The Tree

Prologue

The silence echoed throughout the Forest as they walked to their hiding place. The dark forest around them seemed to go on forever, but they both knew that wasn't the truth. Ghost led the way, laughing and teasing Trey as he followed. Ghost's short black hair was bouncing as he ran, his light voice echoing back to Trey as he teased and yelled at him. Trey kept up, playing Ghost's game of chase as usual. His blonde hair was long and in a ponytail, he looked a bit like a girl, but it also was obvious he wasn't one. His hair flowed behind him as he ran, he had a specific running form that he had tested during track earlier the same day. His arms barely swung at his side, but he still ran fast. The traditional way worked better, however it wouldn't be nearly as fun if he was faster than Ghost.
Ghost had found their hiding place a few days ago, and had already memorized the way there and back. Go around the big tree, go north from there, but once you reach the pink trees go north-east. It makes it so they won't get into the next town, and it's easy enough to memorize. Trey had only come there once before, and that was mainly because he was walking around with Ghost when he found it. Trey looked up to see Ghost slowing down, most likely tired out from running so much. But when Trey saw what was in front of him, he knew Ghost would be very well awoken by the sight of it.
It was a glowing tree, it had teal blue leaves that glowed brighter than any other part, it made it look alive and magical. The trunk and branches were black, giving it a calm yet eerie feeling, as if something was wrong. There were red fruits, but not apples, there was no way of telling what they were. They hung low from the branches and shined even in the dark. There were also golden markings on the trunk, it seemed to be etched into the wood. A single heart shone brighter than the rest, it was almost blinding.
Ghost grabbed Trey, who was approaching the tree mindlessly. This snapped him back to reality. This was the tree they were meant to go around then north, they both looked around to see if there was anything there, but there was only each other.
Trey held Ghost's arm and began sprinting to their hiding place. Whatever that was, Trey did not want to encounter it again. Ghost struggled to keep up, out of breath and most likely scared of what had suddenly changed it. Ghost kept looking back besides his mind telling him not to. He saw a being, it was humanoid, but definitely not human. It stood tall, almost as tall as the whole tree.
It had a black hat that led to a point at the top, it had glowing teal ribbons hanging down and a black piece of cloth that circled under the hat, hiding its face. It had a long robe that seemed to fit it, but there was no telling because there wasn't a body shape that was easy to make out. Ghost saw its arms and legs, both had black spikes coming out of them, in fact its whole body seemed to be a black. Its arms had teal markings on them, one of them was a leaf. As if representing the leaves that hang by its side.
Ghost stared back as Trey dragged him along, watching as the being plucked a leaf from the tree and stared at it, in that moment, it looked as if it were an angel. Its gracious touch plucking leaves. Suddenly it set them on the ground, they seemed to turn black and fade away. There seemed to be memories in them that flashed in them for a moment, one was of the creature seeming to kill someone, the blood splattered and the memory faded away. The other one included a human, dying in their arms as their monstrous sobs echoed. The human went limp and it faded away.
Ghost looked back to Trey, he was still running frantically to get away from the tree. Eventually Trey noticed that their hiding spot was coming up. They were deeper in the forest, the tree nearly gone now. Ghost looked back to the creature, but it was no longer there. And it seemed that the tree had stopped glowing and went back to normal.
Ghost put his heels down, stopping Trey abruptly, "Wait, look!" He pointed back toward the tree which was now normal. Trey looked back and saw that it was back to normal and looked confused. It was glowing just a moment ago, he knew that. Ghost decided to push him over to their hiding spot, Trey seemed like he couldn't take his eyes off of it.
"Trey, now's not the time to wonder," Ghost said nervously, trying to pry Trey's attention off of the now normal tree, "What if it's a trick?" Ghost looked back at Trey who was still looking back at the tree in wonder.
Trey was now walking behind Ghost, but still glancing at the tree every so often. He seemed to be mesmerized by how it had changed. Thinking to himself, it was glowing, wasn't it?
Ghost kept trying to keep Trey's attention off of the tree, he began to regret showing him that it was changed. Ghost decided to take a path that would bring the tree out of sight. Trey stared at the tree as Ghost led him further into the forest, it disappeared behind the heavily wooded forest.
