by Mike Hopper
Sam and Steuart were pleased to learn that the city connected itself with a network of parks and bike trails. They experienced a sudden sense of independence and were eager to explore their surroundings. “Let’s go for a bike ride,” Steuart said to his sister.
“Let’s do it,” Sam agreed.
Always quick to take advantage of an opportunity, Olivia presented the children with a challenge. “Get your rooms in order. Understand me, everything must be unpacked and in place; boxes must be empty, broken-down, and in the garage. Once that’s done, you may go out on your bikes and play.”
Sam and Steuart went to work immediately. In less than two hours, they were unpacked, organized and ready to enjoy their new town.
* * *
The back porch stood overlooking the Saugahatchee River, a peaceful body of water that was wider than expected. Sam leaned against the railing. She listened and watched her surroundings. She looked across at a protected area of land known as the Preserve. Almost instantly, Sam found herself drawn to one particular tree. It stood directly on the other side—an indescribably vivid orange like nothing she had seen before that moment. This color was on fire. It was persuasive, and Sam was compelled. She knew immediately what she wanted. Breathing in autumn and letting it go, she shouted for her brother, “Come on, Steuart. We’ve got to find that tree. Trees like that don’t exist down south.” The translucent leaves glowed as the sunlight touched them. “Steuart, I want one of those leaves for my collection. That’s what I plan to have—today.”
“What?” Steuart walked onto the porch.
“That’s where I’m heading,” Sam pointed in the direction of the tree. “I’m going over there.”
“Wait a minute. We just got here. Let’s look for something on this side before we start running all over the world. We don’t even know how to get there.”
“I can find it.”
“Why do you want to make things complicated?”
“I don’t make things complicated. I go after what I want. What’s wrong with that?”
“I’m just suggesting that it might make better sense to explore this side first. We need to get our bearings and learn our way around. Let’s go over there tomorrow.”
Sam shook her head. “I can’t do that. I don’t know how long it’ll be before the leaves lose their shine. Tomorrow might be too late.”
“You realize there are hundreds of trees on this side of the river? I imagine that you can find something over here too.”
Sam ignored her brother, and pointed in the distance. “I know what I want,” she pointed again. “That is the tree. It has to be that one.”
“But we don’t even know how to get there.”
“I do.”
“You’re not listening, are you?” Steuart put his hands in the air.
“No,” Sam smiled, exhaled and continued to point. “I’m not. That’s the tree.”
“Why does it have to be that one?”
“Because! Look at the colors. Look at them. When I saw that tree it did something emotional to my lungs.” Sam thrusts her fist into her chest. “I have to see that tree.”
Steuart rolled his eyes.
“If there were words all over the thing, you’d already be there.”
Sam moved into action and decided not to wait for her Steuart. She began putting on her sweater and walking into the garage towards her bicycle. She looked back at her brother, “Are you coming?”
“I have a choice?”
“Of course you do. You can start on this side by yourself. You don’t have to come with me, but I’m going to find that tree. I’ll tell you about it when I get back.”
“Wait up. Let me get my valise,” Steuart ran into the house and yelled, “If I’m coming, you can at least wait for me.”
Sam jumped on her bicycle. She looked at the trail and a group of tall towers in the distance. She waited briefly before Steuart returned to the garage with his valise in hand, running towards his bike. Sam took off. She rode ahead and heard Steuart call out, “Wait up Sam, wait for me.”
Sam rode towards the towers looking for a path that might lead down to the river. “There,” she saw it. She looked back at Steuart and pointed down the hill towards a bridge. “I knew it,” she yelled and laughed.
She rode down the bike path, along the side of the tall buildings, and then down the back of the property onto the grass. She rode close to the water and beside a volleyball net before coasting onto a pedestrian bridge and crossing the river. Back on the bike path, Sam left the trail, jumped off her bike, and walked it through a patch of dirt, down a small hill, across a tiny brook, and then trudged up a steep gravel path towards the train tracks where she walked her bike to the other side.
Sam heard Steuart yelling in the distance. “What are you doing? Wait for me. Where are you going? What do you think you’re doing?
“I know exactly what I’m doing,” she shouted. “Trust me.” Sam stood and waited for Steuart to catch up.
“Trust me?” Steuart muttered as he trudged up the gravel path and stopped. Steuart and Sam stood looking at one another on opposite sides of a train track. Steuart continued talking to himself, “Trust her? This could end badly.” His heart beat fast. With labored breathing, he repeated himself, “Trust me, she says. Why do those words always get me into trouble?”
“What now?”
“We shouldn’t be here. Mother will have a conniption fit if she finds out we were playing on train tracks. We’ll be in deep trouble.”
“No, she won’t. No, we won’t.”
“Yes, she will. Yes, we will.”
“She doesn’t have to know.” Sam shook her head, threw her hands into the air, paused, and looked away, “I think you’re scared to cross.”
“I’m not scared. I’m sensible. What if a train comes?”
“What are you talking about now?”
