Post by sometimes alice on Jul 24, 2015 12:46:59 GMT -8
There was a forest that swallowed up the entire world, and in it was a tree that, by mere inches on each side, failed to touch the others. It could see them and hear them, but it was separate.
It was alone.
And then out of nowhere, a bright blue bird dropped out of the sky and landed on the tree. At its touch the tree flinched, trying to dislodge the creature, but it kept its hold. It started building a nest, taking its time, learning how to fly through the tree’s branches.
After a while the tree grew quiet and still. It watched the bird find tiny sticks and twigs, and once it was done the tree no longer wished to dislodge it. It was comforted by the bird and the nest, and it watched over them as the bird did the same for it.
The tree stopped mourning its loss of the forest.
And then one day, a great wind rose up and the bird, though it held tightly to the branch, was carried away and out of sight. The tree watched in horror, unable to stop it.
Even as the wind died down and disappeared, the bird did not return. The tree stared out in vain, searching the sky, but no blue speck appeared.
Then it remembered the nest. Just the sight of it was too much for the tree to bear, and it again tried to fling the nest away. It wouldn’t budge. The tree withered, spent years struggling against the burden of the nest, trying to ignore the memories it brought back to life.
Another speck appeared in the distance and hope blossomed in the tree. As the object grew closer, though, the tree saw that it was not blue. It was not the beloved bird it remembered.
A new bird swooped in, smaller than the first. Its plumage was bright yellow, and it chirped in the most magnificent way. The tree felt love anew and it guided the bird to the nest, glad that it hadn’t succeeded in removing it.
And there, in the memory of the first bird, the second one made its home.
It was alone.
And then out of nowhere, a bright blue bird dropped out of the sky and landed on the tree. At its touch the tree flinched, trying to dislodge the creature, but it kept its hold. It started building a nest, taking its time, learning how to fly through the tree’s branches.
After a while the tree grew quiet and still. It watched the bird find tiny sticks and twigs, and once it was done the tree no longer wished to dislodge it. It was comforted by the bird and the nest, and it watched over them as the bird did the same for it.
The tree stopped mourning its loss of the forest.
And then one day, a great wind rose up and the bird, though it held tightly to the branch, was carried away and out of sight. The tree watched in horror, unable to stop it.
Even as the wind died down and disappeared, the bird did not return. The tree stared out in vain, searching the sky, but no blue speck appeared.
Then it remembered the nest. Just the sight of it was too much for the tree to bear, and it again tried to fling the nest away. It wouldn’t budge. The tree withered, spent years struggling against the burden of the nest, trying to ignore the memories it brought back to life.
Another speck appeared in the distance and hope blossomed in the tree. As the object grew closer, though, the tree saw that it was not blue. It was not the beloved bird it remembered.
A new bird swooped in, smaller than the first. Its plumage was bright yellow, and it chirped in the most magnificent way. The tree felt love anew and it guided the bird to the nest, glad that it hadn’t succeeded in removing it.
And there, in the memory of the first bird, the second one made its home.
