Sitting up a Gum Tree.

It was the hottest day of the year, and Cayden the super wimp was in trouble again. He had woken up that morning in a really naughty mood. He started an argument with his Mum, yelling at her, "Stop nagging!" He ran off to the kitchen.

Cayden quickly grabbed some drinks, as well as party packs of lollies and chips. He stuffed all these bags into his backpack. His mother called to him to stop being so rude.

Cayden did not know why he was doing this, but he said, "Don't care. I'm running away from home!" His Mum tried to catch him, but Cayden was the fastest runner at home and school. He rapidly disappeared into the bushland near their home. He felt so upset, just woke up on the wrong side of bed.

He had also taken his magically enhanced phone with him, naturally. He did some speed dialling, so soon his two best little dude mates, Cuz and Jaz came running over to meet him.

"Let's party!" Cayden invited them to share all his goodies. "We'll go this way, where there's some shade. "It's hot!"

The three best boys pals went traipsing and trampling through the trees, calling to each other at the top of their voices. The peaceful bushland area was suddenly noisy. Cayden was feeling really cross now, all over a dumb disagreement with his Mum, over cleaning his room. The boys whooped, sang and yelled. They went sliding down the hill in the forest, to where there was a massive display of old growth gum trees. Winding between these massive trees was a pretty little creek, tangled with undergrowth. Cayden and the lads settled down for a great binge of lollies and fizzy drinks. Soon, their surroundings displayed a mess of chocolate wrappers and cans.

"This is boring!" Jaz shouted at Cayden. In reply, Cayden broke off a large branch. He began to slash down all the smaller bushes and small trees. His mood was really bad today.

"Hey, don't,' Cuz mumbled, his mouth full of chips.

"Why not?" Cayden yelled again, "Look what I've got!" Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a lighter.

"What's wrong with you?" Jaz asked Cayden.

"Shut up nagging! I'm going to light a camp fire!"

"You're nuts! It's a fire ban day!"

"Don't care bear. Run home to your mummies, little sissies," Cayden soon had some sparks from his Dad's lighter, and a puff of smoke became a flame.

"STOP THAT!" A booming voice called to the boys, seeming to come from nowhere.

"What was that?" Cayden looked over his shoulder.

"GET YOUR WATER BOTTLES AND PUT OUT THAT FIRE! RIGHT NOW!"

Terrified, the three boys hurried to obey. Cayden thought they were surrounded by the police.

"Who are you? Where are you?" he asked, pouring all the water on the little fire. The mates looked around, puzzled. The small flame had totally fizzled, they were safe, or were they?

"GOOD!" the voice called from above them, somewhere in the trees. It carried on, "I'm the Giant Koala. And I'm invisible. I've been watching you, and I'm very CROSS!"

"You're kidding!" Cayden and Cuz chorused, gazing far above, peering at the enormous branches in the largest tree. They all thought some big kid was hiding in the leaves.

"Look around you!" the very cross giant koala told them. "This is my home. You start picking up all that rubbish right now. You're taking it home as soon as I can get rid of you!"

"Oh yeah, what if we don't?" Cayden was full of bad feelings and being very rude.

Just then, a massively heavy branch fell next to the three boys, narrowly missing them.

"My branches are bigger than your branches!" the invisible koala was not in a good mood either.

Finally scared by now, Cayden, Cuz and Jaz gathered up all their chocolate wrappers and lolly papers, stuffing them into Cayden's backpack. The drink cans went with them. The giant koala decided to have the last word to Cayden and his mates.

"Look at those poor little bushes you have trashed. Lots of tiny animals live here too."

Cayden was now staring at the ground, his face flushed. He suddenly felt really bad, and ashamed of all the damage he had caused, not to mention all his naughty behaviour. The invisible koala spoke again, to give a lecture.

"If you jokers wreck all the bush, what's going to be here when you grow up? Trees make air for you to breathe, and a home for birds and insects. No trees, no air. You keep carrying on like that, and all you kids will choke and suffocate."

Cayden was nearly sooking, but stammered, "Didn't mean to. "I'll never wreck trees again. Hope the little animals are okay. Just don't squash us from up there in the gum tree."

The giant invisible koala spoke a bit more kindly this time. "Promise to be good. This is our home, our bush, our planet too, as well as yours."

"Okay, I promise." Cayden was totally over his naughty bad mood. "I don't know what got into me. I'll think up some pollution solutions and spread the word online. Will that make you happy?"

"Yes," agreed the giant koala, settling into to sitting up his gum tree. Cayden knew, he'd better build some peace with his Mum. As the boys walked quietly home, he picked up his phone, and called her.

"Hi, Mum. Sorry I yelled, I woke up so naughty today."

"I noticed," said his mother.

"I'm on my way home, with Cuz and Jaz."

"Does that mean you're going to clean that mess in your room. It's a disaster!"

"Yes, okay." Cayden did not want to be squashed by his mother, or by the giant koala.

"If you do, I'll take the three of you to the movie you wanted to see. It is the holidays after all."

Cuz and Cayden smiled, as Jaz said,

"We'll help you clean your room. It can't be much worse than mine."

Cayden was back in his good mood, so he replied happily, "Want to bet?"

The bushland returned to its normal hottest summer day, sleepy. The giant koala might still be there. It's his home, sitting up a gum tree, but only special people ever hear a word he says....