Jason

So that's how I met Jason. In the first few moments of our time together we became so close that it seemed like we were long lost friends.

Jason had told me he was from Texas and had come here to visit his Aunt an Uncle while his parents were away for a 'trip'. Clearly he didn't think so.

Jason was about my age, seven, maybe eight, but he was a bit bigger than me. He seemed to like wearing blue t-shirts and pale brown knee high pants. Suppose that's his favorite outfit.

"Wanna camp out with me?" I asked my new found friend. My mind was racing farther and farther away from Mia's wolf carving and closer to the joys of having a friend.

"Yeah sure, just gotta tell my mum" he said racing off in the direction he arrived.  I watched him go, the initial smile had not faded into my usual frown yet. Maybe the happiness of last year will come back. Swirling around I sat down on a comfortable enough stump to wait for Jason.

"I'm back!" he hollered from behind me. I jumped in surprise and sat up to run up to him. "So what now?" he asked with a smile. 

I hadn't though of that. My excited mind had not though about what to do before we went to sleep. "Um, hadn't thought about that" I told him, my lips breaking into a smile to laugh.

He laughed along too. "Hey, didn't I see you carvin' something?" He asked.

"Spy!" I grinned, but my voice dwindled into a sob. My legs felt like jelly and I gave into gravity as it pushed me down into the hard packed dirt.

"Hey, you okay?" Jason asked, his face showing real concern as I looked into his falcon black eyes. 

"Yeah, its just that I lost that carving and was for my friend Mia who's coming to visit next month" I told him softly.

"Oh" he said simply. Something in his voice told me knew that Mia wasn't an ordinary friend, she was somethin' special. Jason let the topic drop and quickly picked up another. "Wanna go explore that river?" he smiled pointing to the river on the far side of the meadow.

My meadow, I hadn't stepped foot on the soft dry grass that glowed golden in the lovely summer sun. Though it saddened me to walk where I once was happy I agreed to walk to the river with Jason.

"Alright" he squeaked jumping up onto his feet. He held out a hand, I accepted it. His scrawny arms where surprisingly strong as they lifted my frame nearly as easily as grandpa could. 

"Lets go" I said meanwhile he got ready to challenge me to a race.

"Lets see who's faster!" he challenged me with his playful smile. Normally he looked older, his face made him seem like he was years beyond my own. Now he looked like his age, playful and wild.

"Go!" I hollered abruptly and charged forward into the ocean of tall amber grass. 

It felt forever since I had so much fun in the meadow, but something about being with Jason made me feel more alive and happier than I ever imagine I would feel once more. That split second of dashing into the waves of copper and gold made it seemed like i took a step back in time, like I felt before the disaster in the winter. 

I had slowed down to a crawl of a jog "Hey, slow poke" Jason taunted as he raced passed. 

"I ain't a slow poke!" I objected and picked up speed once more. My short 7 year old legs felt like jelly as they swished through the feather soft bouncy ground of the meadow.

"Wow" Jason said stopping to a halt on the edge of the far side of the meadow.