Disclaimer - I don't own The Lorax or its soundtrack. Copyright to Dr Seuss and Illuminations Entertainment.

(So this is an extremely short chapter but the story's not over yet~! Two more chapters still to come ^^)

Let It Grow

Pacing back and forth anxiously around the room, I let my mind wander. Which, as usual, was kind of dangerous. It was entirely possible the people of Thneedville wouldn't want the tree. Or even allow him to plant it in the first place. Or what if he lost the seed on the way into town? What if he didn't even make it back into town? What if-

No, you've got to stay positive. He'll do it.

Will he, though? How can I be so sure?

Because he cares.

Does he…?

… Did I make the right choice? I-I mean… Is Ted the right person? Is it the right time? Have I waited too long? How bad is it in Thneedville, anyway? Could a tree even grow there? Is O'Hare still running the town? Oh, God, if he's still in charge, how's Ted supposed to get the seed planted? How could I do that to him? There's no telling what trouble I could be getting him into…!

As I grew more and more uneasy, I began roaming around the Lerkim, looking for whatever ways I could to distract myself. But it was all in vain; the voices in my head were overwhelming. And really, it was my voice. I couldn't help but be paranoid. I'd been locked up here for decades, and now I had to take a leap of faith and pray a kid could change the minds of a whole town's population.

* UNLESS *

I was still walking aimlessly around the building, completely oblivious to how much time had passed since Ted left with the seed. Whatever I did, I couldn't think of anything else. He needed to succeed. If he didn't, there was nothing more I could do. He had the seed. It was all in his hands now.

Another problem struck me then: how was I to know when, and if, he had made it? How could I know if he'd planted it, if the citizens of Thneedville had accepted it? Would he come back one more time? If he did, would he bring people with him? Should I venture outside for the first time in years to find out myself? I told myself to trust Ted. He'd make sure I knew. Wouldn't he?

I shook my head and blinked myself out of my daze. There were too many questions in my mind. Wandering down the stairs once again, I came to the front door. I stopped and stared at the trap set against it, waiting for the doorbell to be rung. If everything went as planned, I wouldn't need these devices anymore. I turned away and searched the Lerkim for my tools, soon coming across the old ax I had once used to cut down the first Truffula tree. I picked it up hesitantly, remembering what it was last used for, and was about to continue rummaging through the remaining junk for the rest of the tools when I heard something outside. It was faint, but I could just make out the metallic bangs ringing out through the valley. I hurried back upstairs and scrambled to get a good view through the boarded up windows, absentmindedly placing the ax on the desk with Ted's payment. In the distance, the wall around Thneedville looked as though it was shaking. The banging got louder and the shaking more violent until eventually a section of the wall collapsed. Through the fog, I could make out the silhouetted crowd of people behind it stood next to what looked like a bulldozer, which a small figure climbed up onto.

Ted?

He raised a hand, holding out what must have been the seed to the people. I waited for a moment for him to jump to the ground and march triumphantly through the crowd to plant it. Instead I only saw his shoulders sag as he lowered his arm. But then I heard a voice break through the silence, joined by more, singing out together. Soon, Ted was on the ground and walking with the others back into town. I looked around desperately, spotting the ax I had left to one side, and picked it up, haphazardly hacking the wooden boards from the window so I could lean out, getting a far better look at Ted's work.

He did it…

I felt tears prickling in my eyes and my bottom lip quivered.

Will he come back now?

I blinked away the tears and smiled proudly.

"Thank you, Ted."