Oak Tree

by Jackson Layton-Henry

Oak Tree is quite happy living in the park. He likes when Warm Breeze strokes his branches and worms tickle his roots. He doesn't even mind when Cold Wind blows his leaves off and laughs meanly, or when birds rudely wee on his branches. But he sometimes wishes that more would happen in his long life.

Every day of his 60 years has been the same. The only excitement is watching children running around the park, especially George and Essie.

In winter, most children stay inside playing video games and watching TV, but George and Essie are always outside, hiding in Oak Tree's branches and collecting his rotten conkers. They live so near the park that Oak Tree's roots grow under their house and his branches stretch across their bedroom window. They talk to Oak Tree every night and their stories keep him entertained. But sometimes they go on holiday or on adventures and Oak Tree is left behind. He wishes that he could have an adventure too.

Today George and Essie look sad.

Warm Breeze (who knows everything) says "George burst a pipe digging in the garden. The water blew a fuse - the parents will go INSANE when they find out! They'll never be allowed to pay outside again!

Oak Tree remembers George kindly picking gum off his bark and Essie covering over a root that had popped up and embarrassed him. He thinks for a long time.

Then...he does something that trees never do.

With all the power in his trunk he pushes down into the ground with his long wiggly roots and stretches all the way under their house until he feels the broken pipe. He pushes and pulls until he forces it back into place. He wraps a springy root around to hold it closed. Water starts to run through the pipe.

Then he calls his friends to help. Warm Breeze and Cold Wind blow and blow through the window till all the water has evaporated.

George and Essie go home. Everything is working again. They can't believe it! "Hooray!" they say. But Oak Tree looks terrible...

Oak Tree is so tired now that he almost falls over and Warm Breeze and Cold Wind blow and blow to keep him standing. His branches flop, leaves fall on the ground and some broken roots pop out. But he is happy because he helped his friends and it was exciting.

All winter, George and Essie and their parents water Oak Tree and prop his branches with sticks. Warm Breeze ruffles his leaves, Cold Wind tries to blow the other way and the worms try and mend his broken roots. But Oak Tree never recovers.

One day, George sees that there are no new leaves on Oak Tree. He sits next to his trunk and cries. But then he notices a tiny green shoot in the ground: "Hello" he says to the Baby Oak Tree, "I think we are going to be great friends..."