Safe Up High

Sunlight poked through the leaves to fall on the open book in the young girl's lap.
Her long brown hair fell across her face as she devoured the words on the page.
Shining grey eyes danced behind large glasses as her imagination wove the words
into pictures. In her mind, she saw Arthur pull the sword from the stone and hold
it high above her head. Sunlight reflected off the blade and cast a halo of light
around the young king. With a delighted sigh, she rock backwards into open
air, almost tumbling out of her perch high above the ground. She clutched the
tree trunk with one hand and made a grab for her book with her other hand. Her
legs curled instinctively around the branch she was resting on. Quickly, she regained
her balance and settled back into the little spot where the branch and tree met.
It wasn't a large space, but it was just roomy enough for her to fit herself in and
be sure that she wouldn't easily fall. This was her favorite place in the world, her
safe and alone place. Adults wouldn't climb up after her and her bratty brother
preferred to roam the woods.

She gazed down at the world below her. the family dogs were all laying around at
their individual doghouses, waiting for feeding time. There was time to finish this chapter
before she had to climb down to feed them. Her eyes scanned the yard, looking for
any adults or her younger brother. The tree was her was her refuge, the only place that
she could find peace to read her books. In a sense, the tree was her friend. It held her
close as she stepped through the doorways of her books into distant lands. High above
the ground, she was free. All she had to do was open a book and she was transported
anywhere she wished to go. Sometimes, she made up her own stories where she slayed
dragons and saved the handsome prince. She broke spells and won kingdoms. In her
stories she was beautiful and powerful. She was courageous and never tripped over her
own feet or became tongue-tied. There was no enemy she couldn't defeat and no
problem she couldn't solve. If only she was like that in real life, it would be so much
easier. She wouldn't have to feel like a screw up all the time.

The girl leaned against the trunk of the tree and rested her head against the rough bark.
It scratched her face as she fought back tears. Maybe one day life would be easier. She
would have it all together and stop making so many mistakes. In the future, maybe she
would have a job she loved and a man who loved her. She would get far away from this
place and move to England or Ireland. One day she would be happy and no longer have
to feel like she didn't fit in. Surely she wouldn't feel this way forever.

Sighing, she shook her head ruefully. It was time to climb back down to the real world.
She eased out of her niche and tucked her book into the waistband of her shorts. Nimbly,
she scampered down the tree trunk until she came to a branch about five feet off of the
ground. Wrapping her hands around it, she swung for a few seconds in the air. Then she
let go and dropped to the ground. As her feet touched, she sprinted to the house to get
the bucket of dog food. Back to the real world, where dogs were hungry and she must
feed them.