Two children ran through the forest. A tall dark boy with golden eyes and small tan girl with blonde hair. The two children of different races, forbidden to ever speak to one another, were the best of friends.

They ran through the forest with the wind. The wind weaved through the trees, coaxing the voices of the trees out. The children danced with the trees. When the trees sang they sang along. The forest was the children's domain. Where they laughed and sang and danced with the trees. Where they could be friends. ?
“I wished the trees could talk,” longed the fair skinned girl on a summer evening.

"They can," answered the boy in a thick southern accent.?
"I know that," the girl laughed, blue eyes sparkling. "But I wished they could talk with human voices."?
"They don' need to," the boy said simply. The girl looked at him confused.?
The boy took the girl’s hand with a smile and led her to their favorite tree in the forest. Grandfather Tree they called it, for it was the largest and oldest tree in the forest. Grandfather Tree's roots swam in the ground. Rising high above the ground before returning back to the earth. The space between the roots and ground provided holes in the ground protected by the strong roots of the Grandfather Tree. A perfect safe haven for the two children.?
Inside the largest pocket were things the children swiped from their homes. An old quilt lay on the ground, a group of candles with matches placed behind them, two small jackets, a pair of socks, and a pile of trinkets they found among the trees.?
Grandfather Tree smiled at the children’s appearance and the leaves sang joyfully. The boy and the girl slipped into their safe haven.?
"Now close yer eyes," instructed the dark-skinned boy. When the girl obeyed he went on. "Listen to the wind. Can ya hear it?"?
"Yessir," nodded the girl, sweet eyes still closed.?
The boy's mouth twitched in a smile as he watched the girl. "Now really listen. Hear it whistle through the trees. Hear it pushing n’ pulling the leaves. Listen to the rustle of the leaves. Ya doin' it?" The blonde head of the girl bobbed. "Listen to the creak of the branches bein' bended by the wind. Can ya hear it?" The girl hesitated, but then nodded a small smile forming across her lips. "No, can ya really hear it? The voice of the trees. Can ya?" The girl's smile turned to a frown and her brow furrowed. "Listen real good. The trees are singin' for ya. They want ya to hear 'em. They want ya to sing the harmony for 'em. Listen."?
Then they sat there, in their pocket in Grandfather Tree, listening. They listened to the wind whistle through the trees. The branches cracked against one another and the leaves rustled. The forest sang the chorus in the coded voices of the trees. Finally the girl spoke.?
"I... I can hear it... Their beautiful." The girl opened her blue eyes and a smile spread across her face. She looked up into the boys golden eyes and laughed. All of the sudden the forest broke into a joyous laugh. Laughing along with the girl and the boy of the forest.?The girl and the boy of the forest laughed until their stomachs hurt. The trees sang a glorious melody for them.?
But soon the hot summer sun faded and the purple bruises of the sunset painted the sky and it was time to go. The boy walked the girl to the edge of the forest, but that was as far as he could go. For the girl was fair skinned while the boy was dark skinned. If they were to be seen together they would be severely scolded. So they parted reluctantly, but knew that they would meet the next day in their forest that sung only for them.