It was one of those beautiful days were the sun shone bright and there wasn't a cloud in the sky the grass was so green it just looked unreal like a painting. "Come on we're almost there!" a young Wendella called to Melchior and Moritz they were on there way to IIse's house to play pirates, they did that a lot the four of them. They finally got to Ilse's house. "Tell me why we had to run all the way here?" Moritz asked out of breath "because it's fun! And I don't want Ilse to be ket waiting" Wendella said "where is Ilse anyway?" Melchior asked "I don't see her" "Ilse?" Moritz called "where are you?" "up here" There was Ilse sitting in the branches of an oak tree. "What are you doing up there?" Melchior asked her "It was such a beautiful day and I thought to myself why not climb a tree? and so I did!" "aren't you scared up there? it's so high up" Wenlla asked her "oh no. I do this all the time I love it up here the sun, in my face the wind in my hair, the clouds are so close like I could just reach out and touch them" Ilse said with a far off look in her eyes. Than hopped down off the tree landing next to Moritz. "I got the swords" Ilse said grabbing the wooden swords she had made for the game and handing one to each of her friends. "Ok first one to defeat everyone wins" Melchior said "That shouldn't be too hard. Melchor and I can beat you anyday" Wendella said with centerny. "If you can catch us" Ilse said with a mischievous grin on her face. "What- before they could even ask what was going on Ilse and Moritz bolted "you can run but you can't hide!" Melchor yelled racing down with Wendella to catch up to them. Ilse laughed just for the joy of it. She loved this. It was her only epcase from the nightmare at home. her father beat her. Sometimes a night he would come into her room and.. Touch her in ways that a father should not. It just made her feel… gross and helpless, Her mother did nothing about it either not caring about her, Or pretending it wasn't happening. Ilse looked behind her and saw that Wendla and Melchior where gaining on them "quick in the bushes!" Moritz shouted running as fast as he could Ilse was quick to follow. Wendla and Melchior ran up to try and see where they had gone "Where did they go?" "Wendella asked "I think I know" Melchor said with a grin. Slowly they made there way to the bushes "one, two-
"Three!" Ilse called jumping out of the bushes with Moritz. "You both were so close at catching us" Moritz said "well there's only one thing to do now" Melchior said raising his wooden sword "we fight" They all ran towards each other. Ilse and Melchior, Moritz and Wendla. Ilse was first to strike but Wendella got out of the way in time Wendella swiped the sword left Ilse leaned out of the way "you have to try better than that" Ilse tensed her than Wendella poked the sword lightly at Ilse's chest careful not to actually hurt her. "You stabbed me! Oh the pain!" Ilse Dramatically fell on her back like she was dieing Wendella giggled. Moritz and Wendella were fighting now Moritz stuck but Wendella gracefully dogged it, Than Moriz quickly got around behind her and touched the sword lightly on her back,Wendella sat on the grass. "Your going down" Melchior said to Motiz "just try and stop me" they began circling each other waiting to see who would make the first move Moritz was quick to strike but Melchior being more aware dogged it. "Look over there!" Melchior shouted Moritz looked behind him confused, seeing nothing he turned back around Melchior was in front of him and sewpied the sword under his legs before Moritz realized it was happening fell to the ground with a thud. Melchior looked at the sky. "It's getting late I have to go!" " I should get going too. Mama wants me home by dinner" Wendella said "Race you!" Melchior yelled Wendella was quick to follow. Both of them laughing as they went down. Ilse watched them go until she couldn't see them anymore. "A little help?" Moriz called from on the ground Ilse grabbed Motiz's hand and helped him up. "Well get them next time" Ilse said "it's getting pretty late I should probably go now too" Moritz said "could you stay a few more minutes? It's not dark yet" "Im not sure I can.." Moritz trailed off unsure of what to say next the truth is he did want to stay, but his father was kind of strict about curfews and yelled at him for almost anything. "Moritz, Please?" how could he say no to her? He's going to yell at me either way. Moritz thought to himself. "Yes" "really you'll stay?" Ilse asked hope in her voice "of crouse! What are friends for?" "come on I have to show you my favorite place" Leading him back to her house and out a ways to "the oak tree? That's your favorite place? It's so close to your house" "but it's far enough away from my house at the same time. Which is why I like it" Moritz looked at her, confused "it's hard to explain when I'm up there I just feel.. Free like nothing can hurt me. And the view is incurable!" " I wish we could go to the same school" Moritz said "boys and girls in the same school that would be amazing!" Ilse said "what do you want to do once school is over?" "oh.. I never had the time to think about it, Father usually has me studying for school" "I think I would travel the world wouldn't that be wonderful? I would see so many things, and than after that I think I would move to America. Just think I would be able to do whatever I want there and no one would stop me" Ilse started climbing the tree "are you coming up?" "I don't really know..Well alright" Moritz started climbing than he slipped and fell onto the ground below. Determined Moritz got up and started climbing again he was almost there he slipped, Ilse grabbed his hand and tried to pull him up Moritz pulled himself up with Ilse's help Falling on top of her Ilse laughed giving him a playful shove. They both looked out into the view "you where right this is incurable you can see the whole town from up here" "if you want to when where older you could come to America with me" Ilse said "I definitely will" Moritz said looking at her. "The sun's going down I should go" "it can't be that late can it?" Ilse asked "I should go" Motriz climbed down the tree "father will want me home before dark" Ilse sighed as she climbed down "well alright" Moritz turned to go "Moritz, Thank you for staying with me it means a lot" "your welcome" "it was fun- Before Ilse could finish her sentence Moritz pulled her into a hug. Ilse breath chat in her trgot no one had ever hugged her before or held her like that ever, the hug was warm and strong she felt safe, safer than she had ever felt in her life. wrapping her arms around Moritz she hugged him back tightly as if she would lose him. After a couple minutes they broke out of the hug "I should get going, see you tomorrow Ilse" Moriz silmed "see you tomorrow" Moriz went down the hill Ilse watched until he could no longer be seen. Ilse felt a glimmer of hope that haven't been there in a long time maybe, just maybe things would be ok after all.
