Trees

Blood oozed out of the bark of the tree, as the surrounding passer-bys outside of the Fence gazed at the workers rushing about.  Some workers were trying to lift up branches, looking for the victims that were captured by the tree, but they too would get sucked in and under, and blood began to flow out of the bark like a hemorrhage. A few workers ran off to find the leading scientist, Dr. Ester, hoping he’d know what to do.  As they ran, they dodged, falling trees and roots that tried to smash them and have them become victims like their dead friends.1

“Dr. Ester! Dr. Ester!”  Dr. Ester was in a glass box in the middle of the field, watching the trees kill his lab animals.  He watched them become crushed, and smacked around.  One animal came right at the box, in front of his face.  Pure terror was in its eyes, and it had to know at that moment, that Dr. Ester wouldn’t be helping it.  In an instant, a weeping willow’s branch grabbed the animal by the arm and flung it into the air.  The tree took another one of it’s branches, and took hold of the opposite leg.  It then began to shake the animal about, as if a wind had picked up.  It swept the animal back and forth, and as the animal screamed out, the rest of the trees began to rustle and come alive.  This lasted only about ten seconds, then the tree bashed the animal into the ground, and blood splattered the glass box.2

“Subjects seemed to have gained a consciousness.” Dr. Ester spoke into his computer’s microphone.  He looked at the blood that had made a mess of his office, and cocked his head at it, looking for a long time at something grayish.  At first, it looked like a heart, than a cat’s face.  He smiled at the thought of that image, a meowing cat, wanting to be fed in his glass box.  However, he was looking at a piece of his lab animal’s brain.3

“Dr. Ester,” began another scientist who was coming out of a door on the floor that led to the basement path, panting. 4

“Yes, Dr. Toll?”5

“Are they all--” the other scientist began to say, catching his breath.6

“Yes.  I believe we will need to send out a memo to the Government.  Also, a memo to Dr. Horrance at the Euro facilities.”7

“Are those the only memos…the only letters you’d like to give?”8

“Who else should know about this, Dr. Toll?” Dr. Toll looked at Dr. Ester for a second, putting his longish blonde hair behind his ears.  His  blue eyes gazed at Dr. Ester with a glowing anger. 9

“I thought…maybe condolences for the families would be well deserved, sir.”10

“Oh, Matthew!  How long have you been working for me?”  This time Matthew cocked his head at his boss, wondering what this loony was getting at.11

“A…a year now sir.” Matthew said, hesitantly.12

“And, have I ever sent out condolences before?”13

“No sir.”14

“So, why then should I start now?”  Matthew had a tear forming in his eye.  He looked at Dr. Ester, and then at the floor.15

“Well, sir…Elizabeth had been working today.”  16

Dr. Ester smiled apathetically, “She should’ve became a scientist than, shouldn’t she have Matthew?”  With that, Dr. Ester brushed slightly passed Matthew and sat down at his lab table and began to poke at a pair of white lab rats, stuck in a maze.17

Matthew Toll, walked back through the underground pathway, looking above him.  Roots were beginning to press against the platigla-which was a glass made out of platinum diamond.  It was the strongest and clearest piece of building material the world had, so he knew he was perfectly safe, underneath the trees, but he couldn’t help gazing above.  He didn’t even see a teenage girl, until he bumped into her, and she hit the floor of the path with a loud thud.18

“Oh, god, darling. I’m so sorry, I didn’t see…”  Matthew began to spew out his apology affectionately, and helping the girl up.  But the teen only giggled at him.19

“Matthew silly, is my father in his lab?” The teen began to move that way, but Matthew grabbed her hand.20

“Don’t go there, not now Jade.”  He said this looking at the floor.  Jade looked at him with adoring and curious eyes.  She smiled at him.21

“Why not darling?”  She moved her hand more comfortably in his own.22

“The trees…Elizabeth...”  With those three words, Matthew had to hold up Jade in his arms, as she mourned with sobs for her sister.23