LOVE. No other name.

Black and White 4

                I’m home. I just came from the city, where I studied college. I was ecstatic.

                Today, I would see her again. Summer vacation started last week. Maybe she’s home now, too. She and Kaytin go to a different university, in the same huge city.

                I looked around. Inevitably, things have changed. More houses were built, new faces appeared, and little by little, although I pray it won’t happen, my province is turning into a poorer version of the city. Okay, maybe I was just exaggerating because I haven’t seen this place for quite a while.

                I looked harder. My home was still my home, with its trees and plants and animals and humble abodes. I really was just exaggerating about the modifications. Silly me. I thought something changed, something like, in the atmosphere. Summer is in the air?

                Oh well, I have to hurry.

                I RAN AS FAST AS I COULD, UNTIL I WAS ALMOST FLYING, SINCE I WAS GOING TO MY MOST FAVORITE PLACE IN THE WHOLE, WIDE WORLD. I stopped shortly, to catch my breath. I couldn’t wait to see her, but if I had to wait forever just to see her, I would. I think the impact of running too fast shook my brain. Am I even making sense? I knew that if I told Xieca those corny declarations of love, she would understand them better than I do.

I walked the remaining short distance to our tree. And when I saw it, a couple of meters away, I couldn’t believe it.

                My blood was boiling, my thoughts were in total chaos, I just ran and shouted at full volume, “STOP! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!  STOP! PLEASE STOP!!!”

                How else would you stop an old man from cutting down your precious tree? How else would you stop him from delivering the final blow that would cut your lifeline? I almost forgot, he was the father of the girl you loved.

                “Do you realize how important this tree is to me and your daughter, Sir?” I fumed, not knowing how to politely say these to him.

                He, at least put down his axe, and studied my reddened, infuriated face. “I know that, but you don’t understand.” He was gonna continue his cutting, when I interrupted once more.

                “This tree was a silent witness to our love, Sir. You can’t just cut this tree like it meant nothing, I and Xieca—“

                “I ABSOLUTELY KNOW THAT,” he said, somewhat annoyed. “You don’t understand, young man. She asked me to cut this for her.” And then he swung his axe, and the trunk was on the ground.

                The entire world froze. All I could hear was, “She asked me to cut this for her.”

“She asked me to cut this for her.”

“She asked me to cut this for her.”

Suddenly, I heard her 8-year old voice again. “You will never understand.”

This was no dream. It was a NIGHTMARE. XIECA, WAKE ME UP.

                Why on earth would she ask that? Did I do something terribly wrong? Did she fall out of love?

I wanted to ask Xieca’s Dad all those questions, but when my lips parted, all that came out was a murmur, “Why?”

                 He was already hoisting the lumber over his shoulder, I didn’t realize it took me that long just standing and lost in thought. He was as expressionless as ever, “If you have questions, follow me.”

                And my feet dragged themselves to follow his footsteps.