Friends, enemies, my job, my life, and a random tree
Just to let you know, when you live in a tree, there are 3 sounds you never want to wake up to, such as; roar of a chainsaw directly underneath you, an ear-splitting “crack” from ANYWHERE! Or the cawing of big angry birds in your tree. Can you guess which one I woke up to? At 5 in the morning? In the dark? All of the above, accompanied by the sound of groaning wood and a falling sensation. Aren’t I lucky?
My eyes immediately snap open as soon as I identify the rumbling and roaring beneath me. The moment I had grabbed my bag of possessions I knew it was too late to climb down, too late to shout at the workers to stop; the tree was falling and I was going down with it. My thoughts were a blur, I could barely comprehend what was happening around me; was the ground getting closer to me or was I getting closer to the ground? Either way one of us was accelerating in speed, my palms were sweaty, my joints were locked in place, a scream trapped in my throat, and the pounding of my heart in my ears. Out of my storm of thoughts I managed to pick out one thought that made sense, “jump” it said. The ground was getting closer.
Jump? that can’t be right; that’s insane!
Out of the corner of my eye I see another tree, just barely within jumping distance. Time seemed to freeze for a moment.
Could I even make this jump? What if I can’t? Well if I can’t I guess the same thing will happen either way... Squish... What other choice do I have anyways?
Time speeds up again and without any more time to think I jump for the tree. I’m soaring through the air, my mind completely blank, with no other sound but the wind in my ears. I reach for a branch, getting closer and closer, my fingers barely an inch away from its destination, when I start going downwards. My heart in my throat and my mind suddenly the noisiest place in existence I manage a single gasp. I squeeze my eyes shut, not wanting to see when I would meet my demise.
The impact was immediate, my chest hit hard against the trunk of the tree. Without even thinking I wrapped my arms and legs around it, using any strength I could muster. I slid down to the nearest branch below me and only then did I realize that I couldn't breathe. I tried to suck air back into my lungs but it was no use, my ribs aching, and my lungs searing in pain, it was as if I simply couldn't remember how to breathe. My vision began to get blurry and was soon invaded by dark flecks of nothing. With one last effort I tried to breathe and almost cried out with relief when I felt the wonderful sensation of air filling my lungs. I coughed a little from the aftermath of the pain and breathed some more.
I looked down at the tree that I had once called my home, and then to the workers who had cut it down.
Way to make sure there wasn't anything or anyone in the tree before you cut it down guys. I realize it's 5 in the morning but still! Who even works at this hour!? It's a conspiracy I say! Against homeless people! Damn republicans! Did they even notice that I just about died!? I'm going to tear a strip off of one of them I swear!
I climb down the tree, my head ready to explode, and start marching my way towards the construction workers. The yellow of their hardhats was annoying me, the sounds of machinery was giving me a splitting headache, and they had waken me up in the absolute worst way possible, at five in the morning.
Blood shall be spilt tonight; this is not going to be pretty.
I push past guys twice my size who are wearing hardhats and make my way to a guy that seemed to be giving the others orders on what trees to cut down, which areas to bulldoze, the works, this is definitely my guy.
"HEY!", I pretty much screamed in his ear; you have to agree with me that he kind of deserved it
He jumped from surprise and looked down at me, and blinked a bit in confusion, he obviously wasn't expecting some random teenage girl to start screaming in his ear at 5 in the morning. It was only then that I realized that this guy was huge. Lets just say that if a human and a mountain could have a baby, he would be that baby. I swear the guy was 8 feet tall at least! He was covered head to toe in tattoos as far as I could tell. His hardhat covered a shiny bald head and I wondered if I rubbed it if it would make a squeaking noise... hehehe, squeak squeak... IM A WEIRD CHILD OKAY!?
He looks at me, still obviously confused about why I'm here, and shouts over the noise, "What do you want!? I'm kind of busy at the moment!"
This guy, being the mountain he is, could easily beat me within an inch of my life in a matter of seconds no doubt. You would think that this fact would stop me from saying something incredibly stupid. It might have if I had any sense of self-preservation, too bad I don't.
I immediately started raging at him, screaming at the top of my lungs, "What the hell is wrong with you!? Haven't you ever heard of checking a tree before you cut it down!? Everybody knows that this park is pretty much Hobo City! There could easily be hobos living in any one of these trees! As a matter of fact I was living in one of those trees! I almost died a few minutes ago because one of your men cut down the tree I was sleeping in! I was lucky to be able to jump to the next tree before it was too late! What the bloody hell do you have to say for yourself!?" My throat was sore and I could feel sweat dripping down my forehead.
The area had gone almost dead silent; chainsaws and electric tools turned off, the motors of construction vehicles still rumbled, but they had all stopped moving. I could feel dozens of eyes trained on me in shock, as if they were all thinking 'How could a girl so small contain so much fury?'. Suddenly the mountain exploded into a fit of laughter, and I could hear some of the other workers laughing along with him.
Who the hell do these motherfuckers think they are!?
"You think that you have the right to complain to us about how we do our job?", he boomed between fits of laughter, "You barely have any rights in the first place! Not only are you just a kid, but your a homeless kid too! Who exactly are you going to tell that would take the time to care? Nobody, that's who!" He breaks into another fit of hysterical laughter as I stand there, stunned with pure hatred.
I swear that even the scorching fires of hell held no fury like mine, there is no way on Earth that I'm going to leave him alone after that kind of mockery. I'm going to kick him so hard his great grandchildren will be lying on the ground crying for their mommy.
The mountain-like moron managed to calm his laughter and stand up straight again
"Why don't you go run off and find another tree to live in" he said with a cocky smirk
He turned around and started walking away and the noise started back up again. Big mistake on his part. I walk up to him and, using all my hatred and fury for strength, I brought my leg up and kicked him square in the family jewels. I think I might have even heard a sick crunching sound as I did so. After that all you could hear was a shrill, high pitched scream coming from the mountain moron himself, although I'm not sure he can still qualify as a him anymore. Just like that he was down for the count, holding his crotch, still making that womanly screaming noise, rolling around on the ground; a pitiful sight indeed. I could see the men around me groaning and flinching as if just the sight of the mountain caused them mutual pain.
That'll teach them to choose their words and actions more carefully next time for sure.
I casually walk away from the construction site, feeling a lot better, and search around for a new tree out of earshot of the workers. Maybe I could even get a couple more hours of sleep before work.
YOU ARE READING
Sky Demons
HorrorHey, I'm Jenine, or Nox as some would prefer to call me, I'm what would APPEAR to be an everyday punk that most would assume simply wasn't raised right. With me that's not really the case though. The thing is I didn't have anybody to really raise me...
