In Your Arms

Goodbye

Farrah and Isen stared up at a tree with strange, triangular fruit hanging from the tips of its branches.

The girl raised her eyebrows, surprised to find something she had never seen before hovering right above her head. The fruit seemed to be covered with some sparkling, dark substance, and it reminded Farrah of a Christmas decoration.

"You should grab one. Just don't eat it," Isen commented, suddenly grabbing Farrah and hoisting her up on his shoulders. She steadied herself on his horns, gripping on tight to them with both hands.

"You promise to catch me if I fall?"

"Of course."

Still unsure, Farrah decided to just use one hand to pick at the fruit while she grabbed on to Isen with the other. After a few seconds, she was able to pluck the shiny object from its branch and quickly stuffed it under her pajama shirt.

"I got it!"

Isen helped Farrah climb back down carefully. Once her feet were on the ground, he squatted to get a better view of the fruit she had picked.

Farrah lifted up her shirt and pulled out the sweet-smelling delicacy. She held it out on the palm of her hands for both of them to get a good look at.

Grinning, Farrah spoke in a mesmerized tone of voice, "It's beautiful, just like the galaxy. I've never seen anything like it."

"One human I was with led me to this exact tree. I did not know it existed at the time." Isen responded in a low tone of voice, wondering what other mutations were present in the world that he did not know of.

Farrah nodded without really listening to what she was told. As if under a spell, she brought the strange fruit up to her lips and was seconds away from taking a large bite out of it. Isen picked it away from her quickly before she could sink her teeth into the hard flesh, however. Disappointed, Farrah glared at him with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Excuse me, but I think that's mine."

Isen examined the fruit in his hands and opened his mouth, tossing the treat inside without a word. Farrah was about ready to complain, but before she could get a word out, Isen swallowed the chewed up contents and snorted loudly, wiping a black line of drool from his chin.

"Still poisoned." He seemed disappointed, and began to escort Farrah away from the hypnotizing tree.

"Poisoned?" The young woman repeated, surprised that something so beautiful could actually be deadly. "Why did you just eat it?"

Isen recalled the last time a human had led him to the 'Galaxy Tree', as they called it. Isen was told that the fruit was safe to eat, and that his human companion at the time had already eaten a few. However, one night the tree had become sick. Isen didn't know anything was wrong until the human he was with at the time dropped dead right in front of him, a half-eaten triangular fruit rotting away into a spoiled, black mess in his hands.

"It is not poisonous for me, but it is for you. Do not eat anything the world offers you, unless it is from me."

Farrah seemed disappointed, but either way she was glad to have at least had the pleasure of holding something alien-like in her hands.

"Are there other cool places like that?"

"Perhaps."

"Take me to them!"

"I do not think so. With my luck, you would wander off again and get lost."

Farrah let out a small 'pffft', waving her hand in the air like that didn't matter, "Quit worrying. I'll be careful."