Pretty Peach Tree-A Twisted Fairytale
"I'm on it, I'M ON IT!" Walker shouted through his cellphone. He shoved the device into his pocket angrily. His boss, Butch, wanted him to arrive at Chow Down Nwot immediately so he can work. Working, however, was the least of Walker's worries. He threw on a No. 5 shirt, khaki jeans, and head through the door of his house barefoot.
Walker had a habit of going places barefoot, because he didn't like how shoes felt on his feet. On his way to the city, he passed by a closed building. It was originally Kicks's Shoes and Such, a shoe store owned by the skunk himself until Tom Nook tore it down. There used to be a beautiful garden just behind the building, Melba and Maple would plant flowers there everyday. Walker knew he had to be at the restaurant, but he decided to blow it off for a few minutes. He wanted to see if the garden was still there.
Wow!
It was beautiful! Flowers still covered most of the grass, but there was something Walker hadn't noticed before. It was a big, beautiful peach tree. Walker did feel hungry, so he picked a peach from the tree and ate it. Boy, was it delicious! Walker sat down in front of the tree. At that moment, his cares washed away, and he fell asleep.
"Are you okay?"
Walker blinked and rubbed his eyes. 'Who said that?' he thought. He saw a golden retriever girl with beautiful, long maroon hair. Walker's heart raced as he slowly sat up. "Who are you?" he asked.
"My name is Goldie," the girl answered with a shy grin. "It doesn't really look like it, but I'm part of that peach tree you just ate from!"
Walker's mouth gaped open. That girl looked nothing LIKE a tree, but she had leaves in her hair and used leaves and twigs for clothes, so she wouldn't be lying. "I'm Walker," Walker greeted. He extended his hand for Goldie to shake it, but Goldie just stared. Tear trickled down her cheeks as she dropped to the ground. "Why are you crying?" Walker panicked. Did he offend her? What did he do?
"I'm sorry," stuttered Goldie, "I'm just so lonely here, no one ever comes to see me.." Goldie's hair covered her face as her tears soaked the ground.
"Um, don't cry! I'll come visit you everyday, so you won't be lonely anymore!" Walker tried.
Goldie moved the hair from her face and rubbed her eyes. "You'd really do that for me? I don't want to be a burden.."
"It's no problem," Walker assured. "I'll be back tomorrow. Stay sweet, Goldie." Walker waved, and head off for work. Butch wasn't very happy to see the late employee arriving through the glass doors. Butch angrily stomped over to Walker and grabbed him by the shoulders, and took him into the kitchen. Since none of the customers could see, he used all of his lung power to scream as loud as he could.
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" Butch hollered. "YOU'RE TWO HIP-HOPPIN' HOURS LATE!"
"I'm sorry!" Walker yelled back.
"SORRY MY TAIL!" the furious rottweiler snarled. "Now you go and TAKE THE HUNGRY CUSTOMERS' ORDERS!"
Walker stuck his tongue out at his furious boss, and wondered about his encounter with Goldie. Walker never believed in fairy-tales, but he might just reconsider this thought since he's met Goldie. Walker took his notepad to a full table. "What would you like to order?" he asked the customers.
Walker woke up the next day in a foul mood. He assumed that Goldie wouldn't still be behind Kicks's Shoes and Such, and that he wouldn't be able to see her again. Nonetheless, his curiosity led him to peek behind the building.
There she was, sitting in the branch. A smile was painted across her face as soon as their eyes met. "Walker!" she exclaimed, landing on the ground and running to the other dog.
"Hey, Goldie," said Walker. He pat Goldie's head as she squeezed him tightly. "I thought you wouldn't be here."
"Why wouldn't I? I can't go anywhere else. I'm part of the peach tree." Goldie remarked, finally ceasing to squeeze Walker. "But I'm happy that your here. I was so lonely." She rubbed her eyes to keep herself from crying.
Walker smiled. He, somehow, felt a warm vibe coming from Goldie. It was a perfect serene feeling..until the sound of The K. Funk buzzed from his pocket. "Oh no, I'm late for work!" he shrieked. "Butch will be so mad.."
"Wait! Goldie shouted. "You're going to come here tomorrow, right? And the next day, and the next day?"
"Of course!" Walker smiled. "I'll always come!" He waved to the beautiful golden retriever and took off for the city. Butch was already waiting for Walker at the entrance.
"You. Explanation. NOW." Butch stuttered furiously.
"You see, I met this girl, and-"
"Ohhh..so it's a girl, huh?" Butch answered. He pat Walker on the shoulder and leaned close to him. "Lemme tell you a story, son. Once there was a boy who met a girl. That boy was head-over-heels for the girl, yes, but the girl wasn't so much. So guess what? The boy was late for work every day with that girl and the girl ended up KISSING ANOTHER GUY IN FRONT OF THAT BLASTED BOY AND LEAVING THE BOY WITH NOTHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO BUT AN ANGRY BOSS!"
