I haven't given this one a title yet. Sorry to disappoint.

A Story by DerryTheGret

It is a story, but this part is just the beginning

The memory was blurry. I saw myself 8 years old leaning on the base of a big oak tree in my old backyard. I was laughing with my sister, Paige, who was in the tree right above me looking into space.

“Hey, I’m coming up,” I yelled up at her.

“Okay,” she laughed, looking down. “Just don’t do what Tanner did.” Tanner, an extremely good linebacker in football, had previously jumped of his two story house for a YouTube video. The result, he couldn’t walk for about a month. Everyone referenced it anytime they could, but behind his back, like Paige did.

I grabbed branch by branch, knowing every single one by memory. We had climbed the tree and hung out there for as long as I could remember. This time was the last time I had gone up in the tree. I finally reached to the few boards wedged in between the branches Dad had called a “tree house” before he had died of unknown reasons during his first trip with Mom. I sat down, right across from my sister.

“So... what’s up?” I asked.

“Well, there is a big problem I have,” Paige said. “Something has come up with Mom and I might have to be away for a while. You will have to stay with Grandma until this whole thing is over.”

I looked at her confused. “Why are you going with them? Isn’t this like the last time, when Dad died? Mom and Dad were the only people who went two years ago.”

“Look,” she replied with a sigh. “I don’t even know why I’m going. I would ask them myself, but Mom seems a little more worried about this than me. The fact that I’m going in place of Dad, I can’t even began to contemplate about the reason for that. Other than the millions of problems our family has, there is nothing to worry about. Grandma will be here to pick you up in a few hours.”

I was about to respond, but Mom interrupted me with, “Paige Ann Goldsmith! Get out of that old tree, we leave in an hour!” I looked over to Paige, tears welding in my eyes.

She saw my melancholy mood. “It’s okay, I’ll be back soon. I promise.”

Paige clambered down the tree, then ran to Mom. I watched them go into the small house, both of them talking quietly all the way there.

I hung around in the tree until a black SUV came. Mom and my sister piled in the back of the car hurriedly, then they drove away. As soon as they were out of our driveway, I thought about what Paige had said.

I promise.