Above the Ground

5- Cookie Monster Don't Like Cookies No More

Ben's Pov:

We stared in the direction of what would be 53 minutes on a clock, looking at the painting hung on the wall. Clearly it was more than a painting.

Joe was first to approach it and started taking it off the wall. I was about to speak up and tell him not to until I realized that a secret cache was hidden behind it. It was in the opening in the wall, a small nook less than a foot wide, that a small box sat. He took the box out of the crevice, examining it.

"It's a music box," he said almost immediately. He lifted the top of the painted box and a soft tune began to play. I didn't recognize the song, but it sounded like the thing a music box would play. Maybe I should get one for Allie for her birthday... Allie. What was I thinking, kissing her? I probably ruined everything. After that, she probably wouldn't go out with me if I asked. Great. My one shot, and I blew it.

I realized that while I had been lost in thought, Joe had found a hidden latch on the underside of the music box. A brass key was hidden inside, now being held in Joe's hand.

"What does that go to?" I asked so they would think I was engaged. Though, it probably wasn't the best question to ask since everyone looked at me like I was crazy.

"No clue," Joe said.

"You didn't find anything in the journal that would help?" I said back, hoping to justify my earlier question.

Joe shook his head.

"It's getting late though, we should probably head back," said Daisy, the one in the group that actually makes sure we stay sensible. That said, we headed home with our newly found possessions.

*time skip*

Daisy's Pov:

It had been a few days since we found the town. Even after pouring through every letter in Annie's journal, none of us could figure out what the key belonged to.

We had finally laid the platform of our treehouse, and we sat on the edge dangling our feet. We'd been working on this project off and on for the past couple weeks, and the progress was going steadily.

"How big is this thing going to be? What's the layout?" asked Allie.

"Well, the floor we've just built is gonna be the area," I started to reply.

She rolled her eyes. "I didn't ask for a math lesson Daisy."

"There's gonna be a sort of balcony though," I said. "The ladder up is gonna be behind you." I pointed behind her shoulder.

"Are we going to paint it?" she asked.

My mouth slowly dropped as I envisioned this idea. "Heck yes!! I hadn't thought of that, but yesss!!"

"Woah, woah," Ben said. "You two aren't the only ones with a say in this group."

"Yeah, I don't think we should paint it." Of course Joe doesnt understand interior design, even more than Ben even. "I think the natural wood blends in more, and it has a better feel."

"What?!" I said. "That is so not true!"

"At least let's paint the door then." Allie didn't like it any more than I did.

Ben and Joe agreed to this small allowance. But with one glance at Allie, I knew we wouldn't let this be the end of the conversation.

"Is your neighbor Dan gonna be okay with this?" Joe was trying to use anything he could. "He's the one giving us all the wood. Does he really want this wood to be painted?"