Any kind contest (-6.7 close down)

chapter 1

"Do you really think this is safe?" Ray asked, her voice cutting through the mist of the morning.
"Of course it is!" Anna replied quickly, grunting with frustration. "Why wont this hook on?" She yelled. Ray tried not to peek, but couldn't succeed. Ray's eyes popped open. With a gasp, she tied her ponytail back, and began to stare at the wonderment around her.
"Oh my gosh! You brought me here?!" she exclaimed with delight. She tugged on the harness around her waist, trying to believe it was true! She had finally turned 10, and was about to access 'the palace'.
"you are 10, aren't you?" she replied jokingly. "It's time you learned how to get up, isn't it?" Ray nodded so hard that her head nearly bounced off of her shoulders! Anna then knelt down on the forest floor. Ray watched in wonder as she began to dig in the fallen leaves, creating a musty smell that hung in the air like a natural air freshener. Ray took in a deep breath, savoring the scent, hoping to never forget it. "Here we go!" Anna declared proudly. "Just as I remember it!" In each hand she held a large climbing hook attached to a heavy rope that stretched toward the sky. Swiftly, she clipped one to each side of Rays harness. "Now lets get you up!" She exclaimed happily.
"Are you sure this will hold my weight?" Ray asked nervously, gulping as she stared up into the canopy, wondering where the tree house could be.
"Don't tell me you chickened out? Are you still a little nine year old? To scared to go up into the big, bad, tree house?"Anna teased, pretending to cry at the idea of going up a tree.
"No I'm not!" Ray exclaimed hotheadedly, upset that her sister would consider her a scared baby.
"Then get ready to go!" at the sound of these words, Ray quickly closed her eyes, held tight to the ropes, and screamed as she shot up into the trees.


chapter 2

Ray's eyes popped open as soon as the harness stopped pulling her to the sky. "Wow!" she breathed, swiveling around to get a better look. The sun shone through the leaves,
"Send the harness down!" Anna's voice echoed up with a twinge of whine. Ray twisted her face up, mocking her sisters voice. "Are you up their yet?"Anna whined up. Ray began searching franticly, hoping her sister wouldn't let go of the rope that kept her in the tree. "Come on! It's right next to you!" Ray turned bright red, ashamed that she could be so stupid. As she glanced down to the side, she spied the mellow cream of a well-trodden floor. Ray lowered herself slowly, unclipping the two hooks. She shimmed out of the harness, clipped it back on the ropes, and yelled, "Take it down!"


chapter 3

"Ow!" An angry voice echoed up. "Why are you always so clumsy! You would lose your own head if it wasn't screwed on!" Ray winced. Xavier and Chris were here? Of all bad luck. Trying to forget what Chris would do when he got into the tree house, Ray set to exploring. The tree house was even better than she had imagined! There was a main platform, with two separate rooms and an open patio deck with 3 large wood chairs. With a smug smile on her face, Ray relished the fact that the boys would have to make a chair for her, now that she was 10. Past the chairs was a long, thick tree branch that steadily climbed towards the sky. She climbed up like a monkey and was thrilled to discover yet another floor. This one had one large room and one small room, but only a small patio area.

"Where are you?" A voice broke through Ray's daydreams. She hurried down the ladder and came to a halt right in front of Chris. "Come on! It's time for the grand tour!" Anna beamed at her sister. As she led Ray towards the first room on the main deck, she began to act like a real-estate agent. "Over here is the main room, where we play games, eat, and just have a good time!" Ray swiveled her head in order to take in the rooms entire lay out. In one corner, a counter with a well, a mini fridge and a cooking stove served as a 'kitchen' "In case we get hungry!" next to the kitchen stood a large, wooden picnic table, covered with a bright checkered cloth. The rest of the room was sixties style, with tie-die beanbags and peace sign blankets littering the floor. mounted on the wall was an old TV!

"We got most of this from the Goodwill." Xavier gestured around the room. Anna pulled Ray away.

"Over here is our bedroom. We divided it into 4 parts, so you could have one. Since you are the newest, you get the far one. 'Kay?" Ray nodded enthusiastically, happy to have a space of her own.

"But..." Chris interrupted Ray's daydreams. "You have to pay for all your stuff. Beanbag, mattress, anything!"

