By Julia Xiao

Small buds on a branch so small that you can’t see. The naked tree so bare and skinny no leafy hair could be seen. I, a small bud waiting to grow, on top of this mighty great tree. One by one, the leaves grow bigger. As the sun rises and sets, we all grow bigger.

Now a small green bud, I can see the light of the sun, shining so bright in the sky it blinds me. My first taste of rain was oh, so refreshing! Now a big bundle of leaves, I catch rain on my skin. Droplets drip onto other buds. Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop.

The rays of sunshine beat down at the tree. Waves of heat roll off the branches. Now a full grown leaf, I stand up high on a branch. The tree now has a full head of leaves. His leafy hair so green and bright, gleaming in the sun.

Slowly, Slowly red, orange, and yellow dyes the tree. As if the tree has caught on fire, the leaves change color. I become a beautiful shade of red and yellow, a beautiful performer on a fiery stage.

One by one, leaves fall to the ground. All of my neighbors have already left the tree. Only I remain, on the bare spiny tree. White flakes of snow fall from the sky covering me, and the big tree. As wind blows hard at the tree, I quiver and shiver trying not to leave.

I feel myself loosen, from the great tree. A gust of wind pushes me off the branch and throws me into the air. I flutter down to the ground as the wind throws me in different directions. At last, I landed on the ground.

I lay on the ground through bitter and cold. Snow piles on top of me and buries me under. I start to turn brown and parts of me wither away, until there is no more of me to see.