Dia stepped out of her car and drew in a deep, steadying breath. The crisp autumn air filled her lungs, carrying the faint scent of pine and woodsmoke. For a moment she allowed her eyes to drift closed, transported back through the veil of memory to her childhood.
Lazy summer days spent lounging beneath the sprawling oak tree on the town square, sharing jokes and dreams for the future. The breeze scattering their laughter as they laid out under starry nights, feeling infinite and immortal. Before heartbreak and betrayal shattered their halcyon days.
Dia opened her eyes with a bittersweet smile. Despite the years gone by, Willow Creek remained unchanged. The historic stone bridge arching over the glistening creek, flanked in vibrant golds and scarlets as the trees relinquished their foliage to winter's sleep.
She pictured the five of them perched along that railing, feet dangling above the water as they shared their secrets. Brian penning poems in his journal, Ella picking wildflowers, Ashley and Cole teasing each other. The Willow Creek Five, forging bonds they believed could never break.
Yet life had taught Dia a painful lesson. Time eroded even the sturdiest foundations. Still, the memories rooted deep in her heart beckoned her back to this place, hoping to find the fragments of an era gone by.
The Black Bear Inn stood stalwart across the square, its timber frame seemingly harvested from the surrounding woods. Dia crossed the cobblestone street, each step weighted by apprehension. Could enough time heal the fissures between once kindred souls? The door loomed before her like a portal between past and present. With a fortifying breath, she turned the tarnished brass handle and stepped inside.
There they were, ghosts of her youth standing before the flickering hearth.
"Dia !!" - Ashley waved and called her name. In that moment, Dia felt the years collapse away. Within their smiling eyes, she found traces of the people she once knew. The Willow Creek Five, reunited after seasons of silence. Perhaps some friendships continue resounding long after the final farewell.
YOU ARE READING
Where We Belong
General FictionReunited after years apart, a group of childhood friends grapple with unresolved conflicts and unspoken truths that have haunted their bond. As they embark on a nostalgic road trip to their hometown, they are forced to confront long-buried secrets...