After a few minutes, they had finally arrived at their hiding place, it was a treehouse in a small tree. The green leaves sway in the wind of the evergreen. Trey stared at the tree for a moment then began to climb up it to the treehouse.
The treehouse was small and made out of wood, it didn't have any windows and the door was covered with an old purple blanket that Ghost had gotten for their seventh birthday. The inside consisted of a gray carpet, two bean bags, a stack of board games in the left corner, and some shelves that held crystals, gems, cups, and other games. There were some fidget toys laying around here and there, along with pillows. It was comforting, especially after a long day of school and work.
Recently, Trey had gotten a new job at a small store at the edge of his block to go to after school. He worked as a cashier and he got to see multiple people pass by each day of different kinds. But his favorite customer was one of his regulars. Her name was Maryanne, she had cold skin and told Trey about how she had to wear special clothing to keep cool. They had gotten along for a few weeks and eventually became friends.
Ghost followed closely behind him, climbing up the ladder with precision and making sure to be as careful as possible. Trey leaned down to look at Ghost as he climbed. Ghost was focused on getting up there safely, but every so often his shoe slipped, causing him to jump slightly and use his reflexes to push himself back onto the ladder.
Even with everything that was going on, Trey couldn't seem to forget the tree. How it glowed, it wasn't an evergreen however it was alive during the middle of winter. How alive he felt while looking at it, it felt like he was looking into it, as if it had a soul. But it couldn't possibly have a soul, it was just a tree. No, it wasn't just a tree. At least not to Trey.
Ghost couldn't get the tree off of his mind either, not for the same reasons though. It was the creature that seemed to be connected to it that mesmerized him.
How the leaves died as if memories from long ago. The images flashing of the creature holding a human as it cried out, watching the human go limp. And the creature murdered a human in cold blood, watching the blood splatter all over it. And how angelic the creature seemed as it plucked the leaves from the tree. As if it were a dark angel. It was bound by no halo or chains. It was a free spirit, but bound only by past mistakes and emotions.
Ghost finally had made his way up the tall ladder and into the treehouse. But there was nothing to do or talk about, at least after seeing that thing. Trey tried to lighten the mood.
"How was school today?" Trey asked, a small attempt to take both of their minds off of the tree. But it didn't exactly work, he kept thinking about it. How it glowed in the dark, the golden markings, the bright red fruits. How it seemed as if it were accidentally brought into this world and was meant for another. Humans did not deserve such blessing.
"It was fine," Ghost spoke with a dull tone in their voice, their mind only focused on the creature and what it looked like as it had plucked the leaves and left them to die, "How was work?" Ghost looked up at Trey and sat down on one of the bean bags. The bean bag made a slush sound as he sat, it bent around his weight. Ghost had a tired look in his eyes, as if he were to fall asleep soon. His eyes were a gray-ish brown, it looked more brown in dark lighting and more gray in brighter lighting. And due to the dull lights coming from the lantern that they had previously left up there, it seemed to be a mixture of both colors.
"Work was hell today," Trey laughed awkwardly, sitting down on the bean bag beside Ghost. It made a slush sound as well, however it was a bit louder due to Trey being heavier than Ghost.
Trey was muscley but also well fed, he didn't have a six pack, but he also didn't have that much of a belly. However, Ghost was scrawny and non-muscley. He struggled with eating disorders since he was young, sometimes it still affects him, but it's getting better as of recently.
Trey continued to tell Ghost about what had happened at work, "This old lady kept harassing me about medication even though we're not allowed to sell any. She said that she bought some from here before, and she knew the owner and all that shit." The owner of the place he worked was quiet and barely talked to anyone, and would especially not talk to a woman such as her. Trey continued, "I had to kick her out because she was also harassing other people. Hopefully she doesn't come back." Trey laughed a bit again, causing Ghost to chuckle in return.
"That sounds like hell," Ghost told Trey, he was glad he didn't have a job so he didn't have to put up with those customers. But he was also sad that he didn't because he wasn't able to earn anything.
