I remember that Maple Tree. I watched it when it was planted and I watch it now. It was planted over 300 years ago. And still I watch it. From the same place as I did last time. Right now, I sit in my home. A palace made from pure gold, with huge pillars of real silver; with a roof covered in the finest ruby and diamond. I remember that day very clearly. When the tree was in its day. When I was a girl of 15.
I could tell you a bit about me, though, first. I’m an only child. I would never take the cart to school, partly because it would mean I would not be insulted by the idiotic children who sit in the cart next to me, but mainly because it would be my time to be alone. I am a daydreamer. I think all the time about what is beyond the clouds. Could it be angels like everyone says? Or is it something completely different? Anyway, I love to read. And I love to pretend. I can’t really say much else about me but that’s basically it.
So, I walked to school like always and, as usual, the day was pretty boring. But, before I left, I went into the bathroom to check my makeup. I stared into the mirror and was confused by how I came to be an enemy to an abundance of people. I did not look too bad. I was a kind and generous person. So what went wrong?
Before bed I looked in the mirror again. Our cracked mirror. I looked at the distorted image of my face and knew immediately that I did not belong where I was. It was time to explore the meadows around me. But how would I know where to go without research? It was time to get the books out.
I looked at every book I could find about the area I lived in. But the most interesting one was about a maple tree. I remembered a maple tree from my younger days of around four or five. Mother told me it was an important tree. Filled with hope and joy. But that is all I remembered from it. This maple tree in the book was identical. And it was only down the road. I walked to it slowly. Why was it so important to everyone? It was just a stupid maple tree!
I arrived there and sat on a tree stump. I stared at the tree, carefully. It was beautiful. But there’s no reason to make such a big deal about it. To be fair, it just wants to live its life. Just like I do. I do not want to be put in numerous books to show how stupid I am. It is unfair. So, as I sat on that tree stump and thought, a bird flew down from the maple tree and landed beside me. It looked like a thrush. It was a golden bird with a big, puffy chest and it had red streaks in its feathers. A rather unusual looking creature, I thought, but maybe they appear often. I better read more bird books. “I can answer your questions if you want me to,” the bird said to me. Wait, what? The bird said to me that he will answer my questions!
“Um, sure. Why can you talk to me?”
“Because of the Maple Tree.”
“But why is the Maple Tree so important?”
“Because it is a magical tree.”
“But…”
“But nothing. There is nothing else to it. Bye bye.”
“But wait! How is the tree magical?! Could it affect me?!” but the bird flew away. “How can there be a magical tree?” I muttered.
I still sat there. What? How? Why? I fell asleep. I woke up and felt a tear run down my pale cheek. Why was I crying? What did I even dream about? Oh yes, that bird. It flew to me once more in my dream, and stole all life from me. It made me weak and helpless. And it carried me to the top of the tree and laid me there to die. So I woke up crying. I got up once more and ran away from the tree. Back to my house to get ready for school.
After school was over, I ran back to the tree. The bird flew back and landed next to me in exactly the same place as last time. “What do you want?” I asked it. Am I crazy?
“I want you to ask me another question because I know that you want to.”
“How would you ever know?”
“Because of the tree.”
“Oh. That stupid tree.”
“It is not stupid! It’s what made me be able to talk to you.”
“Oh yes. Sorry. But still, I do not get why it helps you. A pest like you. But not a lonely girl like me. Do you have any ideas about why that is?”
“Well….. No.”
“Oh, thank you bird,” I said sarcastically.
“You’re welcome,” he seemed very pleased with how he helped me.
“I was being sarcastic. Anyway, why am I talking to a bird? Do you have any clue why I’m the one to go mad?”
“You aren’t mad. I am talking to you. So you cannot be. Unless….. Never mind.” I am losing it. I am telling you now.
“Just…. Go away, please. For me. Just let me stare at this tree. It was said to bring hope and joy, so maybe it will give me some answers.”
“Pick on someone your own size. I know you do not like me. But what did I do wrong? It is always the little guys who get bullied,” he said in an offended, yet matter-of-fact voice. But then, he seemed to be alright by it all and flew away.
I talked to the tree. “Why are you so special?” But there was no reply. “Of course. What was I thinking? That you would actually answer me?”
“Yes, you were,” the Maple Tree said to me. What sort of parallel universe do I live in?
“Ok, answer me then. Why are you so special?” I repeated.
“Because I have done nothing wrong. Have you ever insulted someone?” I thought back to at home. When I argued with my mother. When I insulted the bird. I did not mean to be like that. I am sorry.
“I am sorry. I have never truly meant it.”
“Liar!”
