AN:Content warnings for allusions to abusive parents
There was was a girl and a boy
Who lived in families without joy
The girl's name was Hayden, the boy's Larkin.
One day they went to the park in
Hopes of running away.
So run away they did that day
They ran and they ran
As fast as a boy and a girl can.
The boy and girl ran to an Ancient Wood
Where the trees were bright and looked good
With fluffy rainbow leaves and fruit
For the children to loot
And fluffy animals to pet
Whispering that they would not regret
It if they chose to stay
That bright and sunny day.
"But there is one rule," the bears said
"You must not eat the fruit that is red."
Larkin and Hayden asked why,
And the big brown bear gave a sigh.
"Just let the fruit stay there,"
Said the big brown bear.
Hayden and Larkin agreed,
But Larkin found a need
To eat and unfortunately for him
All of the fruit was red like sin.
Hungry and tired from his pain
Larkin ignored the singing fishes' refrain
Of the wise bear's advice
Ignorant of the sacrifice
Eating the fruit would make.
Sadly, he did not know what the fruit would take.
Luckily for him it took
His memories of getting hit by a book
By his mommy, who was so very mean
And hit Larkin with the book in the spleen.
But what was not so great
Was even though it took away his hate
It took his thoughts of Hayden
Although some still stayed in.
What caused more trouble was he
Had his life force now tied to the tree
Which would take his heart and break it in two,
Stealing his life, until the forest was as good as new.
Hayden did not eat from the trees
But she saw as her friend fell to his knees
His mouth covered in the juice of the fruit
And she knew her agreement was moot.
He seemed not to love her anymore
Something that scared her because it happened before
With her mommy and daddy
Who didn't always treat her badly
But grew into it as time went by
Until "I love you" became a lie.
Crying she vowed to save him from the spell
By burning the trees till the forest fell.
They became engaged in a war
Fighting over the trees and more.
Hayden would burn, Larkin would save
And the animals watched from their hidden cave
As the forest was destroyed once more
Like it had by a man in green before.
Finally the big brown bear took a stand
So he reached out to the firebrand
That was Hayden and he told her
Of what had happened in the Forest of Mulder.
"Before you came the wood was not bad
It was happy place, it made everyone glad
But then came the man in green
Who turned out to be mean
And polluted the rivers, cut down the wood
For some gadget, just because he could
And made it so dirty we all had to go away.
The spirit of the wood told us we'd be back someday
But someday came and we found we sorely wished it
Hadn't because the wood grew back twisted.
We can find another home,
As can you, if you continue to roam
But this place has changed and not for the better
So please burn it like a letter."
Hayden frowned and said
"But how do I save Larkin from the fruit that is red?"
The brown bear looked her in the eye
And showed her how to save the guy
By giving her memories to him.
First she had to find the forest's rim
Where the fruit was blue
She had to eat it, then what she would do
Is take it to Larkin to eat the rest
But she would have to hurry lest
The forest take his life
Diminishing her strife.
Hayden vowed to burn the wood
After she turned Larkin back to good.
So she journeyed to the edge of the trees
Where the river was still dirty and the fish would wheeze
Instead of singing like the others had before
When the Once-ler had taken the forest of lore.
Hayden found the fruit that was blue
And she knew just what she had to do.
She tried to focus on the times they were happy
Together, not sad or angry, but a little bit sappy
So maybe he would remember his heart
When he took the blue fruit's other part.
Hayden could not find Larkin
But she was able to find his mark in
The trees, a handprint made with fruit juice
Still Hayden continued, having nothing to lose.
She finally found him under the tree
That would take him soon if he
Ate one more fruit, so Hayden got brave
And the blue fruit, to him she gave.
Despite that he'd forgotten her
He accepted the fruit, surprised by its color.
He ate the other half of the blue
And in the memories flew
Recuperating his heart
And splitting him and the tree apart.
Having broken the curse.
And then, for better or worse
Hayden threw him matches and gasoline,
"Come on," she said, "Let's burn this forest clean!"
Larkin sprayed the forest in gas
And Hayden torched the grass.
The fire shot into the sky
As the animals ran by
Thanking the kids for burning the wood
Including the Bar-ba-loot's brood.
Smoke tinged the air
Fire burned with a flare
And Larkin and Hayden ran
And he decided he'd live or die holding her hand
It looked like the fire might consume them
And the animals were about to presume them
Dead when they came out with a smile
And everyone was ready to leave the forest for a while.
Before she could leave, Hayden saw
A seed on the ground, pretty and raw.
So Hayden took the seed in her pocket
As she and Larkin set off for a rocket
To somewhere where the seed could never grow
For the outside world never needed to know
That it was better left dead, the Forest of Mulder.
Larkin turned to Hayden and told her,
"I guess someone didn't care an awful lot,
Because it never got better, it did not."