizard: she is awaiting your arrival at your house. Have a good day, Miss.

Claire: thank you!

*Claire runs off stage, before running back on to her bedroom, where a figure dressed in grey is sitting on her bed. When Claire enters the room, the figure looks up to reveal Ariana*

Claire: Ari?

Ariana: *smiles* did you miss me?

*Claire sighs in happiness and goes to hug her sister, before falling right through her. Stumbling, she gets back up*

*Claire stares at Ariana, a sad look in her eye*

Claire: why - why can't I touch you?

Ariana: *smiles sadly* because I'm not really here.

Claire: but you are here! You're standing right in front of me!

*Ariana just looks at Claire sadly, without saying a word*

Claire: I'm sure you are! Let's - let's go see mother, I'm sure she'd love to see you!

*Ariana continues to smile sadly, before following her sister to the right corner of the stage where their mother is standing*

Claire: mum! Look - it's Ari!

*mother whips around to see Claire, but looks right through Ariana*

Mother: Claire, please don't play games like this.

Claire: but mother, she really is here! Look!

*again, mother looks past Claire to see nothing*

Claire: can't - can't you see her?

Mother: no honey, she is not here. She is in heaven, where she is supposed to be.

Claire: mother, I swear she is here! Why can't you see her?

Mother: Claire, just - just go back to your room and stop playing games.

*Claire, lost for words, goes back to her bedroom on the other side of the stage. She sits down on the bed with Ariana sitting next to her*

Claire: why can't she see you?

Ariana: because only you can see me, Claire. It's all just in your head.

Claire: no, it's real! I saw the Wizard, and he brought you back to life!

Ariana: no, he didn't.

*Claire gets off the bed, and turns to her sister*

Claire: You can't not be real! The Wizard brought you back to life and mother is refusing to believe that your back!

Ariana: but I'm not here, Claire! I'm not real! Only you can see me!

*Claire angrily stomps off stage, and Ariana follows*

*Claire comes back on stage, without Ariana, to the Priest sitting on a chair beside another chair*

Priest: hello, Miss Jones. How can I help you?

Claire: I - I need to know if what I'm seeing is real.

Priest: *pats the seat beside him* take a seat. Now, what is it that you're seeing?

Claire: my sister. She's back, but everyone is refusing to believe that she's here.

Priest: *sighs* she died recently?

*Claire nods*

Priest: it seems, that what you are seeing is indeed inside your head. No one and no thing can bring a person back from the dead, you do know that?

Claire: yes, but I saw a Wizard, I wished her back to life and he waved his wand and she came back! She was there, I swear she was!

Priest: but Wizard's aren't real, Claire. I am no professional, but I feel that you are suffering great distress from her death. You are seeing things that aren't truly there.

Claire: *pauses* are you saying - are you saying that none of this is real? That I'm seeing things?

Priest: yes.

Claire: *puts face in her hands* so, all of this is just a dream?

Priest: no, this isn't a dream. But what you are seeing is not real, it is all in your head.

*long pause*

Claire: is there something wrong with me, father?

Priest: there is nothing wrong with you, Claire. You are suffering greatly from a terrible loss. This is normal.

Claire: so, does this mean that the Wizard wasn't real either?

Priest: Wizard's don't exist, therefore yes, the Wizard you met was not real.

Claire: *pauses* do you know why I'm seeing these things?

Priest: as I said before, Claire, you are suffering deeply from your sisters passing. You miss her so much that you imagine her being there, with you.

Claire: *nods in understanding* thank you, Father. *another pause* I must be going.

*Claire gets up and starts to walk out*

Priest: it's no problem. If you need to see me, I'm always here.

*Priest and Claire leave*

*Claire enters stage to her bedroom where Ariana is waiting on the bed*

Ariana: *stands* Claire.

Claire: is - is it true?

Ariana: is what true?

Claire: are you - are you not real?

Ariana: *smiles sadly* you figured it out.

Claire: but why? Why aren't you real? Why am I seeing things?

Ariana: it's because you miss me, Claire. You miss me so much that you're imagining me here, real and alive.

*Long pause*

Claire: so, are you going to be here like this forever?

Ariana: no. I'll only be here until you can fully admit to yourself that I'm not real.

Claire: *her eyes fill with tears* you're *takes deep breath* you're not real.

Ariana: *smiles sadly one last time* goodbye, sis *leaves stage in a puff of smoke*

*Claire collapses onto floor, crying*

*Mother enters stage, and moves toward Claire, hugging her*

Mother: Claire, darling, are you okay?

Claire: she's gone isn't she?

Mother: Ariana? Yes.

Claire: and she's never coming back?

Mother: *shakes head sadly* you're going to be okay.

Claire: will I?

Mother: of course you will, it takes time.

*Claire nods*

Mother: I have to go make dinner. Will you be okay?

Claire: I'll be okay

*Claire and Mother hug once more. Mother leaves stage, leaving Claire alone*

Claire: *stands up to face the audience* I will be okay.

END OF PLAY