ORIGIN: Take a closer look at those eyes. Do you see her? Poor thing, she ate a poisoned apple and was left to rot in the woods. There’s no prince in sight, she’s at the mercy of those wild beasts.
And you call yourself a prince? Shouldn’t you be falling on your knees to kiss the poison out of that slumbering princess? I see. You have other priorities in your life. That’s your excuse for leaving her at the mercy of that sinister forest’s wild beasts.
Don’t even try to tell me otherwise. Red is the color of love. It’s the color of poisoned apples. And I am too young to already be putting my ambition to sleep. There is a whole world out there. It may not be mine to conquer, but I have dreams, like most everyone else. They put a smile on my face, and I can’t do them the disservice of not following them. Any heart worth its weight in salt would know where I am coming from.
If you ask me whether I believe in love or not, the answer is yes. But I like getting the most out of my time, so, love isn’t my make-believe game of choice. Maybe in another life, where doing something for the one I love isn’t frowned upon. Meanwhile, I will keep slaying monsters and finding fulfillment on a screen.
Do I look like a snake to you? I don’t shed my skin once every four months. You can’t get under my skin, there’s no room for you in my heart. I am human. I shed my skin in particles. But sand is meant to slip through our fingers. It’s the only proof that we were ever here. And when my time comes, and God sweeps all the particles I have shed over the years into a little pile, I want Him to see me, not you.
No, thank you. Love can wait. The definition of friendship that I like comes with an expiration date, and I want to enjoy it while it lasts. There’s no through thick and thin. Sooner or later all friendships devolve into you scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours. But I am a fortunate child. I was born in the right place, at the right time. Nothing but blue skies ahead. So, forgive me if I am not in a hurry to trade my fairweather friendships for a stormy love.
Funny, you don’t look like an evil queen in disguise. But if the poison fits, who am I to argue? That forest of old and gnarled trees could do with a breath of fresh air. Let me compliment you on a well-chosen sacrifice. One look at her sleeping countenance, and I can tell that her duties as a princess haven’t soured her disposition yet.
With this poisoned apple, I revived a forest a while back. Mice praised my effort, and I wished I had never let them into my heart. That forest was everything I had envisioned. But those mice used the word effort, and that made it a failure in their eyes. No one wants to hear that their dream is a waste of time. But a dream not shared would be the greatest waste of all. So, here I am. With a heart gnawed to death.
With this poisonous cherry pit, I will revive this forest. Wolves might prefer the taste of blood, they might prefer their darkness raw, but I like cherries on top. Starry nights are out of my reach, but these trees will give me something as shiny and dangerous as any dream. All I have to do is wait a little bit more.
With these poisonous almonds, I revived a forest a long, long time ago. But those trees still have a long way to go. They only shed their leaves once a year, and the snake had a head start, but I have faith in my trees. That snake has only gotten more complacent with age. Nowadays it only sheds its skin once in a blue moon. Surpassing it shouldn’t be beyond the realm of possibility.
With these poisonous mushrooms, I plan to revive this forest. But I don’t know my birds. I can’t tell, just by looking at them, whether those owls will appreciate my gesture and winter here. Some owls fly south. And I don’t see the point of a life devoid of wings. Even if it’s just by association, I want to look far into the night sky and feel like I belong. I don’t want to be all alone on the coldest night of the year. But there are no guarantees in this life. I can only hope for the best and let this poison run its course.
The leaves had to go, they had to rot, because they tried to throw their weight around. Even the sun knows that you are this sinister forest’s sole judge, jury and executioner. Doomsday is your middle name. The sun might have kissed those leaves a red, red goodbye. But only you will decide whether that princess gets a goodnight or a goodmorning kiss.
You should be grateful that I am such a nice mouseling. I have teeth to spare. Don’t worry, leave it to me. I will gnaw your regrets. Every single one of them. I promise you, it will be better than starting from scratch. You will wake to a radically new life. But should you go down the same path again, you know where to find me. Just close your eyes and dream a nice little dream.
To devour, or not to devour. That is the question. Appearances can be so deceiving, though. She would make anybody’s mouth water. But my wolf isn’t just anybody. Darkness thrives in its mouth. Its own slice of the heavens above. But the universe is expanding, and my wolf won’t allow itself to fall behind. More darkness is what it needs, and she could be the answer. But what if she wasn’t just another goody two-shoes? My wolf doesn’t need any more yellow fangs in its mouth.
This has nothing to do with her. I am a selfish snake. I is the longest vowel there is. It has no breaking point. It can stretch beyond the horizon. But I have already been there and done that. I don’t want to shed another skin. I envy birds their sky. I want that freedom for myself. No more paths others can follow. Just my freedom. Something that can’t be retraced. That’s why I will eat her. She can keep these scales. I will shed myself.
The wind is at a standstill. Even the trees are waiting with bated breath. All it would take is a wingbeat. Just one. To reach her heart and bring her back to life. My owl is poised to grant her a second chance, but something stays its wings. A shadow of a doubt. What if she doesn’t just have one of those faces? What if this turned out to be her third or even her fourth chance?