My Terabithia

 

 

 

I felt the cold water around go around my ankles. It was refreshing. I sat down on a big rock that sat on the edge of the stream. I look up at the trees, watching new baby birds hatch. This was where I belonged. In nature. My whole life revolved around nature. I decided I wanted to help the environment. My dad doesn’t think I can. He thinks the earth needs to stay healthy but he thinks I should become a football player or something. Or in other words I’m not manly enough.

I have four other siblings. My eldest brother Timothy who is seventeen and is planning to go into the marines. Then it’s my twin and I. Harris and I just turned fifteen. Then it’s my younger sister Zoey, she is ten years old, then my youngest sister Gina is eight years old. Lastly my youngest brother Shiloh who is seven. Harris plays basketball. All I hear from my father is “Adler be a man. Join a sport!”  I like sports…not as much as the forest I’m sitting in now.

 It’s where I go to think and read. I’m a big reader in my family. It gives me things to think about. I like to listen to other people’s point of views. I keep a lot of what I do secret. My best friend Rosie is always inspiring to be myself. We met when we were five. Since then new have done everything together. Rosie always works hard towards her goals. We are both in green team at school, we also go to dance class together. She believes I can make a difference.

I look at my watch it was almost eight-thirty. I had to run to school. My parents thought I left early to go to Rosie’s house. I came here instead. I took my usual path out of my little woods. Rosie called it my Terabithia. In a way she is right. It is where I went to escape. I collected my thoughts as I walked into the school. Rosie came running up to me.

“Adler did you hear?” Asked Rosie

“Hear what?” I asked

“We are having an emergency meeting for the Green Team today.” Said Rosie

“Why?” I asked

“I don’t know. Paris just came up to me a few minutes ago. Fredrick told her that he was holding an urgent meeting.” Said Rosie

“What do you think it’s about?” I asked as I walked to my locker

“We get to skip last period for it. So we have to wait until the end of the day until we find out.” Said Rosie leaning up against the locker next to mine.

“The end of the day? Ugh! The meeting is all I will think about all day.” I said as I put in my combination

“Me too. Well we should hurry up and get to class, the bell is going to ring.” Said Rosie

For the rest of the day I couldn’t stop thinking about the urgent meeting. It was all my friends and I could talk about during class and lunch. It was finally last period. I walked in with Rosie and Paris. Our friend Logan was saving seats for us. We sat down next to him and I saw Fredrick already standing in front of the classroom with our supervisor, Miss. Wilder. Fredrick and Miss. Wilder were whispering to each other. Our whole club was there. I had never seen everyone so worried before. We never had extra/emergency meetings. Only once when we had to pick had new supervisor.

“There must be something pretty bad going on if Fredrick couldn’t wait until Tuesday to talk about it.” Said Logan

Logan is right Fredrick hated having meetings on Fridays.

“Hey everyone. I know it’s weird that I called an emergency meeting but this couldn’t wait. Thank you all for…” Said Fredrick until he got interrupted

“C’mon Freddy just say what’s going on!” Yelled Paris

“Okay, okay. Well does everyone know where those woods are by Keplin road?” Asked Fredrick

Some people said yes and some said no.

“Well I just heard that they are tearing it down! To build a gas station!” Said Fredrick

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“How do you  know this is happening?” I asked

“I checked it out.” Said Miss. Wilder

“Who is tearing it down?” I asked

“Dustin Goldsworthy.” Said Fredrick

“Alder…your father is tearing down your Terabithia!” Said Rosie

After the meeting I rushed home. My father was sitting at the kitchen table. I slammed the door and dropped my bookbag.

“Why!” I yelled

“Why what?” Asked my father

“The woods. You are tearing it down!?’ I yelled

“Oh yeah,son I forgot to tell you about it.” Said my dad

“You know I love that place.” I said

“It’s useless.” Said my father

I ran up to my room and decided I had to stop him. For the next two weeks the Green Team and I had met up and made a plan. It was the day that construction would be starting. My father would be there. The Green Team and I linked arms in front of the woods. I saw my father walking up to us.

“Alder what are you doing?” Asked my father

“I’m stopping you. You need to realize that we need these woods!” I said

The Green Team and I kept protesting until they threatened to call the police.

“I don’t think it’s nessicary for that.” Said my father to someone

“Adler why is this place to you?” Asked my dad

“It’s my life. It’s where I feel comfortable.” I answered

My father turned and talked to everyone.

“Hello everyone, I’m Dustin Goldsworthy. I’m not tearing this forest down. My son made me see this place is important. Said my father

We smiled at each other. He finally understood