The Time Traveling Tree House

Jamie and Lara find a time machine in their treehouse. When they accidentally travel back to the age of dinosaurs, they must find a way to fix the time machine’s broken controls and get back home. Along the way, they meet friendly dinosaurs, outsmart a sneaky T-Rex, and discover hidden secrets of the prehistoric world.

Music by Geoff Harvey

Transcript

The Time-Traveling Treehouse It was the last week of summer and Jamie and Lara were determined to make the most of it.

They spent almost every day in the treehouse at the far end of their backyard,

A place they had built with their dad a couple of years ago.

Nestled high among the branches of an old oak tree,

The treehouse had become their secret hideaway,

A place for adventures,

Games and wild imagination.

But something strange had happened over the summer.

One evening,

After a particularly fierce thunderstorm,

They had found a peculiar object lodged in the treehouse's floorboards.

It was a small bronze-coloured box,

Covered in unfamiliar symbols and strange gears that clicked and whirled quietly on their own.

Despite their curiosity,

Jamie and Lara couldn't figure out what it was.

Jamie,

Who had been tinkering with the object for a few days now,

Adjusted his glasses and shrugged.

I don't know,

It's probably broken,

Whatever it is.

Lara nodded,

Her voice half-joking,

But with a hint of nervousness.

What if it's some sort of an alien thing,

Or a bomb?

Jamie rolled his eyes.

If it was a bomb,

We'd have known by now.

He turned the object over in his hands again,

Running his fingers along the unfamiliar symbols.

It's like some kind of… machine.

Lara leaned in closer.

But what does it do?

Jamie sighed.

I wish I knew.

Maybe we should ask Dad and… But before he could finish his sentence,

His fingers accidentally pressed down on one of the gears that had been sticking out of the side.

Suddenly the box began to hum,

And the gears started spinning rapidly.

The treehouse itself seemed to vibrate slightly,

As if something beneath the floor was coming to life.

Jamie,

Lara shouted,

Jumping to her feet.

What did you do?

I don't know,

Jamie stammered.

His eyes wired as the vibration grew stronger.

The air around them shimmered,

And a strange light began to pour through the cracks in the walls.

The treehouse shook harder now,

And the humming grew louder.

Suddenly there was a bright flash of light,

And the world seemed to spin around them.

Jamie and Lara clung to each other as the floor of the treehouse disappeared from beneath their feet.

It felt like they were falling,

Falling through time and space itself.

Then,

Just as quickly as it had started,

Everything stopped.

The treehouse was still again,

And the light faded.

But something was very different.

Lara was the first to peek out of the window,

And what she saw made her heart leap into her throat.

Um,

You might want to take a look at this.

Jamie scrambled to his feet and looked out of the window.

His jaw dropped.

Gone were the familiar sights of their backyard and the neighbourhood beyond.

Instead,

They were surrounded by a vast,

Prehistoric landscape.

Towering trees,

Strange plants,

And in the distance,

The unmistakable form of dinosaurs roaming across the plains.

We've travelled back in time,

Jamie breathed,

Barely able to believe the words as they left his mouth.

Lara nodded,

Her face pale.

I think that machine,

It's a time machine,

Jamie.

We're in the age of the dinosaurs.

For a moment,

Neither of them moved,

Too stunned to process what had happened.

They were standing in the middle of a dense,

Ancient forest,

With enormous ferns and trees towering above them.

The ground below was covered in thick,

Spongy moss,

And the air smelled fresher and wilder than anything they'd ever experienced.

But the dinosaurs were the most striking sight.

Just a few yards away,

A herd of gentle long-necked sauropods grazed peacefully,

Their enormous tails swishing through the air.

Beyond them,

Jamie spotted a group of triceratops munching on the lush foliage.

This is insane,

Jamie whispered.

He turned to look at the strange machine still buzzing quietly on the floor of the treehouse.

That thing,

It actually worked.

