"Are you lost little one? Lost in your mind, with no way out. Are you afraid little one? Afraid to move, to wake up. Does this unassuming fog block your view? Why then let me clear it for you."
The speaker sounded kind and intelligent. The only question that remained was could she trust him?
The fog surrounding the area dissipated leaving behind what Mimi could only assume was a man. Was he a man or a tree masquerading as a man in a suit? The creature had a mask for a face with three slits. The two bigger slits were located, where one could assume the eyes were. The eyes slits appeared painted a jade green with a small shine effect. The last remaining slot was his mouth. There was nothing special about it. It was just a circle barely outlined. If that was the creature's mouth, then how was he talking Mimi pondered? The creature had long branch-like arms that sprouted out into hands; his legs were the same way with feet that had little green leaves to mark the toes.
"As you ponder my appearance perhaps you should ask yourself, am I dreaming? No, could he be real? What logic does he follow?" The strange creature moved his branch fingers up to stroke his chin. "Perhaps you should think what his name is? My name is Woody by the way."
Mimi lifted an eyebrow up. "So, you are a tree man named Woody? That isn't very imaginative."
Woody shrugged and responded. "Well, you were never a very clever child Mimi."
"Wait how do you know my name? Where am I and how are you talking without a proper mouth?" Mimi scratched the back of her head as her mouth tilted to the side.
Woody sighed, "It is called telepathy. I thought you would have recognized this place after all." he looked around. "We are in your mind little one."
"I am not little!" Mimi shouted as her face scrunched up.
Woody raised his shoulders and shouted back at her. "You have always been little to me! Now direct your attention behind me."
Mimi directed her attention to the area behind woody. She noticed a tight group of alive and dead trees. The live trees had brown bark and branches that stretched out. The leaves a bright green color. The dead trees had ash-colored bark with drooping branches. The leaves colored a pure black, and would fall every once awhile hitting the barely visible ground.
"That is where I live. Do not go there." Woody pointed to Mimi's left. "You see that area down that path where all the trees are dead. Yeah, that's where you go. Tata." Woody waved, and suddenly disappeared.
A thick fog came rolling in from the right.
Mimi's eyes widen as her jaw dropped. "Oh, no, no!" Mimi looked around while the fog suddenly swooshed in. The area that was in front of her, and the path to the right was unclear. The thick grey fog puffed up. Mimi pressed her hands against the fluffy mass. The mass gave equal resistance by pushing her hand back. Her eyes widened. She remained motionless. A hand reached out and grabbed her hand. A person stepped through the fog.
Mimi leaned in and quickly leaned out. She half circled the individual. No way, she thought. It is a perfect replica of me. She has my purple boy short hair, my brown eyes, my nose, and my full lips. Even the clothes a leather jacket, t-shirt, and blue jeans.
The replica smirked. "I am Egos the better you. I am so much better at everything even the things I can't do. Egos drew out its words. "I don't need anyone. I can fend for myself. I don't have to listen, to obey because, I already know what is best."
Mimi blinked retreating into her mind. 'Have I felt that way. A few times yeah.'
Egos's mouth split open going from ear to ear. Teeth pushed through the newly formed space. Blood started to drip. The blood hit the ground, splashing lightly.
Mimi returned from her thoughts, when she heard bones cracking.
What once looked like her, looked different. Egos appeared hunched over. It's limbs became longer breaking out of the flesh that encased them. Blood and skin laid scattered on the ground. Egos's spine erupted out. The spine grew several feet, but still remained connected to the bottom half. It leaned over huffing in Mimi's face.
Mimi leaned away holding her mouth shut. She huffed in and out through her nose. The beat of Mimi's heart tripled pounding against her rib cage.
"Run," Egos snarled into Mimi's face.
Mimi clenched her hands as she turned around. She started running to the dead woods. Mimi could hear the pounding of Egos's feet behind her.
