isntepic Archive

Eloise Holt

"Stop!" A woman with sparkling blonde hair ran out of her villa amid the night, towards the forest. Her chest hurt, she felt her skin on fire, everything hurt. "Stop this at once!"

-

She had been woken up because of the smell of burnt wood and the searing heat on her skin. From the smell, she immediately knew something was burning. Where it was coming from, would explain the feeling of being burnt alive. The forest trees. She shot out of her bed, leaving her sleeping husband's side and hastily throwing a robe over her silk nightgown.

"Eloise!" The woman cried out, clutching her chest, trying to suppress the pain building up inside her chest. It was no use.

She was abruptly stopped from entering the forest by a man in a thick black trenchcoat, holding a bag. He told her to leave the forest at once.

"It's not safe for you here, ma'am. The forest is to be removed for the up and coming housing for the community. Government orders ma'am, I cannot do anything." He shook his head solemnly. "I am sorry if this forest is something you hold dear."

The woman shook her head, tears streaming down her face, clutching at the front of the man's coat, shaking him with her trembling body. She was surrounded by the invisible flames. "No sir, you don't understand. Eloise is in there! She will die if you continue to burn this forest down! You cannot burn it down! Please, sir! Please help me!"

He shook his head once more. "I am sorry ma'am. I cannot help you. The government will not allow me to."

She shook her head frantically, still clutching his coat-front. "Sir, this is inhumane! You cannot just burn down forests as and when you feel like it! You can't just kill trees like this! What kind of creature are you? Aren't you human? You--" She dropped to the ground, screaming in agony and clutching at her sides. "Ah! It hurts!"

The man watched her, expressionless as she lay on the grass, writhing in excruciating pain. He did not move an inch from where he stood. He did not help her. He just stood there, as still as a statue, until the whole forest behind them was nothing but ashes and the woman at his feet fell silent. Only then did he leave the charred forest grounds.

Her husband ran up to her motionless body, dropping to his knees and clutching at his wife's shoulders. "Eloise!" He shouted, shaking her frantically but getting no response. "Eloise! Wake up!" He continued to shake her.

It was no use. With the forest in ashes, Eloise's human form would not be able to exist. Both the human and tree had to thrive together. She had protected the forest diligently for the past twenty-four years. Eloise was dead.