An Ending and a Beginning

Elizabeth wanted to run and hide in the deep forest. She took off for a mile into the deep dark wonderful forest. She felt the crunch of the leaves under feet. Sweat was dripping down her forehead by the time she reached the white birch tree and started to climb. She decided she wasn’t going to come down until her parents changed their minds about moving away. She new she wasn’t acting like a sixteen year old she could hear her father saying in her own head but she didn’t care. She wasn’t going to leave her home and her wonderful fun with Eddie.

On the old birch, she found a sturdy branch to sit upon. She had granola bars and water in her backpack. She sat up in the tree for two hours crying and wishing she didn’t have to move. Lizzie thought to herself about the first she laid eyes on Eddie.

Eddie was six. He grinned from ear to ear and his right cheek was smeared with black mud. He looked like a wild creature to me. I was a little frightened. I stood behind my mother. I was five. Mrs. Forrester said this is “Eddie, my little rascal. He has been playing outside, by the looks of him playing with Herman, his frog.” Ruth giggled and winked at her son. She suggested that I go play. Mom had to push me out the door.

I remember mom saying “howler if you need me.” I did howler, after Eddie put Herman down my shirt. Herman was slimmie and smelled like poopy-pants. Herman didn’t seem to be happy in my shirt, because he slithered out two seconds later. Eddie grabbed Herman and ran. I chased this frog bandit. He was fast for a short kid. I had longer legs. I caught up to him by the stream. He was leaning over the edge with something in his hand. I stopped out of breath.

“Come here, I want to show you something, Eddie said. I sat down next this wild creature, Eddie. I tried to see what he was looking at. I couldn’t see unless I leaned over the edge, right next to Eddie. I lay down on my stomach. Eddie had his left hand on Herman and in his right was “Tina” a turtle. “These two are good friend,” Eddie said. From then on, Eddie and I became inseparable friends.