THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE RHIZOME (writing prompt response) by Noah Farberman

     

    "That bear is not wearing any pants" said the tree that never made a sound. The tree had fallen three months earlier, cracked by its own weight and thrust aside by a root hidden six feet below. From under its belly it could feel all it crushed. From under its belly it could feel all it crushed start to rise, digging not out but up, tearing open the tree’s underbelly or back with slow mite. Termite. The tree that no one heard make a sound no one heard wail. No one heard it scream or yell. No one heard it fade to sleep through whimpers like a six-year-old with migraines who needs to stop eating so many Tylenols. The tree that never made a sound spoke thus “thanks for nothing, grass. Thanks for nothing, sky. Thanks for nothing, birds, and you’re welcome by the way. Thanks for nothing, carbon monoxide. Thanks for nothing, rocks and fungus. Thanks for nothing, Nature and all of its mothers.” The bear took a squat on the mouth of the tree and shat until the hole was full. The silent tree gurgled and drowned.
     “Oh bother” the bear spoke, “the lesson here is that ignoring is never the answer.”

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for the writing prompt, see the Writing Prompt page.