rain

Chapter One

I look up at a tree roughy half the size of the Fieldhope building in Texas. My bag dropped beside me, I take a deep breathe and grab the closest branch. I heft myself up into the tree and start climbing.

After I'm a dozen feet off the ground, I pause and look down. A feeling of doubt washes over me and I ask myself if I should go higher. Heights are a lot different when you are in a secure building, and it's much scarier looking down when there's a possibility that you could fall at any moment, but I keep going because it is quite possibly the most exciting thing I've done within the past four years.

I work my way up through the densely packed maze of branches, pushing and leaping onto each approaching branch, until I almost reach the top of the tree. With one last push, I grab the tallest branch and poke my head through the layer of leaves covering the top.

I looked around in disbelief. The view was even more amazing than the city lights. It was absolutely beautiful. To the east were millions of trees although none taller than this one and to the west lay the ocean stretching out for miles and miles; an endless vast of blue.

Up here, it is quiet, and cool. Up here, I'm at peace. Up here, I can breathe.

So thats what I do. I stand on the highest branch, of the tallest tree, in one of the smallest towns, inside of the whole universe. And I feel small, but I don't mind because I am finally happy.

I relax and close my eyes as the wind blows my hair out of my face and cools me.

*time lapse*

I take a deep breathe and look around one last time before I start making my way down the branches. I could have stayed up there for hours and actually, I think I did which, unfortunately, is why I had to leave.

I watch my feet, careful not to lose my footing. A few minutes later I'm back where I was a couple hours ago. I pick my bag up and kept walking to my house as if I didn't just spend a twelfth of my day in a tree.

As I neared my street I heard sirens and saw the faint glow of red and blue. I started jogging to see what had happened. When I turned the corner, I saw there were three cop cars parked in front of my house. I never slowed my pace, but I didn't speed up either.

As I approached my house, my mother rushed out and greeted me with a hug. Nearly dying of suffocation I wriggled out of her grasp. "What's wrong," I asked panicked.

"Where have you been," she responded, but before I had a chance to answer she continued, "Do you realize what time it is?" I shook my head. "Carter, it's six twenty-seven. Dear God, you had us worried sick. We thought you had gotten kidnapped or that you had gotten stuck or lost and- and- and how could you have been so selfish," she started to cry, "You know what, It's okay, you probably didn't even mean to, as long as you are okay, right?"

By then my whole family had shown up. They all looked concerned and relieved but none of them had been as worried as Mom who had started to cry again.

Eventually one of the police officers came over to my family and pulled me aside to ask me some questions. I took a few steps and turned my back towards my family, awkwardly comforting Mom and gave the cop, who's name was Meyers my attention.

"Your family called us at four thirty-two. Do you know where you were at this given time?"

I debated whether or not I should tell him the truth. The obvious answer was yes because he's a cop, but what if I tell him and he tells my parents, and then I'm not allowed to go back into the forest, and I won't ever be allowed to climb the tree again? That would mean losing the only thing that has given me the slightest bit of joy within the past four years and who knows if I would ever be able to find something that great again.

Right then, a boy pulled up to us on his bike. "Hey, Carter, is everything okay," he asked.

I looked at the kid, and he looked familiar, but I couldn't recall a name, then I looked back at Officer Meyers. "Sorry," I said, sounding innocent and desperately hoping the mystery kid would hear my cry fror help, "What was the question?"

"Where's your mind kid? I said where were you when you were reported missing?"

"Oh, she was at my house sir," Mystery boy chimed in.

Officer Meyers turned to him, "And what is your name?"

"My name is Seth Zinery. I live on 242 Maple street."

"Were you guys there for the whole three hours?" Seth and I nodded together. Officer Meyers looked skeptical of us, but either he decided against his better judgement or just didn't care because he left us after we nodded.

I turned to Seth, "Hi, my name's Carter."

He laughed, "I know, I'm Seth."

I smiled, "Uh, thanks so much for that. Just two questions though."

"Ask away."

"One, how do you know me, and two, how did you know I needed help?"

He answered without hesitation, "Well one, I remember you from when you first moved here. I was one of the people who introduced myself to you, but then you said you didn't want any friends and ran away..."

"Oh... sorry bout that, I was only eleven and it made a lot of sense at the time."

"Eh, don't sweat it, you'll just have to make it up to me someday." He said while turning his bike around. "Listen, I have to go home before my parents file a missing persons report for me." He was trying to hide the huge grin he was wearing. I smiled sheepishly as I felt my cheeks turn red.

"Wait, you didn't answer question two."

"Oh, right. Well you sounded pretty desperate with that little innocent act you had there, where your voice got all soft and you put on big puppy dog eyes," He laughed softly.

"Oh," I said embarrassed. He started to mount his bike.

"That, and I saw you climbing the tree," He smirked as he rode away and left me wondering about who Seth Zinery was.