“We’ll be dog chow. We’ll be squashed little bugs. We won’t even know what hit us because our lives will be over—forever.” Steuart lifted his index finger and pulled it in a slashing motion across the underside of his chin. “Consider that.”
“You’re being a drama baby.”
“No, I am not.” Steuart rolled his eyes and made death gestures. A dragonfly moved in front of his face and distracted him. Steuart began slapping his face and the back of his neck. He slapped his hands together as he tried to get the bug to move along. He looked across at Sam as he slapped at his knees.”
Sam stopped laughing. She stood with a straight face and waited for the dragonfly to go away. “Little baby brother, tell me this, when did you become a baby chicken? What’s wrong with you today? Did you leave your courage and sense of adventure back at Atchison Point? Is it somewhere on the pier?”
“I am not a baby. I am not a chicken. Do not call me names.”
“Then, don’t give me a reason.” Sam stood firm and folded her arms. “Come on and cross.”
“What about trains? This is dangerous. We might get hurt.”
“I don’t see a train. Do you see a train?” Sam didn’t give Steuart an opportunity to respond. “Do you hear a train? There isn’t a train anywhere close by.”
“We’re not supposed to do this.”
“I’ll help you across.”
“No, you won’t.”
“Did anyone ever tell you specifically not to cross a train track?” Sam asked.
“No.”
“There.”
“There? Not there. You know and I know that if we mentioned we were thinking about crossing train tracks, Mother would say no. She would say don’t do it.”
“But she has not specifically told us to stay away. Correct?”
“Correct,” Steuart nodded.
“So, it’s not a big deal. It can’t be. She can’t punish us for something unless she has given us the rule. Come on. Let’s get going.”
Steuart didn’t budge. “You’re kidding me. Yes, she can. I don’t need anyone to tell me not to do somet
hing when I know potential danger is involved. This is dangerous.”
“Where’s the danger? There are no trains close by. All we’re doing is crossing over one little set of tracks. That is that. Look at me. I’ve already done it. Nothing happened to me. It is no big deal. I’m alive. No breaks, no cuts, no bruises. I’m absolutely fine. We both could have crossed over and back two dozen times by now. I can help you.”
Steuart shook his head, gazed down the tracks in both directions and whispered, “I’ve never crossed tracks before.”
“Today is your lucky day. There’s a first time for everything.” Sam’s voice grew quieter, “I’m not going to stand here forever. If you’re going to be a chicken, just go ahead, turn around right now and go home. Shoo, go home.”
“You’re being mean.”
“I want to get my color. I don’t care if you come or not. It’s probably best if you don’t come. You’re too frightened. Go on. It’ll be dark soon. I plan to reach my destination and be home before dark. Go home Steuart. I can’t leave you here.”
“You don’t understand. I feel my heart beating too fast.”
“That means you’re alive.”
“I feel it beating so hard that it might come up through my neck and fly out of my mouth, roll over that way,” he pointed, “and fall in the river so the fish can eat it. Sam, I feel sick.”
Sam felt guilty and decided to back off. “I’m sorry for giving you a hard time Steuart. It’s fine with me if you don’t want to come. I think you should go home and play.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“No, it’s okay. I shouldn’t be pushing you. Just go home. You can join me another time. There’ll be lots of opportunities. Go home.” Sam got on her bike and began riding towards the tree. She stopped behind a group of bushes and watched to see what her brother would do.
Steuart stood frozen by the tracks. He muttered something to himself. He held onto his bike, took a deep breath and quickly walked the thing across the railroad track without saying a word. On the other side, he stopped, turned around and looked back. He put his hand to his chest and felt his heart beating. Steuart looked dazed.
Sam watched from the bushes and felt ashamed for pushing her little brother. That feeling changed when she saw the look of accomplishment on his face. She watched as he held his bike, looked around, and noticed the gorgeous field of wild flowers, the trail, the trees, and a deer. It stood in the distance and watched Steuart.
Steuart jumped onto his bike and began peddling along the trail in the direction of the tree. Sam jumped on her bike and rode quickly so that her brother would not know she had been watching him. She rode and twisted along the trail, enveloped by tall grass and wildflowers, peddling hard to stay ahead. Finally, Sam heard Steuart yell as he caught sight of her, “Sam, wait up.”
Sam looked back and waved. Steuart and Sam continued riding along the trail until, once again, they found themselves beside the river. This time they stood together on the opposite side, their hearts filled with wonder and satisfaction looking across at the back porch of their new home. They shifted focus to the side they came to see and the colors they had followed. Looking further down the path, Sam saw what she came for.
* * *
“There it is. That’s my tree!” Sam yelled. The tree stood high, nestled alongside another straight, tall tree, holding a little tree house. Sam and Steuart stood at the edge of the Preserve in an extraordinary backyard belonging to a beautiful home. Sam broke the silence, “Come on. Let’s do this.” She headed towards the tree house, threw her bike on the ground and prepared to climb the ladder.
“You can’t.”
