A crimson light stained the grassy hill.
The wind blows at a calm pace, making some leaves fall to the grassy ground. The sound of water running down a small river gives off a soothing scent and a calming atmosphere. Small laughter echoed through the soothing atmosphere. Three young teenagers sat on the hill, all suited up in their well-cared uniforms.
"We haven't been here since school started," one of the teenagers said. He was all smiles as he watched the sun setting behind two great mountains.
With a puff of wind, his jet-black hair danced in the air, and two small giggles came from his two lovely cousins settling down on the cold ground.
"This place is as peaceful as ever," said the girl with long raven hair.
Her eyes close shut to feel her surroundings.
"Hey Shaine, did you check up on Grandpa?" asked the short-haired girl, tilting her head; her dark brown eyes flicker as the light hits them, and her ash blond-colored hair slightly flows along with the small puffs of the wind.
"He's doing fine by himself, Abby; he always says, 'I'm stronger than a million ants carrying a truck,' whatever that means."
Shaine nodded her head towards her younger sister; Abby is a year younger than her older sister. Shaine is a ball of sweetness and joy; her crazy personality and silly jokes can make many people smile, while Abby is a kind but shy girl. Some people think of her shyness as one of her adorable traits, but she doesn't think of it that way.
"Elly, how's Aunt Mel?" Abby asked her black-headed cousin.
"She's doing great, somehow even better than before."
Elly is two years older than Shaine; his personality is a splitting image of his two younger cousins combined. Crazy around people he's comfortable with but shy with strangers.
Their chatter fades like the sun slowly setting upon them. Crickets started playing their tones as the darkness crept through the hill. Each grabbed their bags and headed back.
Not far from the hill is a big old wooden house, painted with the calming color of powdered blue. It has a worn-out roof but still keeps the house dry. To its right is a big oak tree, with long branches and thick leaves.
Their grandpa said that the tree was once a magical portal to an unknown world; every time their grandpa tells them the story, they would laugh it off or simply tell their old man that fairy tales don't exist.
Shaine does believe in magic and fantasy, but the story that her grandpa usually tells is just a figment of one's imagination.
"Grandpa Toren!" Abby yelled as the three entered the front door.
Their grandmother had passed away 3 years ago, leaving behind her beloved husband all alone. They live on the coast side of the city; it is a peaceful place to relax now and then.
The three teenagers would visit every weekend, spending their time listening to their grandfather's stories about the olden days, playing at their favorite hill, and splashing around the calm small river.
"I'm in the kitchen, my little grandchildren," yelled a voice from the kitchen.
The ticking sound of an old wall clock echoed through the whole house, giving it more of the old vibe. The house is old but well-maintained by Grandpa Toren. He is a clean freak when it comes to his house. On top of the creaking wooden stairs are three bedrooms, one for Grandpa Toren and the other two for visitors.
"What do you want for dinner?" Grandpa Toren asked; he was holding an old frying pan and a spatula.
Vegetables, fruits, and more ingredients are scattered all over the kitchen counter. A chopping board and knife in the middle with onions and garlic all cut into small pieces.
"We'll do the cooking tonight, Grandpa Toren; we don't want something to be burnt," Shaine happily said with a smile, showing her dimples on both her chubby cheeks.
Their grandfather laughs at her joke.
She set her bag on the dining table near a clear vase full of colorful wildflowers. Walking towards the other side of the counter, she pulled up both her uniform's sleeves to her elbow and put on an apron.
"You guys wash up; Elly, please help me chop the veggies." With that said, Elly nodded his head and rolled up his sleeves.
Shaine is a great cook with her recipes and ways to cook up the food; her sister, however, is too fond of sewing and baking but still holds cooking as a hobby or a little help around the house. Elly is an awesome cook too. At their house, he is usually the one getting asked to cook their food, which he is happy to be doing for his family.
The sound of the knife making contact with the wooden board and the sizzling of fried food on a hot pan can be heard around the whole house; a mouthwatering scent covered the plain air around the kitchen.
"That smells nice." A footstep came down the staircase, making small creaks with every step.
Abby is all dressed in a nice faded blue nightgown, her hair still dripping wet from taking a shower. A soft white towel is wrapped around her neck to prevent her nightgown from getting wet. Her foot is all comfy in her fluffy cat slippers, and an anklet shines at her left ankle; it's silver with two charms dangling from her foot.
Elly prepared the dining table, placing four white plates around with a spoon and fork for each. He set down clean napkins on the right side of each plate and cups on the left side.
