Short Stories + Contest Entries

The Oak Tree

This was based on a children's story called The Giving Tree.

There once was an Oak Tree, beautiful as can be. With all his little happy tree friends in a forest near the city. The sun shined so bright, and the clouds took their flight. The forest was home to many, and was their own little light.

Oak Tree smiled cheerfully, the wind stroked his grown hair.

"Good morning." He said to his neighbor Willow Tree, who gave him a glare.

Frantically, her branches shook, moss hung on by her hooks. "They're coming, they're coming. The monsters! They're here!"

"Please, do not fret, and do not fear. There are no monsters coming near here." Oak Tree soothed.

Down below, a yellow whisperer cried. "They come. They do! Oh, Mr. Oak Tree! For my takers, and pals do not want the nectar from me. They run, they hide, they buzz in fear. I'm drooping, I'm dying, please help me, I'm drear!"

But Oak Tree had an excuse for quite literally everything. "My sweet Yellow Yarrow, they are just out to play. There is no need for you to be so down, okay?"

More plants held confessions with their own tragic story. Their seeds, their flowers all drawing out of their glory. But Oak Tree kept denying them far too easily.

The sun set on that very stressful day, and Oak Tree was awoken with the sight of Willow Tree out of the way.

"Willow, oh Willow? Why have you gone astray?" Oak Tree called.

Willow's friend, Bluebush, was the one who hastily answered his call.

"Mr.Oak Tree, why can't you see? They took her, she's gone, and so are my berries. The grass has died out, the dirt is unquenched. The monsters are coming to eat us all in torment!"

Oak Tree couldn't understand what the other plants were scared of. Monsters he had not, nor ever been in touch.

"Monsters? What monsters? I see not none! If they are here, where are they? We should kick them away! But alas, there is no existence of these creatures to slay. " Oak Tree mocked at Bluebush, who simply just swayed.

"Yes monsters, monsters! They're out there, you know? They slowly kill us one by one! Oak Tree, I plead, don't act like you can't see the horror they bring to these lovely trees. "

And Bluebush couldn't have been more accurate. Each day the sun would rise, and another friend in the forest would be missing. Dandelion, Sage, Reedgrass, and Lilac. All wisped away, never to be found, their absence meant to stay.

But Oak Tree was determined that nothing had gone wrong. He belched and blabbed, his opinion stood strong.

"This is a trick." He'd say. "For Oak Tree is right, and those plants I will see. They will be back soon, and here I will still be!"

It wasn't until one morning Oak Tree was aroused by a pounding, alien rumble which brought his precious leaves down in a crumble.

One monster! No two! No three! Four!

Oak Tree saw the Creepy Crawlers; giant claws as sharp as thorns, poisonous down to the core. Stained platinum, and crushed all in it's path, it torn.

They pulled at the sod, and swallowed shrubs whole. Until they came to Oak Tree, and chopped him down to his soul.

The next thing Oak Tree remembered, in a forest he lived no more. His branches limited, his smile not so wide. A million feet distance between him and the sky, while strange creatures on two legs casually passed by.

His friends, they were right. They came for him too. A forest long gone, and Oak Tree, he held a memory or two.

In agony, Oak Tree cried out. "Oak Tree is no more, the monsters have changed me, now all I see is the pitiful reflection that only pains me.

Oak Tree is far from oak. Nor built nor belt nor fine or cored. A glass wall, and a metal seal wrapped, and coiled around his shrunken waist.

All he wished to change was the time, and to turn it way back. That he opened up his eyes, and tried to fix his act.

Blinded by illusion, too scared to look out, he couldn't take back the life he once had, no doubt.

The End