Chapter Ten – The Mad Descent

Once-ler's family really knew how to make Olivia feel like she was living in Greenville all over again. Actually, they made the people that made fun of Olivia on a consistent basis back then look like complete amateurs. She woke up every day before everyone else, just so she could slip away without the daily dose of insults from Once-ler's mother and aunt and returned after everyone went to sleep. The animals were glad for the extra time with her, but the tension grew with the Lorax as they argued about Once-ler almost all the time. Yes, the forest looked more bare…yes, she had noticed…no, she hadn't confronted him…finally, they could barely stand to talk and Olivia took more to being by herself, grateful for the lack of accusations, of reality checks.

Once-ler never had time to figure out why Olivia was always disappearing; his mother drilled him to make more Thneeds, to make more decisions for the growing business and soon, the voice constantly wanting to know where Olivia was faded away and was completely silent. He only hoped she came home every night, even if he was asleep just so he could know she was safe.

Oddly and luckily enough, one night she was in the tent when he got back from Greenville and he felt it was time to reveal his next vision.

"A factory?" she looked to his beaming face from the blueprints.

"Our sales are too much to continue doing Thneeds by hand." Once-ler looked around the tent. "Also, I thought about building a suite on the top floor for us to live in. This tent is getting too cramped, don't you think?" The tent was indeed full of Truffula tree tuffs, Thneeds, sewing kits and other seeming useless junk. But it was their tent, their home. Before Olivia could argue for the sake of the tent, Once-ler continued.

"The contractors told me that they can start as soon as we pick a spot for the factory. That's where you come in." he ignored the slight look of doubt that crept onto her face. "I need you to help me pick out a spot for the factory. You know this forest better than I do, and you would know exactly where to put it."

"But doesn't that mean you'll have to cut down more trees to make room for the factory in the first place?" She didn't know why she even asked such an obvious question. Of course, more trees would have to be cut down. The Lorax would never let her live it down; to him, it would be the ultimate sin and betrayal. She could just see his face, hear his accusations…she shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"Well…yeah." Once-ler's answer was careful. "But it's for the best. It's for us." Olivia's eyes drifted to the window and she suddenly noticed the setting sun was larger in the sky.

"There are more trees gone…" Her statement was quiet, thoughtful; she felt her heart sink at his silence.

"We had to cut a few more yesterday." He finally said. Without a word, she walked past him to lay down on the bed with her back to him, curling up in a small ball. Why she felt like the position protected her from the facts, the reality of what was happening, she didn't know, but it was comforting at least for that moment. The bed sank behind her and Once-ler's voice was by her ear.

"I promise, we'll stop soon…" He wanted to believe his promise just as much as she did, but he knew it wasn't possible; his mom was right about production being faster. The family could finally keep up with making and selling Thneeds; couldn't Olivia see that it was helping not only the business, but them too? Maybe she just needed some encouragement, a reminder of what was important…

His lips brushed lightly against her ear. Slowly, her breathing deepened and she started to relax. More than anything, Olivia willed herself to cringe at his touch, turn around and push him away, but she knew that she wouldn't, that she couldn't. She loved him, and whether she liked it or not, her body needed and craved his touch, his kisses, his attention. She let out a long, sensuous groan as his hands found their way to her chest; why, oh why was her body betraying her?

She turned around her head around and met his lips; at least for a moment, she would forget what was going on outside…


"It wasn't just me; Olivia's song is what started my sales." Once-ler and his mother sat at the table in his tent. "If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have even sold one Thneed."

"Her song, huh?" Once-ler's mother had the look of a scheme cooking in her head. "Well, why don't we use that to our advantage? Let's do a commercial with the song. That'll give her some use." Once-ler ignored his mother's insult; he didn't have the mental energy to verbally spar at the moment.

"I don't know if she would go for it-"

"Oh, sure she would!" Once-ler's mother shot up from her chair. "Every woman longs to be in front of a camera, trust me! I know someone that could help us; I'll call him right now!" She left the tent in a blur before Once-ler could say anything. He sighed and leaned his head back; Olivia with a pink guitar singing about Thneeds didn't seem so bad…


"I shouldn't have worn these shoes." Once-ler's mother griped from behind her son. "How much longer do we have to walk?"

"Not much." Olivia breathed against the pain of the steep walk. Behind her, Once-ler was struggling to keep up.

"Didn't expect it to be this far out."

"Trust me, it's worth the climb. Here we are." Olivia took the final step onto the flat hilltop; Once-ler and his mother close behind. They all took a second to pause and breath, then Olivia pointed ahead of them. "This should be a good spot." They left the shade of the trees and were amazed at the view; the hill overlooked the entire valley; the trees colored the ground below with loud pops of colors; even the swomee swans looked touchable from where they stood. Tensely, Olivia watched as Once-ler walked around the spot, examining it carefully. After a couple of long, silent minutes, he finally gave his nod of approval.

"Tell the guys to start digging here." He told his mother. She clapped her hands together.

"Oh, Oncie, I can't believe it! Finally, a factory! You've made me proud!" She hugged him roughly, kissing his cheek. "I'll make the call right away." She shuffled off toward the other side of the broad land, dialing on a cell phone. Once-ler watched as Olivia looked out over the valley, the wind gently shuffling her curls everywhere on her head. She looked serious and thoughtful as her eyes followed a group of swomee swans flying in the distance.