Suddenly, both of their minds went back to the tree. The small talk had worked for a split second, but their minds always seemed to go back to the tree. Ghost tried to start up conversation once more, seeing that it had worked last time.
"How did you do on your math quiz?" Ghost asked as he looked over at the crystals and items that decorated the treehouse and shelves. Trey was in advanced math, which meant that he had tests the day prior whilst Ghost had to do the test the next day at a normal level. Currently, Trey is in advanced algebra. Ghost is in algebra II. They're the same grade, but Ghost is a year younger than Trey.
"I got an A, as usual," Trey bragged to Ghost, as he usually does. He does a small hair flip when he does brag, but it's obvious he's jokingly bragging. Ghost smiled warmly at Trey, but that smile soon turned mischievous. Ghost undid Trey's ponytail.
"Hey!" Trey squealed, his voice cracking. His voice was usually low and calming, but when his voice cracked it became high pitched like how his voice used to sound as a kid. Trey slapped Ghost's hand away.
Ghost began laughing as he heard his voice crack, "You sound like a thirteen year old!" He joked at Trey. Trey looked embarrassed and a bit angry and looked away, "Hey, I didn't mean it!" Ghost looked at Trey a bit apologetically, but not completely. He still found it funny how Trey's voice sounded like a pre-teens' when it cracked, and how he pouted afterward.
Trey's hair hung low on his back, which made him look like a girl from behind, but he did whether his hair was up or down. His face was a dead giveaway that he was a guy though. Ghost not so much. His scrawny figure was a bit girl-ish but it was easy to tell he was a boy.
Ghost turned in the bean bag, causing it to rustle around, and began to braid Trey's hair. "What are you doing?" Trey asked, about to turn around. But Ghost stopped him from turning his head as he braided.
"Braiding your hair," Ghost said calmly, "Not in a gay way or anything, my little sister is going to the elementary school dance soon and I have volunteered to braid her hair as her big brother." Trey sighed, letting his body slightly relax as Ghost did his hair.
"I don't know man, seems kinda gay," Trey joked, enjoying annoying Ghost. He always liked to play and make fun of him in a friendly and joking way. They've known each other since middle school, 6th grade. They first met in their homeroom because they were seated by each other. Ghost was still struggling with a disorder, he looked scrawny and weak. But Trey looked a bit muscley for his age. Trey was the one who had started the conversation, they figured out they had a few periods together, they talked during each one.
Ghost groaned and continued to braid Trey's hair, Ghost looked awkwardly around. "You know I am gay, right?" Ghost questioned Trey. Ghost always made it obvious that he was gay, in and out of school. He was only open about it to Trey though because they went to a more christian school. Trey nodded, but also tried not to move too much so Ghost could still braid his hair.
"Hey, since you're a gay expert, I need your help," Trey said, trying not to move too much so that the braids weren't messed up.
"Alright," Ghost laughed slightly at Trey calling him a gay expert, "What do you need help with?" Ghost finally finished braiding Trey's hair and patted him on the head. Trey slowly turned around to face Ghost.
"What's it called when you like women and men?" He looked genuine, his hair now braided making him look a bit more feminine but his facial features screamed that he was a man.
"Well, it depends. Do you only care about personality? Do you have to be friends with them first? That sort of stuff."
"Uh. I guess we have to be friends first, and personality is a big thing. But looks also help."
"Then, my friend, you seem to be demisexual and bisexual," Ghost grinned, "Now then, who's the boy you like?"
Trey looked around awkwardly, "You don't have to know that, right?"
Ghost groaned, "Well I don't have to... but I really want to." Ghost grinned at him, Trey looked nervously at him. He'd never been asked about this sort of thing before.
Trey looked at him and chuckled awkwardly, "It's someone you know, I guess." Ghost looked confused, and then looked as if his brain just suddenly started working.
"Do you like Kyle?" Ghost sneered. Ghost had introduced Trey to Kyle a few months prior to going to the treehouse. Ghost had assumed that Trey liked Kyle for a while now.
"No way!" Trey scooted back, "He's... not my type?" He sounded confused about it himself, as if even he didn't know why he didn't like Kyle. Kyle was nice to both of them, but Trey was jealous every so often because Kyle showed a bit too much care, in his opinion, to Ghost.
