Crushed

S E V E N

"Oh..."

The golden sunset hovered lazily in the sky.

It spread around the horizon like melting butter.

Thousands of tall, healthy tree's surrounded us.

The soft, tufty grass under my feet tickled like real grass instead of the fake stuff that I made.

I squeezed my eyes shut firmly, blocking out everything, before relaxing and letting them open, still seeing the same sight.

I gawped as a few robin's from the nearest tree's flew up into the sun, the wings beating faster as they rise and then stopping as they glided and starting again, gaining height.

The sound of trickling water caught my attention.

I turned to see a small stream and excitement filled me.

I quickly padded over, feeling the genuine, waving grass tickle my feet slightly.

A gentle breeze ruffled my golden fringe.

I inhaled deeply, letting the long-forgotten foresty smell dominate my senses.

My knees buckled under me and I reached into the stream, trapping the strong-willed water in my cupped hands, and brought the water to my mouth.

The sweet liquid filled my mouth, blissfully coating my dry tongue and throat.

I gargled before letting it slip down my esophagus.

I let my head loll back and felt the calm of the silent forest take over my body.

Turning around, I saw Mae sitting cross-legged on the grass, picking daisies and then tying them together, to make a daisy chain.

She felt my gaze and looked up, meeting my eyes and smiling gently, she placed the intricate

I grinned manically back, ecstatic to be... home.

I ran to a huge tree trunk near me, running my small hands over the rough bark.

Up

I thought in my mind.

Seconds later, the patch of grass that I stood on elevated, reaching about halfway up the huge tree, before slowly depositing me on the thickest branch of the tree.

Mae looked up at me with widened eyes and her mouth slightly open.

I grinned down.

Her too

Mae shrieked as the grass elevated her to my branch.

I wasn't even trying, the magic just came so easily, almost like the nature was welcoming me home.

Suddenly, I got an idea.

Smiling, I pictured a small, simple tree house with room enough for two people.

I began to imagine everything fitting together like a puzzle but was interrupted by a loud gasp from Mae.

Opening my eyes, I saw the tree house already finished.

Shock rippled through my body like something disturbing a resting ocean.

Mae laughed quietly in shock, her mouth open wide in a delighted smile.

She looked at me, almost for permission.

"Go ahead!" I chucked.

Squealing with excitement, Mae clambered frantically through the door.

The treehouse was about half the size of the tree itself with three bedrooms that consisted of a double bed with a soft, cushy moss mattress and a thick, matching moss quilt with also-matching moss pillows. Along a different corridor there was a small kitchen with a wood-fueled little stove, a kitchen sink with lavender soap, some counters and a sort of fridge contraption. The tree house also had a dining room with a grand, wooden, gem encrusted table with four wooden, gem encrusted chairs with a moss seat covers. Large, green leaves were set out like place mats with polished, metal cutlery (because there is metal in the earth dum-dum!) framing them. A variety of forks, spoons and knives were set out neatly in the middle of the table. Two bathrooms joined onto the bedrooms which held a toilet, a bath, a shower and a little sink. The rooms also had little balconies so that you could look out into the valley.