『 2| The G Tree 』 ❝ Well, you do know that she doesn't take commands, do you? ❞
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"So just write another Bert story." Diana says. I tap with my pencil on my paper nervously and, feel the tension between Diana and Ruby. "Another Bert story?" Ruby asks. We are sitting with the four of us, in our little wood house. We share our writing stories in here and we just talk. I look up from my paper and look at Ruby.
"You always write a version of the same thing." I tell her. "No. I don't!" She argues. I look at Diana and shrug. "About a dashing hero named Albert, Herbert, Rupert, Pilbert-" "Pilbert?!" Ruby asks surprised. "That's ridiculous. I would never write a story about a boy named Pilbert."
"It's not like we can't tell-" "you always murder everyone, you can't figure out what to do with your characters." She interrupt me, but I keep going on. "Are about Gilbert." I finish. "No, they're not!" She exclaims.
"How else am I supposed to deal with the fact that he's been gone for eight months and three days, and he may never come back?!" Diana sighs. "Wait, you really have been counting those days?" I ask. Ruby nods exaggerated.
"Anne, please take your nose out of that book and help us here." Diana says to Anne. She looks up to us and says, "how about... a tragical tale of a sad and handsome scientist who one day stumbles upon a secret that could save the world?" I tilt my head and look at Anne.
"Oh, Anne! However do you think of such amazing things all the time?" Diana asks. "Scientist... stumbles upon a secret?" I mumble. "I draw from life, Diana. But, I bet Grace her stories are better." All three girls look at me. "Not anymore. Lost my inspiration six months ago." I tell them.
"Oh! I almost forgot! I've had a letter from aunt Josephine! She's very keen to read some of our stories. Let's only send her our very best." Diana says, opening the box with our stories in it. "Well, then, we should send her all of Anne's." "Yeah, good idea. I burned my good ones." Anne narrows her eyebrows.
"Let's send her one each. To be fair." I stand up but, stoop down a bit, or I'll bump my head up to the ceiling. I take Ruby's arm and sit next to Anne. Diana hands out the letters to everyone, so we can pick our best.
➸
"Cole! Wait up!" I tell, running after the boy. Me and Cole have been spending a lot of time since Gilbert has been away. "I thought I was bad at running, but I guess you beat me in that." Cole chuckles. We walk over to the big tree, and climb higher through the branches.
"So, are you gonna read me a story?" He asks. "I burned my best ones, but I got an average one here." I take the letter from my pocket and fold it open. I take a deep breath and begin with the first sentences. I look at Cole and see that he dropped his jaw. "I know, it's really boring." I say, putting the letter back into my pocket.
"No, no! It's just that I have never heard the first sentences of a book being so touching." He takes the letter from my hand. "I feel the pain that you describe." He looks at me and then at my arm. "Since when are you so skinny?" He says, picking up my arm. His hands are cold so I pull away fast. "I, um." I try to get the words out of my mouth.
"I haven't got time to eat a lot." I say, rubbing my arm. He looks concerned at me. "Did you not eat on purpose?" "What? No- I don't know. I guess I haven't really been paying attention to it." He looks up to the sky and bites his lip. "Well, I am now. So, you have to eat again."
"I will. Don't worry. I am paying attention to it now. You have nothing to worry about anymore." He nods. I sigh and lean back to a big branch. "What's that?" Cole asks, pointing at something that is carved into the tree. I giggle. "Me and Gilbert carved that. As a symbol of our friendship." I tell proudly. "The G Tree?" I laugh and nod.
➸
"Wait-" "shh!" I sush Ruby, when i cover her mouth with my hand. I look down the hall. All the adults are chatting indistinctly. Rachel walks over to the piano and gives it a few good and loud slams. Everyone gets quieter. "Now, one at a time." She says.
A man stands up and says, "sir, my name is Thomas Lynde and my wife and I want to know where you sent the gold sample." "I sent the sample to an independent company in New York for testing and confirmation." Nathaniel tells him. "As I said... I didn't want to employer to know."
I look and search the room for Adam. He looks up to me and gives me a angry look. He mouthed something to me, but I couldn't make anything of it. "Looks like someone is mad at you." Diana whispers into my ear. "Really?" I say sarcastically. "Wait until your parents know that you're here." Her eyes widen. "You wouldn't!" She says, smacking my arm. "No, I probably wouldn't."
"That there is indeed, gold in Avonlea. I mentioned I had taken this action earlier to William Barry." We listen with all our attention to the people that are arguing beneath us. "Nathaniel told me in the strictest confidence. He was in a moral quandary and it all came out." I squeeze my eyes a little bit to see if I can see the paper better, but unfortunately.
"There really is good in Avonlea." I turn my head to Anne, who is lying on the ground next to me. "Father is quite preoccupied at the prospect." "Do you really think that we'll all be rich like you, Diana?" I ask her. Nathaniel explains how they are gonna proceed.
"I have to write to Gilbert! I have to let him know about the gold." Anne says. "Gilbert?" Me and Ruby say in sync. "But you don't even know where he is." I softly bite my lip and watch Anne stand up. "I think I have a way to find out!" "Anne!" Diana says, when she stands up. Loud cheers come from the people underneath us. When I look down I see the most of them leaving.
I stand up and pick up my coat, and I storm downstairs. "Adam!" I whisper/yell. He turns around annoyed. "What in the holy hell are you doing here?" He says, storming my way. "I told you to stay home." I hear a soft chuckle coming from behind him. "Well, you do know that she doesn't take commands, do you?" When I take a step aside I see Kyle standing behind Adam.
"Are you on my side or my sister's?" Adam says, turning around to Kyle. He shrugs and asks, "what did you think of Nate's speech?" "Ugh, I don't like that guy. I feel like something weird is about to happen, and it's his fault." A grin starts to form on my face. "Is someone jealous?" I say, poking his stomach.
"I am not jealous of that douchebag." "Okay, so, you're not jealous over the fact that he is better looking than you." I see him biting the inside of his cheek. "He is not better looking, and you miss, have to get into bed." He picks me up, and carries me away.
