A Lonely Hell Tree (Old Version) *2.0 title will be "Crosswalk to Panic"

Chapter 4 - Depression in the Clouds

Akari was silent as she listened to Kaden's talking. She only looked down at the dirt, insect, and plant infested ground underneath the soles of her shoes.  'You can tell a lot about a person by the things they wear or how they do something.' It was a phrase her grandmother had once said, while talking to a younger, more non-confrontational grandchild. Akari glanced at her own pair of sneakers. They were a pair that her Aunt Waverly had customized. Just a 'practice pair'. But they were beautifully designed. They were sock sneakers, with multiple patches of different kinds of yellows. Between each shade, there was a shape, like a blocky swirl or a triangle. The 'shoe laces' were brown and white buckles.

Akari preferred to not assume herself of course. She felt as if judging yourself only gave you more trivial insecurities. As Akari and Kaden continued to walk, Kaden clasped her hand and said, "There's a cave we can spend the night in right there!" Dragging Akari along, he rushed for the shelter. As they entered, it was suddenly dim. "Akari, do you have a flashlight?", the taller figure next to her questioned. Feeling the contents of this never ending satchel, Akari pulled out the flashlight Kaden expected.

"I do."

As Akari's left hand was still gently gripped by her companion, she flipped on the light with her remaining fingers. Neither of them would like eyes full of glowing beams, so she passed the flashlight to Kaden upside down.

She tried not to mind the hand holding too much, but a slight heat came to her cheeks. No matter how long or how often this gesture occurred, the maiden couldn't cease to blush. Suddenly, Kaden's palm returned to his side. "I'm going to gather some stuff for us to sleep on, and some firewood, comin'?", Kaden turned and walked out the entrance. Akari did the same chore, as she wasn't looking forward to the cold, hard stone. This thought reminded her of Goldilocks' tale. Papa Bear's bed was too hard, Mama Bear's bed was too soft, whilst Baby Bear's bed was just right.

...

It's dark now. The sky is pitch black, the nocturnals make few noises, and you're left with your thoughts, in a dim cave. Laying on a pile of various tree petals you are enveloped in many scents, new scents. As you take in these scents, you close your eyes and leave your mind to wonder. It blacks out. Suddenly, you see a singular hazy pattern, with its own color, it travels to another empty thought. And another pattern begins to invade the space, and runs around with the first light. Now, two memories and thoughts explore you. And once again, another little figure has joined the room. With no respect for you, a gush of lights, shadows, and lines rush into your head!

Memories, feelings, thoughts all get overloaded and worse by each count. You hear something, it quiets down the squeaks of the forest, knocking at your cave. It tells you, in a small mumble, something that people would say untrue to you. But you believe it. How could it be a lie, when isn't everyone else around you a big lie? The truest thing out there might be yourself...but even at this point, you're too mad to know your true feelings.

You toss and turn in your nest of pink, white, and blue. You cover your ears in your nest of pink, white, and blue. No, but you will hear me..it..and whatever lurks out to get you. Your breathing slows, then your heart begins to pound in your throat, your stomach, and every part of you, so your lungs quicken their speed. You feel like screaming, but you can't. You pass it off to being exhausted so you count livestock. One sheep..two sheep..three sheep..No! Your sheep won't absorb your stress, failures, and memories.

They continue to float off into the colored fogs, but the sheep come out white. White as dandelions, white as paper, white as if they've never been touched by the world. Your limbs now walk, but they have no legs, they fumble with a noisy item to attempt a break through. You can no longer think straight, you don't know anything. Then, that's when you hear it. The voice of another. Though their words are blank of meaning, their 'invisible arms', long and warm tell you all you know. You sob, feeling your tears run down their own stairs. The stairs of stares that watch and judge at every corner.

Yet, when those outstretched arms disappear for a moment, it's all over. You call and scream their name, searching with your eyes for them, but you are now blind. You are alone. You stare at a rock, as if a person, and you carve a mask from that rock. A mask to cover your hardship of panics so the leftover pebbles won't pity and freak as you silently become madder and madder. "Akari!", you listen finally, as someone beloved holds your hand tight, and your tears near. With thoughts of your safety gnawing at them.