The speaker sounded kind and intelligent. The only question that remained was could she trust him?

The fog surrounding the area dissipated leaving behind what Mimi could only a.s.sume was a man. Was he a man or a tree masquerading as a man in a suit? The creature had a mask for a face with three slits. The two bigger slits were located, where one could a.s.sume the eyes were. Those slits were painted a jade green with a small s.h.i.+ne effect. The last remaining slot was his mouth. There was nothing special about it. It was just a circle barely outlined. If that was the creature's mouth, how was he talking Mimi pondered? The creature had long branch-like arms that sprouted out into hands; his legs were the same way with feet that had little green leaves to mark the toes.

"As you ponder my appearance perhaps you should ask yourself this, am I dreaming? No, could he be real? What logic does he follow?" The strange creature moved his branch fingers up to stroke his chin. "Perhaps you might want to think what his name is? My name is Woody by the way."

Mimi lifted an eyebrow up. "So you are a tree man named Woody? That isn't very imaginative."

Woody shrugged and responded. "Well, you were never a very clever child Mimi."

"Wait how do you know my name? Where am I and how are you talking without a proper mouth?" Mimi scratched the back of her head as her mouth tilted to the side.

Woody sighed, "It is called telepathy. I thought you would have recognized this place after all." he looked around. "We are in your mind little one."

"I am not little!" Mimi shouted as her face scrunched up.

Woody raised his shoulders and shouted back at her. "You have always been little to me! now direct your attention to behind me."

Mimi directed her attention to behind woody. She noticed a tight group of alive and dead trees. The live trees had brown bark and branches that stretched out. The leaves a bright green color. The dead trees had ash-colored bark with drooping branches. The leaves were a pure black and would fall every once awhile hitting the barely visible ground.

"That is where I live. Do not go there." Woody pointed to Mimi's left. "You see that area down that path where all the trees are dead. Yeah, that's where you go. Tata." Woody waved and then suddenly disappeared.

A thick fog came rus.h.i.+ng in from the right.

Mimi's eyes widen, and her jaw dropped. "Oh, no, no!" Mimi looked around as the fog suddenly swooshed in. The area that was in front of her and the field to the right was unclear. The thick grey fog puffed up. Mimi pressed her hands against the fluffy ma.s.s. The ma.s.s gave equal resistance by pus.h.i.+ng her hand back. Her eyes widen. She remained motionless. A hand reached out and grabbed her hand. A person stepped through the fog.

Mimi leaned in and quickly leaned out. She half circled the individual. No way, she thought. It is a perfect replica of me. She has my purple boy short hair, my brown eyes, my nose, and my full lips. Even the clothes a leather jacket, t-s.h.i.+rt, and blue jeans.

The replica smirked. "I am Egos the better you. I am so much better at everything even the things I can't do. Egos drew out its words. "I don't need anyone. I can fend for my self. I don't have to listen, to obey because I already know what is best."

Mimi blinked retreating into her mind. 'Have I felt that way. A few times yeah.'

Egos's mouth split open going from ear to ear. Teeth pushed through the newly formed s.p.a.ce. Blood started to drip, and it hit the ground, splas.h.i.+ng ever so lightly.

Mimi zoned in when she heard bones beginning to crack.

What once looked like her, now was looked hunched over. Egos's limbs became longer breaking out of the flesh that encased them. Blood and skin laid scattered on the ground. Its spine erupted out. The spine grew several feet out but still connected to the bottom half. Egos leaned over huffing in Mimi's face.

Mimi leaned away holding her mouth shut. She huffed in and out throw her nose. The beat of Mimi's heart tripled pounding against her rib cage.

"Run," Egos snarled into Mimi's face.

Mimi clenched her hands. She turned around and started running to the dead woods. She could hear the pounding of Egos's feet behind her.

I have to be faster. I don't want to die. Someone help me. Those thoughts cycled through Mimi's head. Mimi pushed herself harder and harder until she tripped and fell. Mimi hit the ground rolling. She landed on her stomach. After Mimi laid down for a few seconds catching her breath, she flipped around.

Egos thumped and stomped over to Mimi. It unhinged its jaws. Egos lowered its head and scooped up her feet. Egos made a gulping sound every few seconds sliding further up.

