At Wits End

Murder house

The soft warm forest floor clings to me like a warm hug you don't want to separate from. The light breeze brushed over me like a blanket gently being placed over my body. The earth is calm yet lively in a way that can only mean that the night sky has risen. Every painful moment floods back as if I'm reliving it all in slow motion. The paralyzing reality that she's really gone tries to settle in as I mentally push it away, telling myself that as long as I don't move and my eyes stay shut, then it could all just be a horrible nightmare.

Rationally I know it's not true and I know she really is gone but if I don't get up then I won't have to see the place where her tree stood for over two thousand years. I can't bare the thought of opening my eyes and not seeing her there or hearing her laugh. How could she just be gone? How could she leave me here alone? I don't want to do this without out her.

Slowly her words start coming back to me.

Stay strong phinx

How could she think I could stay strong through this? She left me! She left me here all alone!

The forest is yours to look after now

It was suppose to be ours. It was our home together until those people came and ripped her away from it.

This is their nature and they'll burn us all one day

With those words ringing in mind I will myself to stand, raise my head to face the ugly truth those monsters left behind, and I force my eyes open with a burning rage bubbling inside me.

Take care of her for me

I will. I promise I will!

I repeat my vow but this time my words never waver. This time my voice holds no pain. The only thing held in those words now is a mission I was going to fulfill.

I stay a while longer trying to feel her lingering presents and talk with her even though I know she can't talk back. I made sure to plant one of the seeds fallen from her tree. I know she'd want new life to come from her loss if it could and she'd never want the squirrels to go hungry. A small chuckle escapes through my silent tears as I think about her playing with those squirrels nearly every day and ensuring each one was fed. She couldn't help but be so amused by how they'd scurry around so quick as if the food would just vanish if they didn't hurry. Something so small brought her so much joy. She was the heart of this forest and now it's up to me to keep it alive. I owe her, at the very least, that much.

I make my way back to my tree and as I get close I spot my pet waiting with food in hand. I'd honestly forgotten that I hadn't eaten since it obviously wasn't a top priority considering everything that's happened.

Oh goddess are you all right?! I was so worried when you didn't return. What do you need? I brought food although it's no longer very fresh. I wasn't sure if you would return

That's enough

I grab some grapes and berries and begin eating as I watch my pet closely.

Why do you destroy the forest?

I don't my goddess. I would never

Your kind. Why does your kind destroy mine?

We uh we use the wood to build homes and furniture and things of the sort.