Chapter
6
the old hara tree
the old hara tree
“I knew it!” said Lucy, as she opened the car door to get out.
“What?” asked Lucas.
“It is just like Death Valley here!” she whined.
Lucas had a little bottle of water and was drinking as fast as he could.
“It is just like our old home in Arizona!” he replied.
John opened the car trunk and removed the suit cases and bags.
Tali went right towards the front door.
“Let’s put our things in the house, and dad will take you out for a hike” she said. “I will get dinner and our beds ready, before you are back.”
“Sounds good to me!” replied Lucas.
Lucy noticed several Army soldiers, walking across the street, a few blocks away. She also noticed a tall fence surrounding the entire town.
“Is this some kind of Army base?” she asked.
Lucas stood very still, looking around, realizing how cool the town really was.
“COOL!” he replied. “Why are there soldiers here?”
John turned to answer.
“We will meet one of them, when we are back from the hike! I will explain a little later.”
“LET’S GO THEN!” shouted Lucas, as he began to run down the street.
“WRONG WAY!” Tali shouted.
Lucas did not get very far, with his tiny legs, no matter how fast he ran. He just stopped and turned around grinning.
“Where’s the trail?” he asked.
Everyone started laughing.
John quickly took the bags inside the house, returning with a backpack, and some water.
The three of them were off, hiking up the trail.
“How far are we going?” asked Lucy.
“About two miles!” replied John. “we are going all the way over to the ‘Old Hara’ tree.”
“Is that the oldest tree?” she asked.
“The oldest in the entire world!” John answered, warmly.
Lucas was walking as fast as his tiny legs could go, even running at times.
“I can’t believe we live so close!” he said, trying to catch his breath.
Lucy began to worry about him.
“Can you carry Lucas?” she asked John.
“I thought he was doing great!” he replied.
John was enjoying his slow and steady stroll on the trail, but he was also had another reason for leaving Lucas on his own.
Lucy did not agree.
“Can you just carry him?” she asked.
John grinned, then set his hand by his side, signaling to Lucas. Lucas was more than happy to take it. John immediately pulled Lucas up to his shoulders.
“I wish you could carry me too!” Lucy gasped.
“We are almost there!” replied John.
John was wearing a baseball hat, and Lucas was holding on to his ears.
“How old are the trees?” he asked.
“Over five thousand years old.” replied John.
John noticed Lucy was letting the backpack drag on the ground.
“Can I carry the backpack for you?” he asked.
Lucy did not notice the backpack was still open as she turned to hand it to John.
“Sure!” she replied.
Two of the water bottles flew over the edge of the trail, exploding as they landed on a rock.
“Oops!” muttered Lucy. “We still have one that we can share.”
“Great job!” said Lucas.
“It’s no big deal!” replied John. “We have many natural springs of water here.”
John set Lucas down on the trail, and climbed down to pick up the broken bottles.
As soon as he was back on the trail, he lifted Lucas back over his shoulders. "We are almost there!” said John, as he started hiking once again. “I know of a stream, just ahead, under the Old Hara tree. We can find more water up there!”
Lucy opened up the last water bottle and Lucas watched her drink the entire bottle.
“I wanted some!” he said.
John pulled a lemon drop out of his pocket and passed it up to Lucas.
“This will keep your mouth busy until we get there!”
“Thanks!”
Lucy watched Lucas put the lemon drop in his tiny mouth. For a normal size person, the lemon drop would be much smaller, but Lucas could not even close his lips.
“Don’t drool on John’s hat!” she giggled.
John pulled another lemon drop out of his pocket, and handed it to Lucy.
“Keep walking!” he demanded, calmly.
“Thanks, I love these!” she replied.
The tree was just a few yards ahead.
“There she is!” said John. “My old friend!”
“She does look old!” said Lucas.
“That is a negative comment, and it gives negative energy!” replied Lucy.
John did not hear either of them. He set Lucas back on the ground, suddenly more interested in something behind the tree.
He took off his shoes and sox, and started removing rocks, placing one of his hands over the largest branch near the trunk, and buried his toes deep into the ground.
The tree immediately started to move, causing both of the kids to back up, almost frightened. The roots started slithering in and out of the dirt, until a large opening in the ground appeared.
Lucy stood closer to Lucas.
“That’s creepy!” she whispered.
The two largest branches began to lift high into the air, as if it were a pair of arms catching a baseball.
New leaves and branches began to grow, just like at the park.
“I FOUND IT!” John called. “Can you bring me the empty water bottle?”
Lucy walked over, and give it to John.
John reached way down inside the large opening, under the tree trunk, returning with a full bottle of dirty looking water.
“This is for you!” he said, holding the bottle out.
Lucy looked over at Lucas.
“I think he’s talking to you!” she said.
Lucas made a goofy face.
“I’m not thirsty, anymore!” he replied.
Soon, John standing in front of Lucas.
“It will taste great!” he said, taking the bottle and putting it inside the backpack.
“Old Hara, is the Mother of all trees on Earth.” he explained.
Lucas was immediately impressed. He took out John’s phone and took a few pictures.
“It’s a good thing you are here to keep her alive!” Lucas said, trying to take the perfect picture.
As soon as Lucas was finished, John started hiking down the trail, towards the house. This time he did not carry Lucas on purpose. He wanted Lucas to drink the water he took from under the tree, knowing the special changes it would bring.
John waived at both of the kids to keep up. “Follow me! BOY AM I READY FOR DINNER!” he shouted.
Half way back to the house, Lucas was running out of breath, trying to keep up with Lucy and John.
“I am ready, for some, of that water!” he huffed.
John stopped walking and removed the bottle of water from the backpack, handing it to Lucas.
“Are you sure it’s safe?” he asked.
John stood there grinning, curiously.
“It is better for you, than any other water in the world!” he replied.
Lucas slowly twisted the lid off and smelled the water. It smelled just fine. Without another thought, he quickly gulped down all of the water.
John had the biggest smile on his face. He must have known, what was about to happen to Lucas.
