The Evertree

Emotions are gold. Hope is key. Life is there whether or not you notice. Life can also be dead. The Evertree is the source for the forest to thrive. It is home to many animals. It respects and cherishes these friends, knowing that they could all go away.

The guardian of the Evertree lives a house across from it. She is a sweet old lady with silver hair and glasses. She wears a red and yellow robe. She protects the Evertree from people who try to hurt it. She is slowly losing energy and may not be able to protect it any more.

Surrounding the Evertree is the dying forest. The Evertree's magical crystal is dying. It powers all of the woods and nature beyond. Without the crystal, nature will seize to exist.

On the other side, there is a young girl named Irene. Irene has been bullied her whole life at her school. The bullies push her into the rattling sound of the dying forest. She has no idea what awaits her.

Irene creeps through the woods silently. She has black mud all over her shoes and sand all over her hands. She sees dying trees ahead of her. They fall to the floor. They sink in the mud. Irene keeps on walking.

She sees a light ahead. It looks like a ray of sunshine. She goes into the light. She sees the Evertree and all that surrounds it. For once, she feels victorious and hopeful.

"What are you doing here? The Evertree is already dying!" said the old lady.

"I was just looking. I guess I should just go." claims Irene.

"Wait, Girlie! I may need your help! Come inside where we may feast on some tea and crumpets!"

"By the way, I'm Irene"

"Irene, such a beautiful name. They call me Carolina Jessica the fifth. You can call me Carol."

Carol and Irene sit down at a small table with tea. They both know that they need something from each other.

"What do you want?" says Irene

"See that big tree out there? That's the Evertree. I've taken care of it for many years. The crystal that powers all forests is dying." says Carol

"So is that why those trees were..."

"Yes, and we need to restore them. It will come for us next."

"So what do I do?"

"You need to find a new crystal. There is one hidden in a pearl. It is in a glowing chest near the bed of the Mariana Trench."

"I'll do it. See you soon!"

Irene goes back home. She avoids all bullies in her path. She wants to help all of nature. When she arrives she sees her dad working at his desk, examining a starfish.

"Daddy, could you take me scuba diving?" says Irene.

"Why, I thought you hated it! Of course! I'll take you to the Mariana Trench!" exclaims her dad.

Irene and her dad go to the bay of Florida. They see the rest of the exploration team and get going. Irene takes a role as an underwater treasure seeker.

Irene has trouble finding a chest. She figures most treasure must be underwater and starts digging. In the first hour, she finds an old coin, a shoe and a metal book.

Irene kept searching the floor. She hit something hard with her shovel. She pulls out a chest that has a gigantic pearl inside! She carefully peels away the pearl shell and finds a perfectly charged red crystal.

She held the crystal up to the sky. All the sea plants around her rose and danced in the water. It looked beautiful. Irene was sure she had found the right crystal.

Irene took off to find Carol. She was hoping it would save the forest.

"Carol! Carol! I found it!" said Irene.

"Great job, dear! But... it is missing something." said Carol.

"What could it be missing?"

"See that glow? It glows on and off. It must stay consistent for the tree to use it."

"So what do we need?"

"We need a gold coin, a ruby, and a ray of sunlight"

"What? How are we gonna get sunlight?"

"The sunshine must come from the inside"

"Well, I already have a gold coin. I'll get the ruby next!"

Irene takes off for school the next day. She brings plenty of rocks to trade with Opal Stone. She always brings rocks to class.

"Hey, Opal!" says Irene.

"What's up, Irene? Wanna trade rocks?" says Opal.

"Yea... do you have a ruby?"

"A few, actually. What do you have?"

"A quartz, an emerald, a jade..."

"Ooh, I'll trade the Jade!"

"Cool! See you later!"

Irene now has two objects, but remembers that the sunshine must come from within. She must be brave.

"Hey look! It's I pee-n! says Jim, a bully.

"Be quiet, come on!" says Irene.

"What did you say, little mute?"

" I said be quiet! My name is Irene!"

"Okay, geez!"

Jim and his fellow bullies walk away. Once they are gone, the crystal starts floating, along with the other objects. They collide and glow and fly into the forest. Irene runs to follow.

Once she gets there, she sees the crystal going into the Evertree. It shines sunlight everywhere and the dying forest lives again. Everything is restored!

"You did it, Irene!" says Carol.

"I did?" questions Irene.

"Yes, you did! You restored the forest!"

"I know what you meant now"

"What?"

"The sunshine comes from the inside. From hope."

"What else?"

"Being brave is hopeful. You need to be brave to have the sunshine"

"Good. I have a surprise for you!"

Carol goes back into her house and comes back a minute later. She carries a seed in one hand and a staff in the other. The staff is golden with a blue crystal on top. It has leaves trimmed onto it and shines in the sun.

"This is for your sunshine. You have shined the light back into the forest. You are the new protector of the Evertree!" says Carol.

"Really?" says Irene.

"Yes, and you will do well. Let's celebrate!"

With that, Irene became the protector of the Evertree. She learned that with hope come sunshine.