They Knew Her Name

Not all friends have to look like us.

The girl sat, crouched with her spindly arms around her knees, her small callused feet balancing her expertly on the weather worn wooden planks. She hunkered down, the chill night air ripping through the small blanket covering her thin form. The nights were growing colder now. Soon the first frost of the season would coat the grounds and houses of the village at the bottom of the valley. 

She didn't care. 

She had chosen this place long ago, back when she was still a small child. Chosen if for the distance from the miserable village, and for the beautiful view the majestic oak tree provided of the water's edge. As the years went by, she had slowly built a primitive tree house. It was more of just a platform, really. But it suited her. 

She could see the water now, through the thick, dense foliage, the crystalline surface transforming into nature's perfect mirror, the light of a thousand celestial glories reflected in its depths. Only a few scant minutes ago, the liquid had been aflame with the colors of the setting sun. 

They were her friends, the sea and the sky. They comforted her like no one down in the village ever could, and they provided her with an escape from the wretched existence that was her daily life. They spoke to her. They loved her. 

But more than anything....

They knew her name. 

Author's Note

Another old flash fiction that I felt like submitting. This one is also from the story that got scrapped, although it's not as happy. This one is more in line with the general air of the story--lonely and aching. Which is probably why I didn't go very far with this story. It was too dang depressing. Anyway, my English teacher really like this one, and it was fun to write. Enjoy.