She watched as the sun glistened upon the stream, watching the water as it rushed forward beneath her. The girl sat, perched, upon a fallen tree. A monstrous oak that had fallen over after a hurricane that almost tore her town apart. Above her was a canopy of leaves and branches that spiraled upward towards the sky, protecting her from the rain. The trees around her were as monstrous as the oak and were homes to many of nature’s creatures. The girl loved this place, her place, so much that it felt like her own home. Although the cold wind stung her arms every time another gust came, she stayed complacent with the beauty of nature surrounding her.

The girl wanted to stay here forever, on this mound of dirt that was slightly higher than the surrounding area. This is where that monstrous oak had stood, and where it also had fallen. The way to her spot wasn’t very treacherous but required a lot of work. First, you had to dodge the thorns and bramble as they try to attack you. After that, you would have to leap from one huge and disfigured rock to the other, knowing that if you slip, you would never be heard from again. The large rocks had been weathered over years of erosion, of cultivation, of pollution, which made every single edge as sharp as knives. Although this might seem dangerous, the girl didn't think it was, for she knew the beauty that lay beyond.

When she made it through the bramble and the spiky rocks, she encountered the trickiest challenge yet. You simply just need to jump over some quicksand, easy, right? The girl knew this isn’t true, for she has many times felt the pull of gravity and her mud-splattered foot sink into the mushy earth below. Sometimes, the mud can be soothing, relaxing even, but not when it’s out for your life. It’s thick and sticky, surrounding the girl's perch. She likes to think that it keeps away intruders from coming onto her precious land so that she can have it all for herself.

The sunset peers over the horizon, making the sky like a rainbow, with blends of fiery red, tangy orange, dandelion yellow, seaweed green, luscious turquoise, and vibrant lilac. The sky looked like a beautiful mosaic, one that could only be painted by the hands of mother nature. The girl admired mother nature for making such a beautiful sight not something you have to pay for, nor have to barter. Why does this place make her feel so serene, yet so tense? She knew that this is the only place she can feel completely calm and isolated, but never truly be alone.

She often admired the squirrels scrounging for acorns needlessly day and night. They don’t have to go back into the darkness, to the fear and treachery that society institutes. They don’t have to constantly worry about predators, for there are none around here. The only predator they have to worry about is there own lifespan and the diseases they acquire, not the hands of another creature. There only worries are finding mates, reproducing, and looking for food, which is a lot less complex then what humans worries are.

The girl contemplated how the water can be so crystal clear, yet not be clean. For she knew the nefarious deeds of the farmers across the stream. Manure isn’t the best for the old stream, especially when it isn’t supposed to be there. From her perch, she had seen an old haggard pour manure into the poor stream many times, making it toxic to the surrounding wildlife. She mourned the eventual death of the ecosystem, the death of all the beauty she holds so dear. She seemed to understand how the fish feel as they swim gallantly against the tide, always trying to get out of something that’s strong flow keeps forcing them backward.

This spot, her spot, is one where she knew she could come to any time she needs. The kind wildlife around her doesn’t seem to mind her frequent visits, sometimes they even appreciated it. She sometimes brang food for the creatures, pieces of stale bread and toast, a tiny morsel of meat here and there. If she ever got caught stealing these rations from her house, she would get in trouble, then she would run back here again. She’s confident that her friends, the wildlife around her, the brambles and thorns, the sharp rocks and the muddy quicksand, will protect her from her demons within and throughout her mind and this forest.

That’s the reason she came to this desolate place, slightly elevated from the world. She came here to rid herself of her anxieties, rid herself of all the fears she’s ever had. It’s the reason she picked this spot, not only for its scenery but because it’s so well protected. The girl is confident that all these trials will keep the ones she hates the most away from her if they find out she is missing. If they even find out at all…

She had taken in the serene environment around her, the glistening stream, the squirrels in the canopy, the smell of petrichor after the storm. She wanted to stay here forever, protected, safe from the prejudices and strict social constructs that society holds so dear. The girl bit her lip to keep from crying as she heard muffled voices in the surrounding forest. No doubt they were looking for her.

Then a man came into view, rifle in hand, teeth and ambitions beared. The girl knew this was coming, she deserved this for what she had done, though she didn’t regret a single thing. A shot rang out in the forest and the girl fell limp to the forest floor. She didn’t even cry out. She knew that this hour would be her last, so she made it her best hour, her happiest hour, which is why she had come to her secret alcove.