Every day and every night I sit and wait here in the forest. The air here is cold and unforgiving. The canopy of foliage restricts the sunlight and casts a never ending darkness upon the floor below. As I lie here on the wet ground unable to move I only wish that my loneliness would fade and my sorrows would cease.
It is early in the morning... or at least I thought it was. It is hard to tell when you can no longer see the sun's position in the spacious sky. I only wish I could get up and walk, but I knew that was always out of the question. I simply occupy my time observing the morose surroundings and reliving memories of a life that was now far away. I have been here for countless days. The time only flows together, it could have been years since I last saw Ponyville.
The delightful town was nothing more than a cold memory, then again, everything was but a memory to me. Memories were all that kept me sane, as sane I could ever be. The memories of my mother, the memories of the dark where I was kept. I would trade those moments for this forest any day.
There was only one thing in this forest that wasn't but a faded thought. A figure that would visit the forest from time to time. It was surreal in comparison to the gloomy surroundings I faced everyday. Perhaps it was nothing more than an apparition that my own mind fabricated. Nevertheless it was a welcomed accompaniment.
* * *
The day dragged out. Some leaves around me rustled with a slight breeze. A bird could be heard far off in the forest. It warbled for a moment, then the shrill note was cut off, leaving an eerie echo to reverberate through the trees. Silence then engulfed the area once more. The silence ensued.
A hatred of this place can easily be felt. There isn't much worse out in the world beyond here, wherever here is. A drop of water rolled off the leaves above and lands on my arm. Another drop tumbles from above. One by one they begin to fall until a heavy nonrhythmic patter can be heard throughout the shadows. I hate the rain almost as much as I hate being stuck here. I wish I could move, I wish I could verbalize the disdain of my position, but alas I cannot.
The rain continued to envelop the trees. Asides from being frozen and now caked with mud, I did enjoy one thing of this freezing rain. It overcomes the silence. I find the erratic melody soothing. I wish I could vocalize my pleasure like the birds of the trees, but I only find myself unable. Those feelings of hope quickly vanish at the thought and soon I returned to my solemn state.
The rain had long since passed and the air was growing cooler. I figured it was now night. Another day another night, a cycle that would repeat monotonously. As the darkness dragged out. A stillness set over the forest once more. The birds did not make so much as a peep, even the crickets seemed to be hushed.
Leaves in the distance were upturned by something more than wind. The movement let out an unsettling crunch. Somewhere from behind me was a figure. I didn't know whether to be thrilled or excited. Again the leaves crinkled. The steps were getting closer. Mixed emotions started shooting through my mind. Not knowing what to do but I knew I desired to run. I didn't know where to but to just leave this place. Yet I knew I could never move. I felt trapped in my own body, with no control over anything but my mind.
The walking stopped. I knew that the figure loomed but just inches from where I lay. The silence returned. I waited for something to happen but nothing did. A time passed and I thought the figure had left. A shuffle of leaves then convinced me otherwise. The figure knelt beside me. I can't make out what it was, for only part of it was within my vision. It appeared to have a red coat, but I could be mistaken in these shadows. All I knew is that the large figure couldn't be real. It would stay with me for long periods of time and never made a sound. But real or not, I always accepted its company.
Hours were nothing more than minutes to me. It had to have been not but early daybreak. The figured stirred, then drew to its full height. I knew that it was time for the apparition to leave. It stood looking to the distance as if to be on guard. Then it turned to me and took hold of me. The initial touch shocked me, I hadn't been touched for longer than I could remember. The figure then gently shifted me upright against a tree trunk. The figure bent over near my side and stood back up.
Now it walked away from me. When it reached the crest of a small hill it looked back at where I was. Then vanished over the hill to be seen no more. Though I wasn't worried. The figure always returned. As for now I would have to wait for that time to come once more.
* * *
Days turned into weeks and the weeks into months. I lay propped against the tree until autumn, when all the leaves began to turn magnificent colors and fall from their branches. I love this time of year, it gives me so much more to look at. It brought up a joy that I hadn't felt for a while. Even though I knew the figure wasn't going to return, I felt alive.
Soon all of the leaves had fallen and the sun poured into the trees. Oh how I had missed the warming rays on my body. Its light had brought forth details I failed to see in the darkness. I could now see the life that still blossomed in the forest. I could now see variations in the trees, and even the wispy clouds in the sky. The sky was bluer than I remembered it. My mind embraced the new sites and sounds that the season had brought me.
The leaves began to pile around me. They did so until I slumped from my position and slid the forest floor. At least I saw the immaculate skies once more. As I lay there something crumpled and weathered stood out amongst the colored floor. It wasn't a leaf, for it was white. As my vision focused I realized that it was paper. Surely this couldn't have been unbeknownst to me the whole time. Nevertheless I began to study its features.
Upon further examination I found it to have writing on it. The writing was clumsily written and smudged. Yet it remained mostly intact. I tried to make out the writing as best as I could...
Hey, I know I couldn't stay
We both knew this time would come
It's time for me to leave you behind
It's time for me to move on...
I'm sorry you couldn't come with me
But where I am going you cannot follow
So please forgive me Smarty Pants
Your big fellow,
Mac
