The Tree | Teen Ink

The Tree

January 15, 2016
By 123carly BRONZE, Carbondale, Pennsylvania
123carly BRONZE, Carbondale, Pennsylvania
3 articles 0 photos 0 comments

      I have been thinking to myself sense I had some time alone. Maybe this small town does not mean so much to me anymore. The wind does not feel the same against my skin like it use to way back when. The mountains that surround me stay the same in a sense and it comforts me ever so deeply. Yes, the rocks fall and sometimes fog seeps over them, making their appearance differ from time to time, but they always seem to meet the sky. The rocky peaks will always place little kisses on the blue spear. I continue to stare up into the abyss as the nostalgic feeling soaks in to my skin filling up my lungs. I want to free my mind into thinking of the better days filled with summer nights and starry darks skies where he used to lay by my side.
      I hiked through the jagged forest; something I used to do a lot when I was younger.  I felt a cold burst of wind on the back of my neck. I understood it was just a gust of wind, but somehow it felt so familiar, maybe too familiar. My skin shivered and started to lack balance.
      I flickered my glossy tired eyes to my right. I swallowed a hard gulp. My vision became blurry and my head spun in multiple directions. My body plunged into the repulsive tree. Reluctantly, I slapped my hands against it to keep me up. My eyes are forcefully shut in my own fear of seeing what is there or maybe for who is there. My body violently shook as hatred bubbled through my skin.
      I winced as a known hand slid across my back rubbing small circles on it. This was a tactic that was used to calm me down, but not anymore. I swatted it away from me. Involuntary, I let a small tear run down cheek. Like I expected the hand wiped it away. Disgust filled my insides making me more fragile than I already was. I sunk lower and lower towards the ground, unwilling to get back up. As of right now I was begging him to defeat me. I was getting tired of these weak old bones that held his memories for far too long.
      Slowly I opened my eyes. I let out a loud yelp to find that his face was directly in front of mine with our lips centimeters from touching. I made eye contact with a pale face, icy blue eyes, and cold pale lips. I noticed the freckles, which I once adored, are vanished off his skin. He held a wistful smile. I think back to when he use to mesmerize me. Now, he held a pale complexion and his large eyes looked vulnerable, just not as vulnerable as I probably look right now.
      Again, I swallowed a hard gulp. I trembled so harshly. Last time I was this petrified was at the time of the incident.
      Suddenly, my stomach turned and I vigorously starting couching. I couldn’t stop if my life dependent on it. Was he trying to kill me? Can he kill me like this? When he died did he get some sort of powers? I shrieked in agony as I felt something hard slide up into my throat. My air way was blocked and I couldn’t breathe! I felt nauseous. With one last cough I managed to get whatever was in my throat out. I gasped for air, but it seemed like there was not enough of it. I looked down and then instantly regretted it. There on my lap, was a small red heart shaped box.
      A word would not escape my throat. I did not even know what to say. The box was the one he had given me on our one-year anniversary. It was so I knew I had his heart. I use to take this everywhere I went until he went psychotic and attempted to ruin my life.  My head bolted up word to meet him again, but this time it was different. His head was now blown off and blood was flowing everywhere. I let out a scream and tried to move. I felt glued to the ground. His body now laid on the ground with the gun still incased in his fingers. Behind him is where I Saw my father, with a bullet hole through his chest. My heart ached. I was reliving this whole day all over again. I was already traumatized once! I do not need this again! Why wont my body move! I needed to go and I needed to go now!
Then, time stood still. For one second everything stopped moving. It was like I was on some sort of terrible high. I knew what was happening and why. Today is January thirteenth. The day he shot my father and then shot himself. I looked at the tree. The tree was where it happened. On this day we were all supposed to go on a hike. I did not even realize I came this way. I made a vow to myself saying I never would. The tree is black now and on it written are numbers in neon yellow. They say 5:10 p.m. That is the time it is at this very second and the time that the murder suicide occurred.
      In one swift movement I through the box over the cliff and swatted my hand back and forth making the scenery disappear and turn into an ugly grey cloud.
        I jumped to my feet and sprinted across the forest floor. The only words running through my mind is Evan repeatedly saying, “Ryan, I love you!”
      This small town did not mean so much to me anymore. I knew I had to leave it all behind.
    



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