I had a dream with very strange details. After I had fallen asleep I woke to find myself in a dark chasim. I could barely see, of course. What felt like several minutes passed and I began to begin to hear a call. It sounded like the call of a hyena. At least I assumed so. I heard it once on the radio and this... just didn't sound like a wolf. Then I heard a more familiar sound. The bark of a fox. Immediately after, the noises stopped and I saw a blue ball of bright light in the distance. It came towards me. Slowly it started to come into view...and I saw a rose. A glowing blue rose. I bend it in my hands and it brightened. The rose began to morph. It turned into the head of a cat. The cat spoke something that I couldn't hear. And then I woke up.
Abruptly. To the sight of a face. You guessed it. The pretty boy. Why he was kneeling above my resting head was beyond me, but it certainly frightened me as it would anyone. "You! What on earth-"
"Oh oh my I'm sorry I wasn't-"
"What are you doing here??"
"It's not like that I was...I wasn't"
"Spit it out!" I shouted to his reddening face. "*Ahem* you...left uh...this." he held up my tiny turquoise bookbag in front of my head. He brought it back? Very curious...
Without speaking a word, I carefully reclaim my bag and look through it's contents to make sure everything was where I left it. After finding everything was, I look up at him. This time he didn't quite have that charming look to him. He instead seemed nervous and a bit flustered. It almost made me laugh. That same feeling of sorrow fell over me. Perhaps I had treated him too harshly. "Mister....?"
"Once ler"
"...ahuh. Once ler, I...think we got off on the wrong foot last night."
He paused. A little surprised.
"Heh...well luckily we've both got two...!" He chuckled and shot some finger guns my way. I stood blank, and he quickly received my reaction. "Yeah... sorry. I didn't mean to upset you so bad." "Oh it's alright. I'm at least glad you came to apologise." I looked back in my bag and sighed. I had yet to place my rock by the dear fallen tree. I suppose I...
"Hey...would you guide me to that tree again? We can...catch up on the way." The Once ler smiled and happily agreed. I slipped the bag back over my shoulders and nod towards the distance. The lengthy boy briskly walks in front of me and I take his side. The view was beautiful as it is, the sky a bright blue and the animals prancing freely in the free world of the Truffula Forest. In the trees, soft as silk, and in the fresh green grass all day. "So..." He started. "Where are you from?" He asked. "Here." He asked what I meant and I proceed to tell him everything about how I live free in the outdoors with the minimal to survive and thrive. He looked so interested in my conversation as his eyes were fixated on me. it made me more... comfortable. Confident, even. A strange feeling as I don't normally talk to people of course. I suppose he's just that approachable. "That's really interesting...I've never met someone like that before!" That brought me my question "well...where are you from?"
"Oh...well I've lived in a...house. the majority of my life actually. I only recently moved out to pursue my dreams and simultaneously get as far away from my family as possible."
"I get that." I said. "People in general are...rough." we remained silent for a second. I suppose he was thinking. "Well...I hope you'll grow to trust me." He said in a calm, almost soothing tone. It made me blush. Out of all the people I first befriend, why does this one have to test me emotions so much? Regardless, I'm glad he's so...open to me. It's not what I'd expect from people. the whole time we walked, he told me about his ambitions, the thneed invention he made, and his interests. It was fun to listen to his voice. I wouldn't normal put that voice with his body, but contrasting as it is it weirdly fits at the same time. I kinda liked the way his hair would bounce against that ridiculous fedora when he walked. The way every time he turned his head toward the sun, his eyes would twinkle. It was, dare I say, cute. "Hey! You there?" I snapped out of my little trance. I must've been staring. "O-oh I uh..." I blushed. "Sorry um..."
"It's okay! We're here-" he showed me the tree which had been near his quaint little home. I sighed in sorrow. He...must have noticed. I felt a hand on my shoulder. It made me jolt, but he kept it there for comfort. "I...made an oath. I promised to never chop down another tree..." I sighed. I suppose that's all I could really ask of him anyway. I let go of his hand and walk toward the fallen friend, sliding my bag off my back and opening the seal. "You've been great, big guy. I'll miss you." I cup the rock under the bag, pulling it out and revealing it to the Once ler, quietly observing from a distance. "Wow...you painted that huh...? It's beautiful..." I turned my sorrowful head to him and gave a weak smile. "Thank you." The rock was placed by the others. I took a minute to mourn, and promptly stood to my feet. "Once ler..."
"Yes?"
"Do you want to....hang out? Or something?" I asked putting on my weak smile again. "He took his hat off and held it in his hands, smiling slightly for me. "Uh...y-yeah! Why not? I mean...we can hang out right here at my place if you-"
"That'd be great." I smile genuinely this time. "Melvin misses you, actually" Once ler added. He walks towards me, expecting me to follow to his house. Instead I did something I didn't think I needed to do...
I hug him. He shivered in shock but hugged me back, without a word spoken. I'd never have thought of how...touch starved I've been for so long. I released to see him blushing hard and gazing his twinkling eyes right at mine. Yeah. He's definitely not that charming. But he's awfully cute. I think I'll keep this one.