The Realms of a Fantastical Mind

A short story inspired by old times at the YMCA camp and the loss of all those trees. The wind whistled with the scent of her blossoms.  The old oak always admired the colors and scents of the lovely apple tree growing up the hill off the dirt road.   He stood and observed from a distance, for more human generations than he cared to count.   Watching as the people and animals passed his way.  There was a scar of a heart with initials carved on his trunk. The scar came with the memories of childhood sweet hearts who spent their youth climbing his bows. Now the couple was wizened with age and came to him every few years to celebrate their times as children together. The younger generations spent their time under the apple tree.  She would shower them with petals in the mid spring mornings or shelter them in the hot summer sun.  The old oak was still taller than her and held more limbs to climb and linger under, but she was in an ideal place fo...

"Close your eyes." He said. I smiled at him, he was always being so random.  His brown eyes twinkled in the sun as his blond hair reflected the golden rays.  I closed my eyes, allowing the image of him hover behind my eyelids. "Now, listen to everything around you."  He said, I went to speak but he placed his warm finger on my lips. "No, just listen." I opened my senses to everything around me, we were outside and the park was full of sound today.  I could hear the strange squawking of the squirrels in the trees.  The birds flapped away as a squeaky wheel sped past us, their screech of protest echoing back from each bird as they flew overhead. There was a low murmur from the couple that sat a few benches over from us.  There was a swishing of the trees before a slight breeze hit my face.  In the distance I could hear the rumble of cars on the main street.  We were far enough away that I never...