This Life Of Mine

Chapter 9

Trina
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Hello? Is someone there? Trina thought. She felt something pushing in the back of her mind. It felt tree-like, like bark scratching her brain.
Hello, I was sent to tell you to visit Carlson field.
Who are you?
    I guess most would know me as the insanely old, ancient tree.
Of course! I know you! Sorry, that was rude.
    The old tree sighed, It's fine, I get it all the time.
Why do I need to go to Carlson field? She heard the tree mumbling a question, probably to the tree who sent him here.
They need to convince you to come back to being a tree.
    Trina grimaced, When is the deadline again?
Three weeks, said the old tree without hesitation.
Wow, would that be considered a long time? You know, for humans?
    I am not sure. I don't think so. I think it depends.
So they need me there?
Yes.
When?
As soon as possible.
But I have a broken leg!
I do not know what a leg is, just get down here.
    Trina sighed aloud, Fine.
I have to go. This is the first time that I have done this and it is very exhausting.
Okay, bye.
          Karen had been gone for the majority of the day because she was enrolling Trina in the local middle school, George Washington Middle School. It was really a mouthful, Trina hoped that there was an abbreviation or something. But now she knew that she wouldn't be in school long. She also wondered how she would fit in among her grade, considering that she had zero days of education in her entire life. She could only pray that her basic common sense would carry her through.
    For now, she had to figure out a way to get to Carlson field before Karen got back. She wheeled herself toward the door and shakily reached for the doorknob, slowly and carefully turning it. She cringed as it squeaked loudly, but the door opened nonetheless.
    She rolled out and nearly drove right into the old lady who lived next door.
    "Hello dear, what are you doing out of your apartment?"
    "Oh, um, Karen asked me to come outside to help her. Speaking of which, can you press the button on the elevator for me? I have to go all the way downstairs."
    "Of course!" She exclaimed, but Trina could tell that she didn't want to walk all the way down the hallway just to press the button on the elevator.
    "Thanks."
    "Would you like me to push you?"
    "Actually, that would be amazing, thank you."
    "Oh, it's no problem, no problem at all." She grasped onto the handles on the back of Trina's wheelchair and pushed her along the hallway. Once she got to the end, the old lady pushed the button and hobbled back across the hallway as fast as her weak feet could take her.
    "Thank you!" Trina called after her.
    The old lady waved her hand in acknowledgment, not turning around.
    She is nice, Trina thought, I should probably learn her name. I'll ask Karen the next time I see her.

    Once Trina got down to the ground floor, she wheeled herself outside and started down the road, cars flying by her. She wondered what the people inside the cars were thinking when they saw her, a small girl in a wheelchair going down one of the busiest roads.
    Trina had underestimated how far Carlson field was. She had been wheeling down Redview Road for a while now, and her arms were exhausted. As soon as she arrived at the nearest spot with human habitation, she had to pull over to ask how much further she needed to go.
    "Excuse me? Um, how far is Carlson field from here?" She asked no one in particular, just to a large group of people.
    A woman turned around and said, "It's about 2.7 miles from here. Where are you from?"
    "I'm from the Greenwood apartment complex," she replied.
    She laughed, "You look mighty tired, considering that Greenwood is only about a tenth of a mile from here!"
    "What? Nevermind, which direction is Carlson field in?"
    The woman pointed in the direction that Trina came from, "That way."
    "Are you kidding me?! I was going in the wrong direction the entire time!"
    "Do you need a ride? I could drive you to Carlson field."
    "Yes, please. My arms hurt so much."
    "No problem, right this way," she said, leading Trina to her car. She seemed surprised that Trina agreed. "I'll just put your wheelchair in the trunk, and you can sit in the back row."
    "Cool, thanks. Oh, and I think I should know your name."
    "I'm Bella."
    "Okay."