Bring the Trees Back

Hey fans,

Last week, I was in an online writing camp with kids from all over the world. The camp was about Sci-Fi/Fantasy writing. We talked about elements of these genres and we all wrote our own fantasy/sci-fi stories. Here’s mine, Bring the Trees Back!

In a tiny house on the outskirts of Ploof, Linda and Larry Etna sat alone with their tiny, furry Hemor friend, Calvin having a hardy breakfast of mashed potatoes and a delicious watermelon slushie. Linda looked out their big window at the buildings and shops as humans and monsters alike ambled by.

“Doesn’t anyone care about Talkative Trees these days?” asked Linda.

“I know!” said Larry. “There used to be forests and forests of those big beauties right outside our window. Now look at this town!”

He gestured out the window to the many shops, houses and buildings on the busy streets.

“SQUEAK SQUEAK… SQUEAKY SQUEAK… RAAAAAAR,” said Calvin. Being fully fluent in Heemish, the language of Hemors, Linda and Larry understood this as “I used to climb those trees all the time.”

“Yes, you did, my little Hemi Wemi,” Linda crooned, spooning a mouthful of mashed potatoes, and patting the Hemor on his scaly, bright red head. ”And now there’s only twenty left in Ploof. We have to stop those nefarious Uniapple police officers from cutting the trees down to make those robots. But we’re going to need more people than just the three of us.”

“I know just how to spread the word,” said Larry. “Right here at our schools.”

The next day, Linda and Larry went their separate ways to their two schools. In every class, from Ploof History to Magical Spells and Science, Linda stood up and told the class her plan.

“I need my fellow classmates to remember the joy of the Talkative Trees,” she said in her utterly useless Ploof Puns class. “And stand with me and my brother in protecting them from our evil Uniapple officers. Who’s with me!”

The responses were mostly the same. Only one or two students would agree to save the trees with Linda, while the other students would say no, boo her or even throw things at her from across the room. She went home knowing it was unfair that not many cared about the tree that literally put them into existence, but relieved that some people were on her side, even some of her all time worst bullies. She wasn’t sure how that was going to play out, but Linda and Larry needed all the help they could get.

“Hello, everyone,” Linda announced after school, appropriately in front of one of the last Talkative Trees. The two siblings, despite having pretty much the same results, had gathered a good crowd. “We are gathered here now to convince our Ploof officers that cutting down all our Talkative Trees is simply unethical. We must protect these trees for the good of our town.”

“You will have each received a seed packet in which you will find a collection of Talkative Seeds to plant into trees.” Larry added. The seeds really were talkative, squirming and babbling in their tiny, adorable voices. “We’ll plant them in and around Ploof in the perfect starry spots. Now who’s ready to save this town!”

“WE ARE!!!!!!!!!!!” everyone shouted, and Linda’s heart soared for a moment until she heard a much less joyful voice behind her.

“Not so fast!”

Everyone turned to see the red lapels and neon green hats of three Uniapple officers.

“What are you doing here?” one of Linda’s Mud Monster friends asked.

“Well, I have the same question for you,” growled one of the officers. “What are you doing here trying to save these useless trees?”

“EXCUSE ME????????????!!!!!!” Linda shouted. “These trees are anything but useless. What’s useless are your robots. Think of the wisdom and inspiration Ploof has gained from these trees.”

Then Linda had everyone go around and share an experience they’ve had with the Talkative Trees. There were stories from the trees helping people make friends to pursuing hobbies and much, much more. The officers didn’t seem phased.

“That all happened,” one of the officers said. “But it’s all over now. BRING OUT THE BOTS.”

The gang heard booming footsteps and soon, huge wooden robots stomped after them from all sides. Everyone threw the most random things at the bots, which demolished every robot except one.

“MWA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!” laughed the officers. “This is Bert, our most indestructible robot. Good luck with him!”

Linda and Larry stood proud and determined.

“On our count,” said Linda. “Punch Bert with all you’ve got!”

“ONE… TWO… THREEEEE!!!!!!!!”

Everybody even Calvin the Hemor, punched and punched and within minutes, Bert was brought down.

“NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” yelled the officers as the children cheered and rained seeds on Ploof. “WE’LL BE BACK NEXTIME!!!!!!!!!!!!”