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@glitterminhao
it's been a while since i died, a long time actually. i stand at the top of a steep hill, my roots digging far under the ground and my trunk stands tall.
my leaves rustle in the wind, and i stare ahead at the world in-front of me .
a boy climbs the steep hill, he looks exhausted, with a beanie sitting on the top of his head. he has a notepad in hand and sits down on the grass in-front of the tree.
it's not uncommon for people to come sit near me, carve their names into my delicate body.
but he seemed different.
he was sitting silently, staring blankly at the paper in-front of him. in hopes of comforting him, i make my leaves sway slowly in the gentle wind, he notices and leans his back against the tree.
he closes his eyes and just listens to the sound for a while, playing some relaxing music in the background too. he begins to write lyrics slowly on his notepad.
——— he came again the next day, looking even more exhausted then before, struggling to climb the hill a bit. he collapsed as soon as he got up, and laid his back on the trunk again.
"inspire me again." he says, looking ahead.
there was no wind, but i provide him with shade, and try my best to make my leaves sway.
he does the same thing as before, but before he leaves, "why do i feel like you understand me? ah, i'm going crazy."
———
he was back the next day again, but came with a drink and he looked more refreshed then before.
"hello"
he said, he wasn't expecting a reply, but it comforted him in a weird way.
i wanted to talk back, but i was used to it at this point. i couldn't communicate anymore, but i shook some of my old leaves off, making them fall around the boy.
"it's so nice up here." he says, sipping his drink and writing lyrics down. "it feels like you're listening to me."
i am.
——— the boy, who i now knew was called namjoon came again the next day. he looked much better than when he had first came and it made me feel better.
"another day, more lyrics to write." he sighed, sipping his coffee. "i hope i can write well today. well i should be able to here anyway."
he stayed for a lot longer than before, until it was getting darker and colder. "i'll be back tomorrow. " he gathered his stuff.
——— in the morning, people came dressed in high vis, their truck parker next to me. they set up cones and fenced me off, yellow tape surrounding me, boxing me in.
i just caught sight of the sign they placed in-front of me.
tree due to be cut down 21st june to make way for houses. DO NOT cross this boundary.
they were going to cut me down? they were going to kill me? i'm going to die again.
namjoon came the same time as usual, and was shocked to see the boundary. "what? they're going to cut you down?"
he crossed the boundary, and still laid against the trunk. "i should've expected it. it's been nice though." he said, looking back at the tree. "it's weird to say but you're the best listening tree i've came across."
——— the high vis people came back not even a hour later. it was agony, being ripped out the ground, my leaves falling and my branches snapped. the water seeping out of my broken roots.
but it was nice to finally die, with the face of namjoon watching. it was comforting.
and it made me realise.
though i've been here for many years and haven't done any harm. i died no matter what. and nobody cared. not really.