"Now, the rest of the tree house! Upstairs is the library and bathroom. up past that is, well, just for reading and writing. Now, go on! explore!" Ray didn't need to be told twice! She rushed up the ladder, ready to read a book from the library. When she got to the second story, she pulled aside the vines hanging over the entrance. ray then grabbed a book of the shelf and plopped into a beanbag, to read.


chapter 4

"How do you know?" Anna asked Xavier in a hushed tone. "How do you know that... that... monster is going to..."
"Hey, I never said I liked it either, now did I?" He replied, as they sat on the patio.
"But... to sell the forest, why would he do that?" Anna pleaded, leaning against Xavier. "I just don't get it!" She cried, scaring away a family of birds. Anna fell on to Xavier sobbing uncontrollably. Xavier pulled a blanket around them, and huddled with Anna.
"There, there." Xavier murmured.
"Oh no! It's nearly sunset!" Anna cried out. "i have to go!" Hastily, she wiped the tears from her eyes, and grabbed the harness. "Ray! It's time to go home!" She yelled, hoping her sister would hear. Anna slipped on the harness, and deftly clipped on the hooks. Xavier held on to the slightly frayed rope, just as Ray came down the ladder.
"Oh, can't we stay longer? Please Anna?" Ray asked imploringly. In response, Anna jumped off the side of the fort. Anna shrieked with delight as she free fell through the forest. Ray closed her eyes, afraid of the 'Crunch' her sister would make as she hit the ground. The next thing she heard was Anna's voice.
"Your next, squirt!" Anna yelled up gleefully, sending the harness up. As it soared into view, Ray gulped. Did she have the guts? Before she knew it, Xavier was clasping the climbing hooks to the sides of the harness. Chris sneaked up behind her, as quiet as a mouse.
"Boo!" Chris yelled, and Ray jumped off, scared out of her wits. She began to speed towards the forest floor, her mouth open in a wordless scream.


Chapter 5

"Ahhhh!" Ray screamed as she hurtled towards the forest floor. There was no way the harness could catch her now! She tried to mentally count the distance towards a horrible death. 70 feet, 50 feet, 30 feet, whoosh! The air rushed out Ray's lungs, in a loud "Huuh!" She froze, two feet above the floor, splayed out like a spider. "That...was..awesome!" Ray exclaimed jumping up and down. "Lets do it again! Come on!"
"Sorry, sis. Time to go home." Ray groaned, stomping as they headed home. Finally, they excited the forest, and headed towards their house. It was a traditional one story stone house. The chimney led high above the rooftop, while billowing smoke into the sunset. Anna paused, trying to take in every detail of the farm, from the traditional red barn to the pasture where the girls kept their horses. From the orange groves where the girls picked all they wanted to the tire swing, nothing had changed. Anna sprinted to catch up to her sister, ready for her mom's famous apple pie.


chapter 6

Ray and Anna walked hand in hand, their feet beating the familiar dirt path that wound through the entire ranch. They took a few minutes to greet their horses, then raced home. Anna won, and when Ray finally caught up, Anna had finally caught her breath. They stood on the threshold of their home, ready for dinner. Ray pushed the door open, and barged in to their dining room.
"What's for dinner?" She asked, her stomach rumbling in approval.
"Mashed potatoes and salmon. Make sure to take some veggie as well." The girls mom replied. "What did you 2 do today?" She asked as soon as Ray and Anna had sat down.
"We were in the woods!" Ray bounced up and down in her seat, ignoring the steam coming from the food on her plate. Ray's mom and Dad stared at each other cautiously, as if someone had died. "It's awesome in there!" Ray continued without any sign of stopping. "There's birds, and squirrels, and a big-" Ray was cut off as Anna shoved a hand over her sister's mouth.
"Kids," Their father began. "I have something I need to tell you."
"Yeah Dad?" Ray asked, still excited.
"We have to sell the forest." He finished. Ray stopped jumping up and down as shock took over. Anna slammed down her book onto the embroidered table cloth. Ray began to stutter incoherently. Finally, Anna spoke up.
"Dad, you know redwoods are protected, right? You can't sell them to just anyone!"
"Yes, I know Anna. But I have to. The farm hasn't been doing well, and, well, were in trouble from the bank." he sighed, bracing himself for a flurry of questions.
"But, Dad, I love the forest! Why, Daddy, why?" Ray cried, then, without an answer, she ran to her room, and remained there for the rest of the night.