Reality Runners

Prologue

The sun was beginning to set as two young girls played near a tree house. They played in their own fantasy world, going through and above a natural wooden arch created by a tree's roots. The girls would normally play in their tree house, but lately, they seemed most interested in the tree's rooted arch. 

Their giggles and laughter were interrupted by the mother of one of the daughters. "Dinner's ready girls, don't let me eat it all," the mother teased from the porch. "Come on Ashley, don't let your friend beat you here! First come first serve!"

The girls raced to the house and were greeted by a simple, yet delicious spaghetti dinner. Ashley finished every morsel, and still had enough room to help her friend, Katie finish it off.

Later that night, Mom tucked in Ashley and Katie. "You girls played all day, so make sure to get some sleep." With her warming words, she clapped her hands and shut the door behind her. The lights flickered and shut off. 

The girls, too excited about the sleepover to sleep, whispered next to a night light. The conversations were of joy and their fantasy, until Katie began to cry.

"Are you okay?" Ashley said surprised. "What's wrong?"

"I-It's just," Katie stammered. "This is my first ever sleepover. I've had so much fun with you in such a short time. I-I love it! You can run around and pet wild animals all day, you're so strong!" She suddenly looked down. "I don't want it to end. I want to stay here with you and play at the tree. I want to be as strong as you are."

Ashley listened to her astonished. She had never had a friend say something like this before. She relaxed, laid back and stretched out. "You're a great friend, Katie. You're the only friend I've had since I came here. Don't think about the times we'll have apart, let's think of the times that we get to have together."

"I don't want to go back home tomorrow," Katie mumbled.

Ashley hugged Katie. "You're here now. Oh! I have an idea. Let's talk about the best parts of today. 

The girls laughed and smiled, talking about the best day of their lives until they were too exhausted to continue and fell asleep.

Rays of sunshine gleamed through the window in Ashley's room, showing the dust particles as her panicking mother flailed around. 

"Where is Katie," Mother screamed. "She wasn't here, I looked for here there, I've been everywhere!" She continued to stomp around the room. "Her mom is going to kill me-where did she go?"

Ashley crawled out of her sleeping bag, only half awake, and tried to comprehend what was going on. "Wh-what is going on?" She said followed by a yawn.

"Katie is missing," Mother shouted. "Please, tell me you know where she is."

All of a sudden it became clear to her. Ashley ran as fast as she could outside to the tree house. Mother was catching up yelling more, calling her name. Ashley could not hear her. All she could think of was her friend as she darted towards the tree. She stopped at the tree's majestic rooted arch and stared in disbelief. She collapsed just before it. She was a face full of tears, but she managed to mumble a few words between sobs, "she couldn't.. she's gone."