Midnight Secrets

Here's another freewrite that appeared in my notebook recently. Ironically, I wrote it yesterday afternoon during a DDQ session...but I was paying very close attention I promise:


Last night I climbed the tree outside my window. The sill was open, just a little bit. I couldn't help myself. The bark of the old elm felt good, like little slips of brittle paper with ancient messages scribbled inside. My toes sank down into the wood, leaving a trail of five fingered smiles as I climbed.

It is a very tall tree, the kind that grows taller and wider as you climb. It smelled like very old furniture, which made me happy. The branches spread out over the roof of my house. As I climbed higher, I heard the music. Little tender trills and icicle bells danced in the air, just loud enough to hear. It was what had drawn me outside, though I didn't realize it until now. I peeked over the top of a very large branch, and that's when I saw them. The little people were dancing on my roof again.

Some of them plucked at tiny little harpsichords, while others tapped and rattled on acorn drums. Each one wore its own little hat. Some were floppy, others were very proper, but they were each a very different color. Some of them had tied little bells into their hair or their wings, and they tinkled like Christmas ice as the twirled in tiny circles. I wanted to watch them forever, but I knew better. Everyone knows, if you're lucky enough to see the little people dancing, you mustn't stare. Some things cannot be owned.

I kept climbing, because there was more tree. The branches grew thinner and began to bend, but I asked them to be brave for me, so that I could reach the top, and they straightened right up. They were good branches. I'm glad my mother taught me how to ask nicely.

The tree ended quite suddenly. The leaves up there were very faint and foggy, I still remember that bright silver taste they left in my mouth. You could run your hands through them if you wanted to.

The moon was waiting for me, like I knew she would be. She told me little secrets. They weren't very important, but they made me very happy. I would share them with you, but she made me promise not to. I'm sure she would share some of her secrets with you, if you asked very nicely.