The Tree I Once Knew

~~People say 'you don't know what you got till it's gone'. Truth is, you knew what you had, you just thought you'd never lose it.~~

Gone.

The Tree I Once Knew. 

Gone.

'Normal' people see the towering tree as just a part of nature,
dictators see them as an opportunity to make money.

But in general, they're a tree. 
A trunk growing from nowhere.
A piece of wood.

But me?

The Tree I Once Knew was my friend.
My ally.
My home.
My escape.

 They're the place I'd rather go than spend my life wandering when someone will notice me.
Will hear me.
Will understand me.

The Tree I Once Knew always understood me.
They didn't give any judgemental thoughts, and didn't make me feel insecure.
They let me feel heard.
They made me feel noticed.
They made me feel like I mattered.
I will always treasure that.

They didn't care for my rough playing, 
they didn't care for my ignorance,
they didn't mind when I took them for granted,
and they didn't mind when I haven't spend my days not even knowing they exist.
Because The Tree I Once Knew understood my struggles in life.

Still, it was not an excuse for leaving them.
Because even on days where I felt worthless,
where I felt like no one cared,
where I wanted to end my life right on the spot,
when school was too much for me to handle or when my house made me feel trapped,
The Tree I Once Knew always welcomed me with open arms.

For The Tree I Once Knew was my friend.
My ally.
My home.
My escape.

But even though in my eyes, The Tree I Once Knew meant life and death to me,
the men in orange that spelled danger took them away from me.

THEY TOOK MY FRIEND AWAY FROM ME.
THEY TOOK MY ALLY AWAY FROM ME.
THEY TOOK MY HOME AWAY FROM ME.
THEY TOOK MY ONLY ESCAPE AWAY FROM ME!

What the hell did The Tree I Once Knew do to deserve this!? 
The tree I once knew was innocent! 
The tree I once knew wouldn't hurt a fly, let alone the selfish men in orange when they should've!

I watched the whole thing right before my eyes!
I didn't move. I couldn't move! My mouth agape as I see the slaughter take place right in front of me.

They should've shouted! 
They should've cried for help!
They should've reached out for me!
At least me helping to protect them would seal the dept of all the times the tree I once knew protected me.

Because the tree I once knew was my friend.
My ally.
My home.
My escape.

As if I didn't witness my own family crumble.
As if the world I lived in didn't kill me on the inside.
As if the universe didn't stab me in the back and in the heart long enough.
As if I didn't already feel trapped, or lonely, or useless.

My world had to turn around and say, "No. You deserve more pain."

In any other situation, I would've said "That's fair." despite the many tears strolling down my cheek.