Lara,

However,

Was not as thrilled as her brother.

She looked out at the dinosaurs again,

Her eyes wide with concern.

We need to figure out how to get back.

I don't want to be stuck here forever.

What if there are,

She hesitated,

Her voice lowering,

Dangerous ones.

As if on cue,

The unmistakable roar of a distant predator echoed through the forest,

Sending a shiver down their spines.

We're not waiting to find out,

Jamie said,

Moving quickly to the strange box.

We just need to reverse whatever I did to the controls and… But when Jamie tried to turn the gears back to their original position,

Nothing happened.

The machine remained stubbornly still,

The cymbals on its glowing faintly,

But the humming sound had stopped.

Oh no,

Jamie muttered under his breath.

He pushed and pulled at the gears,

But it was no use.

The machine was completely unresponsive.

It's broken.

Lara's eyes widened.

What do you mean,

Broken?

Can't you fix it?

I'm trying,

Jamie exclaimed,

But it was clear from his frantic movements that he had no idea what he was doing.

He slammed the machine in frustration.

This is bad.

Really bad.

Lara's face paled as the full weight of their situation settled in.

They were trapped,

Trapped in the prehistoric age,

With no way of knowing how to fix the time machine or how to get back home.

Suddenly,

A loud rustling in the bushes behind them made them freeze.

Jamie,

Lara whispered,

Backing away from the window.

Something's coming.

Jamie's heart raced as he followed his sister's gaze.

Through the thick undergrowth,

Something large and very much alive was moving towards them.

The treehouse creaked as the ground shook with each step the creature took.

Lara grabbed Jamie's arm.

We need to hide.

Without thinking,

They ducked down inside the treehouse,

Pressing themselves against the wooden walls and holding their breath.

The rustling grew louder,

And then,

Through the gaps in the walls,

They saw it.

A large,

Scaly creature with bright eyes and long claws.

It was a dinosaur,

But not one of the peaceful herbivores they had seen earlier.

It was a raptor,

And it was hunting.

Jamie and Lara crouched in silence as the raptor sniffed around the base of the tree.

Its sharp claws dug into the dirt,

And its eyes scanned the area with a predatory focus.

Jamie could feel his heart hammering in his chest.

He wanted to run,

But he knew that any sudden movement would draw the creature's attention.

The raptor circled the tree once,

And then stopped directly below the treehouse.

It raised its head and let out a low,

Guttural growl,

Its eyes narrowing.

Lara squeezed Jamie's arm,

Her face pale with fear.

We're doomed,

She whispered,

Barely audible.

Just as the raptor began to claw at the tree's trunk,

A thunderous sound erupted from behind them.

The ground shook as something enormous approached,

The earth trembling with each step.

The raptor paused,

Its head whipping around to face the new threat.

For a moment there was silence,

Then a loud bellow filled the air,

And the raptor darted off into the bush,

Fleeing from whatever was coming their way.

Jamie and Lara exchanged terrified glances,

But their curiosity got the better of them.

Slowly they peeked out of the window again,

Their mouths dropping open in awe.

Lumbering towards them,

Its massive feet crushing the ferns beneath it,

Was a towering brachiosaurus.

Its long neck swayed gently as it moved,

And its enormous body cast a shadow over the treehouse.

It was one of the gentle giants they had seen earlier,

And it had driven the raptor away,

With nothing more than its sheer size.

It saved us,

Lara whispered in disbelief.

Jamie nodded,

Still staring at the brachiosaurus in awe.

Yeah,

I guess it did.

As the brachiosaurus wandered off to graze on a patch of tall trees,

Jamie and Lara finally allowed themselves to breathe again.

They had survived their first encounter with the dangers of the prehistoric world,

But they knew they wouldn't always be so lucky.

We need to fix that time machine,

Jamie said,

Turning back to the bronze box on the floor of the treehouse.

We can't stay here,

Not with predators like that around.

Lara nodded.

