Tree Hugger

Letting Grow

Alana looked over at the alarm clock on her bedside table -12 am-. With a sigh she rolled out of bed and put some jogging clothes on. Whenever she couldn't sleep, a jog always helped. Alana had lived in New York for most of her life, so going outside at night was never a good idea. But here in this town, everything seemed safe. As Alana stepped outside, she took a deep breath of fresh air before beginning her jog. She had seen on maps around the town that there was a walking trail through the woods that bordered the town, it seemed like a good place to go.

As Alana was walking through the forest, she noticed how it was made up of trees and green bushes, no flowers. Alana thought to herself for a moment before smiling and holding out her hands as she ran. The path behind her became defined by beautiful flowers that arose rapidly from the earth. She laughed and fell backwards onto the ground with arms outspread. As she hit the ground, she landed on fresh grass that spread outwards in spirals away from her, transforming the dead leaf covered dirt into a vivid garden that surrounded her. Alana fell asleep on the warm grass as she slept peacefully and deeply.

"Um, Alana? Why are you on the ground?" a voice roused her from her sleep.
Alana blinked and noticed Lachlan towering above her.
"Oh, uh...I was just taking a jog through the woods" she responded embarrassed.
"Well doesn't jogging usually involve moving?" Lachlan said, giving her a look of suspicion, "And being awake?".
"Well why are you out here?" Alana tried to change the subject.
"I live out here" he responded, "My house is just on top of that hill".
Alana stood up and noticed the outline of a large house surrounded by dark trees.
"Where did all this grass come from? And the flowers?" Lachlan questioned, looking around.
"Gosh, look at the time, I'll see you at school!" she exclaimed running away from the conversation.

When Alana got home, she had a quick shower, grabbed her stuff for school, and was out the door before her parents had even woken up. Kyle was waiting outside with his phone out. "What's this about you sleeping in the woods?" He asked curiously. Obviously Lachlan had sent him a text.
"I wasn't sleeping, I was just resting" she told him, trying to end the conversation.
"Uh huh, and why was there some weird garden around you?" He continued, showing her a photo on his phone of her sleeping.
"Oh my god Lachlan took a photo of me!" Alana exclaimed annoyed.
"There are definitely no gardens in there normally" Kyle told her.
"I guess I just have a magic touch" she joked, and started to walk.
"There's something odd about you Alana" he followed, "And I'm going to find out what it is!".

The two of them found Lachlan waiting at the school gates for them, "God you guys are so slow!".
"At least we don't take photo's of people while they are sleeping!" Alana half shouted back, but than followed with, "I mean...I wasn't asleep...but I just...um...".
She couldn't come up with a believable lie so she just left it there.
"Sorry about that, but look, you were drooling a bit!" Lachlan held out his phone with the image.
"Shut up! I don't drool!" She told them, "That was just...water that fell from a tree!".
"Sure sure! Come on then!" Lachlan said, turning and walking into the school.
Alana made sure Kyle wasn't looking when she waved her hand and tripped Lachlan with a tree root.

"How about you tell me how you can run so fast?" Alana responded to Lachlan at lunch when he brought up the incident in the woods during lunch.
"I guess I'm just genetically flawless" he told her.
Alana elected to leave it there, but there was definitely something he wasn't telling her.

When the school day ended, and Alana went back home, she tended to the plants in her room. Her room looked like a jungle, with vines that crawled up the wall, and bright flowers that adorned the window. There were small bushed in pot plants that sported many berries. Her floor was made up of vivid grass that was warm to the touch, and was never wet. Her bed was in the corner near the window, and had vines around the base, making it look like the bed had grown as well. Alana's parents had been against the idea of having a room full of plants like this, especially the grass and vines, but after much nagging on Alana's behalf, they had allowed it. Alana had gone out to a garden shop and pretended to purchase the rolls of grass, and various plants, but she had really just summoned the greenery. Her parents still didn't suspect a thing.

After a short while of laying on her bed, reading, and eating fresh blueberries from a bush in her room, there was a knock on the door. Alana left it for her mother to answer. Barely a minute later, her mother opened her bedroom door, saying "Honey, those two boys from school are her". Before Alana could meet them outside, the two of them had walked into her room with their mouths open in awe.
"Uh, I see you've met my mother" Alana said awkwardly.
"Woah, I told you there was something weird about her" Lachlan said, still gawking at all the plants.
Kyle was speechless.
"So...was there something you wanted to talk about?" Alana asked, trying to get their attention. After a while Lachlan said "Oh, yeah. We want to know what you are!".
"Seriously this aga-" Alana started, but was cut off by Lachlan.
"And we can see that you are suspicious about us as well, so let's all be honest with each other. Ok?".
Alana just stared at him.

"Fine, I'll start. Myself, and the rest of my family are all Werewolves" when Lachlan could see that Alana was looking at him like a crazy person he said, "How about I just show you?". His eyes turned black, and he shifted into a midnight black wolf before Alana. As sudden as it had started, he had reappeared as a normal human again. Alana just sat there staring at him, with a look of confusion and awe. When she had gotten over her shock she asked Kyle, "So what are you? A vampire?".
Kyle laughed and said "I wish, I'm just normal. So what are you?".

Alana hesitated before deciding it was best to tell them, "I don't know what I am, I can just control nature. Things like plants, animals, and the weather".
To Alana's surprise, Lachlan respond with, "Oh, well that makes sense now! Can you show us?".
Alana looked at the two boys before saying, "Fine". She held out her hand, and a rose bush erupted from the floor, weaving its way up to meet her outstretched hand.
"Oh that's cool" Kyle exclaimed, "What do your parents think of your power?".
"I haven't told them, and I don't plan on it either" Alana told him.
"I guess that's understandable" Lachlan said, "Wait! Are you the one who tripped me today!?".
Alana laughed as she walked past him, it felt good to finally be able to tell someone about her power.

"So, when there's rain that stops me play soccer, do I have you to blame for that?" Kyle asked her on the way home.
Alana smiled, "No, I usually leave the weather alone to do its own thing".
Kyle thought for a moment, "Well I have a game tomorrow and it would be really good if you could make the day nice and sunny".
With a laugh Alana said, "I'll see what I can do".

The two of them walked for a bit longer making jokes and discussing an assessment they had received. Soon after someone zoomed around the corner and knocked them over.
"Woah! Hi guys! What are you doing?" Lachlan said, still jogging on the spot.
Kyle stood up, pulling Alana up with him, "Dude, watch it!".
"Sorry, I just feel like I can't stand still today, I have to run!" Lachlan said, practically bouncing on the spot.
"Do you ever stand still, or god forbid sit down?" Alana said, checking herself for any damage.
"Never! Nothing can stop me or slow me down! I'm an unstoppable force!" He told her looking proud.
With a smile Alana said, "Of course", and both her and Kyle continued home.
Lachlan went to run after them but fell face first onto the grass. When he looked down at his legs, he saw thick vines were tethering him to the ground. "Hey Alana!" he yelled after the two, "Very funny! Can you let me go now? Please?".
The only response he got was laughter, and a view of a high five between Alana and Kyle.