Leaves, Trees, and High-Seas

Edwin climbed the ladder of his treehouse with his little sister, Liliana, fresh on his heels. Her head barreled into his legs as he climbed and his fingers slipped, just for a moment, as he reached the top rung.

“Lil, not so close. I need space to open the door.” They wore the wood from countless trips to the treehouse, but his hand fit perfectly as he regained his grip. The rung had become contoured to his hand and grew as he grew, the surface smooth, weathered, and well-loved. Edwin, at the ripe age the ten years and four months, could not remember a single summer that did not involve his treehouse.

“Sorry, Dwin,” Liliana said, her R's sounded more like W's when she spoke.

Edwin pushed on the trapdoor into the treehouse and heaved it open. It stood straight and Edwin was sure it would swing shut on him, but then it fell backward and clanked against the floor. Despite being the middle of summer, discarded leaves flew upon impact and rained down on the children. Edwin clambered into the treehouse, laid on his stomach, and lowered his hand towards his nearly five-year-old sister.

She reached for him and giggled as a leaf tickled her nose on its descent. She followed its path to the ground with her eyes as her body leaned away from the tree.

“Eyes on me, Lil,” Edwin admonished. The ladder was only five feet from the ground and Liliana would probably be okay if she were to fall, but he would not let that happen on his watch.

Liliana nodded at her brother, refocused, and grabbed onto his hand as he hoisted her up. She crawled as Edwin closed the door.

“Why do leaves fall, Dwin?” Liliana swiped wispy blonde bangs out of her face with the back of her hands before she planted her palms on the floor. Her ponytail was already coming undone. She sat back on her knees and looked reverently at her brother.

Edwin thought about this for a long moment before deciding. “Some leaves fall because they can't find their way back up,” he explained. “Leaves wanna be part of the tree, and if they can't then they'd rather be really far away on the ground.” Edwin explained the intricacies of gravity in a way Liliana would understand.

Her eyes were wide with wonder. “You know all things, Dwin.”

Edwin grinned and surveyed the treehouse. Everything was as they left it. They spent many afternoons in this treehouse, playing games and having fun as the summer sun sunk and twilight reigned.

“What'll it be today, Lil?” Edwin steepled his fingers in anticipation.

“Aliens!” She shrieked as she clapped her hands in giddy excitement.

Edwin shook his head in disapproval. “We were aliens yesterday. And the day before that.” He watched Liliana's face transform from pure joy to utter dismay as he shot down her idea.

“But I wanna play aliens,” she whispered. Her eyes enlarged as tears welled and began streaming down her face.

“Aliens are really fun, Lil,” he said as he helped her wipe the tears from her cheeks. “How about we play aliens tomorrow?”

Edwin watched his sister. They both knew if Liliana pushed for it that aliens would be the game of the day. Edwin was a good older brother and put his sister before himself, even if he desperately wanted to play something different.

“M'kay, Dwin. No aliens.” Liliana sniffled, her singularly obsessed mind temporarily swayed from little green creatures with giant black eyes.

“You're the best sister, Lil,” Edwin said, wrapping Liliana in a monster hug. She brightened in an instant, her disappointment forgotten.

“Where we goin', Dwin?” She asked, excited for a new game to begin.

Edwin placed his index finger and thumb on his chin as he thought. He tipped his head to the ceiling and drew out the surprise to set the stage for Liliana.

“I've got it!” He exclaimed as he moved next to Liliana and lowered his face so it was conspiratorially close. Her body shook with the exuberance of youth and imagination.

“Do you smell that, Lil?”

“Smell what?”

“That,” he said, beginning the game, “that there's salt in the air.” He changed his voice, drawing out his R's.

“I smell it,” she whispered in awe. “Where are we?”

“The high seas and this be our ship,” he said.

A cool breeze brushed past the children as the smell of the ocean surrounded them. The branches of their tree swayed as the wind increased. Before their very eyes the trunk transformed into a mast, the leaves into sails.

“I be Cap'n Dwin and ye be me first mate, Lil' Lil,” Captain Dwin announced, completing the transformation from child to pirate.

Lil' Lil clapped her hands ecstatically and ran to the edge of the ship, peering over the side and looking out towards the horizon.

“Be on the lookout for other ships. These 'ere be dangerous seas we travel.”

“Aye, aye, Cap'n!”

Captain Dwin stood at the bow of his ship with an appreciative eye on the roiling waters below.

“Pirates, Cap'n!” Lil' Lil shrieked, running to Captain Dwin to report the sighting. “They be comin' for us!”

