Haven Mayhem

Treehouse

(Author note: I was going to publish this yesterday Friday but I'm going to be doing something tomorrow so have it early, enjoy!)

  Strutting for a long while, Wynn guided me through as if each tree has a different marking, knowing her way around here. We stumble around some stones with uncarved symbols and marks, arrows pointing in several directions and Wynn was just going places without needing to double-check the signs.

  Arrived at a patch of soil with some planks of wood making a smooth chunky platform beside a tree with a step ladder made of more planks leading up the bushy leaves and another sturdy-seeming wooden platform. Wynn told me to get on the wooden planks, stomping our shoes on it, loud thumping from our steps leaving dirt footsteps. Wynn telling me to wait here while she goes up the ladder.

  While she was up there, I looked around the surrounding trees and bushes. A nearby beehive buzzing around, small flowers with spots of colors. Although there was a wooden mannequin leaning against the treehouse's trunk, scratched, and scarred with some small knives stabbing the unlucky mannequin on all sides.

  Wynn headed back down from the tree, turning to me with some bottles on hand, after storing them in a nearby tote bag, I look at her; "So why is there an already dead mannequin?" I asked, focus gleaming on the resting dummy. "Oh, that is Harley's actually. This is where she'd normally stay, lucky she gets her own treehouse." Wynn started walking another way again. "Or any personal space at all."

She led me to another place behind the treehouse, where some sacks were laid out in a stacked pile on the grass, some being used as test subjects by another person who I suspect to be Harley residing peaceful calm water of a riverbank. Harley, on the ground shadowing over a heavily punctured sack, holes Harley may have made.

  Harley had a slim yet rounded figure, light blonde hair in pigtails tied together by small pink ribbons. Wearing a slate blue wool long-sleeved top, buttoned up by one button laced. Paired up light blue skinny jeans and sneakers.

  Wynn called out "HARLEY!" which caught her attention, turning their head around and walking toward us. She had a calm friendly expression though, with cool blue eyes daggering at me, clutching their pocketknife in hand. "Hey Harley, this is Akio, she's a newcomer." Wynn introduced me to her. "Hello to you." Things were quite awkward, but I shrugged it off. "We were going to call you for the picnic you guys are having." I butted in the silence.

  "Ohh yeah, I'm hungry, what's for breakfast?" Harley got a bit more excited. "How about we talk about it along the way back?" Wynn gestured her head back to where we came from. Harley covered her knife under her sleeves and followed us back to the Picnic.

   While walking back, and sharing some conversation with Harley and Wynn, Harley started getting excited to munch on some spaghetti. "Is Mayor Zen gonna eat with us?" Harley asked. I was then hit back about my current situation, still stuck in a neighborhood I don't know off. I don't know of any nearby cities or provinces with a Mayor under that name, or starting with Z at all.

  Maybe the Mayor can help me out of here. Rejoining Evan and Monika at the picnic basket, Evan seems to have eaten though, the mask is still on them, and Monika still chowing down on more spaghetti with hotdog. I did feel a bit hungry, after stilling down I asked for some food too. Finally eating something this morning got me feeling content.

  Hearing Wynn and Evan chatting as they compliment their cooking, Harley tries to get more rounds of Taiyaki from Monika. Still, lots of more desserts to go around. From a distance across the road in front of the Museum was a clinic, some doors opened and I see a moving figure leaving the glass doors. Starting to walk towards us casually, gathering Harley's attention. Harley waved her hand with some biscuits flying. "HEY ZEN! You're late, we're still eating!"