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Lexus Kerr Mrs. Rutan Creative Writing 5 November 2013

Geronimo
Geronimo! my older brother screamed. We all bailed off the sled. Tumbling through the woodshitting every rock, stick, and stump there was and landing with a face full of snow. Sledding was an Olympic sport at my house. Seated to the right of our gray house with the colorful maroon, gray, and black rocks was our sledding hill. Endless and steep. I was all bundled up in my snow pants, earmuffs, and furry coat; I looked like an oompa loompa. My three siblings and I all marched out to the hillleaving footprints behind in the glistening white blanket of snow. Trailing behind us was, of course, our red plastic sled with the yellow string. Sledding always went in the same orderoldest to youngestCody, Cassidy, Logan and me. We were all packed in like sardines and ready to go. Swoosh! We were teetering through this tree and that tree. Crack! Crunch! We glided over the sticks and snow. At the far left of our usual path was a large pine tree. It taunted us with fury eyes. My brother was steering and strangely enough, led us right into the direction of this treehe was quite the dare-devil. I braced myself. I didnt want to hit the tree, but I also didnt want to get off the sled. I was testing my limits until my brother beckoned for us to bail. Maybe Ill stay on just a little longer. We crept nearer and nearer. Okay, never mind. I bailed off too. We all watched in astonishment as the rickety sled slid along the snow and crammed straight into the

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tree. Pine cones fell off the branches, plummeting into the ground. Where there are pine cones, there are pine needles, I thought to myself. It was a good thing I got off the sled. Trudging back up our hill was the worst part. The burning in my thighs and legs felt as if I had just done fifty mountain climbersit was awful. Once we reached top, our process started all over again. Are we ready? My sister, with her blue coat and black snow pants, asked with excitement. We all nodded. It was time for round two. This time I pushed the sled a little, and with all of my force hopped on the back; Id barely made it, being that I was cockeyed on the back of the sled. Ripping through the woods, I lost my black striped hat. The snow was flinging through my face and hair. I cant see! I yelled. I cant see either! My sister barked and she was the driver. Uh oh I saw my sisters chocolate brown eyes get profusely large. All of a sudden, she screamed for us to get off because she couldnt steer anymore. I bailed right away, and tumbled through the snow once again. I was smiling and laughing. It was a ritual: sledding down the hill, bailing off the sled, and getting a face full of snow. Its what made sledding all worthwhile. Our red plastic sled with the yellow strings is still hanging in the rafters of our garage. Untouched. Unloved. The enormous pine tree is now cut downcompletely gone. I can still hear the laughter in my head. No matter the amount of snow stuffed in our socks or gloves after sledding, laughter was always promised.