“Compose ye'self, sailor. We be no landlubbers here. Protect da' booty!” Captain Dwin threw a tarp over an ornate treasure chest, obscuring it from the view of their unwelcome guests.

“Prepare for battle!” Captain Dwin shouted. He placed his hands on Lil' Lil's shoulders to cease her trembling. “We be under siege,” he said as he looked her squarely in the eye. “But this 'ere Sea Witch be our ship, and we be protectin' our own. For all da doubloons!”

“Yo ho ho!” Lil' Lil exclaimed, her fear replaced by the thrill of impending battle. She raised her sword hand high and shook it while she cheered. “They be boardin' us soon, Cap'n.”

Lil' Lil's arm wavered as she dropped her sword in a vicious swing onto her captain's forearm.

“Ow, Lil! Be careful, you play too rough.” Edwin scolded her. He rubbed his arm where a red welt formed.

“Sorry, Dwin” Liliana said. She lowered the stick and frowned at her brother.

“It's okay, Lil. I'm fine.” He showed her his arm and flexed it with no pain. “See? Barely a scratch. Ready to continue?”

She nodded.

“Aye! Ye be stationed starboard, and I be port side.”

Captain Dwin and Lil' Lil got into position to protect The Sea Witch and all her treasures from the approaching pirates.

“Get ready!” Captain Dwin shouted, unsheathing his sword as the anchors dropped for the enemy ship, a battle hardened monstrosity of charred wood. The crew swarmed onto The Sea Witch.

“It be da Dread Revenge,” Lil' Lil yelled as she identified the mysterious ship. Her sword crashed against the pistol from the first rouge pirate on the decks of The Sea Witch. He was a lanky fellow, with a scraggly beard and a peg leg.

Captain Dwin glanced at his first mate as she fought, but he was preoccupied with villains of his own as more pirates came aboard. Lil' Lil was a sailor worth her salt and would be able to handle herself. The Captain spun as three pirates swarmed on him. The first barreled into him. He was short and rotund, his protruding stomach wielded as a weapon. He swung his gut to the side and knocked Captain Dwin to the ground. He landed on his back and could not move as the three pirates closed in on him. The short one held a rope while the other two, twins, held a net between them.

“You'll nev'r take me!” Captain Dwin shouted. He lifted his legs and kicked each twin in the shins. They lost their balance and toppled over. The net they previously held aloft fluttered in the breeze and landed on the would-be captors. They broke into a brawl under the net, bickering over which had failed, until they were tangled beyond hope of freedom.

Captain Dwin scrambled away from the short pirate. He tried to lash him with the rope, but the captain of The Sea Witch was nimble. He scurried to the rail of the ship and climbed until he was standing on it.

“Ye be sorry, ya scalawag! No pirates be messin' with The Sea Witch!” He jumped from the rail and knocked down the stout pirate with a cross body blow. Captain Dwin stood with one foot on the pirate's stomach and his hands on his hips. He grinned from ear to ear and watched Lil' Lil disarm her opponent with a subtle flick of her wrist before he dropped to his knees and begged for mercy. Lil' Lil hoot and hollered her victory.

“YO HO HO!” she cheered. “Da booty be arrs!”

Captain Dwin and Lil' Lil crossed onto the Dread Revenge to loot and pillage. They piled the spoils of their victory into the treasure chest in front of the four crew members that dared to besiege their vessel.

“Spread da word, ye yella bellied scoundrels. No pirates be welcome on this 'ere ship. I willna be as nice to the next pirates that attack me crew.” Captain Dwin warned.

“Aye!” Lil' Lil hollered.

They untied the pirates and sent them back to the Dread Revenge. Lil' Lil kicked each in the butt as they climbed the rail and retreated.

“Where to now, Cap'n?” Lil' Lil asked.

“Kids, dinner!” A woman's voice called from a distant island.

“Aye, we best set sail for port,” Captain Dwin said, steering the ship toward home. His first mate saluted and adjusted the rigging for the return journey. The sails of the ship became leaves and the mast of the ship a tree trunk once more.

“That was fun, Dwin,” Liliana said, wrapping her arms tightly around her brother. He hugged her back and kissed the top of her head before opening the door to the treehouse.

“Can we play pirates again tomorrow?”

Liliana climbed down the ladder first. Edwin watched to make sure she reached the ground safely before he started to climb down himself. He pulled the door with him and left their afternoon of high-seas adventures behind.

“Sure, Lil. Anything you want,” Edwin said. He glanced back behind him at his treehouse. This place was home to some of his most prized memories, of summer afternoons spent in the most wondrous of places with his sister.