Want Some Reviews? Forum The Lonely Tree

Please review my short story - The Lonely Tree

12 Years Ago

Fiery leaves swirled down, occasionally catching a gust of wind before twirling down to the ground. It was Autumn, the season of bare trees and multicoloured leaves painting the ground with fire. The children started putting on gloves and scarves, running though the leaves. The sun setting earlier, making the long cold nights almost unbearable for the poor Lonely Tree, who had been stripped bare of its beautiful leaves which had kept it nice and cozy. The Lonely Tree had been rooted on the same hill for so long that he had watched the birds build a nest, and lay eggs. It had watched the chicks hatch and grow up before flying away again, yet the lonely tree felt lonely, for no one was here to stay.
One day when the Lonely tree was feeling particularly cold and alone, it was a little girl walking home from school. She had blonde pigtails and even though she wore a scarf and earmuffs, her cheeks were tinted a soft rose from the Autumn chill in the air. But unlike the many other children who walked the same path, this little girl stopped and looked at the tree, but instead of seeing bony branches sticking out in odd directions and a gnarled tree, She saw a beautiful large tree, yet she felt sad, as unlike other trees which were all in large clusters, this tree was all alone on the edge of this low hillside. Dropping her school bag where the concrete met the grass, she walked over to the large tree, and when she got to it, she whispered in a small wispy voice “Oh tree, why are you all alone?” But instead of waiting for an answer that was never to come, her eyes lit up with an idea as if a small light bulb had lit over her head and ran off, but the Lonely tree had missed the light and was left feeling more useless and lonely then ever.
The next day, The little girl with blonde pigtails walked into the plant shop with her savings in one tiny clutched fist, and and small red wagon in the other. With the squeaky little wagon being pulled behind her, she walked over the the bored looking man behind the counter and stood on her very tip toes to barely be able to see over the counter. “Excuse me” the shy little girl said “Could you please help me find a tree that will grow to be big and beautiful?” The man peered curiously at the little girl before helping her carry a small sapling and a bright pink shovel into her squeaky red wagon. The girl payed her money and left the man wondering what on earth such a small girl was going to do with the tree.
Down the street and up to the low hill and ignoring the peculiar looks she was getting from people passing by. Up the hill and right next to the Lonely tree she started digging. And digging. And digging. Until the hole was big enough and the little girl with blonde pigtails dragged the sapling over before covering it up again. Summers, Springs, Autumns and Winters passed and soon enough the little sapling had grown into a big tree and finally, the Lonely tree had someone to share the hillside with, and along with the little girl, the Lonely Tree was lonely no more.