The Hope Tree (Laila C., Grade 5

Kara felt sick to her stomach. Like she was going to fall. And nobody was there to catch her. When she woke, she was no longer in the dark realm. She was in her house, on the sofa, lying down. Her mother was patting down a wet towel on her forehead, her other arm holding the telephone as she yelled into it. “What do you MEAN, you can’t come and help my sick daughter right now? She’s burning up and you won’t give it an ounce of thought? I’m never calling you guys again!” Kara’s mother slammed the phone down, and looked lovingly at her daughter. “Good, you’re awake. How do you feel, honey?” Kara gasped, frightened and terribly confused. Wasn’t she just in that weird time period with the mysterious lady? With all the darkness? Kara nodded. “I feel okay. Can I go outside for a minute…for some fresh air?” Suspiciously, her mother nodded. “Okay…but only for a little while.” Kara sprinted outside. Thunder rumbled in the distance. “Oh no.” Kara mumbled under her breath. It was the storm from her dreams. The rain began to patter. Kara ran back inside. She needed to warn her family. They needed to evacuate. Now! “Mom, get the baby. We have to go!” Puzzled, but willing, her mother raced to the nursery room to get the baby. They ran outside and hid behind some bushes. And watched. The water started to wash through the streets, tearing up houses and drowning kids and animals. Suddenly, a ray of light burst from the sky, sucking up all the unconscious people left in the town.

Kara and her family released gasps of breath. They would never know what happened that day, or what happened to the rest of their town, but all they knew was that they were safe. Kara wrapped her arms around her family.

2nd Place: Laila C., Grade 5 The Hope Tree

Me and my friend Melissa were watching. Waiting for something to happen. The Hope Tree was the source of protection for our village. It was fueled by the hopes and dreams of citizens. But lately, the tree had been…weak. Dying even. It was like people were starting to lose hope. And according to our calculations (for we had been watching the tree for a long time), if one more person lost hope, the tree would die. Suddenly, shadows came over the tree. The Shadowborn had been attacking our village for centuries, but the Hope Tree had stopped them every time. Except this time, we were worried. The Shadowborn might be able to breach the barrier now. Without saying anything, Melissa ran over to the tree. “Melissa!” I hissed. “Hope is salvaged with many, not one.” I tried to run after her, but I found myself stuck. Before Melissa even got to the tree, shadows took her. A dark blade hovered over her. I struggled to get free, to help her, but… The blade sank into her chest, her body disintegrating in the wind. “Melissa! No!” I had to keep up hope to save the Hope Tree, but soon enough, it disintegrated just as Melissa’s body did.

That night, I thought about doing “it”. I had done it once before. Melissa called it my “magical gift.” I had to go back in time to save the town. And save Melissa. Immense concentration. I thought about going back to when the Hope Tree was full of

hope.

My mind started to feel like it would explode. An undesirable side effect. I kept concentration though. I needed to. I was nearly blinded by a flash of light. And then I was gone. I was standing by a tree. It was almost unrecognizable. Full blossoming branches, each flower a different color, shape and texture. I think I was about…20 years in the past. Now all I had to do was save hope. What was it that Melissa said? Hope is salvaged with many, not one. I had to figure out what that meant. Of course many people had to have hope, but I couldn’t go around [fixing everyone’s problems]. I had to find something different. Then it hit me. What if the people aren’t losing hope? What if it was the tree? As humans, we had each other. The tree didn’t have anyone. Just like Melissa and I had formed a special friendship to keep hope, the Hope Tree could do the same. All I needed now was some friends, some community, for the tree. I walked up to the tree, cautiously, and laid my hand on a flower. It was purple with shimmering blue petal tips. It felt silly, but I asked the tree, “Do you mind if I take this flower?” The flower dropped into my palm. “Thank you.” About 20 feet away from the tree, I dug a small hole with my hands. I then placed the flower inside, and covered it up with dirt. Suddenly, before my eyes, A purple and blue tree sprang up from the ground. It was beautiful and enchanting. “Mind if I take more?” I asked the tree. Over the next few hours, I made an effort to plant as many trees as I could. An orange and violet one. A pale iridescent one Translucent ones Shiny ones. Soon enough, the village was ringed with a bouquet of trees in a circle. It felt…complete somehow. Full. Finally, I made my way back to the original tree. It reached its branches out to me, like it wanted to hug me. To say thank you. It’s soft branches embraced me. As soon as I pulled away, I was back to my time. Between the rocks again. But this time, when the Shadowborn came to the trees, I wasn’t worried. A community could do things that one person, no matter how strong they are, could do by themselves. When they tried to come in, the plants radiated power and love. And hope. The Shadowborn were overcome with light. Slowly, they started disintegrating. And Melissa smiled at me.