Happy Place

• Molly Wilson, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2014

Out the back of my best friend’s house, just beyond their property line is a forest of ancient and overgrown trees. They join together to form an intricate maze, full of dead ends and secret passageways. In the centre of the maze, where all the trees seem to join together as one, a single tree stands taller than the rest, like a sky scraper; this tree is my happy place. The trunk of the tree comes apart at the bottom forming an alcove, the inside full of old blankets, burnt out candles and books with dog eared pages. To come out here in the morning and watch the dancing shadows cast by the rising sun is the best, especially after a big storm. On these mornings the birds and insects are all but silent, leaving only the words of the books and the faint chirping of baby birds to be heard. The aroma of rain still lingers as the leaves drip with mildew and the air is thick and heavy with moisture. Here is where I go to get away from all the troubles of the outside world, here is where I find my peace.