Maree And The Gumtree

• Katrina Maybery, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2018

Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Maree. She lived in a cottage with her mum and dad, there was a gumtree in her backyard and she would always play in it. She loved climbing it and reading her book under it. Nevertheless, most of all she loved swinging on it. One day she had to move and in the back yard of the new house there was no gumtree, all she had was a disgusting swing that was broken to pieces.
One day she asked her mum if they could move. Maree’s mother said ‘go ask your father’ so she went to her father and said ‘can we please move?’ Her father said ‘why do you what to move?’ Maree said ‘because I love playing in trees and all we have is a disgusting swing that has broken to pieces and I have nowhere to play. Maree’s father said ‘ask your mother’, Maree said ‘I asked mummy first and she said ask you’. Maree’s father said ‘fine but if we move you can’t complain about the tree or the house ok?’ ‘I promise’ said Maree.
A couple of weeks later they move back into their old house, Maree never complained again, and they lived happily ever after. Until one night, there was a huge storm and while Maree was lying in bed, she heard a big BANG! She wondered what it was, she had no idea. Next morning she woke up early so she could see what it was and when she got out she found the gum tree lying on the ground and all broken to pieces. Maree started crying, and then her mum came out and said ‘what’s wrong?’ Maree said ‘my gumtree has broken to pieces and I loved climbing that tree’, ‘it’s ok honey if you want we can move’ said Maree’s mother. Maree said ‘that would be great if we could move!’. ‘Ok then we are moving tomorrow’ said Maree’s mother and Maree said ‘thank you mummy I will start packing’.
The next day they left and moved. When they got there Maree did not even unpack she went straight up to the tree and kissed it and then started to climb it. She could climb higher than she normally could; she loved it so much she did not even want to spend time with her family.
A few years go by and she was in grade five, she still loved that tree. Even when she was a grown adult, she still loved that tree. Now her children play in that tree. That is the end of the story.