A is for Arboreal

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It's time to go," his mum called from somewhere far below. He couldn't really see her through the foliage, just a glimpse of her pink t-shirt as she moved back and forth, trying to attract his attention. He didn't want to get down. The tree was like a fantastic kingdom where he was safe from marauders; a mossy branch had become a comfortable vantage point and he was king of all he surveyed. In the distance, across the field, a group of kids playing football were like mere insects to him.  There was a soft scratching and a squirrel was gripping the trunk right by his face, it's startled tail pointing up, it's nose practically touching his own. For a few seconds they watched each other then it recovered and darted inside a small hollow just above. The boy pulled his feet up and stood on the branch and peered into the hollow. It smelled earthy and animal. He put his hand into the opening. The space was bigger than he expected and the wood inside was smooth to the touch. He took his hand back out, or tried to, but the hole was small and his hand would no longer pass through. He pulled, but that made it worse, the opening tightened around his wrist. Tiny tendrils of green began to trace from the bark onto his skin and he felt the hollow close down around his hand until his fingers were crushed into a tight fist. Within moments the green travelled up his arm and the skin began to thicken and crack like bark, and as he watched a shoot emerged from his forearm and two tiny leaves unfurled from a bud.
"No" he shrieked in alarm as the transformation reached his shoulder, but he could not pull away. His legs kicked frantically and one trainer dropped from his foot, bouncing between the branches and landing in the leaves beside his mum. She looked up and called again, but there was no answer.

(Words for my flash fiction A to Z supplied spontaneously by Monkey)

(Linking back to the A to Z challenge)