[ WP ] A woman finds the tree of life , but not in time to save the one she loves .

Thick bile rose in her throat. At first it tasted like sadness, but now it left the bitter taste of rage in her mouth. 
 
 A sound erupted from her body. A shriek of frustration and impotence. The anger and sorrow rushed out her body in an audible torrent. She did n't seem to make the sound, it flowed through her, out of her and into the world. 
 
 Her nails bit into the thick, gnarled bark before breaking, but it did nothing to stop her scratching the mighty tree until her fingers were bleeding splinter filled nubs. 
 
 She was so close... she could n't lose her now. Not when she had come so far. 
 
 She gathered herself up and hurled herself at the Tree of Life. Her tiny fleshy form battering itself against the gigantic forest monarch. She fell. She rose. She slammed against the wood. She fell again. 
 
 Blood, sweat and tears mingled on her bruised and broken skin. She threw her broken frame at the roots until she could not rise again. She lay in the dust beneath the immovable giant and wept. 
 
 Eventually her tears dried but still she lay. She pressed a palm to the root of the tree, trying to speak in whatever language trees do. Giver her back to me... 
 
 Finally she rose. Her muscles screamed as she moved but she still stood. She gazed up at the tree for a long moment. She spat at its roots, turned, and began to shamble away. 
 
 One foot in front of the other, she shuffled away. 
 
 One step at a time. 
 