Walker cringed a little and covered his ringing ears. Finally, he spoke up and snapped, "You made that story up, didn't you?"
"Aye," Butch nodded. "But the moral is, boy, to stop thinking about girls and gettin' back to work..got it?"
Walker nodded, and went inside the restaurant. But he really didn't agree with Butch, he would still go and see Goldie the next day. This cycle continued day in and day out. Walker would see Goldie, and happily take the heat from his boss. Until one day, Butch finally decided it was the last straw.
"If this girl is SOOOOO important," Butch hollered, "I should be able to meet her!"
"I'd be more than happy to introduce you to her," Walker smiled. "Maybe when you meet such a sweet little peach like her, you won't be so crabby anymore."
Butch would've said something, but he just smirked. "Fine, let's go see this girl."
Some of the other employees took over while Butch and Walker escaped the city and finally arrived at the closed building. Walker took Butch's hand and dragged him into the beautiful garden.
"Okay, I know you said she's a tree..but are you serious?" Butch questioned. He saw the big peach tree.
"Yes, but she looks like a beautiful dog," Walker assured. "Goldie. Her name is Goldie.."
"Yep, that tree is totally a beautiful dog," Butch snickered sarcastically.
"I'm SERIOUS!" Walker panicked. "I'll call her right now! GOLDIE! GOLDIIIIE! GOLDIE?" But there was no answer, and Goldie was nowhere in sight.
"Lad, you've wasted my time." Butch sneered. He stomped out of the garden. "Don't be late for work again."
Walker sighed. He slumped against the peach tree, and suddenly heard faint giggling. "Goldie?" Walker called out. At that moment, Goldie peeked out of the leaves on the tree and got on the ground to see Walker.
"You were hiding?" Walker gasped. "Why did you do that?"
"I was playin' hide and seek!" Goldie grinned. "Hiding from your boss."
"Goldie..my boss wanted to meet you."
Goldie paused for a second. "I'm sorry..but I'm glad you're still here!"
Goldie hugged Walker and rested her head on his shoulder. Walker's face was a bright shade of pink, and his heart was racing. Was this love? Either way, it'd be too out of the blue to tell Goldie he loved her just then. He decided to tell Goldie tomorrow, when he was all dressed up and could give her flowers. "I'll see you tomorrow," Walker smiled. "I'll have a surprise." He blew a kiss and walked away from the gardens, back to Chow Down Nwot.
Butch was up to no good. He arrived at Nookway and purchased an axe. Butch assumed at night would be the best time for his deed. He sneaked behind Kicks's Shoes and Such to the garden. Goldie blinked her eyes open when she saw Butch. "Walker? You're here! Are you giving me the surprise early?"
"No, lass, I'm Butch, his boss." Butch replied. "I've got a surprise from Walker, though.."
Goldie jumped up and down. "Really? What is it?" she squealed.
Butch, with a maniacal grin, took out his axe and aimed for the peach tree.
"What are you doing?" Goldie wailed. The words buzzed inside her head. I've got a surprise from Walker.
"THIS is the surprise, Walker? How could you?" she screamed, tears running down her face and dripping onto the grass. Butch merely chuckled.
Breaking into laughter, Butch chopped the peach tree crazily, each time he swung the cut went deeper. Goldie, being part of the tree, felt its pain. Chlorophyll oozed from her feet and began to drip from her hands. Slowly, both the tree and Goldie were being killed.
"You see, lass?" Butch snickered. "I wanted to meet you, but instead, I got to defeat you."
"I hate you, Walker!" was all she could manage to say before her final scream. The tree had been cut down, and around the decaying stump lay Goldie, who had been reduced to a puddle of chlorophyll.
Walker woke up happily the next day. He had the flowers prepared, and got into his best tuxedo. He head out the door, ready to tell Goldie his feelings.
The ground near Kicks's Shoes and Such contained footprints. They were fresh, as if somebody had been there before he had. He shook the idea out of his head and continued to the back of the building.
"Oh..My.." was all he could mutter.
There was the remains of the peach tree. The stump had an axe stuck in it, and he noticed how Goldie was now nothing but a green puddle. Walker screamed. He ran to the stump, buried his face in his arms on top of the stump and cried, while instead of taking a breath, shouted hateful words every few seconds. His knees were laying in the puddle. Afterwords, Walker stopped crying and sat on the stump and dug in his pocket for his phone. He dialed Butch's number and put the phone to
his ear.
"Hello, boss. I'm on my way." he noted emotionless. He sat up and walked away from the gardens to the city as if nothing happened. Walker didn't believe in fairy-tales, and he was going to stay that way.
Forever.
THE END