Broken Glass, Broken Hearts (short story) part 2

I climbed up into the treehouse battling tears. The planks of wood were worn down, and I made sure to hold on to the trunk as I sat in the treehouse and wept silently. The treehouse was so high up, I wondered how we had managed to build it. "Pardon me," a voice said. I sat up and looked down. Standing there was the boy I had rescued the day before. "Oh, hello," I said, wiping my tears. "Something burdens you..." he started, "and seeing as I owe you my life, I would like to help rid you of this burden." I smiled weakly, "I'm afraid there's not much you can do, John. May I ask your name?" He put his hand up, "No, no, let's stick with John for now. We'll get into that later." I grinned, "Ok then John. Any reason you're wandering the woods pointlessly?"

"I could ask you the same."

"Aw, but I'm not wandering pointlessly. I had a destination."

"Touche. Well, I was wandering because...well I've lived around here for about a week now, and I still hadn't been out here, so I figured I ought to check it out before it made me crazy."

"Oh really? So not seeing every inch of this wood would have made you crazy then?"

"Indeed. Vastness really gets to me. I like to stop and smell the roses. Every single one of them."

"Oh? What if there was a field full of roses?"

"Then that would be very unfortunate for me."

"Why?"

"Because when you walk through a field full of roses, you're bound to get pricked," he said. I nodded, "That is true of many things."

"Indeed. People mostly," he said. I nodded, "Yes."

"Yes." she said. I looked out at the trees, "Would you walk with me then, ma'am? Perhaps tell me of your unremovable burden?" She smiled half-heartedly, "I'll walk with you. But lets leave my burden unmentioned."

"As you wish," I replied simply. She climbed down from the tree and jumped to the floor. She was priceless. Every moment with her was irreplaceable. "So, John, you said you have been here for only a week..."

"Yes. I'm quite the wandering kind usually, but this place is really earning the liking of me," I said. This mostly because of the girl I was walking with. "Can I ask you something?" she inquired. I put my hands out, "Anything, my lady!"

"Why are we talking in Old English terms?" she asked with a smile. I laughed, "Well, I would answer that, but frankly I haven't the slightest idea why we are. Maybe its because you called me John." She stopped walking and put one hand to her chest, "You mean your name isn't really John?" she asked playfully. I laughed, "No, its, 'Edward'," I said with a strong and completely fake English accent. She laughed, "Well, 'Edward', my name is Angela." I put my hands on my hips, "For reals?" I asked in a mockingly urban tone. She laughed, "I know, right?!" she replied in a valley girl voice. We both laughed. "Well Angela, my name is Tyler." She put on a confused expression, "Wait, ok, like, I'm TOTALLY confused. First you were John, then you were Edward, and now you're like, Tyler? Like, dude, you should, like make up your mind," she said in her valley girl voice. I laughed, "Dude, mah bad. Its Tyler, man. And proud OF IT!" I said, still in the urban tone. She laughed and said in a normal voice, "So, Tyler, how old are you?"

"Fifteen," I replied, "but I'll be sixteen in the fall. You?"

"Fifteen. But I'll be sixteen in the summer."

"But...it is summer," I replied. She smiled, "Yeah. I'll be sixteen next summer."

"Ha ha!" I exclaimed. "What?" she asked, genuinely curious. "I'm the elder!" I said. She laughed, "Indeed," she said. I smiled too. Its amazing how one minute you see a stranger and the next you see the person you know you belong with.

© 2009