Lily's Cedar Tree Pillow Fort

Lily bounded into the garage in search of empty boxes.  Yesterday her parents had bought a new washer and dryer, and the boxes just might serve her purpose.

“Dad, can I have one of the boxes for the washer and dryer?” Lily asked.  “I want to make a pillow fort in the old cedar tree.”

“A what?” her dad asked as he gave her a strange look.

“A pillow fort in the hollow part of the old cedar tree next to the woods,” Lily stated.

“Oh, I guess so,” replied her dad.  “Good luck with that.”

Lily dragged the box out to the cedar tree.  When some of the bottom branches were moved, the tree had a hollow place big enough for a child to stand.  Lily thought this box would fit just fine.  It took some pushing and pulling, but Lily finally managed to move the box into the hollow place.  It fit perfectly.

Lily ran inside and grabbed scissors, markers, and crayons and took them out to the box.  First, she cut a hole in the side of the box for a doorway.  Cutting through the cardboard was hard work but she persisted until she managed to make it exactly like she wanted.

Next, she went inside the box and began to decorate her walls.  She wanted her pillow fort to be filled with colorful pictures of happy places.  This took her until sundown.  When she finished the last picture, she gathered her things and went inside for supper.  Tomorrow, she would fill the fort with the floor pillows that she had found in the garage and had saved specifically for this purpose.

The next morning after breakfast Lily headed out the back door with an armful of pillows.  When she reached the cedar tree, she stopped and stared in horror.  It had rained in the night, and the box was now warped and crumpled from getting wet.  A very sad Lily trudged back to the house.

“How’s my inventor’s pillow fort coming?” asked her mom as she came through the back door.

“It’s ruined!” wailed Lily.  “It rained and now it is all wet.  I didn’t think rain would come inside the tree.”

“Lily, look at the trees,” instructed her mother.  “See all the holes between the leaves.  Even though the tree does offer a little protection from rain, some rain still makes its way inside the tree.”

Lily went back outside to remove the ruined mess of her pillow fort.  As she threw the remains in the trashcan, she noticed an old parachute she had used for a birthday party two years ago in the garage.  Then an idea came to her.  She grabbed the parachute and some old string and ran back out to the cedar tree.

She bunched the middle of the parachute into a bubble and tied one end of the string around it.  Then she took the other end of the string and threw it over the lowest branch in the hollow place of the tree.  She pulled the string until the parachute was hanging from the branch.  Then she tied the other end of the string to another branch to hold it in place.

Then she headed back to the garage for the other box.  She pushed and pulled until she managed to get the box in place and then covered it with the parachute like a tent.  Again, she grabbed her scissors, markers, and crayons.  This time when she made the door, she cut it out to where it lifted up and held the parachute away from the opening.  Then, she redid all her wonderful happy place pictures.  By the time she was finished, it was again sundown.  She ran inside looking anxiously over her shoulder at the new pillow fort.  Would it be there in the morning?

The next morning she headed out with her armful of pillows and walked slowly in the direction of the cedar tree.  The fort was still there!  It had rained in the night, but this time the parachute protected the fort.  Lily arranged her pillows and ran inside to get her parents.

“Come see my pillow fort!” Lily said excitedly as she dragged her mom and dad to the cedar tree.

“Wow! Lily,” said her dad.  “This is a really cool hideout.”

Lily beamed as she gave her parents the grand tour.  She hoped this cedar tree pillow fort would be around for a long time.