“I do not lie. How dare you say that!”
“I’m reading your mind.”
“But I am not thinking… forget it. Please do not talk to me at the moment. Just one thing, may I climb you?”
“Sure.” I climbed the amazingly magical tree. I got to the top and was exhausted. I lay on the very top branches and it was surprisingly hard and level. Like my own bedroom floor.
“What do you think of it?”
“It is nice. I finally feel alive.”
“Well, that is good,” the Maple Tree said to me. “Do you like feeling alive?”
“Yes. I have never felt like this before.”
“Good. It is nice to see my customers happy.”
Just then, the bird flew back. With a band of bigger thrushes. “I come back for my revenge. You cannot do this to me. I am more important than you. You will be sorry.” I sat up then, and stayed silent. The thrush’s group flew over to me. They were big. I lay there though. They couldn’t do a thing.
“Um, thrushes always stay by their word,” the Maple Tree said to me.
“Do not worry, they cannot harm me.”
“It is your life. I cannot teach you how to live it.” The biggest thrush then muttered something to the special thrush:
“Goldie, I will deal with her.” So my special thrush is called Goldie. They started to fly around. They looked like the flames of a fire, dancing on coal.
Then Goldie told the bigger one, “Ok, Shine, girl.” Obviously this bigger one is a girl called Shine. Maybe older by looking at her size. Then Shine came over to me. “You will not insult Goldie again.” She then stood lightly on my forehead and I suddenly felt feeble. What happened? I feel the clouds that seem to take my heart from me. The wind flies through my hair. I see colours in front of my eyes. And I am lifted into the air, slowly. I watch, weakly, as the birds fly away. But Goldie stays, and watches me with regret, as I float through the sky. Goldie jumps just behind the Maple Tree so he can still see me, but far enough behind that it looks like he’s not there. And he watches me as I rise a little bit beyond the clouds.
To my home that I’m living in now. The one made from gold. The great Zeus made me into a goddess. Hera. My original name was Helena. I watch that Maple Tree still. That Maple Tree which lies in that desolate, isolated meadow. Situated on my lonely island. And as I watch down on my family and those magical birds, I think of the naked soul drifting through the world. I wonder where it is now…..
Hi, World! I posted on your welcome thread and I'm here to review your story.
This was really good! So imaginative. I really liked the world and the characters you created. And the title! I love the title.
I went through and fixed some grammatical errors, because that's how I always review. But I know you're only twelve (and a half!), so don't worry about it too much. No one expects you to know these sorts of things at that age. But if you do want to learn more, ask and I'll explain.
This first sentence was unnecessary, so I rearranged things a bit.
This was a fragment and the semicolon was used incorrectly.
The two sentences beginning with “when” were fragments, and “when the tree was in its day” doesn’t make sense to me.
An ellipses, or “dot dot dot,” is just that – three dots only, like this… and, the “no” isn’t a new sentence, so it should be lowercase.
You use a comma and a lower case letter for things like “he said,” “he yelled,” “he whispered,” and a period and a capital letter for anything else.
What is this? Helena’s thoughts? I would say: “I am losing it, I thought.”
You’re telling the story in past tense, so you have to stick with it.
You switched into present tense here and you want to keep it in past tense.
Otherwise, it was great! Keep writing!
Prolix
Thanks for this
It will help me develop my writing so yay! I wrote this almost a year ago without any editing on another website which gave me NO feedback at all except for "U wuz gd" sort of thing. So thanks a bunch 
This story was very good. I Think that the ending is amazing. It left me wondering about the naked soul and the bird Goldie what became of him.? I couldn't stop reading your story My favorite part had to be
-T
"“Ok, answer me then. Why are you so special?” I repeated.
“Because I have done nothing wrong. Have you ever insulted someone?” I thought back to at home. When I argued with my mother. When I insulted the bird. I did not mean to be like that. I am sorry.
“I am sorry. I have never truly meant it.”
“Liar!”
“I do not lie. How dare you say that!”
“I’m reading your mind.”
“But I am not thinking… forget it. Please do not talk to me at the moment. Just one thing, may I climb you?”
“Sure.” I climbed the amazingly magical tree. I got to the top and was exhausted. I lay on the very top branches and it was surprisingly hard and level. Like my own bedroom floor.
“What do you think of it?”
“It is nice. I finally feel alive.”
“Well, that is good,” the Maple Tree said to me. “Do you like feeling alive?”
“Yes. I have never felt like this before.”
Because Helena felt alive and that is what she was missing in her life.
I hope to read more of your writing ... I also like the way you started the story describing her new home made of gold and rubies.
Again very good.