Treehouse

• Chloe Simpson, Grade 6, Coutts Crossing Public School
• Short Story
• 2018

Excellence Award in the 'Write Along 2018' competition

The vivid sounds of the exotic bush crept upon me. The trees as high as skyscrapers and lianas winding twisting and twirling themselves towards the blistering sun. The perfect area for me and only me to construct a treehouse. Branches strong as titanium, vines waving in the wind. I can simply swing across the vines into a wonderland inside the magical treetops. The wooden floor we already have for the broad branches provides a safe area for us to stand. I breathe in the sharp misty air. An excited red belly casually creeps across my toes, nature is blooming in the early spring atmosphere. I gather all the branches in sight, the vines draped around the thick ancient roots will be able to secure the walls for nature stilling growing and alive is the strongest material ever.
A drifting koala is manoeuvring his way across to a river bank, which will be my water source. As the days and weeks go by the secure treehouse is in progress, its timber walls will never break, they are half way from completion. An abundance of wild flowers are simply like somebody has painted them in a variety of colours in a wave of pattern in one swift movement. The flowers will live in peace just like this gigantic bush.
The time and effort would only be a piece out of life because the machines doing all the effortful labour. The rare animals of Australia are creeping and pacing their way through this endless maze of beauty. The walls complete, now I can begin the roof. The thick canopy ahead brought together with lianas will be a sturdy shelter. One by one, branch by branch I will determinedly gather all in sight. As the gums and paperbark still flourish, the deciduous however have their leaves continually drifting on the earth below.
The tree is complete but the house part is still manoeuvring in a steady progress to completion. The trees that have split are still broad. Broad enough to carve into functional tables, chairs some even large enough to be cosy bed frames. Weaved carpets and a growing home, the treehouse. For a bed I will gather leaves and stuff them all into a mattress made of invincible vines wrapped firmly together. All the leaves pressed together creating a force. Thin lianas will be my blankets.
The last but hardest part in my freedom is for it to last that way, I used nature in a way that will attract visitors, they will pollute and ruin its beauty. It will be for me and native animals suffering their ruined habitat.
Everything in this safe treehouse is all nature. The canopies above and the riverbanks are all what we need. Not a TV, not a fancy new one of a kind dress. Animals and nature are suffering because of you, help them! Nature won't last, you can get everything right in front of you. Open your eyes. Find out there's a world.