A Pictures Worth a Thousand Words

After the Storm

The forest was eerily quiet after the chaos of the nights before. No deafening winds, or roar of rain, or sounds of falling trees. All the wildlife silent, all around, calm. Not a single thing was moving but me. I didn't even know why I was here. I hadn't been here in years. But I had to know if it was okay. I tread the once familiar down to the path down to the river bed, and carefully made my way across the flooding river to the large oak tree. As drew closer and closer, my heart began to racing, leaping out of my chest. My legs began to move faster and faster. By the time I reached the large oak tree I was out of breath, a stitch in my side, beads of sweat on my forehead. I lifted my head. Shattered pieces of wood littered the ground, and the north wall was completely gone, and the ladder was missing several steps, which were scattered at  the foot of the tree. The tarp that had once been strung over the branches was caught in a fragile looking pine. But it was still standing. My jaw unclenched. My heart stopped beating so hard. I smiled. I ran over to the pine tree and swung my leg over the lowest branch. I pulled myself up onto the branch and reached up to the next branch.

"Hey." I started and nearly fell off. A boy was standing a couple feet away. His hair was dyed blue at the tips, dark brown at the roots, and fell in perfect waves around his face down to his shoulders. He was wearing a white hoodie that was inexplicably spotless, and his blue jeans, which were ripped at the knee's. My former best friend Dylan stood in front of me, standing their with that effortless swagger that he always seemed to carry with him, no matter where he was.

"Hi" There was an painfully silence, in which we just stared at each other. Then, after what seemed like an eternity. Then, after what seemed like an eternity, he asked

"Can I help?" Another painful silence

"Sure."