But we don't even know how it works.

Jamie frowned,

Staring at the machine's glowing symbols.

Maybe we don't,

But we've got to try something.

Maybe there's a clue somewhere,

Something we're missing.

Lara sighed.

Well,

We don't have much time to figure it out,

And I'm really scared being here.

As they both sat down,

Staring at the mysterious box,

The weight of their situation pressed down on them.

They were in the age of the dinosaurs,

And no way to contact anyone from their time,

And no clear idea on how to get back.

But Jamie was determined to fix the machine.

He couldn't let them stay here forever,

Not when danger was lurking so close.

A few days passed,

And Jamie and Lara continued to survive in the prehistoric world.

They stayed hidden in the treehouse for the most part,

Venturing out only when necessary to gather food or explore their surroundings.

But the time machine remained a puzzle.

No matter how much Jamie tinkered with it,

He couldn't get it to work again.

It was as if the machine had shut down entirely,

Leaving them stranded in the past.

One afternoon,

Jamie and Lara ventured into the forest to look for berries to eat.

Wandering through the prehistoric forest,

They felt intrigued and unnerved by the vast,

Untamed wilderness around them.

Tiny trees loomed overhead,

Their branches twisting and reaching into the misty sky.

Birds with strange,

Colourful feathers darted through the canopy,

While other smaller reptiles scurried across the forest floor.

Every sound,

From the distant roars of unknown beasts to the rustle of leaves in the breeze,

Kept the siblings on edge.

As they walked deeper into the forest,

It became clear that they were far from alone.

Strange rustlings followed their every move,

And they occasionally caught sight of large,

Shadowy figures moving in the underbrush.

Jamie,

Did you hear that?

Lara whispered,

As they trudged through a particularly thick patch of ferns.

Jamie nodded.

Yeah,

It's like something is following us.

Suddenly,

There was a loud crash,

Followed by a high-pitched squeal.

Both Jamie and Lara froze,

Their eyes darting around to find the source of the sound.

Did you hear that?

Lara whispered,

Gripping Jamie's arm.

Yeah,

It came from over there.

Jamie said,

Pointing towards a cluster of trees up ahead.

Cautiously,

They made their way towards the noise.

As they pushed through the dense foliage,

They came upon a surprising and heart-wrenching sight.

In the middle of a small clearing lay a baby triceratops,

Its tiny body trapped under a fallen log.

The creature squealed in fear as it struggled to free itself,

Its three horns glinting in the dappled sunlight.

It was no bigger than a pony,

With a thick,

Protective frill around its neck,

And large,

Round eyes that were filled with panic.

Oh no,

Jamie,

It's stuck!

We have to help it!

Jamie didn't need convincing,

He was already kneeling beside the creature,

Trying to assess the situation.

The triceratops made another desperate noise,

Its stubby legs kicking uselessly against the ground.

Jamie and Lara quickly began working to lift the log off of the little dinosaur,

But it was much heavier than it looked.

On three,

Jamie said,

His face strained with effort,

One,

Two,

Three.

Together they heaved with all their might,

Managing to lift the log just enough for the baby triceratops to wiggle free.

The creature let out a joyful bellow as it scrambled to its feet,

Shaking off the dirt and leaves.

The baby triceratops looked up at Jamie and Lara with wide,

Grateful eyes.

Its entire body was covered in soft,

Leathery skin,

A pale greenish-brown that blended well with the surrounding forest.

Its horns were small,

But already sharp,

And its frill was decorated with faint patterns that hinted at what would grow into impressive markings when it got older.

It's adorable,

Lara said with a smile,

Gently reaching out to touch the creature's frill.

I think it likes us.

Jamie grinned,

Rubbing the triceratops's snout.

I think you're right.

We saved it,

And now it trusts us.

The baby triceratops made a contented noise and nuzzled against Jamie's hand.

We should give her a name,

Jamie suggested,

Looking at the small creature she sniffed around their feet.