“What now?” Sam, with her left foot on the bottom rung, stopped and looked at her brother.
“Pick a leaf off the ground and let’s move on. This is private property.”
“Why did I bring you?”
“We shouldn’t be here.”
“Oh, not again! Please don’t tell me that you’re going to start up with that.”
“Find a leaf on the ground, or let’s find a tree somewhere else.”
“I can’t do that.”
Steuart backed away from the tree. “Yes, you can.”
“I can’t. The leaves on the ground don’t have the same shades. They’re already decomposing. They don’t have the same vibrancy as…” Sam pointed high, “the ones up there. I need to climb the tree or climb into the tree house. I think the tree house is the better option.”
Steuart shook his head, “No.” He held his bicycle and prepared to make a quick dash for home.
“Look Steuart,” Sam pointed towards the tree house. “It has windows. This’ll be easy. I can climb the ladder, go in, and reach out the window for the perfect leaf. That’s all I need. That’s it.” The sun glistened through the trees as Sam stood enchanted by the colors. Determined, she knew she would get the leaf. She looked matter-of-factly at Steuart and pleaded, “I’m not going to disturb anything other than the leaf.”
“How can you say that?”
“Because, I can.”
“You’re disturbing something just by climbing the ladder—just by being here. None of this belongs to you.”
Sam shook her head and looked away. “Why did I want you here? I hate these conversations.”
“What conversations?”
“These. I hate these conversations where I’m forced to explain everything to you. You have no idea how difficult it is being the older sibling and having to look after you. You don’t understand as much as you think you understand. I understand because I’m older and I’m better educated than you.”
Steuart folded his arms and nodded, “Do tell.”
This is not the same as going into someone’s home. This is a tree house. Tree houses don’t count in the world of private property.”
“Have you lost your mind?”
“No. Tree houses are the same as park benches—they’re here for everyone.”
“I’d like to know what book you’ve been reading. You’re confused.” Sam didn’t care. Steuart worried. “Have you forgotten the definition of private property? I don’t know why you think a tree house is exempt. You know we’ve been through this before. Have you forgotten the last time that you went into a tree house that didn’t belong to you? Do you remember what happened?
Sam gave Steuart a blank stare.
“You hear me, but you’re not listening. Is that what’s happening?”
“That was different. That wasn’t a real tree house. We’re here now. We’re not there.”
“Different how? Why do you think that rules only apply to other people? Why do you think that a tree house is any less private than other private property? If this were your tree house would you want the entire world to feel free to climb the ladder and go inside to play?” Steuart didn’t stop to take a breath. “I don’t think so.”
Sam tried to ignore her brother and answered over his talking. “It wouldn’t bother me. If I were lucky enough to have a great place like this, I would be proud to share it with other people.” She gazed at the tree house and the leaves. With her backpack on her shoulder, she was ready and began climbing, “The door’s open.”
“So?”
“So—Grandmother said I should follow the colors. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
“Oh, that’s classic. You want to blame this on Grandmother. Do you actually believe this is what she had in mind?
“It’s possible,” Sam pursed her lips and squirmed. “I’m taking her advice seriously.” Sam continued to climb.
“Stop Sam. Stop right now. I’m going to tell.”
Sam looked down at her brother, “Are you serious?” She stepped down.
Steuart shook his head, “This is not what Grandmother had in mind. Do you remember the last time?”
Sam glared at Steuart.
“You’re not listening.” Sam didn’t say a word. “Go ahead, ignore me. I know about a lot of things. I know what I’m ta
lking about. I also know that I don’t have to be here with you. I can go home.” Steuart turned around. “I’m not going to get into trouble for you on my first day in town.”
“Go—see if I care.”
Steuart took a deep breath and kept talking, “We’re both aware of what happened back home. We both know that we both know you remember everything. You’re just pretending to be naive.”
Sam stopped. “Why do we have to talk about something that happened so long ago when we’re here in this beautiful wooded place? Why can’t we just be in the moment? All I want at this exact point in time is one beautiful leaf.” Sam shook her head and threw her hands in the air. “You’re making a big deal out of nothing. You’re so exasperating.”
“I am not. You’re wrong. I’m talking about this because it is a big deal. I’m talking about this because the last time you did this we ended up having to explain ourselves to Mother, Grandmother and the neighbors. Why are you pretending that you don’t have a brain? Color collection got you into big trouble.”
“Have you been reading those books again? Don’t worry, we’re not going to be put in front of a firing squad.”
Steuart looked off in the distance.
“Steuart, do you always have to put a damper on everything I try to do? Why did I invite you to come with me?”
“Because deep down you know that someone needs to keep you out of trouble.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Yes you do, and you know it. You may be the older sibling, but I’m the one who’s more responsible.”
“I do a lot of things for you Steuart—all the time. I should have just come over here by myself. I should have let you miss this entire adventure. I should have let you stay on your side of the tracks with your baby chicken behavior and attitude.”
“Stop calling me names. Grandmother straightened things out for you last time. She isn’t here for this.”