Rose Crown *Hanahaki* Skephalo

Chapter 19 - I Remember This Place...

1st Person Pov - Skeppy

I sat there in shock I honestly didn't know what to do. I closed my eyes, trying to remember where I remembered this from. I reopened my eyes when nothing came to me but then I saw a few kids going up the ladder into the tree house and that's when it hit me. 'I used to come here as a kid' I said in my head, but something else then came to me. 'I...I remember playing in that exact tree house with someone but who was it?' I added in my head, trying to remember who I played in that tree house with.

"Zak?" I heard a voice say, I reopened my eyes and turned to where the voice came from. I saw Darryl walking over to me, he sat down beside me and looked at the same tree house I was looking at. "Why did you come out here?" I asked, not breaking my gaze from the tree house. "I came looking for you and I kinda needed some fresh air, why did you come out here?" Darryl asked me, "The same reason as you I guess" I replied. We sat in silence for a bit, just enjoying each other's company and the scenery. "Hey Darryl," I said turning to him, "yeah Zak?" he asked, turning to me. "I think I remember coming to this exact park when I was younger" I explained, Darryl looked shocked, "same here, I remember coming here as a kid" he explained and my mouth almost fell open. Then I had a flashback.

I was a kid and I had come here to this park to have some fun, and I spotted the tree house. I went to the ladder and climbed it but when I got halfway up the ladder I heard crying, I didn't know where it was coming from but on closer expectation, I realized it was coming from the tree house. I continued to climb to the top of the ladder and got inside the tree house. I then found a boy crying in the corner of the tree house. I felt bad so I went over to him and sat beside him but he didn't look up. "Hey, are you okay?" I asked, the boy then looked up and I saw his glossy eyes and tears rolling down his face. "N...no I'm not okay..." the boy said, "what's wrong?" I asked feeling sorry for the crying boy. "My parents are fighting again so I came out here to get away from it all" he explained, "do they fight often?" I ask and he nodded, "yes they do... I honestly want them to stop... I just want a normal family..." he said as he broke down. I pulled him into my arms and hugged him. Even though I didn't know him I felt a strong connection with him.

"Don't worry I've been through the same thing as you" I whispered, he looked up at me with glossy eyes, "r...really...?" he asked and I nodded, "my parents probably don't fight as much as your's do but my parents have fought a lot and I've been through it so I know how you feel" I explained and he wiped the tears from his eyes. "I'm honestly glad someone has been through the same thing as me because everyone I've told laughs at me and says they're glad their parents don't fight" he explained as he smiled weakly at me. "I'm Zak by the way," I said while smiling back, "I'm... Darryl," he said and the flashback ended.

"Zak... Zak!" I heard my voice being called when I came back to reality. I recognized Darryl's voice beside me. I turned to him, "yes Darryl?" I asked, "you look like you've seen a ghost, are you okay?" Darryl asked with a giggle. I couldn't speak I was starstruck, I was sitting next to my childhood friend, the friend I met at this very park, in that very tree house. I shook my head to get myself together then I spoke. "Darryl you said you came here as a kid right?" I asked and he nodded, "Well do you remember meeting anyone here as a child?" I asked, Darryl, tilted his head. "Like a childhood friend?" he asked and I nodded, "not that I can remem-" he said cutting himself off. His eyes then went wide and he looked at me in shock. 'He remembers' I said in my head.

"Zak... were you that boy that comforted me that day in the tree house all those years ago?" he asked sounding shocked, I nodded and tears started to form in Darryl's eyes. "I...I remember... This was our normal meetup place..." he said and I stayed quiet as I remembered when we used to meet up here as kids. "I still remember that day we were meant to meet up and you never showed up... I didn't think much of it but then it continued to happen... over and over... every single time we were meant to meet you never showed up... I honestly thought you hated me for some reason... I thought I lost my best friend..." Darryl said as tears started to fall from his eyes. I moved closer to Darryl and pulled him close to me. "The reason I never showed up was because I moved... I honestly didn't wanna tell you..." I murmured so only Darryl heard, he wiped the tears from his eyes before he replied, "why?" he asked, I looked away before I replied, "because... I didn't wanna lose you... that's why I didn't tell you... I thought if I didn't tell you it'd make it easier for me..." I explained as a tear rolled down my face. "oh Zak..." was his only reply as we sat close together. Knowing very well that we were each other's childhood friends.

Word Count - 982