Short Story Excerpt

When I got home, the treehouse called my name. I came to think needed some change in my life. Every day I do the same things. I go to school, come back from school, maybe read a little, eat dinner, and then go to the treehouse. Well, today I’m going to go to the treehouse first! I ventured through the dangling moss coming off of my house and threw my schoolbag on the porch. I then ran to the dirt trail in the back. I reached the redwood tree and made a left. I then saw mushrooms and guided my feet over the ones that looked like they were going to burst into a million pieces. I later started up the ladder counting each step. Six in total. The beanbag in the corner had an indention from my last time. I walked around it and then remembered - Michael!

I rushed down the ladder and through the leaves. I leaped over the mushrooms skinning one and made a right at the tree to go home. I was at the beginning of the dirt path as I sighed seeing no bewildered Micheal. I collapsed on my couch as my mom approached me. I forgot to tell her that Michael was coming. “Hi honey, how was your day?”

“The same as always,” I lied. Today was different. I had a friend.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” I said sternly now.

“I got a call from your classmate’s mother. His name was….Michael?”

Shocked I said, “ Oh….yeah, he is new to here. How did he get your number?”

“It was either you who gave him it or things go around town quickly. So, how is he? Does he read, play sports, like games?”

“ I don’t know, he is coming at seven. We will see.”

There was a knock at the door.

“Hey James,” Michael said when I answered.

“Hi Michael, do you want to come in?”

“Actually I was thinking that we could go outside.”

“Ok,” I replied, thinking he must be an outdoors type of person.

We went to the back and I hoped that he wouldn’t spot the trail.

“What does this dirt road lead to?” Michael said.

“Uh, nothing much, just a couple trees, maybe some animals.”

“Lets explore!”

“I don’t think that would be a good idea.”

“Sure it would, what, are you scared?”

“No!”

“Then come on!” He lead the way toward my route. He made a right at the big tree. I rubbed the sweat off my forehead as the sun hit us. But when he took a right it lead to a dead end. He then decided to go back and make a left towards the treehouse. He passed the mushrooms asking, “ Are they poisonous?”

“I don’t really know. I have never been here.” I lied.

By: Ryan Kurtyan