embrace

previous part: https://jordynsaelor.com/2025/10/16/stew/

all parts: https://jordynsaelor.com/cant-catch-me-now/

***

They wrapped me in branches,

bark as rough as stale bread,

and carried me

kicking

and screaming,

still invisible

since the runes

worked by a timer.

Rivers of amphibians

followed the moving tree

holding me

and more trees

plowed after my tree,

most of them leafless

a few of them scorched

though already

the charred branch-fingers

holding me tight

bloomed with yellow buds

and baby leaves.

“Where are you going?” I yelled, trying to squirm free,

trying to get an edge of my bone-digit frame

or a tooth

into the bark

to carve a sloppy rune.

“I didn’t do anything to you!

Surely you’re not going to eat me,

trees don’t eat people!”

At least, not trees in the stories where I came from.

But the trees

and salamanders

didn’t speak,

just rumbled onward,

and the whole landscape we passed

stayed the same bleak barrenness,

but marred by trunk-wide furrows

that hadn’t been there when I’d walked–

it was like every tree

had stood perfectly still

for years

(or, at least, weeks)

and only moved now,

to nab me

and the blankets,

who I hoped

wouldn’t get taken to the same place

as me,

because even though they might help me escape

from whatever fate

the salamanders and trees had ready,

escaping the blankets after that

seemed unlikely

given the lack of settlements

in this bare, open land–

yet, on the horizon,

a tiny gray speck

steadily grew

so maybe

this place

had at least one city,

but

we seemed to be going there

so I doubted

I wanted to.

***

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