The Mushroom and The Statue

The townspeople packed up, leaving the once beautiful town behind. The hanging street lights soon faded. Trees that were once trimmed and proper were now overgrown as the forest behind the little town. No one really knows why they left. Maybe it was for a better start, some believe it was because the god that they followed told them to leave. But the real answer will always be unknown. Leaving behind memories of the past is hard.

A storm passed over the forgotten town, blowing the trees and street lights around as the storm raged on. Lightning clapped, the thunder could be heard throughout the plaza. The dirt path was soon soaked into mud. The leaves on the trees ripped off with the wind, creating a hatred filled dance. Leaves being lifted and dragged through the darkened sky. The grass is unable to hold the raindrops that the sky gave.

In the middle of this storm stood a statue alone. The stone gave off a sad presence, as tears flowed from under the stone rag covering its eyes. The golden plaque reading the god's name seemed pointless now as no one was here to read it. The rooftops of the houses held the rain as best they could as the rain beat on the wooden roofs. The only rain to get inside the houses was held inside of the chimney's fireplace.

The storm eventually passed, leaving behind a smiling sun to warm up the water left. The flowers smiled almost as big as the sun. The wood and dirt soon dried up but the leaves still held some of the rain. The stone of the statue was still dripping tears as the sun dried up the plaza. Tears stained the stone statue. Unable to move with the people who once adored him, he just felt alone. He just wanted to listen to the people walk past, talking about their days. But all he heard now was the leaves chatter with the birds.

He didn't know how many days past when the tiny red mushroom hat appeared. The mushroom had been walking for awhile now. Traveling around the grassy horizon and throughout the color changing leaves. A leather pouch hung off his shoulders holding a whole assortment of things. Coming across this now forgotten place not in his plan but with the shelter, let it be covered in webs and rattled with holes, it was still a shelter. He made a plan to settle into one of the houses and just planned to stay one night.

Opening the creaky door sends shivers down his spine. The glass from the windows now cracked, some having holes. Some of the wooden furniture was still there like the table and chairs. Webs from past spiders were still in the corners. It looked like no one had been here for years. The mushroom sighed as he set down his bag at the front door. He continued to look around until he got bored with finding dust and webs to clean. Stepping outside, onto the squeaky wooden steps, his legs traveled around the town.

His tired feet lead him to the stone statue in the middle of an overgrown plaza. The statue seemed to have a sadden smile. He looked like he wanted to move his hooves one last time. Put off by the immortal stone, the mushroom started to walk away back to his bag, but something stopped him in his tracks. 

"Please don't leave. I am ever so lonely." A small, yet powerful voice filled the brunette's head.

"Who said that?" He seems lost, quickly looking around his eyes landing back onto the stone. 

"Was it you? Did you talk to me?" The mushroom walked back towards the statue. 

No answer came, yet a could be felt. A lonely one. He carefully walked back over to the statue, holding onto his white spotted hat. The sun beating down on the stone gave it an almost angel look. The mushroom sat on the dirt path in front of the stone. Looking down at the golden plate he read the god's name.

"Dream, god of the nightmares and dreams."

"Your name is Dream?" 

The stone gave no answer, not even a nod. The mushroom looked at the statue, just waiting for something. The presence was strong, like the god who the stone was made for was inside the stone itself.