Chapter Three: Marilyn's Travelling Madness
Marilyn sat there, looking out the window. Each passing day the Campervan seemed to get smaller and smaller, and boring too. It has been 2 weeks, 4 days and 8 hours since Marilyn and her family left their home in Southville. She kept count of time ever since. With her were her father and mother, George and Mary, and her two younger brothers, James and Spencer. They were heading towards Greenville,the town where her father was born and grew up in.
After what seemed like an eternity, they finally arrived. "We are here!" Marilyn's father announced cheerfully.
"Dad," said Spencer, Marilyn's youngest brother, "this is not Greenville, it says Th-need-ville." Marilyn did not blame her brother for not understanding the name, it was starnge after all.
"I know Spencie, apparently they renamed the town but there is no doubt we are here. We can expect a vast valley of Truffulas any time now." Marilyn and her brothers heard all about it their whole lives, how beautiful and big they were and couldn't wait to see one. Their father described them as having "Tuffs as soft as silk with the smell of butterfly and milk." The whole family was excited to see the long awaited trees. They were greatly dissapointed.
Before them was a desserted land. Nowhere did they spot the vibrant hues of pink, blue and orange they expected, instead they saw grey everywhere. Nowhere did they saw cute fluffy bears running around, graceful birds filling the sky or funny fish that walked out of water (Yeah, Marilyn couldn't believe that either). In fact, there was no sight of life anywhere near them. But the greatest dissapointment was the fact that there was not even one tree standing. Everything looked so sad and dead.
"Wow... What happened here?" Marilyn said, bearly above a whisper.
"I don't know" her father responded, a solemn look on his face. And so they drove past the valley, slowly, not a word being spoken during the drive until they finally arrived at the town, now known as Thneedville. There they saw people with pink scarfs wrapped around their faces and no sign of nature anywhere. The air cuality was horrible, but not as bad as it was back at the valley. Marilyn became worried for her father.
Her father's chilhood home was torned down long ago so in the meantime they will stay at a distants cousin's house until they got their own. Their cousin's name was Adam and he lived with his fiance Norma. When they arrived they were happily greeted by them.
"Hello my name is Norma and I have been dying to meet you" Norma held both of Marilyn's hands and smiled happily at her.
"Me too" Marilyn responded. She already felt a friendship between her and Norma being born. Marilyn was suprised that Norma, being 5 years older, was really short. She had curly dark brown hair and gorgeous brown eyes hidden behind large round glasses. Adam, on the other hand, was tall, blonde, had piercing blue eyes and wore no glasses. Yet they made a great couple.
"Hello cousin" Adam greeted Marilyn. She had never met him, in fact, she never really knew he existed. But she sensed a softness and benevolence from him.
They entered Adam's home, which looked much bigger in the inside than in the out side. The walls had yellow wallpaper with stripes of a more darker yellow and was nicely decorated. Norma led Marilyn to her room and helped her unpack.
"So, do you miss home?" Norma asked.
"Yes, I do." Marilyn answered and Norma smiled at her.
"Any friends... or a boyfriend?" Marilyn looked at Norma shocked, but Norma just laughed. "I'm kidding." Norma said while giggling. Marilyn smiled at this starnge lady. She acted as if she knew Marilyn all her life. Norma was really out going and upfront whereas Marilyn was more shy and insecure. Back at home she didn't have much friends and she most certainly never had a boyfriend. Her bestfriends were books and music. When they finished packing they headed downstairs to eat dinner.
The afternoon went by as they ate while being entertained by Marilyn's father's stories about his days in Greenville, or Thneedville.
"In fact," Marilyn's father said "my best memory is that of a beautiful forest of Truffulas. What happened to it?" Adam and Norma looked up from their plates, then to eachother with sudden discomfort.
"I mean I came and saw nothing but a wasteland instead" Marilyn's father said, not understanding why the sudden awkard expression of the two.
"Well... uh... the trees. They are..." Adam looked at Norma. "Gone." Norma finished Adam's sentence, suddenly sad and looked back down at her plate.
"Why?" Marilyn's mother asked. Adam told them about the greedy industrialist who cut down all the trees to make his invention, however he never said his name. That name won't ever be mentioned in their household. Norma and Adam had been firm supporters of the Truffula Conservation Assosiation, but despite their efforts, they lost to the power of the Thneed. They were one of the only few who didn't owned a Thneed in town.
After dinner, Marilyn went back to her room andwrote about her journey in her diary. Before going to sleep, she looked out the window at the dark wasteland in the outskirts of the town. She had a feeling Adam and Norma were hiding something, but what? She remained there looking and thinking for a few minutes before going to sleep. I guess I have to find out by myself...
"Love will find a way through paths
where wolves fear to prey."
-Lord Byron
So yeah just to make things clear, Adam is the son of Marilyn's father's cousin and "Granny" Norma is his soon-to-be wife. Do you like the little quotes I leave at the end? Just a little touch. Be sure to review or even saying Hi will bring a smile to my face and inspire me to continue writing :) Hopefully is not too boring. Things are gonna get good up in here in this next chapter...! ;)