Mom says the fort has to come down. The wood rotted. Uncle
said he’ll do it on the weekend, but we don’t wait. I give Sean two hammer and
tell him to follow me. My Great Grandfather planted this tree. It’s sturdy
branches sweep low enough that I can reach. Sean watches as I pull myself up.
-Hammers!
My brother Sean is only a year younger in school but he
looks like it’s two years. He pretty much does what I say. He stands on his
tippy toes, even though he doesn’t have to. I take the hammers from him and put
one in each belt loop. They stick out at uncomfortable angles.
-Now you.
Sean looks unconvinced, so I stick out my arm for him to
grab.
-Come on.
He doesn’t realize how happy Mom will be when she sees we’ve
smashed the fort with hammers. He stretches his arms in the air anyway. I clasp
his wrist and twist pull him into the tree. He scrapes his elbow and whines. I
did most of the work anyway. The wind picks up and the tree shivers.
