TIME: evening DATE: 10/30/19

MEMORIES OF THE ORCHARD

OUTFIT: festive MOOD: delighted

MOST CHILDREN HIS AGE tend to forget memories from their earliest years, and Kim isn't ashamed to say one of them. He can barely remember events that happened more than a year or two ago, nevertheless some life-changing incident as a toddler.

The one memory he can recall, however, was his 8th birthday. He had forgotten all his past birthdays aside from this one, and it most likely because it was celebrated at the orchard.

Applewood Orchards, where his aunt and her husband lived.

It was common family history to know that his mother grew up on a farm with the rest of her family, 15 acres of farmland, 10 of which was reserved for their locally famous red delicious apples. When he looked back on the memory after he learned of his lineage, he realized that to his knowledge, despite his mother's family being witches and wizards, they did not use magic to enhance the taste of their produce, which Kim respected. Who knows how betrayed he would feel if he found out his favorite apples tasted wonderful purely because of magic?

Kim loved his aunt. She was just like his mother, but gave off the appearance of being more quiet and secluded. He had learned not to judge a book by its cover, however, as his aunt was quite mischievous and loved pulling pranks on Kim's family. Her name was Eletta, which he thought fitted her wonderfully, as it meant "footloose" and "free".

His parents had dressed him for the occasion, an old-fashioned outfit that also doubled as his Halloween costume for the next day. Kim of course, had no idea who he was supposed to resemble, but his mother informed him it was a character she adored from a movie she had grown to love. Eager to please his mother, he did not protest while wearing the strange costume. He was too excited.

They had arrived early in the morning, around 3 or 4 to get a head-start on the day ahead of them. Despite his parents trying to get him to go to sleep, the young boy was so excited they had given up on trying to get him to rest very early during the 7 hour drive. Had he been much older (and known about his magical heritage) they would have simply Apparated to the orchard, but given they were, at the time, hiding the truth from their son, they drove instead, much to Evelyn's dissapointent.

As their minivan rolled slowly down the dirt pavement while they weaved between farmhouses, Kim peered out his window in the backseat, watching the farmland speed by as the livestock wandered lazily through the pastures, waiting patiently for the sun to rise over the valleys still shrouded with the last remains of night. They weren't far now, according to Evelyn, who was driving while JU navigated. His mother's eyes seemed to sparkle as her thin hands turned the steering wheel and they began rolling up a familiar hill at a slow pace. Kim never did understand why she left the countryside. However hard his mother tried, Evelyn was always meant to return to her home at the orchard, and it was clear to Kim she very much disliked living in the bustling city of Nottingham.

He began shouting with joy when they reached the top of the hill and the orchard came into view. Apple trees stretching across the expansive land that belonged to Applewood Orchards was the greatest sight to see. This October was unnaturally a mix of cool and humid weather, perfect for the staple Red Delicious apples to survive longer than they usually did, and was it a sight to see. Even from hundreds of yards away, Kim could see plenty of fruit dangling from the branches of the huge trees, their glossy red skin beckoning him as they began to shine in the early morning sun.

West of the farmland was the Applewood Farmhouse itself, standing proudly in all its mahogany and hickory wood glory, still alive after all these years. It was a very large farmhouse, complete with 3 carriage style garage doors, a large covered porch, and of course, a barn on the eastbound side. Mary oohed and ahed from her seat, as she had never visited before. Kim had tried to tell her as much as she could before he gave up when his sister asked about the farmhouse. Try as he might, nothing could describe the beauty of the entire orchard. Mary seemed to like everything she laid eyes on, including the large wooden sign that had been decorated with fake skeletons and pumpkins, but the thing that excited Kim the most however, were the two familiar figures that now stood on the wide porch, waving furiously as they rolled into the stone-paved driveway.

Much to his father's (mild) anger, Kim didn't even wait until the minivan had come to a complete stop before unbuckling himself and throwing open the door, clambering out and running towards the farmhouse as fast as his little legs could manage. He let out a small cry of happiness before throwing himself into his aunt's and uncle's waiting arms, letting out a string of "thank you"s and "i missed you so so much". After hugs were exchanged, they headed inside.

Breakfast was already ready on the table, much to Ju's delight, as he was 'quite famished after all that navigating'. The reunited family dug into steaming hot pancakes and still-sizzling bacon as the adults chattered about life, work, the kids, the orchard, and so on. Kim realized with a start that someone was missing from the dinner table when aunt Eletta mentioned Peter, his cousin. He was much older than Kim, and had gone out to run some errands and would return later in the evening to celebrate.

All the while, young Kim was still having a hard time believing it really was his birthday. It felt like the family had come together for something much more grand than some birthday party, but he was enjoying it nonetheless. The day hadn't even started yet, according to his aunt, who had winked at him as they cleared the table. She had planned several activities for the family to enjoy apparently, but no matter how much the birthday boy pleaded, she would not reveal what she was up to.

