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Redwoods

Category: Magic_Fantasy

(0) From the sky they are simply masses of green, hiding the ground, but as you draw nearer and nearer you see not only the gracefully aged and ever thriving trees, but also the balanced life they live. As you descend the clouds and the stars pull away as the tops of the trees draw nearer. The smell of the redwoods drifts up and you suddenly feel calm and relaxed as you continue your descent into the trees. You soundly feel the short little leaves beneath your feet as you come even lower. They are cool and soft and they tingle as you move further down into the lush forest. Suddenly the night sky that surrounded you vanishes as you sink into the high arms of the trees. The scent is strong and yet it doesn't overwhelm you like a strong perfume, but more like homemade cookies. Not sharp and overwhelming, but soft and warm. The trees send their scent around you as the mist begins to close in. You suddenly feel the cool fog coming in and wrapping its arms around you. It is cold and wet, but still as gentle as a baby's touch. It leaves small water droplets on all the little leaves, making them sparkle like stars in the moonlight. Suddenly the branches stop and you look around. The great red trunks surround you. They stick out sharp against the white mist. Their great trunks look like pillars holding up the sky. You look up, expecting stars and the sliver of a moon, but instead you only see the great trunks and the ever-pressing mist. As you gaze upwards your feet touch the soft dirt. It is soft as silk but you can feel the strength and power flowing through earth. You stand there, still looking up, when a breeze comes through. The mists part a little and swirl about like ghosts; the ferns tickle your feet a little. You walk between the giants like a child in a big crowd. You feel them watching you with kind, unseen eyes. They watch over you and you feel safe and somehow at home, even if you’re a million miles away from your "true home". The ferns beneath you reach out their cool arms, as if they want you to feel their beauty. But you can feel it anyway; they don't need to flaunt what is there naturally. The giants slowly begin to fade into the mists around you, their aura fading as quickly as it came. You open your eyes and look around. You’re in your room and the covers are close about you. It was all a dream. A dream of a home you once knew. (Ruatria, Age 13 to 18, 5/16/2003 8:52:59 PM, Redwoods)

(1) "Carmen! GET UP!" Por favor, you think miserably. You wish, for the thousandth time, that the dream would last forever, or better yet, would become reality...But your mother has resolved herself of that place. And, though you never tell yourself it, it was your fault. Why did you let her catch you hindering the lumberjacks with your magic? Why??! Suddenly, you made a resolution. You're going back. Back to your real home, and as soon as you can. The weeks passed, as you prepared, as you saved you allowance, and so on. Finally, one friday morning, with your music case filled with various necissaties (some more sandwiches beyond what was in your lunch box, a few cookies, a flashlight, rope, some clothing, matches, etc.) You slip off the bus at the wrong stop, which is near the train station, which you walk to. You buy a ticket, along with several snacks and a pamphlet on giant redwoods, and...You're off! (Sali Hicra, Age 13 to 18, 3/9/2005 2:30:06 PM, Redwoods)

(2) you go into the train and the train is dark and scary. people look at you in the most evil ways. you go to the back of the train and sit down. the people walk towards you. one has something in there hands. you scream and run off. you in a deserted town (????, Age 13 to 18, 3/17/2005 10:27:12 AM, Redwoods)

(3) You go into a train and it starts to get darker and darker then every thing is bbatch black. Then these people start to iook at you and walk toward you.They look all wrerid and there faceis all misted up. (???????????????????????????????????, Age 13 to 18, 5/10/2009 9:01:32 PM, Redwoods)

(4) Its scary. the train sways in motion. Swinging off the train, carmen lands in the bushes. she is very scared, and nearly screeches. But suddenly, the warmth of the trees calmed her. she loved it. (Ashi, Age 8 to 12, 4/27/2005 8:31:05 PM, Redwoods)

(5) The beautiful branches silkily swayed as she watched them with dizziness. Suddenly, she was drifting in and out of life. In her most subconcious mind, she wished desperately to the tall old tree, 'Please, don't let me die here, not now.. I am so young, and I have yet to live the life ahead of me.' In her final hour, the tree's roots branched out to her and gave her life, but in return, she had to promise never to let the trees die out. The tree had given her the promise of everlasting life, but her life was tied to the fate of the trees; if the last of the redwoods should die out, she would cease to exist. So with a thankful and heavy heart, she set off to begin her quest. (Ashley, Age 13 to 18, 6/27/2005 3:21:54 PM, Redwoods)

(6) Each day she would have to water the might redwoods, and each day she did so. She rather enjoyed it more than she thought. 'At least its better than dying' she said to herself while fetching water from the small pond, just a couple of yards away from the redwoods. She enjoyed everyday out in the wilderness, and since she had everlasting life she could do just about anything she wanted. She was faced with an impossible task, yet she enjoyed it, and treasured every moment she had. (Mikaa, Age 13 to 18, 12/7/2005 6:47:20 PM, Redwoods)

(7) She loved going to the woods again and again one day she found a bed of leaves she decided to camp out.She watched the stars until she fell asleep. (Mallory, Age 8 to 12, 12/31/2005 1:27:59 PM, Redwoods)

(8) Uncle Sam how much do you want for those cattle you have running on my land. How said that? I did. How are you mister? Willie Harper. But I’m also the man how just lad a calm on your land uncle Sam. I’m not your uncle. So quit calling me that. Owe but you are my Uncle Same, don’t you remember when you shout my father’s gun out of his hand in this very land but that was win you ware a pore man in a pore land. I don’t now what your talking about kid. While Uncle Sam your going to leave this rich land a rich man from the money I put in your hand. Ore you can die in this rich land like a rile man but only with a gun in your hand. Kid why don’t you just leave now before someone gets heart. Well I’m not leaving Sam until I see you lying on the flora like a dead man with a gun in your hand owe yet that’ll mean ill be the rich man in a rich land with a gun smoking in my hand. Well then kid if you are my nephew it will make the first time I’ve kid a family member. Will then Sam why don’t you shut up and go for you gun like a man. He went for his gun and he was fast real fast. I shout once and mist and he toke a step towards me then another then another until we were within to feet from each other and that was win he drown his gun and shout my gun out of my hand then shout twice throe my kneecap and then he shout me in the ribs then in both shoulders. And win I fell he said Willie its time for you to die like a real man and put the gun to my head and pull the tiger of his empty gun. No Sam I thank its time for you to die. And I shout him I shout him right throe the heart. (billy harper, Age 13 to 18, 3/16/2006 11:20:48 AM, Redwoods)

(9) she woke up to the sound of gun shots.with sam now dead and out of the story she continued home (chris, Age 13 to 18, 4/23/2006 1:22:39 PM, Redwoods)

(10) though she had killed sam she went home with a happy feeling inside her and the sun set in the sky (fireeye, Age 8 to 12, 5/21/2006 2:28:53 PM, Redwoods)

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