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The Closing Of The Eyes
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TITLE (EDIT)
The Closing Of The Eyes
DESCRIPTION
A man has to overcome his fear and destroy a part of his life. My first real descriptive story.
[1,175 words]
TITLE KEYWORD
Nature
AUTHOR
Steve Deutsch
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I like write things.
[February 2005]
AUTHOR'S E-MAIL ADDRESS
[email protected]
AUTHOR'S OTHER TITLES (4)
It Happens; It Matters. (Short Stories) After a date with the girl of his dreams, a young boy thinks about the changes in life that got him to that moment. This story continues from "Step Three." [2,004 words] [Teenage]
Mexican Soul (Short Stories) Elementary students enjoy their favorite part of the day--lunchtime. However, today is extra special because they're having tacos. [1,074 words] [Teenage]
Not Without My Future (Short Stories) A group of boys pertake on their weekly tradition of figuring out what to do next in their lives at a local Chinese resteraunt. [926 words] [Teenage]
Step Three (Short Stories) A boy sets up his camera and wants to tell his story. This is the beggining. [657 words] [Teenage]
The Closing Of The Eyes
Steve Deutsch

The thoughts that went through my head as I walked along the soft, crunchy, dirt path were filled with nervousness and confusion. I did not want to do what I had to do. My feelings about this whole situation were a giant weight pulling my heart through the ground. I knew that the slower I walked, the longer it would take to get to my fate. Therefore, my brown boots took the shortest strides they could take. The forest was loud. There were bushes rustling, birds singing, and animals snapping. Soon, I came to it; this was the reason I was here. My neck stiffened as I looked up into the wondrous green that surrounded my body. I took a deep breath and grabbed the axe that was resting around my belt loop. Although my heart said, �No, do not do this,� my brain said, �cut down the tree.� It was in the way and it was my job to take it out.

This tree lived in my forest. It was not my forest because I went there when I was sad and wanted to get away from the world, but because I owned the deed that said this forest was mine. I owned the forest itself and all the land around it. Although I loved and cherished my forest since I was a child, the conglomerate Toy Company knew that this was the perfect place to build. The men in their black suits kept telling me to think of the bright smiles of children on Christmas when they received the toys from their company. They told me to think of all the unemployed in the area who would be granted jobs that could give them enough money so they could give children presents on Christmas to access those bright smiles. They also told me to think carefully about the big, fat check I would get if I sign the deed over to them. So, after a night of heavy thinking and reminiscing, I gave my signature to them. I told them to enjoy their stupid company because it was costing me a lot more than it would cost them.
 
This is when they told me about the one tree that was causing them problems. They explained how a river, in which their machinery could not get passed, surrounded the forest. At that moment, I knew I should have just taken the check and ran; however, they continued to explain that a single tree at the back end of the forest was blocking their only entrance. I then asked them for my check so I could leave; however, they told me how this tree existed on my other property that surrounded the forest. They could not do anything with that tree, only I could. I asked them how they could sleep at night; however, they told me to think about another big, fat check I would get if I did them this one favor.

I lifted my axe as I noticed that the tree was the size of a giant and its green leaves danced in the wind. They flipped inside and out and side to side as if they were at a huge dance party, not knowing of their doom that was soon to come. The long brown branches were swaying gently in rhythm with the leaves almost as if they were inviting other trees to join the party that the leaves were enjoying. The tough bark that stood in front of me was the bouncer not letting the uninvited pass. As my arms were released from their locked position above my shoulders and the cold metal of the axe hit the tree I thought, �Looks like I am the party-pooper.�

Pieces of the bark broke off from the tree and landed on the wet ground. I quickly moved the axe back into the ready position and swung again. With a loud crack, more pieces flew off the tree this time. Small pieces of dust floated from the crack in the tree that I was creating and drifted passed my nose. As I breathed in, I smelled blood. The cracking sound got louder with each hit as the axe dug deeper into the skin of the tree. The ground around my feet was soon covered in tiny pieces of dead tree. As my forehead became drenched with sweat, I stopped swinging the weapon. The gash in the tree was deep and protruded basically through the diameter of the tree. The tree was hanging on to its life by a thread. I sat down in the pile of dead tree that lay around me and wiped my forehead. As I tried to catch my breath, I looked up at the dying giant. The leaves were falling one by one as if they were large, green tears that the tree could no longer hold inside of itself. The branches were still swaying in the wind. Only this time it looked as if they were waving goodbye rather than waving hello. I could not stand knowing how much pain the tree was in; I had to finish it off.

I stood up from my resting-place and positioned the axe again above my shoulders. My breathing got heavier as I gave the tree one final blow with my axe. The giant then started to moan in pain as it began to fall. I remember watching many types of birds fly out of the top of the tree as it slowly fell. Each one chirping loudly as they were frightened not knowing what was happening to their home. I covered my ears because the creaking of the tree was unbearable. The volume it possessed was great. I watched in total deafness as the tree finally hit the ground. The impact itself was louder than the fall. Even though my ears were covered, my eardrums stretched in pain. Bushes seemed to move farther back as the gust of wind from the impact engulfed the forest. It was murder. As the gust of wind slowed down and everything began to settle down, I removed my hands from my ears and heard absolutely nothing. No bushes or animals were making a single sound. The forest was in complete silence. The next sound I heard was the soft sound of myself putting the axe back onto my belt loop. The mighty bouncer was now a helpless midget cowering in fear and letting the conglomerates do what ever they wanted to do with the rest of the forest that it was supposed to be protecting.
  
As I looked at the tree lying there already beginning to rot, I told myself to think about the children, the jobs, the presents, and the smiles. I told myself to think about the two big, fat checks I would be receiving; however, I came to the conlusion that I was a stupid moron. As I walked away from the scene of the crime, I realized that I only did not just kill a tree, but a whole forest that the tree belonged.

 

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COPYRIGHT NOTICE
© 2004 Steve Deutsch
STORYMANIA PUBLICATION DATE
February 2005
NUMBER OF TIMES TITLE VIEWED
1816
 

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