Visions of Greed

Chapter 22: Cold as Ice Part 2

This chapter features a flashback of Once-ler and his brothers along with a nightmare sequence inspired by the song "Hollow" by Breaking Benjamin As always I hope you enjoy!

Recommended Songs: Lucky One- Simple Plan, A New Fear- Dance With The Dead, Hollow- Breaking Benjamin I'm a Wrecking Ball- Yellowcard

While Once-ler continued to shiver as he slept on the couch, Brett and Chet each sat down in the chairs next to him. Soon, all three brothers began to recall an event that had happened several years ago, back when they were all still teenagers.

It was a cold winter day, and a large amount of snow had fallen the day before. Isabella was out grocery shopping with Uncle Ubb and Aunt Grizelda, and she had told her sons to go out and chop down some trees for firewood while they were gone. With axes and sleds in hand, the three brothers walked some distance away from the homestead and each selected a tree. Then they lifted their axes and began to work.

Brett and Chet were faster and stronger than Once-ler and they each chopped down their own tree before he did. They both snickered as they watched Once-ler continue to work on his.

"Hey Once-ler, you know that you're supposed to actually chop down the tree, right?" Brett called out with a laugh.

"Ooh burn!" Chet replied, with another laugh.

Once-ler growled under his breath and continued chopping.

Meanwhile, Brett and Chet each started to cut up their tree, placing the hunks of wood on their sleds. By the time Once-ler had finally chopped his tree down, the twins were each working on their second one. As minutes went by, the three brothers continued to chop up the wood and place it on their sleds.

After they all finally finished. Brett looked up at the sky. "Looks like the sun is going down. We'd better get back to the house before it gets too cold," he suggested.

Chet and Once-ler both agreed. So they all grabbed their axes along with their sleds full of firewood and made their way back towards the homestead.

"Is that really all the wood you were able to get Once?" Chet asked as he looked at Once-ler's meager wood pile.

"Yeah," Once-ler admitted. It was true that he was only able to chop down one tree while his brothers each chopped down two. "But that's only because my tree was larger and thicker. See?" he tried to convince them while pointing at the pile of wood.

"Sure, just keep telling yourself that." Brett retorted sarcastcally while rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, the truth is, you're just a total wimp." Chet teased.

"I am not!" Once-ler protested, his face flush with embarrassment.

"Sure you are! I'll prove it!" Brett exclaimed before he suddenly pushed Once-ler down in the snow. The twins both laughed at him.

"Wow! Brett was right Once-ler, you really are a wimp!" Chet yelled.

"Yeah, and you're a slowpoke too. I bet you can't catch us!" Brett yelled as he and his twin both ran away with their sleds and axes, leaving Once-ler behind.

Once-ler let out a growl of frustration as he slowly got up. He hated the way Brett and Chet often teased him. But whenever Once-ler tried to stand, the ground began to split from under him and Once-ler soon found himself plunged into icy cold water. It turns out that Once-ler had been standing on top of the pond near their house that had frozen over, but none of the boys had realized this because of the sheer amount of snow that had covered it.

Once-ler panicked and flailed in the frigid water. He tried to hoist himself back onto the other chunks of ice but they too gave way from under him. "Brett Chet! Help me!" Once-ler cried out, too scared to be embarrassed about being called a coward. Once-ler knew that he was in serious danger.