What about Tally?

Lara giggled.

Tally?

Jamie shrugged.

I think it fits.

Tally it is.

The baby triceratops,

Now named Tally,

Let out a friendly grunt,

Seemingly approving of her new name.

As Tally continued to walk around them,

She seemed less agitated now that she had learned to trust them.

In fact,

The baby triceratops appeared eager to lead them somewhere,

Nudging them with her snout and heading deeper into the jungle.

I think she wants us to follow,

Lara said,

Eyeing the triceratops with curiosity.

Maybe she wants to show us something.

Jamie,

Still amazed by their newfound dinosaur friend,

Nodded.

Or maybe Tally just wants us to stay close.

Let's see where she takes us.

They followed Tally for what felt like an hour.

The dense forest eventually gave way to a more open area,

Where the trees were sparse and the sunlight shone brightly.

Tally continued to lead them,

Always glancing back to make sure Jamie and Lara were keeping up.

Soon they reached a rocky hill,

With a stream trickling down its side.

Tally stopped in front of a large boulder and began snuffling at the ground.

What is it,

Girl?

Jamie asked,

Noticing a crack in a rock in the side of the hill.

Tally's eyes widened in realisation.

Lara,

We found a cave!

Lara guffed.

Tally led us here,

But why?

Maybe Tally knows something,

Jamie said.

Maybe this place is important to the dinosaurs.

The siblings squeezed through the narrow gap of the cave entrance,

And Tally followed closely behind.

The cave was vast,

Its high ceiling disappearing into the shadows,

Except for a single beam of sunlight that streamed in through a small opening in the roof.

The light illuminated the chamber below,

Casting long,

Eerie shadows across the floor.

Stalactites hung from the ceiling like jagged teeth,

While stalagmites rose from the ground,

Their pointed tips reaching upwards as though they were trying to meet in the middle.

The air was damp and cool,

With the faint sound of dripping water echoing through the space.

In the centre of the chamber,

Half buried in dirt,

Lay an ancient stone tablet.

Lara and Jamie stood before it,

Their eyes wide with curiosity.

The edges of the tablet were worn smooth with time,

But faint carvings were still visible,

Etched into the stone surface,

Hinting at a long-forgotten secret.

The air around the tablet felt charged,

As if the chamber itself was holding its breath,

Waiting.

Look at these markings,

Jamie said,

His voice filled with excitement.

The tablet,

It has the same kind of markings as the time machine,

This must be the instructions for it.

The coordinates must have been set to come here.

Tali must have known we would need this,

She led us here for this reason.

Let's see if we can make sense of this,

He said,

Carefully tracing the symbols with his fingers.

Lara sat beside him,

Watching as Jamie tried to decipher the strange symbols.

After a few minutes of studying,

He started to piece it together.

This part here,

He said,

Pointing to a series of lines and shapes,

Talks about the gears,

We need to turn them in a specific sequence to reset the machine.

Lara's eyes lit up,

Do you think we can fix it now?

Jamie nodded,

I think so,

We've got the instructions,

We just need to follow them carefully.

Before they could celebrate their discovery,

A familiar,

Earth-shaking roar echoed through the forest outside the cave.

Jamie and Lara's blood ran cold,

They didn't need to see it to know what it was,

The Tyrannosaurus Rex was back,

And it was dangerously close.

Tali let out a low,

Frightened squeal,

Her tiny body trembling with fear.

She moved protectively in front of Jamie and Lara,

Her small horns lowered in an instinctual attempt to defend them.

We need to hide,

Lara whispered,

It can't fit through the cave entrance,

We will be safe here for now.

They could see the T-Rex through the entrance of the cave,

Stomping through the trees,

Its massive head swinging from side to side.

The ground quaked with each of its heavy steps.

Jamie grabbed the stone tablet and stuffed it into his backpack.

