I awoke the next morning to the sound of the rain outside. The constant tapping at the window was something that usually lulled me into slumber. As soothing as the rain was, the thunder in the morning gave a disturbing contrast. It was a slightly different experience from the rainfall alone and a rather unpleasant one at that. I looked out the window gloomily; and this was what she had woken up to.

I glanced over to the window to find the curtains open. Even with the light attempting to get through the thick clouds caused the room to remain dark. I sighed, 'Why couldn't the sun come out?'

She thought. 'Just once…'

My mother hadn't come to get me which was something that had made me, ever so slightly, suspicious. She hadn't done this in years. Every day it was the same thing. I would groan myself out of bed and head, grudgingly away from the warmth of my room to the dining hall that never seemed to be touched though it was one my mother and I had eaten at every morning, mid-day and evening meal. After finishing off the rest of some bread and wine I decided that because my mother had went for a change, I would too. 'Well, I suppose Mrs. Ranaou will simply have to enjoy the day herself as well.' I thought cheerfully.

Instead of dressing in clothes suited for outside, I strolled down the hall and I was suddenly aware of my humming. The two big dark doors, were waiting at the end of the hall, and I was sure that out in the cold couldn't be as miserable as I was in here. Today it was just me and I wasn't going to waste my time inside, practicing painting or piano or another bloody song that I had to act as though I was obliged in doing so.

I walked outside and the bitter wind hit my face instantly, pushing my back into my prison. I had on my black coat, and I looked down at my hands as they were already starting to freeze. Watching my breath in the air, I walked skipped over to a bench in the garden.

I looked up curiously, at the sky and everything around me. Trees were blowing in the windy their branches bare, the leaves blanketing over the soil beneath. A bird or two on some of the branches, their wings folded over them to keep out the cold.

Then, as I reached the bench, I sat down to listen. The wind would come in strong tides at time and I'd stiffen at the biting cold of it. There were many noises around me, all gentle, yet forceful in the sense that nothing would cause them to cease. Nothing could slow it down silence it.

But among all of the peaceful jitters, a movement, something different lingered out in the trees, behind me. The small forest I had never been permitted me to enter. It was forbidden and because I'd been told so for many years, it grew to be intriguing. The fear of getting lost or injured did not bother me at the age of sixteen. I knew very well how to get back home because the large mansion, in which I lived, towered high enough that I couldn't lose it even if I had wanted to.

Then realizing that I might not ever get a chance like this again, I pondered on whether to go into the forest. I got up and walked up to the border of the woods and the perfectly green lawn that was the border between the two almost opposite parts of life. 'Why?' I asked myself when I reconsidered entering, but then I made the choice. But a thought in my head that didn't seem quite like my own answered, 'why not?' I grinned and stepped over the line, out of the protection of my land.

From that point on, instead of walking on the soft green grass of the lawn, I felt the crunch of the twigs under every step. At that first step, I knew that I had entered my forbidden sanctuary of the unknown.

I walked slowly, taking in as much as I could, mesmerized by the sudden changes in atmosphere. The trees started out as they were, thin stick-like objects that stood tall and loomed over but never gave any help of blocking out the sunlight with its lack of leaves. After a while though, it started to fill out. Leaves were replaced with long needles of these huge trees with many enormous branches, complete with a blanket of leaves over top. Here was where I found shade though instead of being helpful by blocking out the light. The wind had been blocked by the trees and I gratefully was able to stop trembling from the cold.

I stopped after a while, when I was well into the woods. There was this large tree that seemed bigger than the rest; wider too. It had distorted thick branches and it was so that I couldn't see the top. Perfect.

I went over to the tree, not even bothering to look higher than the first branch to which I heaved myself up onto. I climbed and climbed, never looking too far up and certainly never looking down. When I managed to get myself onto this one last branch I lifted myself up, and swung my leg over with great difficulty in my dress. Yes, after all this time, I had managed to venture in a dress. Whether or not the dress would survive, was another matter but not one to deal with at this moment.

Finally getting into a comfortable position, or at least as comfortable; a position you could get in a tree, I thought about what I must look like. A sixteen year old young lady up in a tree, covered in dirt, and above all unescorted by neither friends nor family. This thought sent a chill up my spine, partially of fear but at most of excitement. How scandalous of me. This thought sent a chill up my spine but I relaxed when I focused on the spectacular view.

It was nice to lay back and enjoy the quiet. The occasional bird was heard tweeting off in the distance. Yes, it was quite a difference from the usual ruckus around the house.