Don't you remember?

August 10th five years past: The trees

"Hurry guys!"Yelled Ashland rushing towards where the trees began.

"Wait up!"Eliza called starting to fall behind. "Ah, my shoe!" I turned still walking backwards. She tripped forward nearly falling on the pavement. Jake stopped and turned to her grabbing her shoe from the ground and getting down on one knee. 

"Your shoe M'lady."He chuckled handing her the pink flip-flop. She took the shoe blushing a bright red. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her along as we ran into the forest. Lacey ran ahead of me her short pale blonde hair waved in the breeze. Her pale pink summer dress had small green flowers; her mother had made it for her. The day seemed so perfect. The sun made everything glow in the early afternoon. Late Summer flowers still dotted the ground we ran through. The trees were turning gold and red making shadows dance in the grass. 

"Bell, come on!"Lacey giggled passing him. He sighed and pushed himself to run faster. I ran just behind them trying my hardest to keep up. I felt my foot get caught on a root, and I fell forward hitting the rocky ground. Tears welled in my green eyes and I felt stinging pain rush into my knee. Red blotches of scrapes and blues of bruising bloomed on my pale skin.

"Lyra!"Ashland ran to my side wiping the tears from my cheeks."Are you okay?"

"I-it hurts.."I cried out. 

"Come on, we have to get to the lake. I'll help you."He picked me up off the ground letting me lean on his shoulder. "We're gonna take a new way today!"

"What?"Questioned Bellamy hesitantly. 

"I found something epic."Chuckled Ashland deviously. We followed him deeper and deeper into the forest."This is gonna change your lives." Oh if only we knew. His eyes were different that day. His eyes glinted with sadness, but his smile was sharp. His slick black hair stuck up no matter how hard his father tried to get it to cooperate. His father was always trying to make him the next great biologist. If only he knew, his son wanted to live with the stars. We came to a fork in the path, but instead of taking one of the paths we cut straight ahead in between the two options. Ths brambles stuck to Bellamy's jeans making him cringe.

"Are you sure about this?"Questioned Lacey picking leaves out of her silky locks of hair. 

"Oh, I'm sure,"Ashland reassured. We continued through the thick brush. After a while, the stinging pain in my knees subsided and I was able to continue on my own. Bellamy began to pluck flowers from the grass. Mostly daisies that still bloomed in the looming fall. He was smaller than Jake and Ashland and he was a lot less adventurous. His eyes were an electric blue to match his thick curly brown hair. He was more of a runt, and much kinder than most. 

The wind pushed us forward with each cool gust. None of us knew what we were walking into, but this was Ashland, it had to be an adventure. There was a gleam in his eyes that day, and I think it made us all trust his insanity. 

That's when we finally reached the place he spoke of. . . .

Tucked by the lake was an old tree house perched up in an old maple tree. It looked as if no one had been there for ages. Ashland ran straight towards it stopping in front of the latter built into the bark. We had all collected together staring in awe. The place was like a castle in the sky to us. A branch extended over the lake a rope hanging just over the water swaying in silence. If only, if only. . . .

"What is this?"Bellamy asked looking curiously."Is it safe?"

"Hell no!"Laughed Ashland."Come on Bell, you know you want to go up." He turned and began to climb up. Everyone stood frozen in fear. I felt a twinge of adrenaline prick at my skin as I stepped toward the latter. I started up and up until I reached the wood platform that surrounded the inner tree house. The platforms wood was worn with age, but I could distinctly make out the letters KAON etched just in front of the entryway. I wondered then what it stood for. Ashland had already gone within the large wooden mess that was the house itself. There were three platforms. One was covered, the other had a latter that led up to a higher area, and then again up to the smallest but highest platform that held a shelf full of small stones. The first floor was riddled with objects - a small chest, broken glass bottles, an old oil lantern, widdled wooden animals, and much more. People had not been here for at least a decade. Ashland was equally as fascinated. "How did you find this?"I asked.

"The wind led me."He said kindly watching me look around, his legs swung over the side of the second platform. Soon the other joined us in exploring. 

"What's KAON?"Asked Eliza looking at the etching. 

"I think it's an acronym,"Said Jake looking at it."or maybe the name of this place?"

"KAON. . ."Lacey let the words roll off of her tongue."I like it!"