Come on,

Tali,

He urged,

Pulling the baby Triceratops deeper into the cave,

His voice barely audible over the thundering footsteps of the approaching predator.

Tali let out a desperate cry,

And to Jamie and Lara's amazement,

Her call was answered by a series of deep,

Rumbling bellows from somewhere nearby.

The sound was low and powerful,

Coming from a group of much larger Triceratopses that were moving towards them from the far end of the clearing.

It's her family,

Lara gasped,

They're coming to help.

Tali's herd,

Massive adult Triceratopses with thick,

Armoured frills and enormous horns,

Emerged from the jungle,

Forming a protective line in front of the cave entrance.

The T-Rex,

Now sensing the presence of an entire herd of Triceratops,

Let out a frustrated roar and circled the group warily,

Knowing that even its fearsome jaws were no match for the combined strength of these formidable herbivores.

The largest Triceratops,

A towering creature with battle-worn horns,

Let out a thunderous bellow,

Challenging the T-Rex to come closer.

The predator hesitated,

Snarling and pacing back and forth,

But after several tense moments it realised it was outnumbered.

With one last growl of frustration,

The T-Rex turned and lumbered back into the forest,

Disappearing into the trees.

Jamie and Lara stood frozen in shock and relief as the herd of Triceratopses gathered at the cave entrance.

Tally rushed out to greet her family,

Her mother gently nudging her,

As if checking to make sure she was okay.

They saved us,

Lara whispered,

Her voice filled with awe.

Tilly's family saved us.

Jamie nodded.

We wouldn't have stood a chance without them,

He said.

Tally nuzzled against Lara's side,

Her eyes filled with gratitude and affection for her human friends.

With the danger of the T-Rex behind them,

Jamie and Lara knew it was time to return to the treehouse and fix the time machine.

They had the instructions now and it was their best chance of getting home.

Reluctantly,

They made their way back to the clearing where the treehouse sat.

Tally trotting along beside them,

And the whole herd of Triceratopses following closely behind,

Making sure they were safe.

When they reached the base of the tree,

Tally let out a sad little whimper,

As if she knew their time together was coming to an end.

Jamie knelt down beside Tally and scratched her frill.

We're going to miss you,

Tally.

Lara wiped a tear from her eyes,

Yet the best dinosaur friend anyone could ever have.

Tally nuzzled them both,

Letting out a soft,

Affectionate rumble.

She looked up at the treehouse with curiosity,

As if understanding that this strange place had brought her new friends into her life.

With one last pat on her head,

Jamie and Lara climbed up into the treehouse.

They carefully followed the instructions from the stone tablet,

Turning the gears in the correct sequence.

After a few tense moments,

The time machine hummed to life once again.

As the time machine whirled and the symbols on the console began to glow,

Jamie and Lara looked out the window at Tally.

The baby Triceratops stood in the clearing,

Watching them with those big,

Trusting eyes.

We'll never forget you,

Tally,

Lara whispered.

Jamie gave one final wave,

Goodbye,

Tally.

With a flash of light and a rush of wind,

The treehouse began to spin,

Lifting off the ground and disappearing into the swirling vortex of time.

When the light finally faded,

Jamie and Lara found themselves back in their own backyard,

The treehouse exactly where it had been before their incredible journey began.

The birds chirped in the distance,

And the world around them felt both familiar and surreal.

Jamie turned to Lara,

A grin spreading across his face.

Well,

That was an adventure,

Lara laughed,

Wiping away the last of her tears.

Yeah,

And who knows,

Maybe one day we'll see Tally again.

As they climbed down from the treehouse,

The siblings looked back one last time,

Half expecting to see the baby Triceratops peeking out from the trees.

But everything was still,

And the only sound was the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze.

But as they turned to leave,

Something caught Jamie's eye.

A faint glow still emanated from the time machine inside,

And the symbols on its surface pulsed softly.

Jamie smiled.

I think our adventures are just beginning,

He said.

The End.