Paragraphs 11-15
11 "I finished landscaping the Pederson's yard," Uncle Stephen announced. "Time for some relaxation. Let's go hiking up Twisted Mountain."
12 That's relaxation? Brody thought to himself. He stared up at the sky through the window and noticed some fluffy white clouds in the distance. "Do you think it's going to rain?" Brody asked hopefully.
13 "No way. Those aren't rain clouds," Uncle Stephen said. "Don't worry," he added, noting Brody's hesitance. "Twisted Mountain isn't a real mountain—more a like a very tall, wooded hill."
14 With no way for Brody to escape the hike, he gave in. But the trek up Twisted Mountain reinforced Brody's opinion of forest adventures. The mosquitoes hovered around his head like a whining cloud. In spite of his cautious steps, Brody planted his new tennis shoes in mud and scratched his hands on some thorns. Uncle Stephen hardly spoke a word the entire way; he moved like a shadow through the woods in front of Brody. When they reached the top of the mountain, Brody's one reward was a glimpse of an eagle circling in the skies. That would be a cool topic for a poem, he thought.
15 The two spent an hour observing nature, and Uncle Stephen taught Brody about various plants they saw nearby. Brody was impressed by the fantastic scenery and was just starting to enjoy being there, but his glimmer of joy vanished as soon as Uncle Stephen said it was time to return home —Brody remembered how difficult the journey to the top had been.