Flora was so mad about being short! She couldn’t stand being teased anymore, and all she wanted was to get taller. But how? Flora decided that she would wear stilts. Then, she would be taller than everyone! The next day, Flora wore her brand new, shiny stilts, jumped out of her little den, and gathered everyone’s attention. She stood with her back tall and her stilts extra shiny.
“Look how high I can jump!” she exclaimed, pushing off the ground and flying into a tree branch.
Everyone looked up in awe. Flora was the first nymph to ever climb a tree this fast.
Sarah snickered and said, “She is cheating. She is a cheater. She is using stilts.”
Sarah took a stilt from under Flora. Flora fell with a thump to the ground. Everyone giggled and walked away. Flora squirmed to get her balance back. Her face had turned red and all her fur spiked up. She was so angry, she stomped over to Sarah and her group of friends.
“You had no right to take my stilts. NOW GIVE THEM BACK!” she screamed with all her might.
Sarah smiled and shook her head. “Can you believe this girl? She thinks she can out-climb me by cheating with a pair of stilts. Well cheaters don’t get their stuff back!” Sarah replied.
Flora shook her head over and over until something came out of her mouth, something she didn’t mean to say.
“I will beat you, without stilts!”
Sarah was shocked! This short nymph couldn’t even climb a tree, let alone beat her.
“You want to race, shorty?”
“Don’t call me that,” yelled Flora. “I’ll race you this Friday.”
“Are you sure you only need four days?” Sarah laughed.
“Absolutely,” said a voice behind Flora. It was Flora’s best friend, Sierra.
“Fine, see you Friday,” said Sarah, walking away.
Flora did not get a bit of sleep for the next few nights. She climbed and climbed the tree with all her might. In the first two days, she got a hang of climbing, and in the second two, she picked up the speed, but in her head, she could never be a match for Sarah. The day was soon upon them, and Flora was more nervous than ever. She didn’t want to make a fool of herself yet again.
“Are you ready, shorty?” asked Sarah, approaching with her nymph squad and the rest of the school.
Flora nodded and looked up the tree. Before seconds, the two nymphs kicked off the ground to race up the tallest tree in the community.
Flora dug her nails in the bark as she pushed herself higher and higher up. Sarah seemed behind her, but Flora kept going.
I can do it, I can do it, was all Flora thought. Before she knew it, she had reached the top! Flora had won! Flora had won!
“Whatever,” said Sarah rolling her eyes. “Come on guys, let’s go!”
But no one followed her.
“I said come on!”
But no one listened to Sarah.
The whole school was cheering for Flora. Flora proved herself and won the game. Flora could finally be happy with herself and her community. She took a deep breath and plopped onto the tree branch, smiling.