It All Began and Ended with a Tree... Part 3

 Hold your horses! Have you read the first Chapter? No? Well here's the link: Chapter 1

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It all Began and Ended with a Tree…
Chapter 3

Good Lord! Why, this is happening a wee bit too fast! Those were the words that bounced around inside my skull as we sped back to shore on the boat. But then again, that day was the best of my life. I just couldn't quite grasp things yet, but I think that the morrow will bring clarity.

So I walk into our brilliantly lit kitchen, a candle in the middle of the table. The electricity was out again, for our side of the lake at least. Anyway, mom and dad were there, getting ready for dinner. Mom approached me and said "You've got a smug look on your face… May I ask why?"

"Oh… Um… I met a new friend that's all." It was all I could say at the moment. But one look into her eyes, and mom flashed me that I-know-it's-about-a-boy smile of hers. The dinner was simple, rice and a fish stew from one of the larger fish that dad caught. I forgot to mention, dad fished when he had no tobacco to smoke. The meal was okay, it did a good job of fulfilling my hunger.

I went up to my room afterwards. I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. My mind was buzzing with questions, for some reason, my heart suddenly felt so heavy. Should I have agreed to carve our initials on the tree? Should I have told Dave that I liked him too? I'm not even sure.

I'm spiralling into a state of confusion; my heart is beating at a breakneck pace. I can't stop thinking of Dave but I don't want to think of him at the same time. Everything was happening too fast, but we barely even knew each other…

I force myself to dismiss everything. I find myself staring at the ceiling waiting for sleep to overtake me. And pretty soon, it does.

The next day brought no comfort from my troubles. My mind was still abuzz. Yesterday, the simple thought of seeing Dave on the island was enough to get me excited. Now, it just filled my heart with reluctance. But I had to go to the island; it was all I could do. I snuck out of the house and went down to the dock. Old man Cesar looked at me, the usual gleam in his eyes vanished at that moment. If he had seen the confusion that plagued me, he didn't say it.

I got in the boat and sat down quietly. We whizz across the lake, the wind whistling past my ears and throwing my hair into disarray. I savored the feeling for all it was worth. It managed to calm my nerves. Eventually, my mind is clear from those thoughts.

It all came rushing back at the first thing I saw when I set foot on the island. Upon where our initials once were, the bark of the tree had multiple gashes that completely obliterated the carving. At the base of the tree, around where I usually sat was a sharp stone. It still had pieces of bark stuck to it. It was the lethal weapon that obliterated that one memory that haunted me.

A mixture of relief and sadness overwhelmed me. I sat down at that moment and began to cry. My heart was pounding and my mind was abuzz. Who did this? Why did this happen? Was I at fault? Everything was conflicted. For some reason, I felt relieved that it was gone. But I was down at the same time for it had played a large part in one of the best days of my life.

It was then that an epiphany hit me. I looked up, the tree was silent. "Was it Dave who did this?" I went around the island, screaming his name. But he was nowhere to be seen. That was when the reality of the situation sank in. He wasn't on the island. He was the one who did it.

I felt anger well up, but it vanished soon. Gratitude replaced it, for some time. I blast wind through the whistle and old man Cesar comes rushing back. I look at him and he returned the gaze with sad eyes. He smiles ruefully I smile back all the same. When I get home, I'll go up to my room, lock my door and stay there until the sunrise.

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What has happened? Dave has vanished, Elle is confused. What is up with the world? Yet again, oh noes, cliffhangers. Here's chapter 4, but take my word for it, it's not for the faint of heart: A Witch is Brought to My Attention