Don't worry Kim, she had said, patting him softly on his head as he pouted. This birthday is going to be one you'll never forget.

His aunt hadn't lied. It was a birthday he wouldn't forget anytime soon. After settling into the guest room he and Mary would be staying in, (the family had decided they would stay for at least a few days) he opened the door and was about to step into the hallway when he spotted a small white envelope on the ground. Kim scooped it up and, recognizing his aunt's handwriting instantly, he tore it open excitedly and found a small note along with a doodle of a boy with curly hair standing next to a large horse. The note simply read: meet me at the barn in 5 minutes

Kim had never pulled on his riding boots faster in his life. Even if he had only gone horseback-riding twice in his life, both times at the orchard, he already knew much of the basics. He flung himself down the stairs and rushed past the kitchen, racing down a sleek hallway before opening the double doors to the barn.

It was a small barn, which was surprising given the size of the farmhouse. It was most likely because the orchard didn't truly need horses, but they kept 3 anyway. 2 of them were ones he had known all his life, shire horses that happened to be siblings. Nutmeg and Peanut. Nutmeg was his favorite. From the letters he received on a monthly basis, he learned his aunt had gotten another horse, a thoroughbred named Butterscotch. He was happy for his aunt since from what he could tell through the letters, she loved the new horse dearly, but his eyes were on Nutmeg the minute he thundered into the barn.

He ran towards his horse and flung his arms around Nutmeg's neck, who brayed, happy to see him as well. After adjusting his saddle and bridle, his aunt patted Nutmegs side and gave Kim a thumbs up. Reins in his hand, he led the horse carefully towards the door, his aunt following on Butterscotch.

When they made it out into the bleak autumn sun, Kim headed for the usual trail they went on whenever he visited, but Butterscotch blocked his path, aunt Eletta watching him smugly from her saddle.

We're taking a different trail today, kiddo, She had said, turning and motioning for Kim to follow with Nutmeg. I decorated it just for you.

For me? Really?

Of course. Anything for my nephew.

Kim followed Butterscotch with Nutmeg as they weaved between the orchards trees. Apples dangled tauntingly in front of him, but he resisted the urge to pluck a few. That was until Eletta noticed his face and suggested he try a few. He stopped and grabbed a nearby apple and bit into the skin, the sweet-yet-tart juice flooding his tastebuds and smiled. He was snapped out of his daze by his aunt's voice, who was far ahead of him now, telling him to hurry up.

They now came to the edge of the woods, where Kim glanced warily at his aunt, who chuckled, reached over and patted his head. Don't worry, the trail is completely safe. I won't let anything happen to you.

As they set off on a easy trot through the wood, Kim took notice of the decorations. A skeleton in a party hat peeking out from behind a tree, another one wearing a tie dangling upside down from a branch as it waved. It was a mix of halloween and birthday decorations, he realized with a laugh, when he spotted the huge fake spider family surrounding a birthday cake. As they got closer to thier destination, Kim noticed an abundance of lights strung between the trees, forming a canopy of glowing orbs above their heads.

That was when Kim first saw the clearing. A few picnic tables, all laden with food and cake and tons of birthday gifts wrapped in orange and black paper. Striped party streamers in the traditional Halloween colors hung from the branches of nearby trees. Ridiculously large pumpkins scattered in the grass, cages filled with fake crows and ravens, a candelabra or two with orange candles glowing menacingly; it was all so perfect.

It was the one Halloween that Kim truly enjoyed. He had hated every Halloween from then on simply because it could never compare to this one.

You know your mom told me to not show you this place until later at night when everyone would be here, but I showed it to you anyway. You know why? Kim shook his head, a bit bewildered. Because I think the longer you take it in, the better you'll remember it. Who knows the next time I'll get to celebrate your birthday like this.

Kim didn't fully understand what his aunt was getting at, so he ignored it and focused on doing what she said; take it all in. After they threw up some last minute decorations and ate a few cupcakes they hopped on Butterscotch and Nutmeg (who definitely didn't eat a pumpkin while they were distracted) and headed back to the farm.

The rest of the day was a blur, with more and more people arriving, neighbors, distant family members, and more and more memories being made. Apple bobbing, pumpkin carving, gift unwrapping, Kim could barely count on his fingers how many times he had said 'thank you' to his aunt on this day alone. The days afterward were even more of a blur, with Halloween being the busiest of them all, and Kim even got to help with deliveries as the orders as the day of All Hallow's Eve finally arrived.

He just wished he had given aunt Etella a proper goodbye back then, before he had hopped into the minivan. He wouldn't know until years later what her words at the clearing had meant. He wouldn't have known how little time she had left.

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