Forest

One

    I walked down the flat leaves that sat on the dirt I know too well. I looked up, a puff of smoke fluttering in the orange and pink sky. I looked down and reached in my back pocket with my one free hand. My other having my only possession inside. My ukulele with Aloha! On the top. I pulled out a box of cigarettes, they were barely full to my surprise. I closed my eyes and reached deeper in my pocket, my lighter sat in the bottom of my jeans with a small crumpled piece of paper. I took out both and looked at the sheet.

It was small and folded neatly with a small letter on it. Lots of Love. I sighed quietly and opened it. A small suicide 'note' (more like song) had smeared led hugging the lightly folded paper. I quickly crumpled it before I read it. I knew it by heart anyway so their was no point.

I returned walked to my tree. It was thick with bark hugging the pale wood, thick branches trying to abandon the trunk and feathered out with small twigs. Small leaves blew with the soft winds, the green leaves laying on the neutral others. It was the tallest tree that screamed as it shook from winds. It was almost like it was weak and in pain. I always visited, as if I could go anywhere else, and leaned on it and sang to the tree. It was the only thing that would stay and listen to my verses. It was the only one that would fall in love with what I bled for. That's why I visited almost every day.

I slid a cigarette out of the slightly bent box and put it in between my teeth. I took the lighter and lit it and also stained the bud with its warmth. I breathed in the smoke, it burned my throat but I would quickly recover, just to cause the pain again. I puffed out the smoke and returned walking. I felt my stomach turn as I saw my tree. It's beauty swaying with the wind, screaming in pain. I was the only one who could hear it's pain, and he was the only one who would listen to me. I felt like my only friend is this almost inanimate object. It was alive, yet wasn't able to hear me, much less love me.

I leaned against the bark and breathed in the smoke, feeling the burning sensation in the back of my throat. I puffed it out and did the same thing for a while.

I slowly placed my Ukulele on my lap and strummed a cord. I felt my stomach ache. It felt like someone was watching me.

Oh, miss believer

I felt the state get deeper on my skin and looked around, my hand starting to shake and ruin the graceful sound echoes. I looked around. "Hello?" I called to the mist. Nothing. I returned to playing.

My pretty sleeper

I poked my head up as the stare seemed to be tattooed on my eyes. "You can come out! I won't hurt you!" I called and put my ukulele down. I rolled up my sleeve and put out the bud on my skin. It felt so painful, yet perfectly satisfying. I then saw ruby. A flash of ruby passed by the woods, bigger than any birds. "Hello?" I called out to the ruby runner. I decided to call him- or her- that for the time being. I stood up, tired of waiting for it to come out.

I looked behind almost all the trees, all I saw was a small strand of curly ruby red hair dancing in the wind. I quietly tip-toed to the small figure. I then looked behind the tree with the dancing ruby locks. "Hel-"
He screamed.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He was shaking, holding his chest and trying to breathe. I put my hand on his back and started rubbing.

    He had squinty eyes, one of covered with a blanket of violet and black. His skin was tan, yet bruised. I looked at him and put my hand on his cheek. "Oh, are you okay?" I asked. He pushed my hand away and nodded. "I'm fine," he was lying. I knew that. Fine is just a word to cover up your problems. A black blanket over you invisible problems.

"You don't look okay," I said. He shook his head. "I'm okay, I promise, I just- never mind." He Shook his head and tried to run off. "Ruby?!" I yelled. He was gone. "Ruby!" It echoed.

"Ruby runner?" I called quietly as I started walking.

"Hello?" I said.

"IS THERE ANYONE IN THESE WOODS?!" I screamed.

Nothing but the echoing of my voice. I looked down.

"I'm sorry, ruby runner."

I went back to my ukulele. I walked away from the scene.

Thatrubyrunnersgone.Hewillnevertalktoyou.

I shook my head.

Rubyisgone,nevertoveseen.

I shook my head again.

"Help me..."