Standing Still, Time Lies

Chapter 8: Treehouse

We walk through the bushes, and see the most incredible treehouse anybody has ever built. It's like a child's dream treehouse, just wedged between some trees. It's high off the ground, far away from any creatures that could possibly try to get to us.

"Damn B, this is incredible!" Sara says, before running towards the structure.

"B?" He questions running after her.

"Well, you have to have a nickname, Brandons too long!" She explains, smiling.

"Alright, B it is." He says before running over to some rope. It looks like a pulley system, that pulls you up to the first floor of the treehouse.

"A master of physics?" Cherry says, seeming slightly impressed with the complicated system.

"Theres a fire pole I stole that you can use to get down." He says, puffing out his chest in pride.

"Whilst I don't condone stealing... this is very cool." Cherry smirks before climbing up onto the pulley system. Sara is already up in the treehouse with Crispy in her arms, both eager to explore.

"Wait for me!" I shout, as Cherry got to the top and ran off across the plank flooring.

"After you, milady." Brandon bows slightly, offering me his hand up to the pulley. I blush, thank him, and grab his hand and the rope, rising into the air.

As I rise up to the first floor, I step onto the smooth wooden slatted flooring, noticing the place was quite open, the walls ending before the floor. A striped blue hammock hung high above the floor, the steps to get into it were like rock climbing knots locked onto the wall. A table and a single chair sit on the far side of the open floor, a tattered book lying on the table's surface. A kitchen looking workspace is further into the floor and I notice some food, water, and other supplies tucked in various spots around it. A folded blanket is located by a chair with what looks to be a car numberplate and some other trinkets.

I walk further inside and I notice the interior is spacious and well decorated. The walls are painted with a variety of paints and its evident that they were the leftovers of somebody's decorating. The floors are covered with plush carpets that feel soft under my feet and there are several couches and armchairs scattered throughout, each one filled with soft pillows and blankets to make it comfortable. I head to the second floor, the way up is just a small set of stairs, crafted with holes between each step which you could see through. A small cupboard like space was tucked into the wall close by the stairs, which upon further inspection was just a hole through to the forest floor, and I realised this was his makeshift toilet. I backed out of the cupboard toilet and went carefully up the stairs to the next level.

In a corner on the second floor, I see a small bed with see through curtains, its bedding colourful, as though it belonged to a small child. The whole room is illuminated by several lanterns, which Brandon whizzes around to turn on, giving everything a warm glow and homely feel. The few walls that are unpainted are adorned with intricate carvings he obviously did when he was bored.

"Dude, you have everything!" Sara exclaims to Brandon, admiring his string of twinkling fairly lights as he flicks the switch to turn them on.

"Thanks, I've spent years building it!" He reminds her, smiling warmly.

We all gather down on the first floor, Sara claiming the hammock as her own, and Cherry sitting delicately on the singular chair by the table. B pulls over some cushions and the blanket for me to sit on and I sit gratefully in the pile of soft fabrics. He collapses onto a squashed looking beanbag I didn't see hiding in the corner and immediately falls off of it. Sara laughs at him as he readjusts himself, embarrassed.