The Tree's Girl

I was at the park my mom always took me to. I was looking for a girl who invited me to play.

My search led me to a Cherry blossom tree. Its pink leaves swaying beautifully through the wind. It was the first time I ever saw one... considering that Cherry blossom trees didn't grow in our country. Weird.

"Are you here!?" I tried calling out to her. I shouted high, I shouted low. Maybe she was somewhere there, I just couldn't see.

"Boo!" I jumped when something whispered in my ear. I rapidly turned around to find her wearing a white dress and a big straw hat with flowers on the side.

"There you are..." I was relieved it was only her. "What are we going to play... um...?" I couldn't seem to re-call her name. How rude of me.

"Maria. Maria Clara." she held out her hand with a big smile on her face. The hat was covering her eyes, I couldn't see them. Nevertheless, I still shook her hand and smiled. "How about you? What's your full name?" she then asked me.

"I'm Joseph Strauss. Nice to meet you, Maria. What are we going to play today?"

"Anything you want." I was overjoyed with her answer.

We played a lot of games. We chased each other in the grassy field. She made me pick flowers (which were too girly) and she used it to make me a flower crown. We played king and queen. She didn't take her hat off though. She said it was good enough to be her crown. I thought it was unfair, but I let it pass. We found twigs somewhere in the field and we used it as swords and we poked each other until someone won. I was the winner, just so you know.

Time flew by so fast, by the time I noticed it, it was already sunset... surely my mom was already looking for me then.

"I have to go... thanks for playing with me." I bid farewell with a smile, then I started to run.

She stopped me though. She pulled my by the hand.

"Don't go yet, let's play one last game. Hide and seek." she begged and I thought about it.

It was sunset; my mother was probably worried and looking for me, but then again... I guess one game of Hide and Seek wouldn't consume that much time, would it?

"Sure!" I said as I held her other hand, "But you'll count and I'll hide."

She agreed with my terms. She covered her eyes and counted on place.

I looked around for a perfect hiding place, but there weren't that much places to hide at all. Just bushes, a field and a big tree in the middle.

That was when it hit me. At the tree! I could hide at the tree! It was sunset; the tree was casting a very big and dark shadow... I could just hide in the dark side of the tree. I'm very small; I don't think she'd notice easily.

I went running towards the backside of the tree, and I was right, it was dark. I just placed myself so and squatted low just so she wouldn't see.

"Ten, Nine, Eight..." her countdown was drawing near the end.

"Seven, Six, Five..." I could feel my heart beat fast because of the suspense and excitement.

"Four, Three..." hurry up already Maria!

"Two, ONE. Here I come."

I move deeper into the tree's dark side, and as I stepped back... I stepped on something. I looked down to see a branch... I think. It was a little softer than an ordinary branch. I picked it up and moved it a little to the light.

I tensed up. I felt a chill run up my spine. I was shocked to see that the thing that I stepped on and the thing that I was holding was... a severed arm. I threw the thing away and fell on my butt as I tried to retreat. I was horrified but I couldn't scream. The only things that came out of me were tears and whimpers.

"Nice timing, guys." I snapped my sight at the field to find kids standing near the tree and Maria still standing where she was, but at that time she looked different. She was smiling in a manner that was scary. "The tree is hungry... and I bet if Joseph was watching he'd be so pleased."

The tree is what?!

All suddenly, the branches above me started to shift and move.

I couldn't keep my eyes of it, but I was terrified. I was so terrified, I wanted to run away. But I was too terrified to move.

The branches turned sharp at the edges and the bark was more chapped than usual. I couldn't understand what was happening.

Then the branch just suddenly moved rapidly.

SLASH

Off came the head of one of the kids, it was slashed by the tree's branch in a blink of an eye.

A moment of silence.

Then shouts filled the air.

The headless kid's friends started shouting and screaming. Some were frozen by the sight that all they could do was crumble to the floor and cry for the death of their friend, some chose to run away and avoid the same faith their friend got.

Suddenly the tree's branches, not one but all, moved rapidly again! Targeting each and every child who was there. Cutting them into pieces, piercing its sharp branch at them and wrapping it around them until they were reduced to an airless corpse.

One by one they died. Their bodies were slowly raised inside the tree's leaves and it became the tree's fruits. Head, hands and feet were hanging out of the leaves.

It was a horrible sight to see.

I almost puked.

But nothing really came out of me, just tears.

"There you are Joseph." from behind me, I heard her voice.

I slowly turned around to find her looking down at me with a dark face.

"I found you."

I took no more chances. I ran away. I ran away for my life.

My mom was waiting for me right outside the park gate, and as soon as I reached her, I hugged her tightly. I was shaking, I was trembling, and I was scared! I cried out all of the tears I held back.

I hope I never see her again.

I hope I never see the Tree's Girl ever again!