Mimi raised her arms over her eyes. She did not want to look. " I'm going to die! I am going to die!" She screamed as her body froze.

Stray tears slid out of her eyes. She did not want to look at the creature's face as it devoured her. Mimi arched her body and looked toward the forest lowering her arms.

A young boy and a young girl appeared holding hands. They very much resembled each other.

The girl narrowed her eyes speaking. "Sad, she has already given up."

The boy nodded. "Nothing like a beast to dull one's day."

She broke out of her stupor shouting. "What are you doing!? Runaway!?"

The girl spoke again carrying a monotone voice. " The girl wants us to run away."

"Perhaps it is time dear sister to reveal ourselves." The boy s.h.i.+fted toward Egos.

"Huh?" Egos looked up from its meal. "Go away Fallacy you are interrupting!"

"As the creature stated we are Fallacy," the boy spoke.

"We are the corruption of human words," the girl stated.

"From now one we will speak at the same time." The twins finished together.

Egos gulped sliding up Mimi more. It was now up to her waist. Egos narrowed its eyes speaking to them. "Who cares!"

The twins walked toward Egos still holding hands. "s.l.u.t," the word materialized in mid-air and slammed into Egos.

Egos let lose a squawk, throwing Mimi up in surprise. It squealed and wielded on the twins.

"I am not," Egos roared pounding its fist into the ground.

"Ugly," Fallacy stated and soon after the word suddenly materialized. It slammed into Egos.

Egos lifted up roaring and shaking. Tears coagulated down its face.

"Weakling, go cut yourself, do it. Kill yourself; no one likes you. You should have never been born." Each word the twins spoke sp.a.w.ned and started slamming into Egos.

Mimi and Egos covered their ears screaming. "No, no that is not true! You don't know what it's like! Shut up, shut up! Maybe I will!"

Egos fell to the ground a b.l.o.o.d.y mess.

Mimi covered her mouth trembling. "Why, Why are people cruel. Perhaps they are right. Maybe I should crawl into the mouth of that thing." She sobbed, "It's so hard to ignore the words. Sometimes, I find I can't."

"As we said we are Fallacy. You know those words you believe. The ones the wrong ones tell you. The words that make you debate rather you are worth it or it. Those words have no meaning if you don't give them power. You feed us believing in their stupidity. Then again humans cannot help themselves in what they believe. Humans are sometimes not rational beings. Every single one is different. Therein lies the problem what works for one, may not work for you, "The twins finished speaking blandly. Their eyes bore into Mimi's.

"You, you approve of this." Mimi flinched breathing in and out.

The twins shrugged. "It is commonplace for people to a.s.sume so. We do not care for this ability. We do care not for the destruction it provides. Words are damaging, and only morons do not understand that. There are people out there wis.h.i.+ng to do harm. They should be held accountable. No one has the right to tell another living creature to die unless it is for food." The twins pause. They then reach their arms up and touch their foreheads. "Unfortunately, that last line is another whole philosophy we can't get into. You should run now."

"Hem, what," Mimi's tone of voice went higher. Her eyes expanded.

"You are our food." The twins waited.

"Are you being nice?" Mimi scurried up glancing toward the forest."

The twins without answering her whispered into their hands. The words they whispered materialized. The hilt of the word was the first letter.

They swung synchronized hitting the ground before Mimi.

A dust cloud and dirt blasted into the air.

Mimi took of finally reaching the dead woods. She heard snapping and thumping. It sounded like a huge ma.s.s was coming this way. Mimi stopped, and with her heart thumping, she turned around.

The trees had somehow moved. They blocked the entrance. Their branches were weeping to the ground. Mimi ran up to the trees.

Her eyes shattered. No, no it was here! I know this is where the entrance was!" Mimi reached her hands up to her mouth. She began biting her nails. Mimi stared at the ma.s.s of trees falling to her knees.

"Why, h.e.l.lo there little one." A female's voice echoed throughout the path.

Mimi turned around and around on all fours. She looked for a pair of feet. Mimi not seeing any sat up folding her arms.

"Look up," The female voice called out.

Mimi glanced up in front of her. She gasped in awe. The woman was stunning.

