Our hearts jump with excitement as our eyes focus on a large tree that has fallen over in my parents’ backwoods from the rainstorm the night before. Our imaginations spin as we brainstorm. Jungle gym, pirates plank, “TREE FORT.” We rush toward the green ferns and broken twigs blanketing the forest ground. Sticks scratch against our small arms, leaving red lines that slowly fade. Green ferns and leaves spill over our dirty arms as we walk back to the broken tree and gently place our supplies on the ground—we are ready to build our fortress. We slowly cover the broken limbs with green ferns and leaves. The ferns transform into window shades, and the leaves are sprinkled to create a roof, leaving an opening for the entrance to our fortress. The sun sets and the fort is completed, smiles rest on each of our faces as we clasp our dirty hands together with a sigh of satisfaction—our kingdom is complete.
The Fortress (Flash Fiction)
Crystal Lynn Writing 