A cold breeze fluttered the naked branches of the peach trees. The temperature was constantly falling since the past few days: snow was soon going to fall. Dark clouds were hovering over this calm and peaceful city. Not a sound was heard; it was as if the towns folks were all silently bidding farewell to Autumn and welcoming winter. However, the peace was suddenly disturbed by a shrill, ear piercing cry. It was a confusing one; the listener would have difficulty to understand whether it was one of sorrow, fear or torture.

This shrill indescribable cry was coming from a relatively big mansion. Jackie Miller, a teenager of around 14 years, was crying bitterly.
'Why? Why? Can they not understand? They keep on picking their noses in my affairs. I can handle all that alone. I am big enough. '
Jackie was feeling an intense urge to go and never come back again. His heart was twisted into several layers of emotions; the higher being fear. He felt as if a cold and sharp dagger has pierced through his heart when he heard what his parents did. He immediately knew that he would have to pay the aftermath. Nothing could be done. The seed has been sown; now he could just wait when it would bear fruits.
'How am I even going to enter that goddamned place? '
Everything around him has just gone from colourful to pitch black.

Jackie had been bullied since the past few months by one of his fellow classmate. The latter was sturdy and had a bad temper which made him even more terrifying. One day, when he was returning back home, the bully stopped him and for no reason whatsoever started to beat him up. Back home, when his parents noticed that, they immediately took action and went to his school to report. This action had revealed Jackie's status in the society that he had been desperately trying to hide since he joined. He knew that once the school found out that he was the son of some big shot, he would be left alone, as it already happened in the previous school.

Wiping his tears, Jackie gazed at the peaceful sky. Even if dark clouds were churning above, he always felt at ease when looking at that. He felt a deep connection to them; whenever he looked at them, he felt as if he knew all the mysteries that had existed, existed and would exist. His heart felt warmth and he sighed.
'Why can't I be like them? Moving around freely without caring about anything else. Just me and the entire creation. '

He started to rethink about what his parents did and felt somehow guilty. They were just trying to help. How could they possibly tolerate that someone bully their  beloved kid? He was after all their only child. His parents were world famous scientists, therefore his own understanding of the subject far surpassed his classmates. This has often been caused jealousy among everyone. He knew that this was not their fault but the latter could not help but feel extremely angry about that.
'If only I could have a normal life. Something that doesn't make me a subject of bully. If only I could somehow change my destiny. I want to live a splendid and ordinary live. Is this too much to ask?'
Thinking about that, he jumped out of his window and strolled towards the huge pine tree.

The naked branches and the sinister howl of the winds made the tree looked like a giant demon with various tentacles like hands. Anyone who saw that at that time, would automatically felt their heart beating erratically. The feeling of fear and something inauspicious would welled up in them and they would run to the far end of the world. The majestic tree was like the sovereign of the high heavens and earths.

Jackie sighed emotionally. His parents wanted to cut down that old unwanted plant. The latter was there for who knows how many years. There was even a legend who said that the tree was  a divine being who were cursed and fell down from his heavenly abode. To free itself from the curse, the tree were to realised a will of the heaven. That will must be one of utmost importance and the heaven should be unable to carry it out. It sounded a bit nonrealistic but there were once people who firmly believe it. They even made offerings to it. However, the legend slowly died with the tree's rising age.

Jackie had always felt a unknown connection to it. Whenever he had a doubt or something on his conscious, he would come here and tell it to the tree. After that it was as if the entire problem was solved. His parents wanted to cut it down but he stubbornly stood against it. That tree was like a friend to him. He knew it since he was a baby and had seen him grown. His parents were most of the time absent; it was only the tree who was there for him whenever he needed. It had heard his cries, laughter and screams. This has in turn formed an amazing connection between them. This type of bond could not be destroyed even if the entire universe were to change.

Jackie slowly climbed it and went to the small treehouse that he made several years back. The place was simple but in its simplicity was its extraordinariness. During summer, when the flowers bloomed, the entire treehouse looked like a celestial garden. The   small pink flowers revealing their 5 petals upon complete blossom and the pattern they formed, one after another, was truly heart touching. When looking at it, one will feel that all the mundane problems would be gone with time. As if they were just a small part of the entire script.

Jackie leaned against the cold, dry trunk. He looked up at the sky. Despite the enormous black clouds swirling above, the moonlight was still pouring over the tree. It was beautiful in all aspect of the term. Jackie felt something cold on his cheek. It was the first snowflake of the season. The chill sent shivers all over his body. He slowly closed his eyes to savour the moment and soon fell asleep.

Jackie dreamt about a dark and sinister place. However their was a tiny speck of light who was struggling to survive in that place. It knew that it would soon be consumed by the darkness but its stubbornness did not allow it to extinguished without a fight. Fighting was the only way to survive in that world and it would allow that rule till the very end; even if it cost it its life. Suddenly, Jackie heard an indistinct murmur near his ear. It was a bit like a flow of wind which entered his ear and transformed into words.
'Look carefully. You must become like that light. Fight to the end. Find your own path and conquer everything and everyone; even heavennn'
The voice kept going further and further as it talked until it completely disappear. Jackie had no idea what it meant by conquering the heavens. He was thinking how can one win over something that does not exist.

Trying to know what the voice was trying to say, Jackie kept on drifting in the darkness. After some time, Jackie saw another light; but this time, it was a light ray. He followed it silently hoping that it might take him away from all this. The journey seemed endless. The more he walked towards it, the further the light seemed to be. It was an impossible pursuit, yet Jackie was becoming more and more stubborn as he walked towards the light. Now, it was becoming to the point of obsession. No matter what he did or what he tried, the journey was never ending. It was completely frustrating. He was going to abandon the pursuit when the glow started to become more and more brighter. This boosted his confidence and he ran towards it.

Suddenly, he felt cold. It was more appropriate to say that it was a small chill. It pierced through his skin. It slowly spread towards his entire internal system. Unwilling, Jackie cried. However, he soon noticed that this was not his voice. The voice was stranger to him. He tried to open his eyes but failed. It seemed as if he did not have sufficient strength to do so. He suddenly heard some indistinct voice. It was a foreign language. He tried hard to understand a bit of what happened but couldn't. He felt as if his body had become small.

What had just happened? Where was he? Jackie had no idea but he certainly knew that whatever that was going on right now was strange. Something weird had occurred to him but what?