The woman upon being noticed floated to the ground. Her white dress bellowed as she touched the path. " I am the Willow woman, but you may call me Willow." Willow moved closer to Mimi.

Mimi scampered back holding her hand out. Her palm faced willow.

Willow stopped moving. She noticed Mimi's terror-filled eyes. "It is all right." Willow brought a finger to her mouth. "Shush, I am not going to hurt you." She got on her knees and started crawling toward Mimi.

Mimi scooted back every time Willow inched closer. "Stay back!" Mimi balled herself up shaking.

"Sweet child. So frail, and ready to give up. Isn't this place frightening? Aren't you tired?" Willow held out her hand smirking.

"This place is so confusing, so heartbreaking. I don't know what it wants from me!" Mimi lifted up her hand and covered her forehead.

"Why for you to give up. To lay here with me and wait for all of time to pa.s.s. Wouldn't it be so easy to give in? To give up." Willow approached Mimi.

Mimi did not move away, and she lifted her head, dropping her hand down. "To give in..."

Willow reached her hand toward Mimi's face. She then cupped it by Mimi's chin. Willow reached her other hand up grabbing the side of Mimi's face. "Why yes, we can stay here never moving forward. Never going back. Nothing ever comes of going forward. Nothing ever comes with moving backward. Staying still, never achieving anything that is the way to be."

"Never moving?" Mimi glanced at Willow. The woman was infuriatingly beautiful. It was tempting to stay wrapped up in this almost rea.s.suring presence. "I could stay here. "

"Cloud you? How sweet. Now stay still while I nibble." The woman's voice suddenly transformed. The tone a sinister mock.

"What, no!" Mimi slapped Willow away.

Willow hit the ground. "Ha, ha, ha, I will come for you. You do not have to run. Running is hard."

Mimi stood up clenching her fist. "You know I am not strong. I am as weak as they come. I have been hurting for long. Inside feels like a hole that's ripping me apart. Their actions, their words incircle my head. People I have trusted, people I cared about, turned their backs on me. It is cold, and it is dark. There is no way out! Every waking moment I think I deserve it! Even if someone were to tell me, that is not true. It would still consume my every being. I wish I knew a way out. I don't see it though. All I hear, all I see is their hate. I feel like it is becoming a part of me."

Willow smiled, and she spoke. "Woody I think we are finished here."

Woody appeared with a small circular table. He was sitting on an absurdly small stool. Woody had a teacup in one hand and a saucer in the other. "All ready and I just got to tea time," He huffed.

Mimi looked between the two. She looked back and forth. "Do you want to eat me too?"

Woody placed down his teacup. "Heavens no. You would excuse my language taste rather raw."

Mimi looked at Willow who was still on the ground. She pointed at her. "Does she want to eat me," Mimi asked with a raised eyebrow.

Woody sighed, "No one wants to eat you."

Mimi huffed, "Then why go through this."

Woody shrugged. "Because I can." He tilted his cup and poured his tea on the ground. He then placed the teacup on the table

Mimi narrowed her eyes stomping over to him. " You are not a good person."

Woody replied, "I am a figment of your imagination."

Mimi grabbed at Woody's jacket suit. "That ain't saying much."

"There are people out there who are not lucky at all. You survived... Next time you may not."

Mimi let go of Woody's jacket. She slid down to the ground. "I survived," she whispered to herself. She then looked up at him. "So this is my mind?"

"A warped version of it, yes. We did a bit of redecorating. I want you to know; it is not your fault, that it is okay. I can't even imagine the pain you are in. I know you must be afraid. That you think that they will look at you differently. Is that so bad? Are you worried that they will hate you too? That person or persons you think so lowly of." Woody moved toward Willow. He helped her up.

Mimi lifted her head up. "Yeah, I don't think lowly of them."

"Will want to help you. If you talk to the person or persons; If you can not speak, write letters, if you can not write, show them. Show the messages, the bruises. If you can not out of fear, out of it hurting too much. I promise you they would rather have you alive. But If you can not, I get it. There are other forms of help. Please consider them. I can a.s.sure you, that you are not the only one. That help does exist. I can a.s.sure you it is okay to ask for help." As Woody finished speaking the path and trees slowly disappeared. A complete blackness overtook Mimi's mind.