Nature’s Translator
Romelio, let’s just say was not a fan of nature. He was a fan
of technology. And on March 13th, his birthday,
his friend decided to take him to a beautiful forest. To get high
on magic mushrooms, more specifically. Of course, he was down.
Just not for the walk into the forest.
Romelio’s friend laid out a blanket for them to sit on the ground.
Romelio took whatever dosage his friend had handed him. Fuck
putting it in a tea, were his words. Only thirty minutes later
he began dancing on one leg. He lost balance quickly though
and fell back when a tree suddenly broke his fall.
Romelio didn’t think anything of it nor his friend. The tree
had always been there. Until they noticed the numerable
flowers propping up from the ground. Awakening
for the early sun.
Romelio made eye contact with Flowers
and automatically knew how it felt.
“Flowers don’t want to be plucked constantly.
Nor do they want finger-stroking hands
going through crevices, cleaning their pollen off.”
This is Flowers, but my friends know me as Malupia Floresta. & I agree. It’s not very nice. I hate being gripped from the peduncle and ripped from the soil.
Romelio made eye contact with Trees.
The same flow of emotions surged
from his brain out his lips.
“Trees don’t want to be cut down.
To be used as paper for your weak feelings.”
Make your own godamn paper. You’ve already mastered fake eggs. I guess I give you oxygen so you can’t completely ignore me. This is Tree, but I’m known as grounded virtue. I speak for all nature.
He couldn’t leave out the roots.
“Roots need to be cared for.
Not by dumping Epsom Salts
For the benefit of other vegetation.”
This is roots but my friends call me Veinous Ros! & I need mulch if I will supply enough nutrients to my buddy grounded virtue. Please stop using salts they burn.
Nor the soil.
“Soil hates farming practices.
Humans destroy their natural structure.
Keep heavy metal pollution away.”
This is Soil but I’m known as Tierra Mia. Human nutrition depends on me but their actions show different. How can I keep the earth’s climate secure with all these negatives spilling through me.
Romelio looks back at his friend
forgetting everything he just said.
It seems whatever power he held
was only viable through eye contact.
His friend was confused. He thought
he might’ve turned into an
environmentalist.
The tree jumped in front of Romelio.
This is very much real. I don’t like asking, but we need to be saved.
These shrooms are wild man, said Romelio.
The shrooms wore off, Romelio. Now, we can talk.
Looking at Trees in terror, Romelio gasps out the word, WHAT
His whole connection to nature has shifted.