Grandpa Toren came walking down from his bedroom to see his grandchildren happily setting their dinner. They all settled down on the table and said their thanks for the food before digging in. They chatted about their whole week and how each day was.
After eating, it's Abby's turn to take charge in the kitchen. While she does the cleaning, her sister and cousin then head to their rooms to freshen up. Shaine and Abby share one room, and Elly got the other room all for himself.
The soft puffs of wind sway with the leaves of the oak, and some rotting branches quietly creak through the darkness. For Shaine, it was a nice night for a short night walk. The oak tree is the largest around; when they were young, they used to climb the branches and even build a small tree house.
Shaine doesn't like to wear dresses; instead of a nightgown, she wears matching pajamas. With an assured grip, she slowly climbed the oak. There was this perfect spot on the tree that could let you see the night sky and the hill; that's where they built the tree house, but it was demolished, and only the floor is left.
She sat down at the edge of the cold worn-out wood, making a small creak. The moon is shining incredibly bright tonight; she can see the small river beyond the hill, and it's reflecting the moon's light, giving it more beauty in the dark.
"Knew you'd be here." Shaine turns her head to meet eyes with her cousin.
"Why miss me already?" Shaine asked teasingly.
Elly laughed a little and settled down on the floor; he looked up and smiled at the moon, hoping it would smile back at him. Both heard a small scratching sound; they didn't look back knowing that Abby must have followed.
They all relax with all eyes on the scenery upon them. They were so amazed by the beauty of the quiet night; within that silence, something caught the attention of Abby. She stared back at the trunk they climbed earlier; the sound certainly came from behind. That small, short sound was inexplicable, but she knew that she had heard something.
"Something wrong, Abby?" Elly asked his uncomfortable cousin.
Abby doesn't hide anything from her sister or her cousin, but now she's not quite sure if she should tell.
"Umm… I'm not sure," she said, being confused with herself.
"Come, you can tell us; we're best friends," her sister happily said.
"I think I heard something." Saying that, Elly and Shaine stared at her confused.
"What something?" Shaine asked. She stood up and walked to her sister with small creaks following her steps.
Abby couldn't explain it in words; instead, she pointed towards the trunk. The three stared at the thick trunk but didn't hear anything unusual.
"Are you pranking…" Shaine got cut off when she saw a glimpse of the trunk; there were small flickers of light from the trunk followed by small bell sounds. It was only for a mere second, but they saw the glittery sparks.
A shiver ran down their spines; it was starting to get creepy. None of them spoke up, their eyes still glued to the same spot.
"Let's get inside," Elly calmly said; his cousins slowly nodded and made their way back down.
As fast as possible they climb down the trunk; they are still spooked by the glittery light, so as much as possible they want to get down.
"Goodnight," said Elly before entering his room.
None of them wants to talk about what had happened up on the tree. They just want to forget what they saw.
The ticking of the wall clock echoed into the quiet house; once the clock hands hit 12, a loud bell rang around the house. It was midnight, and everyone was supposedly fast asleep.
Shaine and Abby are laid back-to-back on the same bed; Abby is fast asleep hugging her small blue bunny stuffed toy. However, Shaine can't seem to fall into a deep slumber; her eyes are wide open staring at the blue-painted wall.
"It's not real…" she whispered to herself and covered her whole body with the covers.
"It's not real…" she once again whispered under the covers.
The ticking of the wall clock seemed to grow louder with every passing second, a heavy, rhythmic pulse that vibrated through the mattress. Shaine squeezed her eyes shut, pulling the duvet tighter until the fabric pressed against her lips.
"It's not real..." she whispered, the words muffled by the cotton. "It's just the shadows. Just the tree."
Beside her, Abby's breathing remained deep and rhythmic, a small comfort in the suffocating silence of the room. Shaine tried to focus on that sound, counting the breaths to drown out the memory of the glittering light they had seen from the branches.
Slowly, the tension in her shoulders began to fray. The "burning" sensation in her chest, which had been buzzing like a disturbed hive all evening, subsided into a dull, hypnotic warmth. It felt like sitting too close to a fireplace on a winter night—dangerous, yet strangely inviting.
Her thoughts began to drift, blurring at the edges. The painted walls of the bedroom seemed to melt into a soft, grey mist. The ticking of the clock slowed down, stretching until the space between each tick felt like an eternity.
One...
Two...
With one final, shaky exhale, Shaine's grip on the covers loosened. Her hand slid off the pillow, fingers brushing against the cool bedsheet. The fear that had kept her heart racing finally surrendered to the weight of exhaustion.
Shaine fell into a deep, dreamless slumber—completely unaware that the "fire" inside her was finally about to break the surface.