"Well, I don't know them then," Ghost sighed, "Because you guys are my only friends." Ghost leaned back further in the bean bag, causing it to make a slush sound. He looked around the room, most likely trying to figure out who Trey might like. "Wait, maybe Luka?" Ghost looked over at Trey, his eyes looked more brown as he stared into Trey's eyes. Trey felt his face warm up slightly. He looked away, embarrassed. "I mean, you and Luka have similar interests, but I don't really know him. He's just the popular guy that every so often treats me like a pet," Ghost frowned, remembering the times that Luka teased him for being quiet and acting shocked when he talked.
"Definitely not," Trey laughed slightly at the thought. He would never like Luka. That's when Trey realized he hadn't thought of the tree for a while, Ghost was helping him out a lot. "I would never like that weirdo."
"Thank god!" Ghost sighed, "but, who do you like?" Ghost grinned.
Trey looked around frantically for something to do, his eyes landed on a deck of cards near the pile of board games. "Hey, what about a game of cards?" Trey looked over at Ghost nervously.
Ghost looked a bit annoyed, "You know how to distract me, let's play." Trey smiled a bit and chuckled. "I'm gonna question you more later, don't think you're free just yet." Ghost grinned and grabbed the deck of cards.
He got up, the bean bag made another slush sound as it went back to its previous position. He sat on the floor just in front of a wall. He made a thump sound as he suddenly sat. Trey slowly got up after him, his back and legs popping from not moving. He slowly laid down in front of Ghost, leaving enough room for him to deal out the cards.
As Ghost shuffled, it made a satisfying sound. He did the traditional way and the bridge. Trey looked at it closely, the bridge seemed to barely hold itself together, and the way he did the traditional way was mesmerizing. After he shuffled a few times, he began to deal out a game of Trash, but he usually called it Numbers because he forgets the name.
He dealt out two rows of five cards for each person. Trey rearranged his to just a straight line. Ghost chuckled slightly, "You're weird." He set down the cards in the center for the stockpile.
After a few games of Trash, Trey had been victorious.
Ghost sighed and looked out the door, the sun was rising already and they hadn't slept yet. Ghost pointed it out to Trey, who was doing a small victory dance just a moment ago.
"We should go to sleep soon."
"Don't worry, it's summer break, remember?"
"Yeah, but we have homes to get to?"
Trey groaned, "I don't want to go home yet."
Ghost grinned mischievously, "Either we go home or you tell me your crush." Trey looked nervous.
He got up and walked to the door, "Bye then." Trey jokingly waved goodbye. Ghost immediately grabbed hold of Trey's arm and threw him onto a bean bag chair.
"I was joking" Ghost said through ragged breaths, he sat down next to Trey. Trey looked concerned for Ghost. He just threw someone who weighed 135.8 lbs, and he weighs 118.2 lbs. Trey thought a bit higher of Ghost now, but not too much.
Suddenly, Ghost's mind began to wander back to the creature. He pictured its screams and cries as it held a human in its hands. He heard the screams so loudly he thought they were real. And when he looked back at Trey, it looked like he did too.
Trey's eyes were staring at the door behind Ghost, filled with fear that increased every second. As if he had heard something. As if he had seen something.
Ghost turned around to face the door, and he saw the creature. It was terrifying, its face cover lifted to reveal a huge mouth filled with teeth like sharks, its tongue was teal with black leafs on it. It licked its lips at them, as if they were food. That's when they realized that creature must be taller than the treehouse because it was bending over to look in, its hand pressed against the top of the tree for support.

Ghost screamed, but the only thing that came out was the scream of the monster, as if he were becoming it. He looked back at Trey. Trey was letting out a deafening screech. He fell back, seeming to faint.
Ghost looked back at the creature in fear. The creature spoke in a disgustingly croaky voice.
"What do you want in life?" It asked, its voice barely understandable.
"I want to give people what I couldn't give him."
The creature smiled, a terrifying grin. Ghost began to transform into something terrifying. He began to look like the creature in front of him. It was teal but not nearly as large. He had become the thing he despised at that moment. But his role would be his wish. To give people things he couldn't give to Trey.