Friday, February 22, 2008

Entry #20

She Missed Her Tree
by Melanie Odhner


Adria missed her tree. It had been the perfect climbing tree, for her. All the branches were perfectly spaced, the lowest one just a bit too high for anyone else to jump to, so it was her tree.

This morning, she forgot her tree was gone. She woke up from a dream about harsh breezes and orange clouds, and found it still dark outside. Out of habit, Adria dragged herself out of bed and began her trek up the hillside. She was halfway up when she remembered.

She was still so drowsy. Maybe the image of a stump in her head was a daydream. She stomped the rest of the way up, determined to find a web of branches at the top.

Her toes were numb from winter by the time she reached the fence. One end of a wood plank had fallen from its groove and now rested by her feet. She stepped on it. It rocked and she stepped off again before she could loose her balance.

Adria looked up and bit her lip. There was no point in this hill without a tree. She walked up to the stump and kicked it. Then she pulled the glove off her right hand and rubbed it against the heartwood, still rough from cutting. “Sorry, tree,” she said, “But I’ll never find another one like you. You understand.” She sat down on the sump, looked down at it and finished, “I don’t suppose you believe in reincarnation?”

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like this piece. I can absolutely identify with such a personal connection with trees, and the writing flows nicely.

Beth said...

I was wondering why the tree had to be cut down.

paisley said...

why oh why did they cut down the tree?????

DBA Lehane said...

I like to think the cut down tree was turned into her bed and is now living on in her dreams!

Missy said...

I love how she strikes the tree in anger and immediately feels regret. So true! Lovely story.

pattinase (abbott) said...

And finally our indestructible tree is felled. Nice switch.

Sarah Hina said...

What a mournful reflection on the loss of something held dear. I had a very vivid image of her sitting on that stump at the end.

Nicely told, and touching.

Unknown said...

I love her very strong connection to the tree and the hope that they'll meet again. A poignant and touching story.

BernardL said...

It made me miss the tree with her.

PJD said...

This is an opening to a romantic comedy novel? Where she meets her soul mate on Madison Avenue when she's 27 years old, and then she loses him, yet somehow they are both drawn back to the spot of the stump which is now a neighborhood and they rekindle their aborted romance and through it all the reader discovers that the boy is the tree reincarnated?

Anonymous said...

Or how about "treeincarnation"? Next time she climbs that hill there will probably be condominiums and a home with a view in place of the stump. How sad! The characterization is great!

SzélsőFa said...

there are a multitude of true emotions displayed well, in this loveable story.

Anonymous said...

bluesugarpoet, I snorted water at "treeincarnation." I really should not read comments late at night with pajamed kids monkeying all over me.

Melanie, I like this protagonist. I can't quite tell how old she is, but there's a nice mix of innocence and wisdom, of strength and vulnerability. Great characterization.

wrath999 said...

Excellent! The innocence of this rings loudly

Anonymous said...

There was a pure quality to the narration. It fit the mood and impact of the story well.

Aine said...

Nice job capturing one of those "life lesson" moments for a young girl. I feel the loss with Adria.