"What made you pick all the way out here? I mean, it's amazing," Once-ler quickly injected, sweeping his arm out across the land to make his point clear. "But why here?" Olivia smiled shortly.

"Let's just say you're right; I know this land better you do."


"He's building a factory now?!" The Lorax balked at Olivia. "Wha-wha-"

"Don't worry." She was more talking to herself than him as she skipped rocks. "I made sure to pick a spot where not a lot of animals live and where there's a smaller number of trees."

"And that makes it better how?"

"Less trees to lose, less animals without homes." The logic made sense in her mind. "They can move closer to the heart of valley, where they'll be safer…"

"And Beanpole can get what he wants." The Lorax finished for her. "That way, everyone is happy." He nodded slowly, and then shook his head. "You know this isn't going to work as well as you think it will."

"Lorax, please," she stopped and turned around to face, a tone of pleading in her voice. "I'm trying to think of everyone here. I may be Once-ler's girlfriend and partner, but you know I'll do everything I can to protect them first." She pointed toward the animals as they all sat in a group, singing along with the hummingfish to one of her songs.

"And how is polluting the air with factory smoke protecting them?" She stiffened against his words. "How is glubbing up the ponds with waste helping them? How is destroying their homes the best for them? Listen to yourself, or can you even hear yourself over your own doubt?" Olivia huffed.

"I didn't come here to be insulted." she threw the rocks in her hands into the river and stormed past the Lorax. Now, for the first time since Beanpole came to the forest, he was truly angry; she knew perfectly well what she was doing, but she refused to admit she was wrong.

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself, Whirling around to face her back, he pointed at her. "Look at you, you're puddy in his hands!" She stopped. "You'll do anything, anything at all, to make him happy! You're becoming just as destructive as him!" She furiously spun around to face him.

"Shut up!" Her shout seemed to stop the whole forest. Every pair of eyes around them were fixed on her. "Don't make me the monster here. Because I'm not." She labored on every word, stressing each syllable as to make her statement stick She wasn't a monster; she was the good guy, working furiously to protect the animals and help Once-ler. Was he really so blind to her intentions?

"Look at who you've become, Olivia." The Lorax's face softened a degree. "You're not yourself anymore." She started to retort, but stopped at the animals' reactions; there were subtle nods and sad looks all around at his blunt words. "Even they see you're changing." The Lorax nodded back at the group. "Please…before you loose us…before you loose yourself…" he held out his hand.

She found herself recoiling at his plea. The stitches that held her conscious together was starting to unravel in the face of all the pressure, the stress of the last few weeks. She wished she could just tear herself down the middle and give a piece of herself to each side. But even that wouldn't satisfy anyone. She was stuck between her love for the forest and its creatures, the definition of her life and passion and her love for Once-ler, who helped to control the fire that burned within her and created new desires.

If the Lorax didn't understand the need for both sides, then maybe it was better for him to never even try.

"This isn't you." The Lorax's eyes filled with tears, his moustache quivering. Her eyes held the answer: he had lost her. She spun around to storm back down to the tent. "You're better than this, Olivia!" he called one last time desperately to her back and she shut her hands over her ears, blocking out his last words as she disappeared down the hillside.

She couldn't see where she was going through the tears, rage and grief that wrestled inside of her. Maybe that was how she easily bumped into Once-ler's mother.

"Oh, hey, you-" she started.

"My name is Olivia." She snapped angrily. "O-li-vi-a." Once-ler's mother stiffened against her tone.

"Umm…yes. I've been looking for you."

"Why?" Olivia wiped her eyes, hopeful that Once-ler's mother wouldn't notice the tear stains all over her cheeks.

"I want you to meet someone." She took her arm and led her into the tent. Once-ler wasn't there, but a strange man in a suit was looking all around the tent, probably amazed at how much stuff was crammed inside.

"This is Rocko." Once-ler's mother smiled. "He directs commercials. Oncie wants him to make a commercial for the Thneed with your song as the star!" Rocko suddenly spun around and framed Olivia's face through this hand.

"Hmm, yes, she needs a little work." His high-pitched voice rang in her ears. "But she has potential." Olivia felt her head on the verge of exploding. First, the Lorax, now Once-ler's mother?

"Look, can we talk about this later-"

"Oh, we already have talked about it!" Once-ler's mother interrupted. "You'll start filming tomorrow! I'll show you out, Rocko…" Once-ler's mother shuffled to the door with Rocko, opening the door.

"Do I not have a choice here?" She called to their backs, but the door slammed harshly cutting her words off. Olivia slowly sat down on the bed and put a pillow in her face. For a few seconds, she tried to stop herself, but the screams rose from her throat before she could stop them. She screamed and pounded the floor with her feet until her knees hurt and her voice was hoarse and sore. Laying down, she let the pain numb her enough until she fell into a fitful sleep, which was a little bit more peaceful than the life she lived when awake.

The Lorax sniffled and dried his eyes for what seemed like the umpteenth time. Olivia was about to become a stranger to them all, and there was nothing he could do to stop her. The tent lights in the distance faded and Lorax felt his heart break again. An omen of what was to come…he looked at the sky and took a deep breath. He could only hope she would come to her senses before it was too late.

NOTE: Le plot thickens!

GW