As myself
The neighborhood I grew up in was ideal for the type of child I was. I was explosive and adventurous, I was a tom boy. The neighborhood was built on old land own by some family. There were ancient trees and it was built around a series of lakes and trails beside the neuse river. When I was really young before the built the houses up there were very few houses and the trails led to huge fields of nothingness lakes and the river.
I idealized my sister’s and always wanted to be around them and they yielded to me. They would pull me around the neighborhood and my little red wagon to all their friends house as my mothers orders. My eldest sister being 10yrs older than me and my middle sister being 6 yrs older they were old enough to watch me. When I was 9 years old and had a little more height on me my middle sister would take me on her more dangerous adventures. We met up with a few of her friends and set off to the trail at the end of my road towards the lake. The ringleader lead us off the path down the creek to a point where the creeks split. It was a fortress for us. There was a small mass of land that split the narrow creek in two and trees with a ton a vines. The water was clear and full of life and color. We spent hours of our days there swinging back and forward. Sneak back into the house right before mom would wake up from her nap and change clothes.
A new family moved across the street from us with a son that was near the age of my sister and her friends. He was quickly absorbed into our pack and invited to join in on bi-daily expedition into the woods. A few weeks later we met at our normal rally point and briefly noted his absence and traversed into the woods. We were there 20 minutes and the newbie emerged from the trail with his father. His father scolded us and told us how dangerous it was and sent us home. The ringleader hurled some threats and home we went. Later in the week when we noticed he hadn’t informed our parents we partied up ad set off on out exploration. When found our haven destroyed every vine had been cut and every knickknack that had made itself there gone. The grief was deep and shared throughout the group, and as most youthful things are short lived.
Hurricane Fran came, flooded and remodeled that land and nature created new havens up and down those trails that I discovered years later when my sister were off to college.
As my sister
We moved to a new house when my little sister was born. We upgraded to a four bedroom in a new neighborhood with lots of old trees so it didn’t seem so Pleasantville. I became good friends with everyone on my street when I was younger and other kids in the neighborhood. When had a few more years behind me I could travel farther into the neighborhood. I always had to bring my little sister with me she did what I told her and would never confess anything to our mother so I didn’t mind so much.
My childhood friend Devon would always find little things in the woods for us to explore because the trail was in his backyard and parents always let boys get away with things they would never allow a daughter.
He lead us down the trail and off the path down the creek to a small island off land where the creek split and served as a moat for this island. Vines hung around each side of the clear creak. This spot was always a main point of our routine.
A new family moved across the street there were three children, 3 yr old son, a 5 yr old daughter, and a 12 year old son. He went to middle school with us and was a new addition to our group.
A few weeks later we noticed his absence after school and continued on the path behind Devon’s house. We were there for 20 minutes when The New boy and his father emerged from the trail we didn’t hear them walk up because of our screaming. He told us how dangerous it was for us to be down there and demanded we went home. Devon hurled threats and submitted as well.
We noticed a few days later that the news hadn’t traveled to our parents and commenced our tread into the woods to find it had completely changed. Every vine that hung had been cut and the items of out fortress had been gone. We turned against the newbie and that family soon moved.
As my mother
We moved to a new home when my youngest daughter turned three and the three of them could no longer sleep in the same room. In time they were old enough to watch themselves and I trusted my oldest to always look out for the younger two.
As time went by my eldest would be going off to college soon and became her own person. So I always stuck Denitri with Danielle. She could go out if she took her sister. I trusted her to for the most part and I made it very clear to stay away from the river. I didn’t worry about the lake so much because Rosa would always keep an eye on them when they were behind her house so they could get close if they wanted to. As long as they were in before the street lights came on and called me when they went to someone else’s house I didn’t worry.
One day while they were out playing I went to visit Alicia. We sat on the porch and I watched them go on the trail I told them not to go on. Me and Alicia marched down there to find them swinging over this disgusting creek like jungle children. My heart sank when I thought about all the days I believed they were innocently sitting at someone’s house . I scolded them out of hurt not anger and I know they can tell the difference they cried all the way home . My eldest two daughters were always adventurous and I've caught them in all sorts of outdoor adventures in our other neighborhood.
