The tree of memories

Chapter 1

I hate being a treeman. It's too much hassle. You get bullied, you can't do anything and people expect great things from you because you're 'special'. Anyway on with the story, my name is Errol Willow. I'll start by telling you what happened this morning.

I was at school as usual, being picked on because I'm a 'hippie'.

"Hey nature freak, finished eating grass yet?" "Flower power!". The twins Thomas and Charlie cried across the courtyard. "They are the most pathetic insults existing". I retort already starting to fume. I always try not to get angry, it leads to complications. I've only ever got properly angry once, and it led to Ronald Brood looking like a hedgehog with pine needles sticking out of every available space.

Haven't you guessed what a Treeman is yet? I have complete control over trees. It's been useful at times; I can never starve to death, but mostly it's been more of a hindrance. Like when scientists were baffled when a lush forest of oak trees grew out of a desert that was as dry as bone.

I smooth my short, sweeped brown hair down to my head as the wind blows it around my intelligent, stormy grey eyes. I always liked my eyes; they remind me of an oak tree. Wise and intelligent but strong, firm and determined. Walking into my form room, I spot several students crowded around a piece of paper. I wander over to see if I can see it. I spot a title saying 'The Ancient Greeks - what was their life like?'. "Shoot" I say out loud. I left my history assessment at home. 'Mrs Heather is going to kill me!' I think frantically. I always get good levels, 7as or 8cs mostly. But with Mrs Heather I always get 6as. It's not because I'm bad at history, it's my favourite subject! But Mrs Heather is an awful teacher.

I arrive in history and explain  the situation. "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!" "HOW DARE YOU NOT RESPECT ME!" She screeches. I made an honest mistake!" I exclaim, getting frustrated. "DON'T GIVE ME HONEST MISTAKE!" She cries. That set me over the top. There was a rumble as two gargantuan oaken arms burst through the floor, grabbing Mrs Heather and hoisting her wailing body into the chalky air. I released Mrs Heather and ran outside, I needed oxygen. I decided to go home, they'd send me home anyway.

On the way home I had time to reflect. Now I had to move school, house and possibly country! When I got home I was in a very bad mood. I stormed up to my room and threw my brown leather backpack on the floor, collapsing on my green leaves bedspread. I looked around my room, I'd miss it when I moved. There was tree wallpaper with a huge bookcase against one wall. I love books, I have hundreds of them. Harry Potter, Eragon, The Hobbit, virtually anything I'm interested in. To the left of my bed was a night stand with a Harry Potter lamp and a few books. To the right was a shelf with a globe and a map.

My father entered the room with a disappointed look on his lined face. He sat down on my bed, running his hand through his straw coloured hair. "What set you off?" I was glad that he said what instead of who. "My history teacher". I said in a resigned voice. I explained what happened in history class.  "Well at least you didn't destroy the school" he said in what was supposed to be a jaunty winning voice. That was my father; always trying to make me happy. He ruffled my short, light brown hair as he left the room. I heard him enter his observatory, as he does whenever he needs to mull things over. I stripped down to my boxer shorts and got into my crisp bed. I lay there, thinking things over. I miss my mother. She used to sit there singing to me every night, turning my woes to dreams. That all ended when I was ten. One day I returned home from school to see my house, soaked from top to bottom, with a police car and an ambulance waiting outside. Everyday for a month afterwards I couldn't feel. I couldn't cry, laugh or show any sort of emotion. I was a monster. I grab a book and start reading, slipping into a soundless sleep.

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This is my first story so please be nice! Please share this story with others as well :) - Cameron