The One In Green

ch. 7

The following days weren't any better. As the Once-ler and his family began building their business, they had seemingly turned their faces away from the demolotion they were causing. It was small, at first, building their corporation, chopping down a few trees here and there. My once beloved had this belief that his world revolved around the desperate want of his parents approval and adoration.
It was as if this was survival of the fittest, and by taking away the opponents upper hand it was the way to succeed in winning. But as to who he was battling against? The defenseless animals and the Lorax who tried to help him no matter what? There was no nobility in his actions.

It was if he had turned into a different person. There was mass deforestation with giant machines that could chop down multiple trees in seconds. His once small company had turned large, his tent making schtick when making the thneeds turned into a mass producing factory that stretched for miles, and even went as far as making a giant sign that blocked out most of the sunlight.

He had holed himself up with the need of buggering his business, him seemingly ignoring anyone that showed a threat to his business or family. The biggest threats being the Lorax and I. We hadn't spoken much since our last exchanged words, but it was do to only one person making the effort, that person being me.

"The people with the money are what makes the world go round." I heard him say at one point, and I only scoffed. I felt torn, that such a wonderful person with a dream could turn into such a monster.

Part of me wants to believe that he didnt know what he was doing, unaware that he was making the air Smokey and unbreathable, making the once clear blue waters black with oil, even going as far as taking the last food source for the animals away. I wanted to blame anything, his family for pushing him so far, the world for making people want to be the most rich out there, or me. I didn't do anything, I sat by as this all unfolded, unsure of what to do. It seemed whatever effort anyone made was disregarded, the folks in a haze that pushed their want of money to seem like a bigger goal than the promise one had made so many months ago - to protect the forest and all of its inhabitants.

At many points he had used the animals and the Lorax to further push his industries out, make people want to buy the product more. The animals were sick, many of them no longer having homes to go to. It was then that had knocked me from my muddled brain. I would talk to the Once-ler.

Bursting through the doors, I ignored his yelling mother who played receptionist, walking along the red carpeted flooring, looking around. On the outside the building was huge, but on the inside... It was surreal. There were pictures of the truffula trees painted throughout the hallway, green on all the walls. I choked up a bit, that this could have been what the outside looked like; it now only in frames inside a giant building. His brothers guarded the Once-lers doorway, them both giving me a snooty look.

"I would like to see the Once-ler." I spoke.

"You'll have to make an appointment." One said, Chett I believe it was.

"I have one made, im his.." I looked around, spotting a clock. "His 9:15." It was a lie, but Brett and Chett didnt seem to want to bother checking if it was correct. They let me inside the room.

The Once-lers office was dome shaped with many windows, each having their own balcony. There was the Lorax, sitting on the guard rail, seemingly having the same idea I did about talking with the Onceler. 

"How did you get in here? Brett and Chett were told not to let anyone in." I stood offended, that this person that I had loved seemed like I was the last person he wanted to see. He then faced his attention to the Lorax, seeming to finish the guardians question. "Look, if you've got a problem with what I'm doing, why haven't you used your quote unquote 'powers' to stop me?" He huffed.

"It doesnt work like that." The Lorax and I had said in unison. 

"Yeah, I forgot. You're a fraud, and you're an accomplice. I need you both to get out." He spoke to both the Guardian and I. I looked away and brought my hand to my face, biting my pointer finger to bite back tears. "Now."

"Why? Because I make you uncomfortable? Remind you of the promises you made?" The Lorax questioned.

"The man you used to be?" I walked over to the Once-ler, still remaining some distance.

"You know what? You can both just shut it. My concience is clear! I've done nothing illegal, I have my rights, and I intend to keep on biggering and biggering and turning more Truffula trees into thneeds!" The Once-ler was getting sour, pushing us to walk backwards off the ladder as he walked forward. We fell to the floor, tripping on the gap where stair met dirt flooring. "And nothing is going to stop me!"

In the distance, the sound of hacking and a thump was heard. We three turned our heads.

"Will that stop you?" I got up, angry, dusting off my clothes. "The last truffula tree. The very last one."

The mood turned somber, I picked up the Lorax and sat him upright.

"That may stop you." The Lorax said, just above a whisper.

The Once-ler, shocked, looked around the horizon. The sky was a dark purpled blue, having intertwined with the smog. The land was dirty and dead, the grass being nothing but brown shriveled stalks, and the forest littered with stumps that once used to be gorgeous trees. It was as if he couldn't believe his eyes, that they had been closed for so long he had no idea the destruction he had left behind. That this was the first time he was seeing what he had done.

Everything was gone, the only object still rising was his giant fortress of metal.