I have to be faster. I don't want to die. Someone help me. Those thoughts cycled through Mimi's head. She pushed herself harder and harder until she tripped and fell. She hit the ground rolling. When Mimi finished rolling she landed on her stomach. After Mimi laid down for a few seconds catching her breath, she flipped around.
Egos thumped and stomped over to Mimi. It unhinged its jaws. Egos lowered its head and scooped up her feet. Egos made a gulping sound every few seconds sliding further up.
Mimi raised her arms over her eyes. She did not want to look. " I'm going to die! I am going to die!" She screamed as her body froze.
Stray tears slid out of her eyes. She did not want to look at the creature's face as it devoured her. Mimi arched her body and looked toward the forest lowering her arms.
A young boy and a young girl appeared holding hands. They resembled each other.
The girl narrowed her eyes and began to speak. "Sad, she has already given up."
The boy nodded. "Nothing like a beast to dull one's day."
She broke out of her stupor shouting. "What are you doing!? Runaway!?"
The girl spoke again carrying a monotone voice. " The girl wants us to run away."
"Perhaps it is time dear sister to reveal ourselves." The boy shifted toward Egos.
"Huh?" Egos looked up from its meal. "Go away Fallacy you are interrupting!"
"As the creature stated we are Fallacy," the boy spoke.
"We are the corruption of human words," the girl stated.
"From now one we will speak at the same time." The twins finished together.
Egos gulped sliding up Mimi more. It was now up to her waist. Egos narrowed its eyes before speaking to them. "Who cares!"
The twins walked toward Egos still holding hands. "Slut," the word materialized in mid-air and slammed into Egos.
Egos let lose a squawk, throwing Mimi up in surprise. It squealed and wielded on the twins.
"I am not," Egos roared pounding its fist into the ground.
"Ugly," Fallacy stated. The word suddenly materialized slamming into Egos.
Egos lifted up roaring.Tears coagulated down its face.
"Weakling, go cut yourself, do it. Kill yourself; no one likes you. You should have never been born." Each word the twins spoke spawned and slammed into Egos.
Mimi and Egos covered their ears screaming. "No, no that is not true! You don't know what it's like! Shut up, shut up! Maybe I will!"
Egos fell to the ground a bloody mess.
Mimi covered her mouth trembling. "Why, Why are people cruel. Perhaps they are right. Maybe, I should crawl into the mouth of that thing." She sobbed, "It's so hard to ignore the words. Sometimes, I find I can't."
"As we said we are Fallacy. You know those words you believe. The ones the wrong ones tell you. The words that make you debate rather you are worth it or it. Those words have no meaning if you don't give them power. You feed us believing in their stupidity. Then again humans cannot help themselves in what they believe. Humans are sometimes not rational beings. Every single one is different. Therein lies the problem what works for one, may not work for another, "The twins finished speaking blandly. Their eyes bore into Mimi's.
"You, you approve of this." Mimi flinched breathing in and out.
The twins shrugged. "It is commonplace for people to assume so. We do not care for this ability. We do care not for the destruction it provides. Words are damaging, and only morons do not understand that. There are people out there wishing to do harm. They should be held accountable. No one has the right to tell another living creature to die unless it is for food." The twins paused. They then reach their arms up and touch their foreheads. "Unfortunately, that last line is another whole philosophy we can't get into. You should run now."
"Hem, what," Mimi's tone of voice went higher. Her eyes expanded.
"You are our food." The twins waited.
"Are you being nice?" Mimi scurried up glancing toward the forest."
The twins without answering her whispered into their hands. The words they whispered materialized. The hilt of the word was the first letter.
They swung synchronized hitting the ground before Mimi.
A dust cloud and dirt blasted into the air.
Mimi took off finally reaching the dead woods. She heard snapping and thumping. It sounded like a huge mass was coming this way. Mimi stopped, and with her heart thumping, she turned around.
The trees had moved blocking the entrance. Their branches were weeping to the ground. Mimi ran up to the trees.