Fading Green
By: Brianna Guapo
Brianna Guapo, a first-year majoring in Communications surviving college through creative writing outbursts. Whenever she isn’t drowned by essays, you can find her lost in a romance novel or binging a drama series. Ideally, Brianna wants to share her imagination with the world, but realistically plans on working for school districts then eventually become a language arts educator. Her plan is to show future generations the beauty of literature she learned to love.
Smoke from working buildings shade the city, leaving it in gray desolation. The entire area is congested by the invasive pollution, all but one spot. At the center of the industrial site lies a small patch of long unmowed grass, the color of different shades of emerald. In the middle of the bright green stands a solitary willow tree that, despite all the construction and cityscape, remains the focal point of the scene - its presence being a reminder of nature’s enduring power.
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A gentle, refreshing breeze that passes through the field, encourages the willow to dance. Its graceful branches began to sway with purpose, like a ballerina at her recital trying to make her mentor proud. The branches stretch as far as they can while the leaves hang on tight. Nearby, a young boy in bright yellow overalls mimics the willow, swaying his arms around in waves like the ripples in the lake that once neighbored the field. The boy’s ringing laughter and eyes full of promise motivate the willow to never stop its movement. For a moment, there was hope: man and nature were finding joy in each other’s presence.
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However, time was not kind to the bond between the child and the tree. As the boy grew his eyes stopped sparkling with innocence, and greed slowly clouded them. The boy, now a man, saw the willow as an obstacle. One day, he returned to the tree as a corporate figure in an ambitious suit. The willow, ecstatic for the boy's return, danced vigorously, giving it its all to impress its friend. The man however, stared blankly at the tree, not caring about its playful swaying. Instead of joining the tree like once before, without hesitation he grabbed a bloody red sign and stabbed it in the field’s ground, marking the land as his own in preparation for his new building.
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The willow tree stands in betrayal, shivers trailing down its trunk, as the knife in its back weakens it. The branches stretch down, resting from dancing to the wind’s melody. Some leaves sway as they fight their way off the branches, losing oxygen. The brown, thick-braided trunk in all its glory, begins to hunch - too tired to maintain its tall composure. The field of bright green disappears as the color fades like ink dripping from a wet business contract.
Memories of the boy in yellow overalls suffocate the tree. False hope of what could have been becomes the cancer slowly spreading down its branches. A boy who once came in awe everyday, eager to play with the tree, was now a stranger. The pressure of fitting in with the rest and meeting their greedy expectations superseded the tree’s friendship. If only the boy had realized the tree never had standards, only dreams of a brighter future in harmony. But the boy no longer danced to the same tunes.
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The willow tree, breathtakingly powerful and graceful, surrenders. It takes one last look at the emotionless man but sees right through him. Instead the tree finds the eyes of a young boy in yellow overalls weeping, screaming to be let out of the gray facade. Providing comfort, the tree sends one of its leaves to the man, serving as a goodbye. As men in construction vests walk past the indifferent man, axes in hand, the tree knows it has lived a good life. It can only feel pity for a world that will no longer know true natural beauty.