The Lovely Suicide Children

Chapter 59: The Tree That Screams

Emmit had this blank expression on his face followed by a raised eyebrow. His foot tapped lightly against the ground as he looked at me. I could tell, he thought I was crazy. "Robert Parker," the words flowed slowly out of his mouth. "You need to find your friend Robert Parker." This time he said the words a bit more vigorously.

I didn't know what to say, so I just said yes. 

"You're basically sending me out on a suicide mission," he then shook his head after realizing what he had just said. "No pun intended by the way."

I nodded my head. "I know this sounds bad, but I really need to see him. I need to talk to him, to make sure he safe. I need all the help I can get, Emmit."

He snorted then began walking away towards his house then stopped and faced me again. "No offense, newcomer. There's too much I want to do before I risk my life for you."

I stood there, watching him as he left. I didn't know what to say. He was right though. Why would anyone here risk their safety for me? I needed a way to convince him that if I could save Robert then I could save him and maybe all of The Lovely Suicide Children as well. Who am I kidding? How could I possibly save anyone here.

"Wait!" I ran after him. Once I  caught up with Emmitt, I grabbed him by the shirt and turned him towards me. "I will go to the palace and get all the information I need to to help you and your friends to defeat Morfran. I do believe I have that advantage."

He rolled his eyes and shook his head at me. "That is true, I won't lie. You could be of a lot of help but I still can't risk my life for you."

"Listen," I said. "Robert Parker was the person who told me about this place. He knew so much and he was very smart and I know with all my heart if he was here he could help us get away. Tonight I'll go by myself. But if you change your mind about joining me, let me know. Just like you want your team safe, I want the same for mine, even if it's just him."

With that said, I walked off, heading towards my mother's palace. I was hoping Emmit would follow after me, or even comment on what I had said but he didn't. I didn't look back. I wanted him to know how serious I was about this. When in fact, I was horrified.

***

The lovely suicide world to change at night, but not like our night on earth. The sun was out, but it was clear in a way where you could see it but it did not glow. The moon was visible for all to see, shiny like diamond rocks all bunched into one perfectly smooth circle. Nobody was outside, except for me. The guards had told me not to go outside but I didn't listen. They didn't stop me either. Mother wasn't at home. She said she had business to attend to. Me, I sat outside cuddling my knees together as I looked at the palace in front of me. In my mind, I felt like I was choosing between having it all and having nothing. It would've been easy to rule by my mother's side but that would've been selfish. I loved Robert. He was my friend. My close friend. My dead friend.

As I was lost in my thoughts, I suddenly began to hear the sound of humming. I began feeling incredibly eerie when I realized the humming was coming from beneath the ground. I quickly pressed my ear against the soft grass to listen. Almost as clear as day... As clear as I had heard it on earth were the lovely suicide children singing that same song I had heard the first time I looked out my window at night while living with my father. Although I should have been frightened, I smiled.

"It's happening," I whispered to myself.

I quickly ran back towards the palace where I kneeled down beside the wall. As soon as I did, trees to the left of the palace started to appear one by one. I counted four trees. Emmit was right, the trees did come out at night. But which tree was Robert in? 

For the first time in my anxious life, I wasn't going to let time hold me back. I was just going to do. Do what I thought was right. I was about to head over to the first tree when I was forcibly grabbed by the back of my shirt. I fell hard on my back, shocked at who I saw standing before me. It was Emmit.

"You came," I said as Emmit lifted me off the ground.

He crossed his hands and gave me a weak, yet hopeful smile. "That was pretty inspiring back there. There's not many like you out here. We risk our lives for many. You," he placed a finger on my chest then moved away. "You're doing this for one single person, and that takes a lot."

Out of happiness I hugged him quickly then let go. "Thank you, now let's try to do this real fast."

Emmit and I slowly walked towards the first tree. He placed his ear against the first three trees but stopped when he got to the last. On the fourth tree, he inched his ear towards it but bit his lip as he did as if it had hurt him. He then backed away real fast, taking faint breaths. "He's in there alright," he said.

I ran up to the tree, quickly pressing my ear against the trunk. However, I threw my head back as fast as I could. There was ear piercing screaming so loud that it echoed in my head for almost a minute. Screams of many, desperately calling for help. 

"I don't think this is a good idea," Emmit began backing up.

I quickly took him by the hand and inched toward the tree while looking at him. "If any trust is going to begin between us, let it be now. I won't let anything happen to you in here. I promise."